We were proud to be the caterer once again for the ILEA (International Live Events Association) Chicago Chapter’s annual Masters’ Dinner.
The dinner took place after the Day of Education. Invited attendees included only those ILEA members who have worked in the special events industry for a minimum of 10 years or have been a business owner for a minimum of 5. Conversation and conviviality filled this lovely evening!Read More…
It might have started in the 50s and 60s with tableside service.
Towards the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 21st century, people looked back on tableside service and laughed. But from the 2000s on, caterers wanted to bring it back to add to the experience and make food offerings more immersive than the standard buffet.
But what exactly does this look like when incorporated with more standard catering offerings?
An action station is a food station that requires some action or input by the guest. A carving station, for example, allows guests to guide the chef as to how to cut their pieces of meat.
Technically, you can set up an action station for virtually any meal you want. The goal is to create an interactive experience with guests — while keeping the line moving.
An action station aims for the “show.”
While a buffet generally involves food put out for the masses to self-serve, an action station allows for a more specific order, paired with a bit of a show, demonstrating the food preparation.
For example, in a ramen action station, you get to see how the broth comes together to make your dish.
The result is a great food experience that appeals to all your senses — not just your eyes and taste buds.
For a fully interactive experience, a station has to be well put together conceptually in terms of quality, appearance, and practicality. You want to fully utilize the staff and ensure guests don’t spend their time waiting in line.
We do a lot of training to match the chefs with the stations for which they are best suited. For instance, some are more extraverted and will comfortably discuss what they are doing with the crowd while others are more comfortable working behind the scenes.
When it comes to picking an action station for your event, it has to be interesting enough to draw people in, so creativity plays a significant role. Truly, what you’re serving is almost secondary to the engagement. But at Catering by Michaels, we’re obsessed with creating an experience that’s as exciting as it is tasty!
On a daily basis, our team works tirelessly to prepare and produce events. We focus on ensuring our clients are thrilled with the result. Whether it’s an intimate family gathering or a multiple day event serving over 9,000 people, we aim to provide the highest quality food and the most professional service. For us, success is measured by the satisfaction of our clients and their guests.
So when we receive recognition and accolades from our peers, it’s an entirely different type of excitement. This is exactly what happened at this year’s Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence (CATIE) Awards at the International Caterers Association’s Catersource conference in New Orleans. The spirit of the CATIE Awards is to recognize achievements of exemplary production at an event. The CATIE Awards have been called the Academy Awards of the Catering Industry… and this year (drum roll please), we received three!
We were honored to be named Best Action Station, Best Buffet Presentation & Menu, and Best Multiple Day Event. Receiving this recognition out of a field of exemplary, international catering companies fills us with pride. It is a confirmation of the hard work and dedication each and every member of the Catering by Michaels team puts into every event!
Guests have a few basic expectations when attending a wedding. They expect a nice meal, a little booze, and dancing late into the night. What they probably don’t expect? Interactive stations where guests can see our chefs in action!
We recently sat down with Stacey Combrzynski, an Event Coordinator on our team, to discuss how action stations can captivate guests at a wedding (or any event!)
Food stations offer an element of interactivity that’s missing from many weddings. Normally at a wedding, you come in, sit down, and talk to the people at your table. We love action stations because they get people up and moving, adding a fun and social element to the experience.
The main difference is that we push the envelope when it comes to interactive stations and are willing to try new things that will be exciting for guests. A recent example is when we used tea siphons as a way to infuse wild mushrooms into broth at a ramen action station.
Because of their dynamic nature, action stations can cater to the couple’s personalities more. We can also be more creative with action stations, so it really takes the guest experience to the next level.
