You are an event planner working with your client to create a customized catered dinner menu with food that is nutritious, creative and innovative. You will need to create a detailed menu for a plated, sit-down dinner for your client, a group of 50 people who are attending a day-long meeting in Toronto. The menu needs to be “high-end” and cannot include sandwiches and/or a pasta entrée.

Catered Dinner Menu Creation Assignment (#1)

HOST 1070 Introduction to Catering

(Worth 25% of Final Grade)

Objective:

To understand the needs and requirements for a catered dinner by researching different caterers and their menu offerings, and then creating a dinner menu, together with an overall cost per person.

Method:

You are an event planner working with your client to create a customized catered dinner menu with food that is nutritious, creative and innovative. You will need to create a detailed menu for a plated, sit-down dinner for your client, a group of 50 people who are attending a day-long meeting in Toronto. The menu needs to be “high-end” and cannot include sandwiches and/or a pasta entrée.

The Group:

· The attendees are from a corporate Canadian company and made up of high level management.

· The attendees consist of an even break down of male and female (50/50).

· This group meets once a year in Toronto in the FALL to discuss their sales initiatives for the following year.

· These attendees travel for work regularly, attend many events like this and have had experienced many catered dinners in their past.

· Because they are well travelled and have been exposed to many catered meals, they prefer creative, healthy, fresh and nutritious meals.

Your assignment is broken into two parts: researching two types catering options (no restaurants) and then creating a plated dinner menu from the catering options you researched. Your menu should be tailored to the groups’ needs, wants, characteristics and preferences.

PART 1: Comparing Catering Options

There are two different broad categories of caterers that you will research for your catered dinner event:

1. Hotels, Convention Centres or Banquet Halls

2. Private Independent Catering Business

3. Find an example of each category of caterer located in Toronto or the greater Toronto area (GTA) and ensure they provide services in the city. You may not choose a business from another city or country (i.e. doesn’t service the GTA).

Research and provide from each of the 2 catering category options (No restaurants):

· The name, physical location (street address) and website of the business

· Find dinner menus that each of the two different caterers provide, and in your own words, describe the type of food (an overall description) that each of the 2 caterers specializes in for events.

· Find the price range (i.e. from lowest to highest) of:

o starters (e.g. appetizers, soups, salads, etc.)

o main courses

o desserts

This research will form the basis of your menu creation where you will create a plated dinner menu, with full descriptions – in your own words (i.e. do NOT cut & paste)- of each of the menu items, for an event in Toronto.

PART 2: Dinner Menu customized for the this group

1. A short paragraph introducing the scenario that explains the nature of your client’s company (who), the reason for their meeting (what), the time of year the meeting is being held (when), and a breakdown of the 50 attendees (demographics & psychographics). Remember that this is a well-travelled group, who have “high-end” tastes and preferences. Do not create your own group.

A detailed description of a 3-course plated dinner menu composed of:

· an appetizer (appetizers or soup or salad)

· a main course (no pasta or sandwiches)

· a dessert

One menu for the entire group. This is not a “choice menu”, nor a buffet meal. You do not have to create alternative menu for meal restrictions at this point.

A detailed pricing structure for each menu item, based on the current catering menu prices you researched. You will also need to provide a price per person for the plated dinner menu.

When you create your menus, as part of your food choices, you need to thoroughly describe each item based on the following:

· different textures

· colours

· smells

· flavours

· tastes

· nutritious choices

· food compatibility, appropriate to the scenario you’ve created

Remember that smart nutritious choices should be a feature of your menu selections (i.e. not too many fried, high salt, sweet or carb-heavy items together).

Example:

APPETIZER: Spring Lettuce Salad with Goat Cheese and Citrus Dressing

The peppery arugula leaves balance with the smoothness of the soft goat cheese. The citrus dressing gives a beautiful fresh smell when it arrives in front of the guest. The peppery crunch of the green leaves and the white creaminess of the cheese balance harmoniously on the plate.

ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. The assignment is typed in Arial or Times New Roman 12 font and professionally presented.

2. Include all sources of information for your menu, your caterers, and your prices in a reference sheet/bibliography.

This assignment must be typed, with no spelling or grammatical errors. You must have a professional cover sheet. Submissions will only be accepted via Blackboard as a WORD (.doc) document or PDF file.CANNOTsend it by email).

RUBRIC

PART 1

1. Name, address & websites for each caterer option

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2. Describe the overall type of food each of the 2 caterers specializes

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3. Provide price ranges for starters, mains & desserts for each of the 2 catering options

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PART 2

1. Dinner menu customized to the group

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2. Dinner menu incorporates a balance of flavours, tastes & aromas

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3. Dinner menu effectively incorporates a balance of colours & textures

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4. Dinner menu items are properly priced (with a source for each price)

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