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A guide to F&B management at events
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Role Of Food & Beverages In Events
1.
by
Judy L. Anderson Excerpt from Event Management Simplified: A Practical Approach to the Complexities of Special Events Copyright ©2002 Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 0
2.
"I've learned there
are two words that will always draw a crowd â free food." Live and Learn and Pass It On, Volume VI Rare is the event without a food or beverage element. Food is one of the major motivators for people to attend eventsâunless, of course, itâs an event built around beverages! Because of this, we want the food and/or beverage to make an impression on our guests. The food is often what people remember most about an event and is limited only by the budget and your imagination. Look at food as an entertainment element and how it can be incorporated into the theme. Add a new twist such as a chili cookoff or a barbecue to an outdoor event. Keep the audience in mind. Be realistic about the type of foods and beverages that are served. Keep the demographics of the group in mind. Are they a meat and potatoes crowd or do they appreciate more trendy foods like sushi? Just as itâs unrealistic to plan a four-course gourmet dinner when the budget is $5 per person, you wouldnât want to serve champagne to a beer-drinking crowd. Men of all ages seem to prefer more substantial foods, and young men tend to eat more than anyone. Women like to eat lighter foods or more vegetables. Young adults are more likely to choose beer or wine over hard liquor. Older people usually appreciate foods that are less rich or spicy and are more easily chewed. Teenagers like to nibble on finger-type foods, while children like simple foods that arenât fussy to serve or eat. With the movement toward a healthier diet, vegetarian options should always be available regardless of the event or venue. Use common sense in selecting the menu. Donât serve alcohol or give bottles of wine as gifts if the audience is recovering alcoholics. Donât serve several meat courses at an event where most of the guests are vegetarians or vegans. An entree of chicken with wine sauce would probably go untouched if served to a group of children. You get the idea! Ethnic, religious or group considerations are also important. The last thing an event manager wants is for the guests to be mortified over the menu. Some cultures or Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 1
3.
religions donât eat
meat (or only select types) while most do eat fish. If the group is predominantly from another culture, be sure to include dishes they will enjoy. Adapt the food to the circumstances. Events held at indoor facilities offer more variety in the way food can be served than outdoor venues do. Will people sit down for the meal or will they be required to carry the food around with them? If itâs hot weather, youâll need to provide more water, soft drinks or juice. Beer sales at outdoor events are always greater in hot weather than cool. For events that last all day, youâll need to offer more than one meal. If the event is on a weekend, offering brunch may be more cost effective than serving breakfast and lunch. Serving lunch entrees for dinner can lighten up a meal, though you may be charged for the âdinnerâ price. Meals are also priced differently depending on the day of the week or the time of day. Many places will charge a higher price after 3:00 p.m. for exactly the same menu item. Try to be health conscious about the menu. Greasy foods like French fries or hamburgers are expected at fairs or festivals, not at more upscale events. Lighter fare should always be served for luncheons so that guests remain alert. Food should be pleasing to the eye and colorful, as well as taste good. Donât forget about food for volunteers! Events using volunteers should provide food and beverage in some form to the volunteers. This can be accomplished by making food available at a volunteer âheadquartersâ location or by giving volunteers âmeal ticketsâ that can be used at independent food vendors (e.g. outdoor festivals). Volunteers appreciate the added benefit of a meal, even if itâs only a sandwich and a soft drink. Start planning early. Youâll need to start planning for food and beverage at least three months in advance, and more if possible. This will allow time for researching options, choosing menus, taste testing, making decisions and knowing what supplies are needed. Make use of available resources. Talk to the chef or caterer. Look at menus from other events or recipes in cookbooks. Better yet, invent your own menu using a combination of methods. Catering services are often available as a part of a facility rental package (in-house) or you may need to hire an outside caterer. Either way, there are a number of points to consider. Do-it-yourself catering is discussed at a later point in this chapter. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 2
4.
! "
# !$ Finding a suitable caterer works much like the venue selection process. Youâll start with a larger group of possibilities, then screen them down to just a few. Not all caterers are the same! Obtain information on catering companies through friends, business associates, or do it the old-fashioned way by looking in the phone book. If you attend a function where the food impresses you, get the business card of the catering company. Make notations on the card about when and where you obtained the catererâs name, as well as remarks about the food, visual appearance or comments made by other guests. Itâs always helpful to have contact information for exceptional caterers in the file even if you donât use it immediately. Full service caterers work with the event manager to prepare and serve the meal and can provide other elements such as dishes, linens, decor, etc. Drop-off caterers prepare the food in their own facility and deliver it to the event site (or it can be picked up at their location) but do not provide service personnel or clean up. Partial caterers will perform meal preparation at the event site but normally do not include shopping in their services. Develop a list of potential candidates. Make a list of potential caterers (no more than ten) and conduct a preliminary screening. Call around and check on availability for the dates of your event, the types of events they cater, etc. Based on this information, narrow it down to three candidates. Ask each of the three catering finalists if you can visit an upcoming event they are catering. Regardless of whether itâs a plain or fancy affair, youâll get a good idea about the quality of food and service provided. It may also provide an opportunity to speak with the host about their working relationship with the catering company. At the very least, ask the caterer for references that you can call to gauge customer satisfaction. Trust your instincts. If something seems amiss, hire someone else. Menus and the budget. Most caterers operate from a âcost per personâ perspective. To calculate this for one-time meals such as dinners, divide the preliminary budget allocated for the meal by the number of persons expected to attend. This gives you the estimated âper personâ amount. Be sure to indicate whether or not the per person amount includes the gratuity and/or tax. Most caterers will assume it does not unless you have specified this in advance. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 3
5.
