CATERINGA plated menu brings each course to the guest’s seat. It combines a shared table with a clear rhythm for food, conversation and the programme. Plan your dinner by matching the food with seating, kitchen facilities, serving routes and the pauses you want.
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This format suits a meal with a defined place in the programme, where guests prefer to remain seated. Food is chosen in advance rather than at a buffet counter. Agree menu alternatives and portions beforehand. A sharing dinner puts platters and bowls on the table for guests to pass around; a plated menu assigns each individual plate to a seat.
Start with the dinner’s role: a compact lunch, an evening with speeches or a longer celebration. A soup or light starter, a main course and dessert can be a starting point. Include earlier canapés, a wedding cake or a late snack in the overall quantity. Agree the season, recipes and vegetarian or vegan alternatives for the occasion.
Put the reception, seating, courses and programme into one schedule. Speeches and presentations need an agreed signal to the kitchen and service team. Decide who reports delays and confirms a revised serving time. That prevents a speech being discovered only once hot plates are on their way. Include dessert, coffee and clearing at the end.
A plated dinner needs coordinated plating space, routes for plates, refrigeration and any hot holding. Describe work surfaces, usable utilities, tableware and the distance to the dining room. A floor plan and recent photos help. Check any additional equipment and which sequence of courses can be delivered under those conditions before confirming the plan.
Record the confirmed portions for each menu option. With assigned seats, service needs to know which table receives each alternative. Communicate dietary preferences and specific ingredient or preparation requirements before confirming the menu. Use one approved version of the list. Also discuss accessible seating and service for guests who need assistance.
Compare more than the course selection. Include agreed staffing hours, tableware changes, setup, transport and collection. Share the intended dinner duration and everything else happening in the room. Payment, changes and cancellation terms are defined in the individual proposal. Menu, service and infrastructure should be described as one coordinated sequence.
Base the number on meal duration, occasion and other food served that day. A compact lunch and a long celebration need different rhythms. Start with the main meal and add a suitable starter or dessert. Count reception food, cake and later snacks in the overall quantity.
Assess the venue and course sequence together. Work space, power, water, refrigeration, hot holding and plate routes can determine the scope. Describe the facilities and what must be prepared or plated on site. Then agree additional equipment and feasibility.
Record portions for each option and use a current seating plan where seats are assigned. One person should collect changes. Discuss specific ingredient or preparation requirements separately with the kitchen. Agree how plates are identified and assigned before service begins.
Plan both phases as one sequence. Give the reception duration, dinner time and guest count for each part. Reception bites are considered alongside the dinner portions. A change of venue affects transport, setup and staffing hours and should also be included in the brief.
A sharing dinner places common bowls and platters on the table, requiring space between settings and suitable serving utensils. A plated menu brings each plate to an assigned place. Both need a complete meal and clearly assigned dietary alternatives. Use the table shape and schedule to decide.
Check staffing hours, plates and glasses, plating, transport, setup and collection. Longer pauses or a late finish can affect working hours. Request a clear overall scope with agreed times, extra items and VAT. The food selection alone does not define the complete dinner service.