Taste Testing for Science!
From the desk of: Rena Stoloff
The food at an event is more of a message to your guests than one thinks. It is also often one of the things guests remember most.
“The dessert was to die for…”
“I was following the tray of that crispy appetizer…”
“I ate 6 of those!”
This past month we met with one of our corporate clients in preparation for their annual holiday celebration. We gathered four members of our AE team, four client teammates, and three representatives from our venue and caterers.
No matter the type of event, as an event planner and in order to do our job well, sometimes we have to get down and dirty. In this case that means having to arrive hungry to a tasting and keep objective perspective with guests in mind. So not the worst part of the job :)
This is the largest event, by guest count, that we produce. The Westin Copley Chef and kitchen staff presented an array of small bites for each of the five courses the party would offer.
Course 1: Cold hor d'oeuvres
Poached Shrimp with roasted jalapeno Cocktail Sauce; Ahi Tuna Nacho with Seaweed Salad, Wasabi Aioli, Hoisin, Wonton chip; Curried Chicken Salad Cucumber Crisps; Rare beef tenderloin Croistini with Whipped Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions; Cucumber and Hummus, Olive, Pickled Fresno Pepper; Boursin and Apple Pecan Canepé on Pumpernickel Crisp; Brie and Diced Tomato Bruschetta Bite with Pesto
Course 2: Hot hor d'oeuvres
Applewood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Maple Siracha Glaze; Lobster Cobbler;
Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce; Sesame Chicken Skewers with Citrus Ponzu Glaze; Braised Short Rib and Manchego Empanadas; Pastram Spring Roll with Thousand Island Aioli
Butternut Arcini; Sicilian Eggplant Caponata Phyllo Stars
Course 3: Salad
I’ll spare you from images of romaine lettuce and a spring mix, as one’s imagination can probably do the same justice, but it is no less important than that of a hot dish.
Course 4: Hot Stations
Roasted Vegetable and Saffron Paella with Chorizo and Herb Crusted Chicken; Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Cream Sauce; Mezze Rigatoni with Bolognese; Mini Penne with Charred; Sweet Baby Peppers, Herb Roasted Tomatoes, Asparagus, Parmigiano Reggiano, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Italian Herbs; Slow Roasted Char Crusted Roast beef with Horseradish Cream and Cognac Demi; Bean Town Brisket with Mustard BBQ Sauce
Course 5: Dessert… A personal favorite :)
All 11 of us taste testers took time formulating thoughts and putting together what we thought all approximately 1,995 guests would enjoy!
We agreed some might like the paella but others would be missing the pasta, not everyone may like eggplant but we need a vegetarian friendly option… on the other hand some may only be looking for hardier red meats.
Dessert, some may like the sugary sweets while others are looking for a refreshing cup of seasonal fruits. There may be gluten free or dairy free eaters who would be excluded from the course if we chose cheese cake pops.
This process can seem extravagant for just one evening or one gathering, but when we take a step back to celebrate together it’s worthwhile to go the extra mile to make it memorable.
Event Vendors:
Event Planning and Design: AE Events
Venue/Catering: Boston Marriott Copley Place
AV: Encore
Entertainment: FUN Enterprises, Inc.
Rentals: Peak Event Services