Keep in mind
that the catering company must factor its costs for food, equipment and staff into the budget you have given them. Donât be afraid to ask questions! Event managers have a right to know exactly what is being provided for the price quoted. Based on the per person cost, the event manager can choose from among standardized menus or can ask the caterer to create a customized menu for the event. Given adequate lead time, most catering companies appreciate an opportunity to create special menus. Most caterers will allow a âtastingâ of various food items on their menu prior to final selection so that the client can make an educated choice. Just be aware that sometimes the care they have taken in the presentation of the food at the tasting may not be the way the food appears when served to a large group of people. Take a photo at the time of tasting and compare it to how the food looks at the event. Let the caterer know that you expect the item to look the same way it did at the tasting when it is served to your guests. Does the caterer offer other services? Events can often obtain âpackage dealsâ through catering companies that include items such as table linens, decorations, centerpieces, votive candles, party favors or other event needs. Since there is normally a mark up by the caterer, youâll want to compare whether it would be cheaper to obtain these items separately through other sources. If the budget allows, the time saved in shopping or carting supplies to the event may be well worth having the catering company perform these functions. Make the final selection based on a combination of menu and service. Contract details should include information about the menu, beverages, guarantee dates, number of wait staff, taxes, gratuities and payment schedule. Be sure to specify other items to be provided by the caterer (e.g. linens, dishes, etc.). Do not sign the contract until all details have been agreed upon. Beware of hidden costs! When signing contracts with caterers, be sure to directly ask them if all potential costs have been outlined. Some caterers do not list items such as corkage, wait staff, or gratuity on the staff or other items as a way to increase their earnings at the end. These things can be a budget bombshell if you are not expecting them. Make it very clear to the caterer that you will not pay for charges that were not included in the agreement, unless they have been separately discussed and agreed upon. It is always a good idea to write this statement directly on the contract and initial it. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 4
6.
Follow up. Contact
the caterer no less than two weeks in advance to confirm arrangements. Youâll be required to give an attendance guarantee anywhere from 72 hours to 30 days in advance depending on the venue. Just remember that when the guarantee is given, it should be a few less than expected. You can always increase the guarantee; you cannot decrease it. # ! " Most of the larger venues such as hotels or convention centers have their own in-house catering services or they contract with authorized food service providers which an event may be required to use. Event managers work with banquet or catering personnel at these sites in regard to catering functions. Options for standard or customized menus are also available. The advantage of using in-house catering is that it can be included in the âpackage dealâ for the use of the facility. There is usually no need to bring in dishes, linens, and the like because they are owned by the venue. Another way to look at is âone stop shopping.â For a busy event manager, the opportunity to combine facility use and catering services at one location can save a great deal of time and coordination. Most facilities with their own on-site catering stipulate that the catering be only provided by their facility due to liability issues. If you wish to bring in outside chefs or vary standard services, check with the venue. % The type of food service used at an event should be in keeping with the theme and the desired atmosphere. Just as you choose the menu for an event, you can also select from a number of standard serving stylesâplated, preset, buffets, food stations, cafeteria style, family style or receptions. Some events may use a combination of several standard styles. More elegant affairs often use the higher level Russian or French service styles. A description of various service styles follows. Plated style. Normally used for seated dinners or conventions, plated service means that food is assembled on the plate in the kitchen, then brought to the table by the server and placed before the diner. An advantage of plated service is that it employs portion control that may result in less cost per person than serve-yourself options. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 5
7.
