Summing It Up
• If priced correctly, off-site catering can be a very profitable extension of your F&B business. |
When it comes to food service that goes beyond the dining room, you could say it’s all about catering to the customers.
Creating a flawless banquet is always a challenge. Taking it off site and executing the food and beverage service to the same level of excellence requires even greater attention to detail. When the commissary is miles away and there are no backup supplies, mishaps like running out of a buffet item, dropping a tray full of entrées, or breaking a dozen wine glasses become full-blown crises, rather than easy-to-fix problems.
Veterans of the industry agree that the secret to off-site success is in the details, right down to knowing where to plug in a coffee urn without blowing a fuse. Many clubs and resorts shy away from catering events outside their own facilities, because of the extra planning required and complicated logistics. But for those willing and able to handle it, the rewards can far outweigh the headaches.
Pack it Up, Move it Out
“It’s tough to take the show on the road,” admits Gerard Moran, General Manager of Bellport (N.Y.) Country Club. “But it’s a wonderful marketing tool for the club and a great way to promote our catering services.” It’s also profitable, he continues, if priced correctly. Moran passes on all hard costs to clients, including food, labor, staffing, and rentals, and factors in mileage and the time needed for travel, set-up and takedown.
Steve Center, Catering Director for Mount Vernon Country Club in Golden, Colo., averages 20 off-site events per year. These weddings, parties, and fundraisers have taken place in a variety of venues including private homes, a futuristic architectural landmark called The Sculpture House that was featured in the Woody Allen movie, “Sleeper,” and the upper level of a horse barn retrofitted as a small banquet hall.
Mount Vernon CC’s Chef, Jay Riley (LEFT), and Catering Manager Steve Center view off-site venues as just another party room. |
All of these venues, says Center, are the equivalent of adding another party room to his clubhouse. “My team can handle three on-site events simultaneously,” he says. “If we’re full here and can do one at another location—and I won’t do more than that on any given day—it improves our bottom line.”
But Center also makes sure members understand that it is more expensive to put on an affair away from the club. “Emergencies always come up. My job is to be prepared,” he explains. “I make about five percent more food than we need so there’s less risk of running out, and always bring extra linens, bar towels, dishes, and glassware. If we don’t have enough in-house, I have to rent them. All of this adds to the price.”
Focus on the Food
Westward Ho Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D., takes a different approach. Because catering services are viewed as a membership benefit, management strives to keep expenses much the same, whether an event is on property, or off.
To achieve that, the Westward Ho staff keeps its focus on the food. Clients are responsible for renting and delivering supplies, which limits wear and tear on in-house inventory. Because of state law, catering clients must also purchase their own alcohol. But bartenders are available for hire through the club, at $15 to $20 per hour.
Westward Ho’s Food and Beverage Director, Brady Hess, will only take on jobs that are within 20 minutes of the club, and his banquet staff does almost no cooking on site. “We own two catering vans,” he explains, “and transport finished dishes that need only plating and garnishing in hot boxes and coolers.”
A sampling of off-site catering menus and recipes can be found at here… |
This places some limitations on food options, he notes. “We have to avoid things that get soggy when wrapped. Steaks are not a good choice; chicken with a sauce is. I won’t accept a special request unless I know we can do it right.”
Well-Prepared Pays Off
Sheri Karpinski, Director of Catering and Conference Services for the St. Regis Resort Monarch Beach in Dana Point, Calif., is of the opposite, take-everything-but-the-kitchen sink persuasion. “It’s all about anticipating every possible thing that could happen,” she believes. And unlike many of her colleagues, Karpinski has amassed a wealth of resources at her disposal, including portable ovens, backup generators—and plenty of spare chairs, “in case some get wet.”
Even if an off-site facility has a functional kitchen, Karpinski prefers to use tents and have staging areas outside. This gives her more control of the work environment and allows her to create a “back of the house,” even when no house exists.
