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All you really need to bring is a notepad and pen (and your checkbook if you feel like you might be writing a deposit that day).
Questions to ask (assuming all pricing/service/policy questions have been answered):
- How soon before the event do preparations begin?? How are dishes kept warm/cold?
- Are these the same ingredients that will be used in my selections? (I was told by a friend who worked at a catering company to ask this one since her company had more expensive ingredients they'd pull out for tastings than the ones they'd use while cooking for events. Honestly, I consider that shady.)
- Ask a bit about staff, the experience level of the people making and serving your food
I expected to get tiny samples of our selections (we actually ate lunch before hand because of this) and we ended up getting huge platters of everything and samples to take home!
We also asked if things were going to be done in the same way...they added udon to the one platter for presentation. We were told that the cheif doesn't always serve it that way but if we wanted it we could have udon. Of course that's how we wanted it! And it's on our contract that way (no extra charge!)
If you decide to go with them make sure you ask anything and everything you can think of about the contract. If your having children ask what their policy is on them..some caterers charge a lower amount and some (like ours) allows the bride to decide if they should be included or not (we were told if they eat like an adult include them or if we wanted to have like 5 children = 1 adult or not count them at all we could do whatever). Ask what they charge for vendors as well since some will give you a lower price on their plate or charge the same. Also note if you can increase or decrease the guest size at any time. We could only increase after paying the down payment so we lowered the min number of guests "just in case".
Take a note book and write down questions about the food or anything you can think of between now and the tasting and even after. Don't be afraid to ask anything!
We asked to make a substitution, and they said that was fine.
The one thing I wasn't expecting was to sample wines. We had a full open bar, but we were doing table service for one white and one red, so we had to choose those at the tasting, too.
We just had our third tasting last night (second private tasting) and the experience is so awesome... At the first place we tried, the chef prepared things not on our proposal, and if we go with them, we'll probably add some of those items to our menu. The second tasting we did last night actually sent us home wth TWO CAKES that we were tasting. Yes, full cakes. We just had an office tasting of 12 gals and I STILL have some left over.
Our first tasting was like going to a restaurant and sitting at the chef's table - they did not eat with us, but we had a lot of interaction with the chef. The second tasting was full service, and our catering event coordinator ate with us and asked us what we thought of everything as it came out. She was taking notes to be able to revise our proposal based on our reactions. That tasting was also done up with the linens and decorations done in our colors (which was AWESOME).
I think a lot of the tasting process - if you haven't already signed with a caterer - is to gauge what you think of the food. I made notes about specific things we liked/didn't like (could we add bok choy instead of broccoli rabe? Was there a crispier bread that could go with the crostini, etc) and also asked those sorts of questions during the tasting. But, by and large, not a lot of research needed!
ENJOY!
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Hi everyone! Thanks again for all the helpful advice. My fi and I are about to go to our first food tasting. A caterer we are considering is doing a private tasting for us with our actual food items. And not charging us. Amazing, right? I thought so. Anyhow I am typically the research queen. I research everything. From what camera to buy to what to say on thank you cards, etc. I like to be prepared. But I can’t seem to find anything to prepare me for the tasting.
Do I need to bring anything?
Do I need to ask questions there (already asked the typical caterer questions)?
Is there anything I should prepare for??