What is the Difference Between a Banquet and

Catering?
 DRJCATERING OCTOBER 16, 2019 CATERED DINNER

The decision between a

banquet and catering is not just a matter of personal preference. The type of
presentation plays a significant role in your guests’ experience and satisfaction
with their meal. People often use banquet and catering interchangeably because
both are great ways of serving food to guests. Some of the determining factors
include the price range budgeted for food and how formal your event will be. This
article looks at the major differences between a banquet and catering while giving
an in-depth view of each type of presentation.

What is a Banquet?
A banquet is a formal meal held to celebrate an event organized in honor of a
person or an anniversary. It is a more elegant way of serving meals to guests. This
is because it creates a pleasant ambiance all around with more staff on board to
ensure everyone is well taken care of. Events like birthday parties, marriage
ceremonies, and farewell parties have a similar type of meal serving offered in a
banquet. The luxurious meals served in a banquet combined with a super cool
atmosphere work perfectly for guests and they deliver a unique experience, as
people mark and celebrate a particular event.

Another distinguishing factor is that banquets have a major stage where the guest
of honor sits together with other prominent faces. The salutation by the host is
made to everyone in attendance and usually ends with a speech after the meal is
served. It is often held in a special hall that can accommodate all guests while
maintaining both ambiance and luxury at the same time.
What is Catering?
Catering refers to the business of providing food and other related services for
special occasions at a remote site or event venue. A caterer is someone who
organizes the delivery, preparation, and presentation of a variety of foods for
guests. During a catered event, a full-service catering company is hired to make the
event unique and memorable by handling everything from decorations to food
presentations. They offer a wide variety of event packages and catering services
that can be tailored to a particular event. They always have a waiting staff that
ensures all guests are served in time and remain comfortable throughout the
occasion. Unlike banquets, catering includes a variety of occasions where people
eat at varying times rather than eating together at one time in one place.

Main Differences between a Banquet and

Catering
 Meaning
A banquet is an elaborate meal that marks a particular event or celebration. It is
characterized by a large feast with main courses and desserts that are often served
with alcoholic beverages such as wine or beer. Catering is the business of offering
food service to special events located at a remote site such as birthdays, dinner
parties, or family gatherings.

 Purpose
The primary purpose of a banquet is to serve as a charitable gathering, celebration
or ceremony and is often preceded by speeches in honor of someone special.
Catering serves the purpose of feeding a group of people in a remote location other
than a regular food service establishment. It reduces the burden of preparing food
on your own, which allows you to focus on other activities of the event.

 Formality
A banquet is more formal than catering because of the status of guests attending
the occasion. A catering service can be hired for both formal and informal events,
as they can always adjust based on your specifications and theme for the occasion.
In addition to this, the dressing code in banquets tends to be more formal. It is
quite different when compared to catered events such as birthday parties, dinner,
and family gatherings.

 Meals
Banquets offer more luxurious foods compared to catering services and are always
backed up with beautiful presentations to please guests. While catering services
may strive to deliver unique foods to your guests, the extent to which they can be
their best may vary depending on your budget and type of event being held. In
banquets, meals are often followed by speeches from the guest of honor and other
prominent faces, which is quite different from catering as it depends on whether
the event is formal or informal.

The decision to choose between a banquet and catering depends entirely on the
purpose of the event. A banquet is only ideal for a small group of people as it
becomes less practical when the guest list grows bigger. It is important to
understand the basic concept of a banquet and catering as they both have their
benefits and downsides.

7 Types of Catering Services You Need to Know

About
 DRJCATERING SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 CORPORATE CATERED EVENT

Planning an event can

sometimes prove challenging to many people. Understanding the different types of
catering services is key to planning and finally holding a successful event for your
guests. It is therefore important that you first familiarize yourself with the available
options when planning for one. Each catering service is different from the other in
terms of the mode of service, pricing and the number of caterers. Before settling on
a particular catering service, ask yourself the following questions; what is the size
of my budget? What is the number of the expected guests? What is the type of my
event? What is the season or the time of the year? Taking into account these factors
will help you choose the service that suits your event. This article looks at seven
main catering services that you should know about.

