As corporate and other meeting and event attendees become food savvy, crave variety, and demand a wider range of flavors, unique food and beverage options are now viewed as an easy avenue to please attendees and keep clients coming back for more.
Of course, food and beverage trends depend on the event being held. Cuisine for a convention group is definitely much different than a corporate social event or a board meeting.
MEMORABLE FOOD EXPERIENCES
According to Andrea Correale, celebrity caterer and president of Elegant Affairs Caterers, Off-Premise Catering & Event Design, today’s meeting attendees are far more food savvy. “They are expecting restaurant-quality cuisine in a catered setting,” says Correale, who has provided multileveled, luxe-catering to notables and brands like Billie Eilish, Bebe Rexha, Mariah Carey, Jimmy Fallon, Ralph Lauren and Jimmy Choo.
Correale says that today’s meeting planners are all looking for healthy and fresh choices, including vegan, gluten-free alternatives and plant-based foods. “Salad bars are popular, but over the top with elaborate selection and choices,” she says. “Event planners should consider exploring: vegan sushi bars; California-style, open-pit barbecues; Impossible Burger bars; and Korean food.”