Preset style. This
term is just as it implies. Either all or a portion (such as a salad) of the food is placed on the table prior to guests being seated. Items such as salt, pepper, water, bread, butter, cream and others are standard preset items. Buffet style. In this type of service, guests proceed along a line of tables serving themselves from a number of foods, thereby reducing the number of service personnel. Potlucks are a form of buffet style. A partial pre-set (such as the bread, salad and dessert) can do much to save time, especially if the group is large. To reduce the amount of time it takes for large groups to go through a buffet line, itâs always helpful if guests can serve themselves from either side of the buffet tables, or to have a separate buffet service in another part of the room. A good rule of thumb is one double-sided buffet service for every 100 people. Drawbacks to buffet service are that since guests serve themselves, they may take larger portions or have extra helpings that can result in higher food costs than those for portion-controlled styles of service. If the crowd tends to be heavy eaters, youâll need to increase the quantity. People also tend to move slowly through a buffet line because they are talking to others or are making decisions about which food to choose. Food station style. This is a variation of buffet style service where food is placed on smaller tables at various locations. Service personnel may stand at these stations to directly prepare foods (e.g. omelets or meat carving) at the request of the guest. This cuts down on the buffet lines and attendees are able to more freely socialize. Cafeteria style. Cafeteria style is like a buffet line except the service staff dishes the food onto the plate according to choices made by the guest. The guest then takes the food to their table. Family style. Seated guests serve themselves from common dishes that are placed on the table by wait staff. Receptions. Receptions (also known as âbutler passed hors dâoeuvresâ) are often replacing traditional sit down dinners because they offer guests a chance to mingle and carry on conversations while sampling a variety of foods. Hors dâoeuvres and champagne are traditionally served in this manner. Cocktail receptions generally refer to the serving of cocktails and light hors dâoeuvres. Dinner receptions usually serve heavier hors dâoeuvres or slightly larger portions. Hors dâoeuvres should be able to be eaten in two bites. Another option might be to have food stations in conjunction with a reception. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 6
8.
Russian style. More
elegant sit-down dinners may use this form of service that features diners helping themselves to food presented by wait staff. More room must be allowed for wait staff to operate and this practice is often used by smaller specialty restaurants. French style. Small, exclusive restaurants or VIP dinners sometimes use this service style in which the wait person places each food item on every dinerâs plate. Pick the style, or combination of styles, that best fits the event. Industry standards for table seating are normally based on âroundsâ (round tables) seating from 2-12 people depending on size, or at âbanquet tablesâ (rectangular shaped 6-8â tables) providing seating on both sides and the ability to seat between 6-8 people. Donât try to squeeze too many people at a table. Add more tables rather than making guests feel crowded. Head table. The use of a head table is usually for the purpose of recognition. At an event like a conference, the keynote speaker or VIPs are included in the seating. The type of event and the food being served are also determining factors. If the event is a simple affair, you can probably do without a head table. Head tables are usually set on an elevated platform or stage so that those attending the event are able to see the people seated there. If the event uses a head table, especially if it is on a raised dais or stage, be sure the table is skirted for privacyâs sake. Use of seating charts and floor plans. These are âminiâ versions of a site plan that serve a multitude of uses for food functions. Larger venues like hotels and convention centers have computer software to generate seating charts indicating various ways tables can be arranged in the room. This software has been pre-programmed to factor requirements stipulated by the fire marshal or others in relation to aisleways, number of persons at a table, etc. If you donât have the luxury of a computer program, youâll need a scale drawing of the room on which to plot the seating chart using graph paper. Keep in mind that aisleways between tables need to be a minimum of 4â wide (6â is better because it allows space for seated guests to push their chairs back a little and for servers to pass through. At the table, a minimum of 2â per person is required (3â is better because it allows for more âelbow roomâ). Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 7
9.
Number the tables,
especially for large groups. Seating assignments can then be made by table number. Most event planning software includes this feature and allows information to be changed or sorted in a number of ways. A limited version of an event management database can be found in more recent releases of Microsoft Access. On the flip side, if you have planned for a table of eight and six of them cancel at the last minute, move the remaining two people to another table so they arenât sitting by themselves and have the empty table removed from the room. An option for a nearly full table that is missing guests is to remove place settings and the additional chairs from the table to allow more room (just be sure the missing guests will not be arriving later!). &!' ( Event managers should be aware of the ratios of service personnel to guests. At a sit- down meal, there should be at least one waiter for every 25 guests at breakfast, and one for every 20 guests at lunch and dinner. For buffets, the desired ratio is 1-to-40 for breakfast and 1-to-30 for lunch or dinner. If using a venueâs service personnel, clarify that there will be no extra charge for these service ratios. Depending on the venue, they may have an even better ratio than what is stated here. ) ' ( ! Since food is such an elemental part of events it should not only taste good, but look good as well. Presentation is important because it shows guests that someone has not only thought about the nutritional value of the food, but has taken the time to ensure that it is pleasing to the eye. Ask any chef about the importance of presentation and they will tell you it is critical to the dining experience. The way the food looks affects the way it tastes. When dining, if presented with a beautiful plate of food combining color, texture, artful arrangement and perhaps a little garnish, donât you immediately just know itâs going to taste fantastic? Thatâs the ultimate. Of course, presentation is a little harder to achieve at a banquet, but event managers should always strive to showcase the food in the best manner possible. Even banquets find creative ways to decorate tables or the food itself to enhance presentation. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 8