1. Wedding Catering
A wedding is a type of event that can incorporate different types of catering
services, depending on whether it is a simple wedding or one that is huge and
classy. With a simple wedding, you can have the caterers move around with plates
of meals and drinks serving your guests with their favorites. The number of
caterers will be fewer than those at a classy wedding. On the other hand, a huge
wedding will cost more since the number of caterers will be more. They move
around serving the guests, while a buffet can be put in place for the guests to serve
themselves the meals of their choice.

2. Cooperate Catering
With this type of event, the caterer provides service for a cooperate group that is
gathered somewhere for that particular company’s matters. Most companies hold
cooperate events to discuss matters affecting their company. The caterer can have
people serving the guests with their favorite meals and drinks, since corporate
meetings do not usually involve a large group of people.

3. Buffet Catering
Different types of dishes are put in metallic storages that have some fire beneath,
heating the food in moderate heat, to keep it warm until the end of the event. They
are arranged in a line and the guests come to serve themselves with the dish of their
choice. This type of catering service allows the guests to mingle freely and can
really save on budget and time.

4. Sit-Down Catering
The guests sit down on their respective seats while the caterer has people moving
around with trays of food or drinks on them. The caterers go asking the guests
what they would love to take, and come back later with their meals and drinks.
This type of service is suitable for an elegant event but is usually time consuming
and a bit expensive.

5. Food Truck Catering

A truck is customized to make it a kitchen, where food is prepared, depending on
the order. Food truck catering is most suitable for social gatherings that have a
smaller number of guests, gathered out in the field or the street. They mainly serve
fast food and drinks. They are fast, hence saving on time. Food trucks are also
cheap since they do not involve many caterers. They also save on budget since
chances of food wastage are minimal.

6. Office Delivery Catering

A caterer prepares food somewhere far from the office, packs it in disposable ware
and delivers it to the office of the person who ordered it. The person orders the
food via a call to the caterer or through their mobile phone application and pays
after the food has been delivered. The payment can be cash or through a wire
transfer.

7. Restaurant Catering
With this type of catering, an event is held at the premises of the caterer. The
restaurant is customized and decorated to fit the desires of the guests. It is most
suitable for social concession events. The main advantage of this service is that the
guests get to enjoy full attention from the caterer since all the staff is available.
Despite this, restaurant catering is expensive since you have to pay for the number
of tables you have booked; sometimes it could be the whole restaurant if it
involves many guests.

The list of catering services is endless. The service you choose for your event will
depend on how you want your event to feel like. The companies providing these
services are so many, so you can choose the one with a good rating and friendly to
your pocket. You do not want to hold an event, only for your guests to leave
disappointed with the kind of service offered to them. Therefore, consider working
with caterers and you will love their service.

What Does Full-Service Catering Entail?

 DRJCATERING OCTOBER 28, 2019 CATERERS

Catering refers to the provision

of food and drinks to people at social gatherings, parties, or events. Professional
catering companies adapt to the needs of their clients by sending chefs, waiting
staff and other employees to the venue of your event to handle everything related
to food service and guest satisfaction. They may also adjust menus for people with
dietary restrictions to ensure everyone is well taken care of. When choosing a
catering company, it is important to understand the scope of their service so that
you can get value for your money. This article looks at what full-service catering
entails and why you should consider it for your next special event.
What is Full-Service Catering?

Full-service catering handles all aspects of an event from food preparation,

decorations, to cleaning up at the end of the event. It is quite different from regular
catering as it aims to provide a great experience throughout the occasion. Keep in
mind that a full-service catering can be a big undertaking and requires careful
planning before making the final decision. You need to invest a significant amount
of time and money to get a full-service operation off the ground.

