1. Pass around breakfast hors d’oeuvres
The Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, Ill., hosts a lot of business breakfasts and conferences, says Sean Curry, executive chef and food and beverage director. When a group requested a morning reception that would foster team building, he came up with the idea of a breakfast cocktail party of sorts. “Instead of a sit-down meal or buffet, I decided to do passed hors d’oeuvres to encourage interaction, giving the food a breakfast spin,” he says.
Waiters served trays of Yukon Gold potatoes stuffed with pulled pork hash, mini quiches, waffle cones filled with smoked salmon, and savory ham and cheese scones. “It became a conversation starter,” says Curry, who has since served the breakfast about a dozen times. Although labor costs are higher, he saves on food costs, as there’s far less waste, he says.