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Table linens, dishes,
flatware, glassware, decorations and other ambiance enhancers should lend themselves to the presentation. Candlelight is flattering to food as well as people. Thereâs no excuse for guests to have a boring dining experience when so much can be done to enhance it with little effort. When it comes to creating menus, the skyâs the limit. Just because a caterer or banquet manager may present a standardized menu doesnât mean you have to use it. Base your food choices on the type of event, who will attend and the per-person cost. This frees you to be creative in the menu selection. # & ) Thereâs nothing wrong with using standardized menus for those who want a no-hassle way to make a selection. The information is most often listed according to the per person price based on various entrees and accompanying side dishes. You may be able to mix and match the side dishes, change sauces and the like within the established price structure for entrees. Desserts are normally priced separately. Another method of menu development is to state the established per-person budget with a few guidelines (e.g. âIâd like chicken, fish, pasta and a chocolate dessertâ) and let the caterer come up with the specifics. This allows the chef or caterer to be creative in developing a specialized menu while operating within the parameters you have established. You'll often get a more creative menu than the standardized one for the same or less cost! For entrees, a good rule of thumb is to plan on 5-7 ounce portions. This includes boneless meat, poultry or fish as well as pasta or other meat substitutes. If serving bone-in meats, you need to allow for two small cuts or one larger cut. Buffets require smaller portions than sit-down meals. Think about the entire meal when determining portion size. What is a reasonable portion size for a menu of salad, bread, entree, side dishes and dessert? This provides a good starting point. Donât overlook simple dishes in planning the menu. Everything doesnât have to have a fancy sauce or elaborate name. Simple dishes with beautiful presentation can often be as just as impressive as those with a high price tag attached. Keep the clientele in mind when considering this option. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 9
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'! #
!' With todayâs emphasis on a more healthy lifestyle, we need to pay attention to what weâre asking our guests to eat. Event managers should attempt to provide health conscious food choices regardless of the venue. In the movie When Harry Met Sally, one of Sallyâs mandatory dining rules was that accompanying sauces, butter and so forth be served âon the side.â We can take a lesson from this. To keep it light, we may want to offer our guests the option of adding sauces, salad dressings or other accompaniments according to their own individual choice. Itâs even better if the sauces and dressings are low in fat and cholesterol, but big on taste. Just make sure there is enough of whatever is offered "on the side" to serve everyone at the table. Keep lunch meals on the light side, especially at conferences or conventions. No speaker wants their audience to go to sleep in the middle of their presentation due to a heavy meal. Another way to lighten up the dinner meal is to serve luncheon-type entrees because they are usually less heavy than dinner entrees. Vegetarian and vegan options. A great number of folks these days are vegetarians or vegans, and even people who arenât may enjoy these menu options. In addition to vegetables, some of the tastiest entrees can include such things as pasta, potatoes, rice, tofu or fruit. Event managers should always include a vegetarian option in the menu. Take care to ensure that what is claimed to be vegetarian actually is. Rice prepared with chicken broth is not vegetarian. Dishes that include dairy products are not vegan. If in doubt, request an ingredients list for the dish. In selecting beverages, event managers need to keep in mind those that best fit the event and the site. Some sites do not allow alcoholic beverages or require special permits for alcohol service. A mix of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is the most common. ' !' & " As a general rule, people drink more non-alcoholic than alcoholic beverages. At the very least, water and other beverages such as coffee, tea or soft drinks should be offered. If conducting beverage service outside a standard venue, donât forget the ice! Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 10
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If you are
serving coffee, order it by the gallon rather than by the cup. It costs much less that way. One pound of coffee grounds makes about 60 cups of brewed coffee. A gallon of brewed coffee equals approximately 20 8-ounce cups. Cream and sugar should also be made available, as well as milk and sugar substitute. By ordering bottled beverages on consumption, you save money in paying only for what is used as compared to the per-person price. Depending on the level of trust with the venue, make sure to discuss with the staff how to account for how much has been consumed. A gallon of prepared punch will serve about 24 people. You can purchase punch mix in powdered or concentrate form, or mix your own concoction. Add sparkling soda, fruit or ice cream for a different taste. Keep in mind that some people are allergic to bananas, strawberries or other fruit if you opt to add them. Bottle deposits. Some states charge deposits on bottles and cans for soft drinks and some alcoholic beverages such as beer. If the event purchases a keg of beer, you will be required to pay a deposit to ensure the safe return of the keg. Return clean bottles and cans to recoup a little of the beverage expense. ' !' & " The serving of alcoholic beverages at any event is serious business and your event may be required