Some of the logistics include tableware, linens, serving equipment, and dedicated
staff to serve on-site. The chief caterer manages every detail of the event based on
your specifications and what appeals to every guest. People attending a special
occasion can be demanding, emotional and always come with high expectations.
Full-service catering can be milestone events for people holding special events
such as weddings, award functions, galas, and annual sales meetings.

What Does Full Service Catering Entail?

 Venue Setup
The catering crew gathers all the necessary supplies to the event site before setting
up the tables and seating arrangements according to the precise floor plan. Things
can get a little more interesting if you are holding an outdoor event without
cooking facilities. They can set up tents in two staging areas, one for cooking and
the other for presentation and serving. If you will be serving using the buffet style,
then the catering staff will set up the stations with chafing dishes and serving
platters while keeping the station stocked. They will decorate the venue according
to the selected theme, giving it a more inviting look.

 Menu Options and Food Preparation

Full-service catering gives you the option to choose your menu. They present
several menu choices to guests and can allow you to create a more customized
menu that fits the tone of the event. Depending on your caterer, food can either be
brought on-site, cooked and readied before serving your guests or it can be
prepared off-site and delivered to the venue location where it is warmed before
serving. In either scenario, you will not be required to assist since the catering staff
will handle everything for you.

 Dining Setup
Your caterer can fulfill your dining setup preferences whether you would like a
buffet-style or plated catering. Reputable catering services can either work
silverware and standard plate into their pricing or offer plate and flatware rental
options. You may not have to lift a finger at your event besides the décor touches
and the addition of your table centerpiece.
  Food Service
Whether you choose a plated or buffet dining setup, full-service catering will
always provide a staff to assist. They provide the right number of experienced
staffing to the event to offer the best experience to your guests. Good
communication and personal skills are also vital to the guest experience and
ensuring the success of an event. Full-service catering staff is always imaginative
and adaptable to the specific needs of guests. They create a diversified menu and
can always make adjustments to cope with food allergies or people with dietary
restrictions.

 Cleaning Up After the Event

Hiring a full-catering service means that you do not have to worry about the need
to clean up after the event as they have everything taken care of. They clear
everything from the tables and wash all dishes leaving the venue clean as before.
This gives you peace of mind and a feeling of satisfaction from the good customer
service offered by the catering staff.

One of the distinguishing factors of a full-service catering is that every part of the
event or social gathering runs like clockwork with a team of professionals behind
the scenes. You are provided with a good number of experienced staff to set up
tables, prepare food, serve guests, and clean up before packing everything away
once the event comes to an end. The event captain oversees the catering team and
works alongside the coordinator to maintain quality control and deliver the best
experience to your guests throughout the event.

What are the Different Types of a Banquet

Service?
 DRJCATERING NOVEMBER 12, 2019 BANQUET CATERING

Banquet service is a more

elaborate meal than a regular family dinner because of the number of guests
present, the location, and the scope of the event. The word banquet means a
sumptuous feast and is arranged to cater to a large number of people. There are
many reasons for holding a banquet as it could be in honor of a visiting guest,
anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, and other types of celebrations that bring
people together. Today, banquets are implemented for events such as training
sessions and formal business dinners, as they strengthen bonds between
businesspersons and their partners. This article looks at different types of banquet
services and their benefits.

 Sit-Down Banquets
Sit-down banquets have their food served directly to guests while they remain
seated on their tables. They are often more elegant and formal compared to other
types of banquets since guests do not have to serve food by themselves. One of the
benefits of organizing a sit-down banquet for your event is that guests feel more
special since they do not have to line up on long queues to get food. Besides, there
is more accuracy in terms of forecasting and food portioning. However, it requires
a skilled staff familiar with the proper preparation and service sequence. Keep in
mind that sit-down banquets are more time-consuming because of pre-plating. It
can also be challenging to serve pre-cooked food at the right temperature
depending on the event schedule.

 Buffets
A buffet is a type of banquet where guests are allowed to serve food by themselves.
The food is served from various dishes that are displayed on a sideboard or long
tables. Buffets are always less formal than sit-down meals making them ideal for
birthday parties, training conferences and other special events that have a large
number of guests. In terms of plating and serving, it is easier to prepare a buffet
than a sit-down banquet because of the little number of staff required. All you have
to do is select the items to be served and have an estimate of the number of guests
who will be present.

