Important Questions You Need To Ask Your Food Caterer

Are you looking to plan for a mini gathering, office party or just for an important board meeting? When it comes to planning any form of gathering, it is widely known that the quality of food will make or break its success!

However, having a good caterer that serves good food with great service is much easier said than done. In fact, caterers that serve food below the expected standard can be very frustrating for any event planner, and can ruin the gathering itself!

In this article, we’ll explore a few tips on choosing the best food catering service in Singapore and the key questions you should be asking your caterer to make sure they’re the right caterer for the job.

3 Tips On Selecting The Best Caterer

Tip 1 – Find A Caterer With Experience

Not every caterer is perfect or every type of event – and a good caterer will openly inform you of this. More importantly, you should find a caterer that specializes in the gathering that you’re planning to ensure they have the right kind of experience for you.

For example, caterers that excel in catering for wedding banquets would probably not excel in office-type gatherings even with ample experience and reputation.

Hence, you should always be specific about the type of event you are planning, the type of food and the exact presentation you are expecting. Otherwise, you may end up selecting a caterer who simply isn’t a good fit for the type or style of your gathering.

Tip 2 – Find A Caterer With Local Reputation And References

Want to know more about a potential caterer, and what it’s like to work with them? Want to find out if they consistently deliver their promises for the events that they were hired for?

Here’s what you can do – ask them for a list of references and past clients! A good caterer will happily let you contact their past clients and let the quality of their catering speak for themselves.

Tip 3 – Find A Caterer That Cooks Your Food Freshly For Your Event

Lastly, you should be sure about the method of preparation and delivery of the food that will be served at your gathering.

This is a key element of any food catering service that you choose in Singapore as it will affect your budget and timeline significantly.

For example, the typically more affordable option would be to have your food cooked offsite and brought to your gathering space. However, if you prefer freshly-cooked and by-the-order catering services, you should have a solid idea on how the caterer will fulfill this type of service efficiently.

Questions You Must Ask Your Food Caterer

If you’d like to ensure your food caterer is suitable for your next gathering, here are a few key questions across the most important categories to ask.

Venue & Availability

• Do you have our event date available?
• Do you have any other obligations that day?
• How will your staff balance multiple events that day (or weekend)?
• Have you ever catered at our venue before?
• Can you accomplish our vision at our venue?
• What are your specific needs to be able to cater at our venue?
• How much space will you need at the venue?
• How much time will you need for set-up and clean-up at our venue?

Food & Drink

• Do you have a static menu, or can you do a custom menu?
• What are your most popular dishes?
• Do you offer halal food ?
• Do you charge a bulk fee or cost per person?
• What is the difference between a plated meal, buffet, family-style, etc.?
• Can you make kid’s meals?
• Can you provide vendor meals?
• Can you take care of various allergy/dietary requests?
• Will food be made on-site or brought in?
• When will you need final menu choices?
• When will you need a final headcount?
• Where do you source your food from?
• Can/how will you handle last-minute requests?
• What are the portion sizes?
• What do you do with leftovers?
• If not, will you provide cake cutting services?
• Do you offer other desserts?
• Can you provide bartending services?
• If so, will we need to provide alcohol, or can you?
• Are any non-alcoholic beverages included in the food costs?

Others

• How many events have you done in the past?
• Do you have photos of past events and references from past clients?
• Do you provide linens, table settings, and accessories?
• What colors and style options do you have for linens, table settings, and accessories?
• If you don’t provide linens, table settings, etc., will you handle coordinating the rental?
• Will your staff handle setting place cards and menus, if desired?
• Do you have the proper catering license requirements, as well as liability insurance?
• Will we need any special event permits? Will you obtain those?
• Will there be an onsite coordinator on day-of? Can we meet them ahead of time?
• Can you provide a copy of your standard contract?
• What is the amount of the deposit due to hold our date, and when will the remainder be due?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you offer a payment plan?

Looking For The Right Caterer For Your Next Gathering?

Choosing the right food for your mini gathering can be challenging but with the help of a local catering service, you won’t have to be troubled by the preparations.

When you order mini buffet catering services from Chilli Manis, you’ll have a variety of dishes to choose from. You can also mix and match your dishes for a memorable and cosy gathering.

As a halal-certified caterer, we seek to present the most authentic cuisine to all in Singapore. Keen to try our mini buffet catering services? Contact us at 6250 1112 or email sales@chillimanis.com.sg.