to obtain a special event permit through the state alcohol jurisdiction. Since alcoholic beverages are considered to be controlled substances, events must conform to laws which basically state that those who provide alcoholic beverages may be held liable for damages caused by intoxicated patrons. This applies whether the event is a sit-down dinner or an outdoor festival. The legal drinking age for most states in the U.S. is 21 years old. If minors are attending the event, make sure that alcohol is monitored. Events held on college campuses should be especially careful in this regard. For outdoor events, be sure that adults arenât purchasing alcohol and passing it off to minors. These cautionary statements donât mean that an event shouldnât serve alcohol, as long as other non-alcoholic beverages are available. Plan the event so that the alcoholic beverages are not the sole focus or primary activity. Knowing your clientele and understanding that people behave differently when drinking alcohol is important in planning the event. The best bet is to use trained servers who know what to watch for when serving guests. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 11
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Wine. It used
to be that serving wine with a meal was a real treat. Changing times have caused a shift to more sophisticated tastes and wine is now considered an added accompaniment to everyday life. For events on a tight budget, even a relatively inexpensive wine can be a luxury item if it needs to be purchased in large quantities. Serving a wine punch can stretch the servings for a bottle of wine by adding juice, sparkling soda or other ingredients. Matching wine with food is another consideration. While serving the proper wine with the proper food is no longer so relevant (unless itâs a food and wine event), you should plan to offer both white and red wine for a sit-down meal. Wine stewards at wine shops or grocery outlets selling wine can offer excellent and cost- effective selections. For large quantities of wine, work with a local wine distributor to obtain the best price or a significant discount. If you want a specific brand of wine, youâll need to make inquiries about which local distributor handles that brand. Wine comes in 750 ml bottles and often in magnums (1.5 liter bottles). A standard wine pour is 5 ounces which equates to 4-5 glasses of wine per 750 ml bottle. A magnum provides 8-10 glasses depending on the size of the pour. Beer. The serving of beer lends itself extremely well to outdoor events, but is also a good choice for indoor venues, especially those that are sports-related. Itâs cheaper to buy beer in kegs than in bottles but kegs are more difficult to handle than bottled beer. Kegs are hard to maneuver if youâre trying to transport them yourself. Theyâre bulky, they tend to roll, and, they are very heavy! Kegs are a good choice if they can remain stationary on a table, barrel or other solid surface at the event site. Many venues will not let you take what is left in the keg with you once the event is over due to liquor laws. Be sure to monitor guests if the keg setup is a serve-yourself affair. At the very least, a trained volunteer should be stationed at the service area both to provide assistance and to monitor alcohol consumption (think company picnics). For large groups of people, youâll need more than one keg to avoid long lines waiting to be served. Keep the keg service on a âby-the-glassâ basis. It is not a good practice to allow guests to have pitchers of beer because they tend to over-consume at the eventâs expense. The by-the-glass approach also helps in monitoring guests and their behavior. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 12
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A full keg
of beer is 15 gallons (half-barrel). A quarter-barrel, or âpony keg,â is half that. A standard pour of beer is 12 ounces. A full keg of beer would equal 160 glasses at 12 ounces each (15 gallons times 128 ounces per gallon divided by 12 ounces). Bottled beer comes in 12-ounce bottles eliminating the need to measure. Hard liquor. Also known as distilled spirits, most hard liquor is 80 proof or more in potency. Proof is a measurement used in determining the strength of distilled spirits based on a number that is twice the percent by volume of alcohol present. In other words, a bottle of 90 proof liquor is actually 45% alcohol by volume. The higher the proof, the more potent the liquor. By comparison, most beer and wine runs from 7-13% in alcoholic content. Unless the event has a hefty alcohol budget, no-host (cash) bars are recommended. This simply means that guests pay for their own drinks. Hosted bars feature drinks made at the customerâs request for which the event pays the tab. One way to control liquor consumption for hosted bars is to provide each guest with a set number of âdrink tickets.â Once the allocated tickets have been used, guests must purchase their own drinks. A standard pour of hard liquor is 1-1.5 ounces. Most distilled spirits come in bottles called âfifths,â but some come in quarts. A fifth is 25.6 ounces while a quart is the standard 32-ounce measurement. The number of pours in the bottle is determined by the number of ounces used in the pour. It is a good idea to set a policy that only one standard drink at a time will be served. Most venues charge per drink. There should be cash register tapes or tickets to account for the number of drinks served. This system provides an accounting and avoids any questions or surprises when presented with the bill. . " $ ' Mark ups. Hotels and other venues that provide alcohol service take a large mark up on sales of these beverages. In fact, there is a far larger mark up on alcohol than on food in any venue be it a restaurant, bar, hotel, convention center, etc. Corkage fees. If an event opts to provide its own alcohol (bringing alcohol in from the outside) as opposed to using the venueâs alcohol service, it may be charged a corkage fee, ranging from $7-15 per bottle. What this means is that the venue will charge the event a corkage fee (usually for wine, hence the name) on every bottle opened. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 13
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When negotiating the