 Passed-Tray Service
Passed-tray service is a type of banquet where the waiting staff circulates finger
foods through the banquet room on large platters. A full meal may not be offered
since the service operates continuously for a certain time. The total cost of
organizing a passed-tray banquet may vary depending on the types of foods
selected as well as the duration you wish the service to continue. One of the
benefits of a passed-tray service is that it encourages conversations among guests
as they get to know each other during this time. However, guests who expect to eat
a full-course meal may not be satisfied if only passed-trays are offered.
  Station Service
A station service is a more advanced form of a buffet and the costs of organizing
this type of banquet typically ranges somewhere between the price of a sit-down
meal and a buffet. It involves setting up small tables around the banquet room and
each station is packed with a different kind of food. A banquet server is given the
task of replenishing food at various stations and can be the one to prepare and
serve the food. Unlike other types of banquets, station service allows guests to
mingle with other attendees as they move about the room. The stations may require
minimal planning and guests can always return to enjoy their meal during a
scheduled hour for having a snack or dinner.

 Pre-Set Service
A pre-set service is a type of banquet where food is set on the dining tables before
guests are seated. It is commonly seen with items such as beverages, salads,
desserts, and bread rolls. Desserts and salad will be pre-set for events with a
limited period during lunch breaks. The food is usually kept sanitary at a good
temperature, as it will be on the table for a few minutes before the guests arrive.
However, maintaining the temperature of food especially when offering main
entrees at a pre-set service may be a challenge as it depends on the method used to
preserve the food.
Planning a banquet involves making decisions about the type of food, sitting
arrangement, and how your guests will receive their food. Keep in mind that each
type of banquet comes with its benefits and considerations. It is important to
choose wisely and plan ahead of time to avoid disappointing your guests during the
event.

What Makes a Great Catering Service?

 DRJCATERING NOVEMBER 20, 2019 CATERED DINNER

Great
catering services are beyond what was taught in catering school since just like any
other business out there, it encompasses the integration of other qualities and skills
for a caterer to deliver great services to their clients. In this article, we are going to
discuss some of the many qualities and skills you should look out for when hiring a
caterer for your event because they are exactly what makes up for a great catering
service.

 Great Food
Food plays an important role as far as a great catering service is concerned and
without it, the catering service will be all for nothing. This is because food is a
unifying factor in any community, especially during celebrations. Great food is not
a bonus from a great catering service; it is a must thing. The caterer must come up
with different menus, adhering to all food safety regulations and have good
equipment to reheat the food so that no guest will be locked out of their favorite
meal because it is cold.

 Customer Service
Great catering service also revolves around good customer service – being able to
talk to the guests with courtesy and applying the necessary human relations skills
possible. A caterer may prepare great meals, set up a good venue, and put some
great decors and everything good. However, if they forget about customer service,
then the whole catering service is ruined. The staff must display some great
communication skills when dealing with the demands of the guests and be ready to
address their needs without appearing to get irritated because guests will never
forget that and may never want you to come to your event ever again.

 Creativity
A great caterer should be able to come with some additional details that they think
will contribute to making the event even better than they had agreed with the
planner. This may apply across the board, in the meals, décor, the seating
arrangement as well as the sound system. The ability to come up with creative
additional features and meals is what differentiates a great caterer from the rest of
the caterers in the industry.

 Attention to Detail
A great caterer must also be able to pay attention and understand the finest details
from the emerging and present issues about an event. Small things matter, so a
great caterer must pay keen attention since forgetting one of those issues might end
up ruining the whole event. The most important thing is not just being able to grasp
the fine details, but also about being able to respond to each of those details with
precision and efficiency of the highest level possible.

