Planning the Right Menu For an Event

Events and occasions should always provide the best possible sensory pleasures. Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste...each of these should be catered to equally, leaving attendees with a lasting impression of beauty and harmony.

A key part of event planning is the menu. Food to be served at an event depends upon several factors -

1. The time of day - Snacks or full meal? Drinks or not? These are all crucial decisions that can be made based on the timing of an event
2. The time of year - seasonal vegetables can bring down costs by a large margin
3. The specific occasion - for example, one must have wedding cake at weddings, turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, etc.
4. The expected attendees - for example, a seminar on lactose intolerance should have a menu completely devoid of milk and milk products.
5. The budget.

No matter what the occasion, refreshments for the guests must be provided. Tea, coffee and juices are popular refreshments, and drinks - wine, beer, spiked punch or hard alcohol - are also very welcome if the occasion demands it.

For food, the menu is divided into starter items and appetizers, main course and dessert. It may be served in buffet fashion or as a plated meal. Buffets are generally easier to manage, and result in less wasted food at the end of the day. It is also easier to cater to a variety of food preferences in a buffet. However, sometimes a plated dinner is necessary due to space constraints or other reasons.

The meal begins with starters. Starters are appetizer items, usually finger food. They may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, and are usually baked or fried. These starters may be set up at a counter, or may be passed around among the invitees. Typically, no more than four rounds of starters are served, so that appetites are whetted rather than getting stomachs filled.

After starters, guests can progress to the main course. This will typically consist of salads, meat dishes and their accompaniments. Needless to say, both salads and meats come in infinite variety - from Russian salad to Waldorf, and from grilled salmon to beef vindaloo. Just remember to make provisions for any vegetarians who may land up in your midst! Roasts, sandwiches, canapes and mousses... nothing goes amiss, as long as you don't end up broke as a result.

Finally, dessert. This can be as simple as ice cream with chocolate sauce, and as elaborate as French pastry can get. Alternatively, you can take the healthy/healthier route with a fruit spread, yoghurt, dark chocolate and cheese platters.

The only rule while setting up a menu is this - provide variety, but make sure the items go well together. Make sure that every cuisine featured on the menu - whether European, Lebanese or Japanese - has everything from starter to dessert. If you see an item that doesn't pair with anything else on the menu, strike it off. And if you aren't sure of food planning yourself, request your caterers for a tried and tested menu. Adding in the person-of-the-day's favorite items couldn't hurt, of course.