contract with the venue, be sure to inquire about corkage fees or you may get a very unpleasant surprise on the bill! The good news is that an event can often negotiate a lesser (or waived) corkage fee in the price package, especially for non- profit organizations when the product is donated. Use trained servers! This greatly reduces the risk of persons over-indulging on the alcohol because servers are trained to watch for potential problems. Inebriated guests. Under no circumstances should an intoxicated guest be allowed to drive. Send the guest home in a taxi, even if the event has to pay for it. In the long run, it will cost far less less than a lawsuit filed against the event. % ( * Before signing a food and beverage contract, be sure that you understand what is or is not included and the level of service that will be received. Guarantees. Whether using in-house catering services at a venue, or an outside caterer, youâll be required to give a guarantee for the number of meals ordered. The required timeframe may be anywhere from 48 hours to 30 days out. Keep in mind that once the guarantee has been given, the event will be charged for the stated number of meals. You will be allowed to increase the guarantee number, but not to decrease it. When giving the guarantee, itâs often better to give a number slightly less than what you expect (which you can later increase) than to be charged for meals that arenât used because you over-guaranteed. For events holding multi-meal functions, a guarantee is required for each meal. The purpose of guarantees is to give the caterer time to order food, schedule staff and do advance preparation. If the event has selected a customized menu this advance notice is doubly important because standard food preparation has been altered. Overset. Most caterers and venues factor in an âoversetâ amount that is a percentage of the guarantee number, but donât expect this to be the case unless you have verified this practice. Event planners need to keep this in mind when giving the guarantee. The current average for overset is 3-5%. This means that if a guarantee of 100 meals is given, the caterer will prepare 3-5 extra meals to cover unexpected guests. The event is not charged for these meals unless they are used. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 14
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Note: This is
not always the case in regard to overset. There may be exceptions with special orders or split menus since they are outside the standardized preparation. If the meals go unused, this is obviously a financial loss to the caterer, so every attempt should be made to accurately forecast the guarantee number. On the other hand, if the guarantee is too low and more guests are present than the overset can cover, some guests may have to dine on alternate courses or be left waiting for additional meals to be prepared. Attrition clauses. Most venues include attrition clauses in their contracts. This means the venue pre-determines (based on your attendance estimate) the space and meal requirements for the event. This may be tricky if youâre trying to a book venue a year or more in advance since attendance figures are strictly estimates at that point. Estimating attendance will be easier for events with a history than for those that are brand new. Event managers should pay attention toâand negotiate terms forâ attrition clauses because the event is essentially agreeing to a guaranteed attendance long before the event happens, and for which the event may be required to pay. Best advice: Be realistic, but cautious, in providing projected attendance estimates! The venue looks at the type and size of the functions planned for the event and puts a price tag on each one. The numbers are then totalled and a factor of about 80-85% is applied (allowing for less than estimated). The revised number indicates to the venue the space requirements and amount of revenue anticipated to be generated by the event. What this all boils down to is that the attrition clause is a projected amount on which a hotel or other large venue can base their ability to accommodate other events in addition to (or instead of) yours. Gratuities. It used to be that gratuities (or tips) were given as a gift for good service. These days, gratutities are automatically added to the bill (whether you receive good service or not). When it comes time to pay the bill, in the event of poor service, the gratuity charge should be re-negotiated. At the current time most venues, caterers and restaurants are charging a gratuity rate of plus or minus 20%. This means that at a 20% rate, for every $100 the event spends on items subject to the gratuity, an additional charge of $20 will result. Clarify which items in the contract are subject to a gratuity charge. Gratuities are normally charged on food and beverage amounts, but be sure to ask about whether Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 15
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room rental, parking,
audio visual or other items are subject to the charge. Ask to have gratuity charges itemized in the bill as well. #$" Food and beverage costs are normally one of the largest expenses in an event budget. Food focused events typically spend 60-75% of their total budget on food and beverage costs. In comparing this to minimal (or no) costs for events in which food and beverage are not predominant factors, you can readily see the budget impact. The average margin of profit for catered food functions is 30-40%. The good news is that while occupying a large percentage of the event budget, food costs are often some of the most flexible. The average profit margin for beverage-only functions runs between 80-85%. This explains why liquor sales generate such tremendous revenue. The profit margin on beverages also applies to soft drinks, coffee, etc. Movie houses are a good example because they make more money on soft drinks than on any other food item sold. Here are a few ways to save money on food and beverage costs: Provide smaller portions Less quantity, less expense Serve cultural cuisine Many choices for inexpensive, tasty foods Substitute menu items Serve fish or chicken instead of beef, pasta instead of meat Beverage purchases Coffee by the gallon, liquor by the opened bottle, sodas on consumption using a soda machine instead of by the bottle Eliminate courses Soup or salad instead of soup and salad or a similar course Bar service No-host (cash) bars as opposed to hosted bars Keep it light Serve luncheon items for dinner Accurate guarantees Develop the art of estimation Sponsors Find a sponsor to cover the cost These are but a few examples of ways to save money on catering costs. Examine your event closely to come up with your own! Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 16
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" ! !
