Planning a meeting or workshop can be a multi-faceted task as there are many things to be considered. Aside from the venue, date, time, number of attendees and materials, you must also ensure that the proper catering is prepared for the ultimate success of the session.

Are you planning a full day session? Is the workshop happening in the middle of the summer or the frigid winter? Will you be feeding 10 people or 100 people? Are you working on a tight budget?

Here’s a quick guide to preparing the best catering options for a successful session.

Start with the coffee and tea. It’s as easy as that. Always make sure you are serving some sort of hot beverage at any session you’re hosting. There’s nothing that can satisfy someone throughout the day like a fresh cup of coffee or tea. This is a must have.

Breakfasts are either continental or a hot buffet. Depending on the starting time and number of guests, one must consider which option would be best fit.
With small groups, continental breakfasts are always a safe bet. This will also cut down the costs of a smaller session. Selections such as: pastries, muffins, yogurts and fruit will always provide a light, yet filling option for your guests.

With larger groups, you may want to consider the hot breakfast buffet. Buffets are great for feeding mass quantities of people and the chances of leftovers is minimal. For every person that is looking for something light, there’s someone who had to rush out the door and could use a hearty meal to start their day off right.

When it comes to lunch, a sandwich platter is a great place to start, as this versatile selection can accommodate the majority (if not all) of your guests. It’s a light option that provides a wide variety of combinations that will please most everyone. Special requests can be made and fulfilled for any of your attendees with special dietary requirements. They can even be made to suffice any religious restrictions, which in a multicultural environment is very important.

But, with a sandwich platter, you also have to consider the proper side dish to accompany this. There are a number of things to keep in mind when selecting the best side dish for the event you’re hosting. For instance, if it’s a winter meeting, you may want to consider soup, whereas a salad option would be better fit for the summer. If you’re doing a multi-day session, you may want to provide different sides for each day so the meals don’t become repetitive.

If you’re looking for more than sandwiches, a hot lunch can surely make an impression on your guests. Options such as: chicken, fish, beef or pasta will ensure that no one goes home hungry. This is an easy way of replicating a traditional lunch meeting at a restaurant, but within the confines of your meeting space. You may even go home with some leftovers. Although more expensive, these options will surely help avoid the “cafeteria” feeling your attendees experience and can be a make or break factor as to whether they attend again in the future.

As for the afternoon snack, this option is for the most part, subjective. We all love a good desert to satisfy our mid-day sweet tooth craving. This certainly isn’t a must-have, but depending on your budget, group size and make up of attendees, is a great idea that will leave a lasting impression. Try and do something unique for this as it ties the entire day’s menu together and makes for a strong finish to the session.

At The Rostie Group, we’ve put a tremendous effort in providing catering options for any type of session that you’re hosting. With our unique, customizable menu, which includes both hot and cold options for all meals, we’re confident that this will be a critical part of the success of your session.

For more information on catering options, including our all in one priced Prix Fix Menu, please feel free to call (416) 214-1840 or email catering@rostiegroup.com.

We look forward to hosting your next fully catered meeting or workshop.

Bon appétit.