 Leadership
Catering services include many activities, all under one management. These
include the food department, the décor team, the sound system, and the service
staff. A good caterer must be able to apply great leadership and management skills
to integrate all these departments to run concurrently, without one colliding with
another, since this would lead to a messy event. Among the activities they will
oversee and integrate include ordering food from the stores, making sure enough
food is prepared and in line with food safety regulations and transported to the
event site on time, ensure that they sound equipment is set and functioning
properly and ensure that the staff is serving the guests with the best customer
service possible.

 Flexibility
An event cannot go smoothly, in line with everything agreed upon during planning.
Some things will have to be changed while new ones will have to be introduced,
even if they were not previously discussed upon in the beginning. A good caterer
must be able to cater for the surprises that may arise, without presenting some new
complicated demands. Take for example if a Muslim shows up to the event where
all guests had been expected to eat pork. The caterer will have to adjust and
quickly prepare some beef or mutton for that one Muslim since this does not affect
the budget in any way.

A caterer should not give you an excuse for not having these qualities because an
event is a one-time thing and there are no chances to make it better the next time.
So let no one use your event as a learning process. If you are in search of a great
caterer to work with, be sure to visit their website and check out their customer
reviews and ratings. You can also ask your family and friends to refer you to the
best caterer they know.

What is the Average Cost per Person for Catering?

 DRJCATERING DECEMBER 30, 2019 CATERED DINNER

When
planning a party or event, you have to pay a lot of attention to the food and drinks
that your guests are going to indulge in. This is because what your guests are going
to consume plays a significant role in the success of your event. Food has the
potential to make an event memorable, even when other aspects were not that
good. It thus makes a lot of sense to hire a caterer to make your event incredible,
instead of doing everything by yourself. When hiring a caterer, one thing that you
have to pay attention to is the amount of money you have to pay. One very
common way of calculating cost is doing an average cost per person. This helps
easily calculate the total cost of catering the event. This article is going to help you
decide the cost of catering your event by discussing several things that caterers
take into consideration when calculating the average cost per person.
Lowest Cost per Person for Catering
If you are working on a very tight budget, you might not have the funds to hire a
large catering crew that will offer many food and drinks options at your event. In
such a situation, all that you might be able to do is consider having a food truck at
your event. You can pay for the food truck and its owners prepare food in advance.
You do not need to do a lot with the food, as you can have them prepare light foods
such as sandwiches, burgers, pastries, bites, and salads. These options are great
when offered at a brunch. When you decide to go for a food truck, you can expect
to pay starting at $15 per person. This average cost per person is great, bearing in
mind that it also covers the food truck, operation fees, and any miscellaneous costs.

Medium Cost per Person for Catering

Another option is to have buffet catering. Due to the good experience it offers your
guests, buffet catering comes at a much higher cost than when you have a food
truck. Buffet catering comes in different options and one of the cheapest one is the
drop-off buffet. If you decide to go with thus, the food will be prepared off-site and
delivered at the event. If you are looking to save money, you can set up the tables
yourself, as all that will be needed after that is for guests to self-serve. Depending
on the kind of event and the catering demands you have, the price would start at
$22 per person. The higher cost comes about because a more premium experience
is offered, as a buffet provides your guests with many options in regards to the
foods they would like to take at the event.

A similar option to drop-off buffet is to hire a catering company and ask them to
set up tables or stations with distinct food choices at each one. You could have
stations offering different foods such as starters, desserts, salads, and meats.
Similar to a normal buffet, you can have your guests do a self-service, as your
caterer will already have provided the needed silverware, glassware, and linens.
The cost for this is similar to that of a drop-off buffet.

High End Service

If you are looking to offer your guests with a high-end service, you can achieve
exactly that by asking your caterer to provide more expensive foods and drinks to
your guests. Your guests can be served with entrees, starters, main courses, and
desserts. In addition to this, you can have your caterer set up the tables, and bring
dinner rolls, napkins, silverware, tents, lighting, décor, and tablecloths for your
guests. They could also arrange entertainment for your guests, valet and
transportation, and even equipment for the event. In such a situation, your starting
point should be $25 per person for catering. Such full service catering is ideal for a
wedding or corporate dinner party.
The average cost per person that you need to pay for catering depends on the things
that you are looking to achieve with your event and your budget. If you do not
have many funds to work with, you can choose to hire a food truck. However, if
you have some extra finances to spend, you can have a buffet at your event. This
way, you will be in a position to give your guests an outstanding experience
without spending so much money. Nevertheless, if you want to give the very best
experience, consider going for full service catering.

