Seven quirky catering ideas for corporate events

Whether it’s an egg benedict or egg royal served with an avo-shake to wash is down, power breakfasts are way to go. The days of the Del Trotter stereotypical businessman man are long gone. The fictional Only Fools and Horses character describe himself as “yuppie”, indulging in a combination of full English breakfast, pina colada and Castella cigars on a daily basis. If the director of Trotter’s Independent Traders were to try and fit in with the health-conscious business men and woman of the 21st century he would certainly struggle.

With that got us thinking, what exactly do high-professionals of 2019 want served to them, when they attend corporate events? Let’s be honest, the entire success of the day might hinge on the mid-afternoon buffet, so for a catering company, deciphering between Danish pastries and dauphinoise potatoes can prove crucial. 

Together, with Flogas Shop, providers of gas BBQs, we list the top sever quirky catering ideas for corporate events.

Afternoon tea

In reality, the chances of the traditional cheese and ham, egg and cress, despite being often-scrumptious comfort food, are likely to not appeal to your guests. However, that doesn’t mean the traditional lunch choice of sandwiches is somehow defunct. In fact, there exist a number of fillings that will get heads turning and bellies rumbling, although plain white bread probably won’t make the slice. 

Fiery Mexican BLT on freshly baked sourdough, spicy roasted shrimp with chipotle avocado mayonnaise are just two of our favorites that will ensure you get empty plates all round. Or, if you want to take your sandwich expression to the next level, call upon Philadelphian eatery, Elsie’s, for some inspiration. Have you ever found yourself wishing you got a bit more bite (of pickle) for your buck? Well, using Elsie’s method that won’t be a concern, as this deli substitutes bread for the brine-soaked vegetable!

There will be not needing to serve up traditional English breakfast tea with your funky sandwiches, here call upon the likes of a lemon drizzle, Turkish apple-infused hot drink. And to finish — well, we don’t think anyone would begrudge a well baked slice of Victoria sponge.

Bowl food

This concept managed to be featured in the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Much like Ronseal, bowl food does exactly what it says on the tin. Featuring somewhere between the unfulfilling canopy and the food-baby delivering main course, bowl food can feature any cuisine and is served in a hand-sized dish with a small fork. As a serving method, this is perhaps the most ideal for a corporate event as it allows people to continue mingling, rather than be restricted to one table. 

Buddha bowl

If there are guests seeking breakfasts, the traditional fry up has somewhat lost its appeal in recent years – but this is exactly where bowl foods fits in the play, stepping up and away from the conventional norm. Layer the base of your bowl with pan fried spinach, and top it with tomatoes, avocadoes, and poached eggs — add sliced chipolatas and lardons to cater for the meat eaters among us. After this, the multiple minds will be fueled for the rest of the day, and the creative juices more than flowing.

Barbeque 

Take in some inspiration from the Australians and take the catering outdoors. Layer the base of a bowl with pan fried spinach, and top it with tomatoes, avocadoes, and poached eggs — add sliced chipolatas and lardons to cater for the meat eaters among us. After this, the multiple minds will be fueled for the rest of the day, and the creative juices more than flowing.

With a barbeque, you’re aren’t limited so you also serve seafood to hit a diverse range of taste buds. Breakfast has proved to be successful cooked on the grill at events in recent years, as has the popular vegetarian dish, halloumi and tzatziki.

Oriental inspired

Did you know, arguably Britain’s most favourite dish, chicken tikka masala actually originated in the UK, produced by the South Asian restaurants here. Spice up your event with some traditional Asian culture and draw upon the combination of intense flavours. The Curry Squad, a company based just outside of London, has been bringing its street food sensations to the people of the capital for the past six years. Drawing upon their vast knowledge of flavours from cities such as Bombay and Lahore, the chefs offer an authentic Indian experience. Some of their specialties include ‘bhaji bites’, ‘popping candy gol gappas’, and ‘amritsari rajme chole’. 

Fire it in the pan

The beauty of paella, particularly at the likes of a major event, is the fact it requires minimal effort, can produce a taste explosion, and can be incredibly cheap to make. Grab some frozen seafood mix, risotto rice, chorizo sausage, lemon and lime, and herbs and spices — it really is up to you. Fortunately, with paella, you can get creative as it really depends on the taste preferences of the guests. White or red wine can be added, but bear in mind the rest of a creative afternoon before dashing half a bottle in.

Branded food

This might be a concept that has never graced your presence before and frankly, we wouldn’t be shocked. A clover in the foam of a pint of Guinness always appeared to be somewhat of a sneaky marketing ploy as you indulged in the first sip. However, if you are trying to conduct a bit of subliminal messaging, this might be exactly what you’re after. Stencils can be used as a way to write your company or organisations name in coffee, or call upon the likes of Branding Irons to develop a customised food stamp. Bagels, burgers, and pancakes will never be the same. 

Picnic

You’ll need to have the MET office on your side for this one, so we would strongly suggest having a contingency plan in place, if, like Travis, it always rains on you. You can pull it out of the bag with a wicker basket, complete with blanket, cafetière, and a selection of Danish pastries. 

Above, we have run through seven of the numerous ideas you can apply to your next corporate event — in this dog eat dog world, it is all about success, and that is exactly what these concepts will deliver! 

By Jonathan Gilpin