' $ & Many of the considerations relating to food and beverage contracts have been discussed elsewhere in this chapter. The best advice still remainsâknow what is involved, and even more importantly, understand it before signing a catering sales agreement. The catering contract/agreement is a legally binding document. If you have questions, obtain clarification. Donât hesitate to ask about any paragraph, sentence or word that you donât understand. Negotiate. Then negotiate some more. Most caterers or facilities are willing to negotiate for food and beverage functions, especially if large numbers are involved, because it benefits them to do so. Event managers are often able to get the best deals on functions involving liquor sales because the profit margin on liquor is greater than than on food. The venue or caterer has more negotiating room. Donât sign a contract with a guaranteed minimum in revenue. Most venues or caterers are willing to work with you to meet your budget depending on the level of flexibility. Know how much you have to spend (including gratuity). Juggle the menu to include less expensive options. If hotel rooms are involved, leverage that against food and beverage prices. Be specific. Clarify the timeframe for guarantees as well as the percentage of overset. Ask that the service ratio of wait staff to guests be spelled out and make it clear there is to be no extra charge. Clarify on which items the gratuity will be charged. Are there corkage fees or taxes? Specify whether liquor sales are to be conducted on a âbottle basisâ or âper drinkâ basis. Cancellation. If the event is cancelled within a specific timeframe, try to negotiate a âlost profitâ as opposed to âlost revenueâ scenario. Profit is defined as 30-40% of anticipated food and beverage revenue. The venue is technically only losing the profit, not the total revenue, because they didnât have to pay out expenses for staff, food costs, and the like to conduct the event. Another method is to use a âper personâ basis to calculate lost profit based on the food function (e.g. $5 per person for breakfast, $7.50 for lunch, etc.). Miscellaneous items. Donât assume that table linens, decor, votive candles, upgraded china, centerpieces and the like are included as part of the deal. Ask what is included in the package price and what isnât. Based on the value of your event, you may be able to negotiate some of these items into the contract for no additional charge. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 17
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Banquet Event Orders.
Hotels or large venues such as convention centers use banquet event orders (BEOs) in addition to the original contract or agreement. Banquet event orders are usually broken out by date and time and present a very detailed schedule of what happens when, how many and other pertinent information. Event managers are normally required to sign off on these documents because they are much more detailed than the general contract. Examine each BEO carefully. Youâll sometimes find mistakes or need to clarify items in these documents. % Not all events choose to use contracted catering services and many opt to do it themselves. With this choice come various needs that may or may not be available at the event site. Outdoor events are particularly subject to these variables and present their own unique challenges. It may seem like a superhuman effort to produce great volumes of food but if adequate facilities and volunteers are available it may be extremely cost efficient. Working in the kitchen or helping to serve the food are often jobs highly prized by volunteers. While itâs most certainly a lot of hard work, they enjoy the camaraderie of working as a team with fellow volunteers to meet the challenges that quantity cooking presents. Check into legal requirements or permits. Doing it yourself may require obtaining special permits from the local jurisdictionâs health department (especially for outdoor events). It may also be necessary for those involved to hold current food and beverage handler cards (verification they have trained through the health department). Checking into food service requirements in advance may save much time and frustration at a later date trying to obtain needed permits a few days (or less) in advance. Information relating to local health regulations is readily available from the local jurisdiction. ! " " !+ $ Develop a menu. Determine the types of foods and/or courses to be served. Strive for a balance of color, nutrition, and food groups. Donât forget the vegetarians in the crowd! Be creative in naming menu dishes but use understandable terms in describing them. If itâs really meat and potatoes, donât describe it in a way that no one will be able to Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 18
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understand what the
heck it is. If using fancy course titles, you may want to list the main ingredients in parenthesisâSurf & Turf (sirloin steak and lobster). Develop the recipes and ingredients lists. Keep it simple. Use recipes with as few ingredients and steps for preparation as possible. Make sure they can be easily understood by those responsible for their preparation. The object is for the food to look and taste good with as little fuss as possible. Recipes for complicated sauces or desserts may be more trouble than they are worth. Avoid labor intensive foods. Keep in mind that some recipes do not lend themselves well to quantity cooking because of the labor involved. âStirring constantlyâ means someone must devote their complete attention to the dish rather than being free to do other tasks. Carving vegetables into fancy shapes may be desirable, but julienne or diagonal cuts may look just as nice and take a fraction of the time. Increasing quantities also increases cooking and preparation times. Bringing five gallons of liquid to a boil in an institutional sized kettle takes up to five times longer than boiling a gallon of liquid in a smaller pan at home. It takes more time and oven space to bake a casserole dish for 50 people than a casserole dish for two. Frosting a dozen cookies at home is much different than frosting a thousand. Cracking dozens of eggs for omelettes for a hundred people takes far more time than the few it takes to feed your family, let alone separating, scrambling or preparing them. Time saving hints. Use convenience foods or prepared ingredients where possible. These can save hours of preparation time and free up helping hands that are needed elsewhere. Use frozen vegetables, commercial butter pats, pre-sliced meats, frozen pie crusts or doughs, fresh or dried pasta, concentrates, etc. Warehouse food suppliers often have many already prepared (and surprisingly tasty!) foods than can be unthawed or warmed up with minimal effort. Weigh the time, inconvenience and slightly lesser cost of having to do everything yourself against the slightly higher cost for the convenience of using prepared foods. Prepare or freeze as much of the food in advance as possible. Fresh foods should be prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Choose foods that will hold up well. Label and package everything so when transported to the event site that it winds up in its proper place and is easy to use. The more detailed the instructions on the label, the better (e.g. chopped vegetables for beef stew recipe). Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 19
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Check equipment needs.
