82 SEpTEmbER | OCTObER 2015 ■ CATERSOURCE

nace

by Heather Flemke for The National Association for Catering and Events

Although fall hasn’t even officially begun, the most

wonderful time of the year will be here before we

know it. Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah,

Kwanzaa, New Year’s, or any other holiday, the season

is always packed with company outings, family get-togethers,

religious congregations, and reunions amongst friends.

No matter what type of function, there are three integral aspects

that go into throwing a successful holiday party: the venue, the

food, and the drinks.

throwing a

SuccessfulHoliday party

“Since elaborate and inventive culinary preSentationS are now expected from catererS and reStaurantS,” SayS Jerry edwardS, cpce, “it haS become all about the in-your-face flavor.” Shown: coconut cruSted alaSKan cod with a coconut and pineapple beurre blanc and carrot Slaw

Photo: ©

Lisa M

asso

n Studio

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Home for tHe Holidays

Corporate and social celebrations

during the holiday season have

traditionally remained autonomous.

However, as the lines between

personal and work life blur more

than ever, corporate and social

festivities have also merged. Over

the last few years, corporate

executives and small-business

owners alike have hosted holiday

celebrations that have brought

together employees, clients, family

members, and friends.

With the coalescence of corporate

and social gatherings, CEOs and

founders are bringing everyone

together under one roof: their own.

Holidays are getting cozier as more

and more parties are being hosted in

the homes of the company’s leaders.

Although this fusion of business

and social circles is not a typical

holiday tradition, catered, at-home

parties are becoming an increasingly

popular opportunity to create a

more casual atmosphere between

the different groups of people.

season’s eatings

Before, restaurateurs would look

at what caterers were doing

and mirror them in their own

establishments. Now, the opposite

is occurring, in which caterers

are taking notice of the artistic

and innovative dishes that top

restaurants are preparing. Because

restaurateurs and caterers have

saturated the ways in which food is

presented, the flavor of the dish itself

has become the primary channel

through which ingenuity flows.

“Interesting and remarkable flavor

is vital these days. That first bite

needs to make you want a second,”

says Jerry Edwards, CPCE, President

and Corporate Chef of Chef’s

Expressions Catering and past

NACE President and recipient of

NACE’s 2014 Icon Award. “Since

CATERSOURCE ■ SEpTEmbER | OCTObER 2015 83

Sautéed Spinach pillow topped with roulade of Sole and a very flavorful lemon ghee beurre blanc

StationS alSo allow for cuStomization, which iS a main priority for hungry patronS in today’S Society. vegetarian or vegan StationS with quinoa and variouS proteinS can complement other StationS offering traditional meatS. Shown: potato, Shallot and tofu pave

Photo

: R

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el S

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Photo: Mitchel Hook

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nace (continued)

84 SEpTEmbER | OCTObER 2015 ■ CATERSOURCE

Pho

to: M

itchel H

ook

elaborate and inventive culinary

presentations are now expected

from caterers and restaurants, it has

become all about in-your-face flavor.”

To get that powerful flavor for

upcoming holiday parties, Chef’s

Expressions Catering has created

a great deal of culinary fusions. By

combining the popularity of ethnic

dishes and ingredients, such as

Moroccan and Indian, with cuisine

techniques inspired by Asian or

European chefs, caterers can

create new flavor combinations to

impress clients and continue to

raise the bar.

For example, one upcoming holiday

catered by Edwards is themed “A

Summer in Spain.” The menu will

be comprised of Spanish-influenced

dishes with a new-American twist,

such as crab cakes and crab balls

served with a saffron shooter.

Another holiday party trend is the

integration of seasonal ingredients

into popular dishes. The key to

making people happy, according

fuSion of cultureS: chef’S

expreSSionS catering haS created

a number of culinary fuSionS.

Shown: Seared rare tuna wrapped

in SeSame SeedS (aSian Style) with

a cucumber mint emulSion, tapioca

pearlS, and purple wax beanS

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CATERSOURCE ■ SEpTEmbER | OCTObER 2015 85

to Edwards, is to create nostalgia

by using traditional scents and

tastes while bringing them into

contemporary trends. For example,

Edwards creates a pumpkin risotto

with spiced nuts on top to modernize

the classic pumpkin flavor.

With the movement toward at-home

celebrations, it is rare to have a

sit-down dinner or buffet for such

a diverse group of people. Instead,

food stations are returning as the

most popular style of entertaining,

allowing people to walk around

and socialize as they indulge on the

various food options.

Stations also allow for

customization, which is a main

priority for hungry patrons.

Vegetarian or vegan stations with

quinoa and various proteins can

complement other stations offering

traditional meats.

tHe Holiday spirits

“People are eating less and drinking

more,” says Edwards. “And they’re

not just drinking vodka anymore!”

While vodka remains a frontrunner

for drink options, gin and bourbon

have become popular spirits during

the holiday season. For those who

don’t drink bourbon regularly,

partygoers can indulge in cocktails

like Edwards’ recipe that calls for

bourbon, spiced cider, honey, and

prosecco.

Due to the popularity of the food

stations, something that might be

showing up more often at holiday

festivities is the dessert cocktail bar.

This variation on the classic candy

bar often seen at weddings can add

variety to a typical open bar serving

traditional spirits. In addition to

spiked coffees and ciders, specialty

drinks with flavors like tiramisu

or peppermint can be offered as

a treat for adults with a sweet

tooth. Mixologists can adorn these

cocktails with ingredients such as

chocolate syrup and cherries for

added decadence.

Overall, holiday celebrations can

take various forms and include

different traditions and cultures.

However, in any celebration, the

staples of the venue, food and

drinks have always remained

the same.

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