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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You don’t need to host large or major events like weddings or corporate Christmas parties to hire a caterer.

Catering by Michaels accepts bookings for small to medium parties, which can range from 15 to 125 guests. With this number of people, small venues and special requests such as interactive food stations (which won’t work for large crowds because of logistical constraints), can still be accommodated.

In the same way that we cater to large groups, we also do occasionally get bookings for fewer than 15 people.

These small to midsize events are often dinner parties, corporate receptions, or small celebrations. With events of this size, we also get a mix of both family and corporate picnics and cookout requests in the summer.

Deciding on the Catering Delivery Method

Most people don’t know that most professional caterers will offer several ways of having your food delivered, including:

• Pick up: You pick up the food from the caterer’s location. If you live near the caterer, this is a good way to save on delivery fees.
• Drop off: The caterer delivers food to the location in disposable food containers. This is a common catering practice for corporate and social events.
• Full-service: The caterer takes care of everything: from the food, tables, and set-up, to the food serving area. You can even have the food cooked and prepared on-site!

Most people — especially those holding corporate events — go for the full-service option.

Aside from the larger budgets available to them, they understand the benefit of working with a caterer that has been in the business as long as Catering by Michaels has. As a result, they are guaranteed that all-important details will be taken care of and that guests’ comfort and experience aren’t compromised.

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From acclaimed events designer and tastemaker Tom Kehoe comes The Geraghty, a sophisticated and diverse space intent on redefining the standard for custom event venues. Located in the up-and-coming Pilsen neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, it is the perfect place for all your social events.

With his background as an event designer, Kehoe has brought together everything you need to pull off a flawless event. From the size and design of the place, to the smallest decor details, The Geraghty’s purpose is to make events easier to plan and manage. 

Designed by industry visionaries, The Geraghty was built to be fully customizable: the perfect backdrop for event designers to execute any vision. But even if you don’t have an event designer in mind for an event you want to plan, there’s no need to worry.

The Geraghty is owned by a decor company that offers in-house separators and drapes that you can hang from their 22-foot ceilings to change up how different rooms are defined for specific events. The 25,000 square feet of open space can seat 800 guests comfortably and can fit up to 1000 standing guests or more (with the right permits).

Visit The Geraghty on a normal day and you’ll be impressed by the modern industrial feel of the place.

When you walk in, you’ll be greeted with giant chandeliers in mixed metal at the entryway. Walk into the event space itself and you’ll find high-end decor, custom chandeliers, and lounge furniture that you can also use for your event. 

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Delivery? Full-service? What’s the difference and which is right for you?

When we speak with new clients, sometimes they are confused about which option is best…and suits their needs. “Don’t you deliver all your food? Don’t you provide full service to every order?” These are questions we have heard, and we understand the thought process. Yes, we will deliver food for our full-service events to the sight, and, yes, you will receive our exemplary service on delivery orders. Confused? No worries! Read on….

FULL SERVICE

Are you looking for a catering partner who can manage the entire experience at your special event? Whether it’s a wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, milestone birthday party/anniversary, company picnic or holiday party, choosing full service means that you can fully hand your event over to our team. We’ll take care of everything so you don’t have to worry about a thing!

Here are some of the reasons why you may prefer full service to delivery:

Chef-prepared fresh on-site

You read that right! With full service, we bring the kitchen to you! All dishes are fully prepared and cooked on-site using only the freshest, high-quality ingredients. This flexibility in preparation also allows us to customize dishes for those picky eaters or any guests with food allergies.

Fully customized menus

We believe that every event should be unique! That’s why we offer personalized menus which are custom designed to complement the unique style or theme of the event.

Serveware to match your event style

Speaking of customization, with full service we offer a stylish range of china, flatware, glassware and linens to fully enhance the event theme or style.

Professional and helpful staff

Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is available throughout the duration of the event to provide only the finest service and personal attention. From food preparation and serving to the ever so dreaded cleanup, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that all aspects of the event are covered.

Speaking of clean up….

We understand the last thing on your “how-to-have-fun-at-my-event” list would be cleaning up. With full service, we will take care of everything, so you can spend time catching up with friends & family, or dancing the night away!

DELIVERY

If our full service offering is more than you need, worry not! With Catering by Michaels delivery, we bring gourmet catering right to your door! It’s the ideal option for business meetings, casual social gatherings, luncheons, employee appreciation events, and religious celebrations.

Here are some other great reasons why you might choose delivery:

Prepared in our kitchen and delivered to your door

There’s no need to go out of your way for anything. No shopping. No driving all over town for elusive ingredients. No hours spent in the kitchen. We’ll make sure your order is delivered to you, fresh, delicious, and with everything you need.

Easy set-up and beautiful presentation

Our simplified delivery service comes with everything you need for a stress-free experience. From display and serving pieces to utensils, we’ve got you covered!

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