Reflection

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Reflection of a Culinary Event
I recently got to be a part of the city’s memorial festival that happens annually. I was a part of the culinary team, and as a result, I got practical experience of some of the theoretical concept that I have learned in class. The event taught me a lot regarding pricing catering services to maximize profitability, plating and presenting for profit, setting up the catering system and finally serving the guests. The party had taken three months to plan, and at the end of it all, the event was a success. Everyone was happy, and the caterers were able to make a substantial profit.
The first thing we started with was putting a price on catering services which can be very challenging. This challenge is caused by the difficulty that arises when trying to estimate the cost of food and the transportation cost. The pricing of the catering services relied on these two main factors among other factors such as rent of equipment, and if these expenses were higher than the priced catering services, then the caterers would experience a loss. A higher catering price, on the other hand, would lead to loss of clients.
To maximize the profit and still ensure customer satisfaction, the caterers had to be wise in drafting the event’s menu. The caterers who had already obtained a liquor license added alcoholic beverages to the menu. A liquor license is a permit that allows the holder to sell alcoholic beverages (Burgess and Moffat 2).

Through the sale of alcohol at the event, the caterers were able to price food in a manner that ensured that the guests were satisfied and ensured that the caterers did not make a loss when the amount was compensated after the pricing of the alcoholic beverages. During one of the meetings that discussed the menu, one of the caterers concluded that in most events, the alcohol prices were always high hence this would work towards the caterers’ advantage.
Another activity that was carried out at the event was food presentation which was done in a way that ensured the event was profitable. The caterers prepared a charcuterie plate. Charcuterie is a French word used to describe smoked, dry cured or cooked meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage or pork products which are primarily gaining popularity in the modern-day world (Ruhlman and Brian 34). The dish was made using a combination of different foods and one meat dish or faux meat dish for the vegetarians. The combination of small amounts of varying food made the meal attractive and also ensured that the guests did not overeat or complain that the food was too little. As a result, the caterers were able to maximize profitability based on this presentation.
The final part of the event was the garnishing part whose planning taken very seriously. It involved adding decorative garnishes to the food which gave it a “wow” factor that makes people look forward to attending catered events (Mattel and Brian 50). This was the case in this party. Small disposable bowls to hold the garnishes were used for this party. Because of the significant number of people expected to attend, the caterers felt it was more cost effective to use disposable bowls because they were easier and cheaper to find in large numbers.

Works Cited
Burgess, M., & Moffatt, S. (2011). The Association Between Alcohol Outlet Density and Assaults on and Around Licensed Premises. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
Mattel, Bruce. Catering: A Guide to Managing A Successful Business Operation. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
Ruhlman, Michael, and Brian Polcyn. Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing. WW Norton & Company, 2005.