Here at CBM, we spend a great deal of time talking about food.

However, when planning an event, we know that food is but a part (a great part, but a part nevertheless) of the whole experience.

With this in mind, let’s talk about the non-food elements of an event and how they affect the final look and cost.

Major Event Spending Categories to Keep in Mind

Besides the food itself, there are a few other major spending categories that you should consider when planning your catered event.

Budget

We like to remind our customers to always begin with the budget. Plan within your budget; don’t budget within your plan. Successful low-cost events featuring only the basics are possible.

Vendors

For larger-scale events, you will inevitably deal with many vendors. You may decide to be your own event planner or hire someone else to act as your middleman.

To help understand which route to take, ask yourself:

• Are you confident you can get the best deals?
• Do you have the time?
• Would you rather order your own rentals or let the catering company do it?

Your staff is your army. With full-service catering, Catering by Michaels takes care of many event details for you.

Aesthetics

Decorations can dramatically improve the look of your event. Depending on whether you DIY or hire a decor company, they can also have a big impact on budget. Be realistic about your available time and ability to handle the decor for your event — it may turn out to be more cost-effective to hire out this part of the process.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another important consideration for your event’s budget. Depending on the type of event, you’ll have different options for entertaining your guests — a DJ, full band, or even individuals hired to do things like read tarot cards, draw caricatures, and so on. It’s important to know where to draw the line, especially as it relates back to your budget for the rest of the event.

Identify the Necessities & Nice-to-Haves

You don’t want to give everybody a great memory and leave yourself with a painful one. Know what non-food elements are a must and those that aren’t. This will help you to be realistic about your budget for the event.

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At the end of the 25-hour Yom Kippur fast, our bodies demand a proper meal.

Traditionally, many go for light foods like bagels and lox, cakes, and assorted cookies. These dishes are comforting and easy on the stomach. And after such a long time without digesting anything, you don’t want to “shock” the system.

Even more importantly (and this is where Catering by Michaels shines) most Yom Kippur meals can be made ahead of time. This means there’s no waiting around for food to cook when you’re at your hungriest.

Placing Your Yom Kippur Order

We’ve made it easy and stress-free! You can curate the perfect holiday spread from our menu of traditional Yom Kippur favorites and have your order delivered right to your doorstep (pickup also available).

You can download the Yom Kippur menu right now (pdf) or go to our website to start planning an event around the holiday. If you have employees that celebrate this holiday, you can place an order personally or through a corporate account.

The Yom Kippur Menu

Our Yom Kippur menu consists of dishes that can be served cold or at room temperature. These include deli platters and salads, bagels, tenderloin displays, smoked fish, and desserts.

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This year, Rosh Hashanah, which translates to “head [of] the year,” starts on the evening of September 29th and ends on the evening of October 1st.

It is a two-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the creation of the world and the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that ends in the Yom Kippur holiday. These two holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) are the highest holidays in the Jewish religion.

Aside from ushering in the Days of Awe, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a new year in the Jewish calendar. Because Jewish texts vary, some celebrate the holiday in a single day, while others celebrate for two days. Work is prohibited, and people spend much of the holiday attending synagogue.

However, unlike the raucous New Year’s celebrations celebrated at the end of the calendar year, Rosh Hashanah is more subdued as it is a contemplative holiday.

Rosh Hashanah Traditions

The Rosh Hashanah holiday reflects both happiness and humility.

After the temple services are over, many people celebrate by opting to wear new or special clothing, and by having a festive meal rich in symbolism and tradition. The meal typically begins with the ceremonial lighting of two candles and features food which represents positive wishes for the new year.

Typical Food in a Rosh Hashanah Spread

Some of the items you can expect to see on a typical Rosh Hashanah spread include:

• Apple and honey. One of the most popular Rosh Hashanah customs involves eating apples dipped in honey, usually after saying a special prayer. It is believed that apples have healing properties, while honey signifies the hope that the new year will be sweet.
• Round challah. During Jewish holidays, there is always challah (traditional braided bread) present. On Rosh Hashanah, challah is baked in a circular shape to symbolize the crown of God or the cyclical nature of life.

If you’re planning to attend temple all day, you don’t want to be concerned meal preparations for your own Rosh Hashanah spread. So, why not opt to have a delicious holiday spread delivered straight to your door?

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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.

Is it a Buffet?

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.

What Makes for an Effective and Engaging Action Station?

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!

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The team behind the shared-use commercial kitchen space, Kitchen Chicago, presents The Fairlie —  Chicago’s newest wedding venue.

Located on Bell Avenue in the West Loop neighborhood, The Fairlie opened its doors to the public this spring, just in time for the summer wedding season.

Upon entering the space, you’re greeted by the floor-to-ceiling entrance vestibule, which provides a beautiful view of the outdoors.

As you advance further inside The Fairlie, you’ll find an event space that covers 15,000 square feet across the main floor and mezzanine levels. If you want to plan a grand entrance, you can actually drive a car inside: made possible thanks to the garage door entrance!

All of this space makes The Fairlie a great event space pick for corporate events and expos — though it was created to cater to weddings first and foremost.

The first level of the space can be used for a wedding ceremony. Conceptualized with an industrial-chic aesthetic in mind, the focal point of this space is the fantastic wrought iron staircase located front and center. It’s ideal for creating a dramatic entrance for the bride as she walks down the aisle.

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