Catering for NYE Parties and Events
Hosting a New Year’s Eve party is a lot of fun! It’s a day filled with eating, drinking, good tunes and, of course, fireworks..!
Hosting a NYE party, however, can also take its toll on the host. It’s a long night and if you are stuck in the kitchen prepping food, racing around getting people drinks and worrying about where the bottle opener is, it can be truly exhausting. If you don’t plan ahead or get in some help, by midnight you’re likely to be curled up in a ball, with throbbing feet, cringing at the mess in the kitchen.
So, this year, make sure you get to enjoy the party too! If you have secured the perfect venue, house, boat or even a park nearby, get some help from the professionals so that you and your guests can enjoy the celebrations.This week we caught up the Laissez-Faire Catering, one of Sydney’s best event caterers, to discover their top tips for catering for a NYE party in style. We take a look at what catering works best at your venue of choice, plus share some tips on how to be the host with the most.
What type of catering works best for NYE parties?
NYE parties often start from early afternoon and stretch right on through to after midnight. It’s a long day and it’s important to ensure you have the right food and beverage for your particular venue and guests. Depending on your party venue, Laissez-Faire Catering suggest the following styles of catering:
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The house party
Houses with rooftops, large balconies, backyards or free-flowing living spaces work a treat for parties! Whether you’ve hired a party pad for the night or are lucky enough to have a place of your own, Laissez-Faire Catering recommend getting in a caterer to make NYE a night to remember!
Laissez-Faire Catering: Canapés are the way to go for NYE parties at home! You can provide a lot of variety throughout the night and canapés will keep your guests grazing over a long period of time. This year, a popular choice is to include a slider or two on the menu – always a favourite with the lads.
Your guests will also be very impressed to see dashing wait staff roaming your event. Add a signature NYE cocktail and sophisticated canapés and you have a winning combination!
A boat on the water!
Laissez-Faire Catering: If you plan to set sail for your NYE, rest assured that you can have equally good food and drink to compliment your magical views.
If your boat has a BBQ, we can arrange our chefs to come on board and cook gourmet delights to satisfy your hungry guests. If you have a larger vessel, 2 and 3 course meals can be arranged, providing your guests with a more sophisticated meal.
The great outdoors
Laissez-Faire Catering: If you are catering for an event outdoors, you want to ensure the menu is quick and easy. Providing a variety of gourmet platters and hampers that are easy to transport and serve, is a great way to provide plenty of options and variety for your guests.We highly recommend starting with fresh bites such as sushi and rice paper rolls and progressing onto cheese and fruit platters later in the evening that will match your toast to the New Year perfectly.
Want to read more? What type of food service is best for your next event?
Stocking the bar on NYE
The number one drink of choice come midnight is bubbles! Having enough to give all your guests a glass or two is your first priority. Leading up to the cheers, it is wise to have a selection of beverages available – beers, wine (red and white) and of course a good selection of soft drinks and water. A signature cocktail is always a hit too.
Laissez-Faire Catering: Getting the glassware right for your event is also very important. It’s crucial to make sure that you have enough glasses for your guests to drink from. As part of this, you need to understand your guests and venue, and make the choice whether you’re comfortable to have glassware or prefer to have premium plastic glasses. You can get some very high quality plastic glassware these days!
Ice, Ice, Ice! Hosting a NYE event in Australia is likely to be a hot affair, so ensure your drinks are kept cool. It’s always best to keep your ice tubs out of direct sunlight, this way you’re not running around replenishing them and they stay cooler for longer.
It is also a great idea to have a couple of bottle openers available. Tie them to the bar or ice bucket so they do not go wandering!
For more information on calculating the quantities and variety of beverages required for a party check out Dan Murphy’s awesome Party Planner tool here.
Be the host with the most
Laissez-Faire Catering: When hosting, we all want our guests to have the best time possible. Seamless organisation and some outside help will ensure that a good time is had by all.
Remember to always provide a cool drink to your guests on arrival and ensure you or the waiters are circulating the party replenishing glasses when needed.If you’re starting your event early in the day, creating a mid-afternoon refresher for those in the pool or enjoying your garden, will be received with delight. Check out this delicious Grapefruit & Strawberry Poptails recipe we created. Just remember to add the Vodka!
Leave it to the professionals!
Laissez-Faire Catering: If you truly want to have a fantastic night and enjoy spending time with your guests, we suggest that you forget about the event planning and leave it to the professionals. If you bring the guests, our team will bring their enthusiasm, professionalism and expert service to your venue, whether a boat, private home or outdoor area. Let’s make the choices together to ensure your NYE event is unforgettable!