If the kitchen facilities at the site consist of a stove with two working burners and one oven, donât expect to prepare a four-course dinner for 100 people. Be sure that there is enough cooking equipment, counter space, refrigerator or freezer capacity, sinks, small appliances, cooking utensils, dishes, glassware and other needs to accommodate the food preparation and service. For large groups, you may need to rent or borrow much of this equipment. Identify jobs and schedules. Break the entire food preparation process into individual areas such as menu development, shopping, kitchen management, service, clean up, etc. Then break each of those areas into individual jobs to be performed. For example, kitchen management could be divided into organization of supplies, hot or cold food preparation, dishwashing or other functions that take place in the kitchen. These functions would then be further refined into individual jobs and shifts within the broader category. It also helps to think through the step-by-step process of food preparation and service. For example, foods with longer preparation times need to be started first, followed in a descending order of time required for other dishes. Dinner tables can be set with dishes and condiments in advance of the time food is served. How many wine glasses will be needed? How long will it take to reheat the baked beans or grill the steaks? This planning is a lot like the process of preparing dinner for the family, only on a much larger scale. Shopping. If purchasing large quantities, donât take a Volkswagen if youâll need a moving truck to haul the groceries! Donât go alone to buy supplies to feed an army. Youâll need all the help (not to mention extra hands and strong backs) you can get. Buying supplies for a recipe that calls for 4 cups of flour, 4 eggs, 4 cups of sugar and 4 cups of milk takes on a whole new meaning when multiplied a hundred-fold. Donât forget about cleaning and other supplies such as paper towels, dish soap, plastic products and the like which will probably need to be purchased in bulk. High dollar amounts resulting from your purchases may be a concern for the business where you make those purchases if you want to write a check or use a credit card. Always ask about volume sale discounts or employ other means (such as going through an affiliated sponsor or vendor) to save money. Estimating amounts. Recipe amounts usually specify âserves XX number of people.â Youâll need to divide the recipe by the number it serves to obtain a âper servingâ amount Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 20
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for each ingredient.
The âper servingâ amount can then be multiplied by the total number of persons expected to consume the dish to come up with the total amount needed of that particular ingredient. Donât forget about the need to use the ingredient in other capacities. For example, if four of the recipes need salt, combine the totals for each of the recipes, plus the amount needed for salt service on the guest tables, to come up with the amount to purchase. Make all your calculations before going to the store. Donât attempt to figure it out while youâre shopping! Know how many, what size and so forth prior to making your purchases. If ordering from a supplier, be very specific (and have them read it back) or you may not wind up with what you thought you ordered! $( ) ! Do as much of the preparation in advance as possible. Maintain order in transporting foods/ingredients and assembling them at the event site. Keep things together that belong together. Label ingredients, dishes or pans so they donât get used for something else. Use an assembly line approach if possible to avoid congestion in the kitchen. Bring itemized lists for each recipe being prepared (ingredients, how to, who is preparing, cooking time, etc.) Prepare each food and conduct a taste testing before the day of the event. Determine how complicated it is or how much time it takes to prepare one dish; then consider the number of times it will need to be multiplied. Is there a simpler or healthier way to prepare the dish? Does it taste good? Is it too sweet or too salty? These questions and more should be answered well in advance. Post numerous copies of schedules, floor plans or seating charts. Schedules help everyone to know in what order and at what time things happen. Floor plans help to identify traffic flow and locations of other importance (bars, buffet tables, stage, etc.) Seating charts help to identify table numbers/who sits where, but can also be color- coded to identify âspecial attentionâ tables such as sponsors. # ) Leftovers. Youâll want to be careful in packaging up leftover foods. Some events like to send extra food to nursing homes or to organizations that feed the homeless. Determine in advance what will be done with any leftover food and ask about how it should be packaged for delivery. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 21
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Health concerns should
also be a consideration. Be sure that foods needing refrigeration are kept cold and that hot food doesnât sit around in containers for long periods of time because bacteria will grow in foods that are not properly handled. The local health department provides guidelines regarding food storage and proper temperatures for safety. Clean as you go. If possible, clean to whatever degree possible during food preparation and service time. This provides for clean dishes or work space if needed and saves a considerable amount of time at the end of the event when everyone is tired and wants to go home. If doing your own cleanup, be sure to leave the venue in the same (or better) condition than you found itâclean kitchen, floors mopped or swept, trash removed, restrooms clean, etc. Not only will those involved feel good about the job they have done, the venue will have no trouble allowing you to use the facilities in the future. ( â Determine the type of catering desired â Match the budget to the menu â Develop a list of potential caterers â Narrow the choices down to three â Make a final selection based on price, quality and service â Designate the style of service â Choose a menu based on the audience â Select the beverages â Negotiate a contract â Check into permits required for self-catered events â Develop a menu, recipes and ingredients lists â Check equipment needs â Identify volunteer jobs and schedules â Recruit enough help â Do the shopping â Prepare the food â Design a floor plan and/or seating chart Use the information in this document to aid in making food and beverage decisions for your event. Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 22
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