January 01, 2001
Meetings & Conventions: Planner's Portfolio January
2001

January 2001
PLANNER'S
PORTFOLIO:Checklist
BY MARTHA COOKE
WORKING WITH A CATERER
The following checklist was compiled with the help of
Kurt Brown, director of catering, Boston Marriott Copley Place, 110
Huntington Ave., Boston, Mass. 02116
DETERMINING NEEDS
What is the nature of the event (business meeting, awards
ceremony, social fund-raiser, gala dinner)?Is the function part of a meeting, or is it a stand-alone
event?How many people are expected to attend?Is this a first-time event? If not, use data from previous
functions to help determine numbers.Where and how will the event be catered (on- or off-site, using
a hotel’s catering department or an outside caterer)?If the event will be held off-site, are there adequate cooking
and food-preparation facilities, including freezers, refrigerators
and running water?Does the site have adequate general storage and
load-in/load-out access?Will any VIPs be present?Will the event have a theme?Will there be live entertainment?Will alcohol be served?What is the budget?MENU-PLANNING DETAILS
Begin planning as far out as possible. Last-minute planning
results in higher food and labor costs.Give the caterer details of the event, including number of
expected attendees, date, time and location.If using an outside facility, arrange for the caterer to
site-inspect the venue and kitchen facilities.Discuss with the caterer any dishes that were not successful in
the past. Provide a list of clients’ preferred foods and items to
avoid.Address food allergies, vegetarian requests and any particular
ethnic or religious preferences. (A good rule of thumb: About 5
percent of attendees request vegetarian dishes.)Determine if a buffet-style or plated meal is more conducive to
the nature of the event.If considering a buffet, ask for a selection of foods that stay
fresh and hold up well. Avoid fried foods, sliced meats and
breakfast items such as scrambled eggs, which dry out quickly.Consider whether food will be prepared on-site or made in
advance and then transported to the event. Some types of fish, such
as sole and flounder, do not hold up well if prepared in
advance.If planning to serve alcohol, ask the caterer for consumption
guidelines and to recommend wines within budget.Provide a final head count to the catering department 48 hours
before the event.Before committing to a final menu selection, ask the caterer
for an actual tasting. If this is impossible, ask to see a photo
portfolio of dishes the caterer is comfortable preparing.CONTRACTING WITH AN OUTSIDE CATERER
Ask for at least three references.Inspect the caterer’s facility. Cleanliness is a good standard
by which to judge professionalism.Ask if the use of silverware and linens is included in the
quoted price.Discuss cleanup procedures; if catering staff will handle the
cleanup, ask if an extra fee applies.Determine the number of wait staff necessary. If a certain
caliber of wait staff is needed, the caterer should be made aware
of this.Ask to see the caterer’s license to do business and health-
department certification; reputable caterers should have both.Discuss how food will be transported if it is being prepared
off-site.
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