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19 clever catering ideas for safe, successful events

Get ready for individualized appetizers and passed hors d’oeuvres, boxed meals, safer bites and contactless vibes.

Tara Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor

September 15, 2021

18 Slides
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When asking catering professionals the question ‘What does catering look like now?’ we found that catering has changed, but it’s carrying on in new, clever ways that have frankly blown us away. Boxed lunches don’t have to be boring, and individually packaged snacks and appetizers can be a real chance for chefs to bring the creativity and innovation.

Sodexo/Centerplate recently worked with a research firm and conducted a survey of event planners’ perceptions and views of catering since the pandemic. The online survey asked a diverse group of event planners from convention and conference centers across the country what would be key for success and survival and found 90% of respondents said safety procedures are critically important for the future of their programs.

Click through to see appetizers, boxed lunches, charcuterie on the go and sweets, including hot chicken in a globe, beef tenderloin-bleu cheese bites on bamboo, crab cakes in a teardrop, escarole salad shots, barbecue meatballs on spoons, individual veggie dips, cheesecake bites and more.

Read more about:

SodexoCenterplate

About the Author

Tara Fitzpatrick

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group

Tara Fitzpatrick is Food Management’s senior editor and a contributor to Restaurant Hospitality and Nation’s Restaurant News, creating editorial content for digital, print and events. Tara holds a bachelor of science degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kent State University. Before joining Food Management in 2008, Tara was associate editor at National Association of College Stores in Oberlin, Ohio. Prior to that, Tara worked as a newspaper reporter in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, where she lives now. Tara is a fan of food history, legends, lore, ghost stories, urban farming and old cookbooks. 

Tara Fitzpatrick’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), menu trends, sustainability in foodservice, senior dining, farm-to-table and innovation.

Tara Fitzpatrick is a frequent webinar and podcast host and has served on the board of directors for IFEC (International Food Editors Consortium).

Tara Fitzpatrick’s experience:

Senior Editor, Food Management (Feb 2008-present)

Associate Editor, National Association of College Stores (2005-2008)

Reporter, The Morning Journal (2002-2005)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-fitzpatrick-4a08451/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tara_Fitzie

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tarafitzie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.y.fitzpatrick

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