Whether it be the annual company party or a new adventure in hosting, planning your holiday party is an exciting exercise in ingenuity, hospitality, and efficiency. You want your party to leave your guests feeling warm and welcomed, but also dazzled by creativity!
It’s easy to push creativity to the back burner when planning a party; there are often so many steps involved that it’s ‘easier’ to fall back on what’s been done in the past, or, what lies within the hosts’ comfort zone. But, adding some creative flair to your party does not have to break the bank, or break the ease and simplicity you desire. You can serve simple favorites in new and festive ways that will leave your guests impressed and recharged because of your efforts.
While your menu choices afford opportunities for true creativity, how you display and present your party is equally as important. Your menu choices will reflect subtle bursts of creativity in new flavor combinations or the introduction of a trendy food product; however, your presentation choices will leave no room for subtlety as there is little room to ‘hide’ amongst paper vs. plastic and other obvious presentation choices. The biggest bang for your buck is to focus creative control on presentation details— it will be the aspect that guests remember the most! Relying on solid party-food standards and choosing to step out of the comfort zone on presentation is a good recipe for the right amount of dazzle.
Consider upgrading your serving dishes and utensils. A veggie assortment arranged on a black plastic tray topped with plastic tongs says something quite different than the same veggies arranged on an oversized bamboo cutting board with small silver appetizer forks… the presentation changes the tone! Upgrade your fruit tray by incorporating battery-operated twinkle lights to mimic the look of a wreath, or use a package of new ornaments to bedazzle a charcuterie board, nestled in bundles amongst the cheese and crackers. An upgraded table presentation is a sure win with your guests and will elevate any food choices you have made!
Creative menu planning, when perfectly paired with a dazzling presentation can really round out the entire package. While classic party standards always remain safe, improving and modernizing old favorites can be an easy way to make something feel new and exciting. Take the cocktail sausage; often served by individuals fishing out a few with a toothpick from a vat of sweet and sour sauce— fine, but what if they were served pre-skewered with a sweet onion balsamic jam instead? An update that offers the same flavor combination (sweet & salty) with a presentation flair. Or, perhaps the standard cheeseball stabbed with the shared spreading knife could become individual, marble-sized, cheese balls that are pre-placed on crackers? Updating classic standards to match new and innovative presentation choices is a budget and user friendly option for any host or hostess.
Be Creative Catering, Northern Kentucky’s premier choice for parties, family gatherings, and weddings, provides clients with creative guidance in menu planning and presentation. Understanding that all events should feel effortless to all guests, Be Creative Catering is a perfect blend of creativity and reliability. When you book an event with Travis and Michelle Faris, owners and operators of Be Creative Catering, your guests will be dazzled and your creativity will blossom!