Top 7 Functions of a Caterer

 DRJCATERING MARCH 27, 2020 CATERED WEDDING

The duties surrounding a

catering position may vary based on whether a caterer is self-employed or working
for a catering company. Different types of caterers meet different needs for their
clients. Regardless of who they work for or where they work from, they all share
similar functions as they prepare and serve different food items to clients hosting
events, meetings, and parties.

A professional caterer should have good communication skills, cooking ability,

interpersonal relationship skills and give attention to detail. Although catering does
not require formal education, having enough experience or expert training in food
preparation, business management, and event planning can make a viable
candidate. This article looks at the top seven functions of a caterer.

1. Menu Planning
Since caterers are well versed with different kinds of recipes, they must prepare a
menu with a variety of foods that will appeal to guests. Some of the items that may
be included in a menu include entrees, appetizers, sandwiches, salads, desserts and
other foods that accommodate people with dietary needs. Since you will be serving
large groups of people, a caterer may be required to provide several options for
children, vegetarians, and individuals who are allergic to certain foods.

2. Coordinating an Event
Caterers are required to work closely with the event coordinator or the host to serve
different courses of a meal at the appropriate times without disrupting the guests or
any pertinent procedures. Wedding receptions make a prime example of a
scheduled chain of events. For instance, the catering staff may serve appetizers and
other finger foods while guests are being received. However, caterers may be
required to leave the dining area when making toasts and bridal party
announcements until it is time to start the table service.

3. Food Preparation
One of the top functions of caterers is to prepare and serve food to guests. While a
caterer needs to provide quality food and attractive presentation to your guests,
they are also required to maintain good health and sanitary standards for both
ethical and legal reasons. The catering staff should be conscious of portion control
to avoid underserving the guests, unnecessary wastes, or loss of profits.

4. Transportation of Food Items

Another function of a caterer is that they are required to transport food efficiently
to the event site. Certain items like cold cuts or salads must remain chilled while
meats and pasta should be kept hot until they are served. Some items need to be
prepared on-site while others must be prepared in advance and transported to the
venue of the event. Food items such as beef sandwiches need to be prepared in
advance but they are often assembled at the event. A professional caterer is
equipped with proper catering supplies and packing techniques that allow easier
and convenient transportation of food items to the location of the event.

5. Setting Up
A catering staff is often tasked with setting up all linens, chairs, tables, and areas
where guests will be seated. If the venue has a pre-set dining area the catering staff
will be required to create a buffer-style setup or organize the area based on the
theme of the event and how guests will be served. In formal setups, caterers set up
the tables and differentiate the sitting area based on the categories or status of the
guests.

6. Foodservice
Once all food items and serving areas have been prepared, the catering staff are
required to serve the food to your guests. A waiting staff may be asked to serve
different food items for buffet-style meals at events that are more casual. For
formal events, a catering staff may be required to deliver foods and drinks to the
tables where guests are seated.

7. Cleaning Up
The final function of a caterer is to clean up after the event is over and tear down
the dining area. They remove and clean all glasses, silverware, plates, and dishes
that were used to serve guests during the event. The last required responsibility for
a caterer is to pack up any leftover foods, thermal containers, serving equipment,
and bags to complete the job.

The functions of a caterer are diverse and may vary depending on whether they are
self-employed or working for a catering company. Some may offer extra services
beyond their regular services to satisfy the different needs of their clients. A
professional caterer needs to give attention to detail, and uphold both hygienic and
ethical standards during an event to offer the best guest experience.

https://www.drjcatering.com/difference-between-a-banquet-and-catering/