“Don’t forget to think about timing and flow,” she advises. “The food can be great but if the service isn’t, the experience won’t be positive.” Food choices are critical, she adds. “Consider the weather for outdoor events,” Karpinski advises. “Be sure the presentation of items will hold up. Dessert is especially important—it’s the final impression, and you want to leave them saying ‘wow’.”
George Petrocelli, Director of Catering, Boca Raton Resort & Club |
She describes a nightmare scenario involving an ice cream topping that turned to soup when the speaker didn’t stick to the schedule. If the customer wants action stations—a trend that’s become increasingly popular—she has an army of trained professionals to draw from, adding a flat, per-chef fee to her per-person charge.
“People don’t mind paying [for extra touches] because it provides an entertaining experience for their guests,” Karpinski believes. “We can do a fresh-squeezed juice bar or bring grills for cooking items to order. We just started offering an ice cream station, mixing in fresh fruits, nuts, and candy individually on a frozen marble slab.”
Other properties are responding to clients who want to replace buffets and chafing dishes with the interactive theatrics of working chefs by including pasta, fajita and soup stations, hand-rolled sushi, and even custom mashed potato bars as off-site options.
Westward Ho CC strives to keep expenses in check by focusing on the food; clients must provide needed supplies. |
Cocktails with a Splash
Taking these concepts to an even higher level, banquet cooks for Florida’s Boca Raton Resort & Club feature “martini” stations, served from an ice table, at which duck confit is offered in a cocktail glass with a splash of peppered vodka, or one bite of smoked salmon and bok choy is topped with lemon and dill-infused vodka.
“It looks fabulous and is actually very cost-effective,” says George Petrocelli, the club’s Director of Catering. “A block of ice supported by glass blocks, five feet long and 18 to 24 inches wide, sits on a buffet table. There are notches to hold the glasses, the mise en place is arranged attractively, and everything stays chilled.”
The resort is adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and yachts—many of them belonging to corporations—dock at the marina. Onboard parties and meetings are Petrocelli’s primary off-site venue, but he also goes farther from “home” for large gatherings at city museums and on sprawling estates.
No matter what the setting, Petrocelli’s department handles food, beverages, and implementation. Everything else is taken care of by a subsidiary company, Boca By Design, that was started about 10 years ago, to avoid dealing with multiple vendors.
Westward Ho CC tries to limit the amount of cooking done on-site, using catering vans to transport finished dishes that need only plating and garnishing. |
Be the Expert
Unless he’s familiar with a place, Petrocelli makes site visits in advance. “I do detailed schematics, so we know exactly how to access a room and where the busing trays will be,” he says. To keep trucks out of view and to avoid congestion, Petrocelli does not allow them, or cars belonging to staff, to park on premises. Vehicles drop off supplies, equipment, and personnel, and come back after the event for pickup.
When it comes to planning menus (see sample menu, opposite page), Petrocelli, a graduate of Johnson and Wales and a Certified Meeting Professional, brings his expertise to the table. “I offer advice about what’s feasible for the place and number of guests,” he says. “Sometimes I have to show a client what the problems will be if we do it their way.”
Taking care of his service team is also an important part of his job. “I make sure they have plenty to drink, especially when they’re working outside in the heat,” he says. “If they’re here all day, I give them a meal, after we’re set up and before service. It boosts morale and improves performance.”
Erin Sullivan, Director of Sales and Catering at Brook-field Country Club, Clarence, N.Y., relies on long-time employees trained in banquet service to make her events go smoothly. To retain a high-caliber workforce, the club offers competitive wages with increases reflecting years on the job, plus health insurance and 401k plans for full-timers.
Members also turn to Brookfield for takeout service as well as on- and off-site party planning. “We’re here to help,” Sullivan says. “If people are entertaining at home and just want a tray of hors d’oeuvres or pastries, they can place an order and come pick it up. At Thanksgiving, we’ll do just the turkey or an entire meal. These are ways to please our membership and keep them happy.”
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