If there was ever a trend that was staying put it would have to be the ‘outsource it’ trend. Let’s face it, life is hectic and our rush lifestyle does mean there is less time to do it all yourself.

And why should you when there are great services out there that can lend a hand, from styling and prop hire companies to professional staff who can help with the set up and cleaning process for your party and of course the caterer who can ensure that you enjoy the party just as much as every one else, while wowing your guests.

So now that we all agree catering is definitely not a service just for the top end of town, here are a few trends that we love and that are definitely here to stay (for a while at least).

Donut walls

Take that little ball of dough joy, sprinkle all sorts of glazed colour love and place it on a framed shrine aka ‘wall’ and everyone will literally lose their minds.

The best thing about the Donut wall is how versatile it can be: use it for weddings, kids’ parties, milestone birthdays and even corporate clients who want us to spell out their name in a wall of donuts.

A donut wall not only looks amazing, but it’s a super unique feature at a variety of events.

Sliders for canapé hour

Mini brioche, artisan petite coloured beautifies filled with seriously delicious fillings are a crowd favourite and now these mini delights are becoming a very popular option for cocktail hour.

Sliders are great as a pre-dinner treat for weddings or other special occasions. We love styling up our platters to make our trio of burgers really stand out. Check out our new menu:

• Mini crisp chicken burger on brioche bun with slaw, chipotle mayo.
• Mini charcoal brioche slider, sumac crusted haloumi, roasted pepper, coriander, chipotle aioli (v)
• Mini slider bun with pulled beef brisket cola barbecue sauce & spiced slaw.

Food stations

We eat with our eyes, so styling a table filled with plentiful delights always gets plenty of crowd WOWs.

We have two kinds, our opulent food station designed to allow your guests to fill their plates for a seated meal, or a variety of specialised grazing stations, from seafood to ploughman’s, Asian and Mediterranean plus many sweet stations too! Insta-worthy all the way!

Food trucks

Food trucks are no longer the dirty stands you used to see on the street corner, but instead they are a perfect way to achieve a variety of food options with a quirky edge for your event.

Food truck culture is super popular at weddings, with some of the world’s best chefs leaving their Michelin star posts to open up their own food trucks.

Did you know Your Private Chef loves working with food trucks at events and we can recommend some great options?

From barista vans to Artisan Nitrate ice cream and even pizza vans for the late night party dwellers, we have some great trucks we love to recommend.

BBQ-grill

Australia’s love affair with the BBQ isn’t going anywhere, but daggy presentation and boring menu options are dead.

We love flipping BBQ on its head and combining styles such as our Canapé on the Grill menu.

Then there is the beautiful table styling that comes with every BBQ; the epitome of rustic charm to show off the plentiful table spread. Deliciously casual and by far the most popular choice of dining style for the majority of the year, BBQ Catering can be very gourmet indeed.

Share platters

Food connects people.

It is this shared experience that makes us love our food stations as well as our fine dining 3 course menu done in shared platter style.

There is something infinitely binding about connecting with a friend over a platter of food, admiring the presentation, the way the flowers compliment the props and of course their favourite tastes on offer in front of them.

Upscale comfort food

Comfort food is never leaving us, but it’s now served with a twist: upscale comfort food is ideal for a stand-up grazing event.

Try out some of our new upscale comfort delights, including:

• Miso eggplant spring rolls
• Spinach and tofu dumplings with ponzu sauce
• Our famous Mac & cheese croquettes

Upscale comfort food is simple, classy and yet feels like ‘home’ in each bite.

Food and drink pairing

Our beverage packages have been carefully thought out to match the flavours prevalent in our menus.

Working closely with Victorian wine-makers to source both local wines as well as bottles from Margaret River and McLaren Vale, our unique vintages are designed to blend perfectly with your menu choice.

Bowl foods and tacos

Tacos have now surpassed pizza and pasta as Australians’ favourite menu choice.

Your Private Chef takes taco and tapas style individual bowls and turn them into some seriously sexy grazing items that are easily eaten while standing.

Some of our favourite menu options include:

• Tacos with black beans, brown rice, salsa & jalapeño or pulled beef, shredded cheddar, jalapeños, smoky salsa
• Panko chicken, warm spiced slaw, salsa and cheese… mmmm.
• Salt & pepper squid, lemon pepper chips served in a bamboo boat with dill caper aioli
• Mini hoki fish burger in a brioche bun, crispy lettuce & house made tartar sauce

Meat techniques

We are seeing a revival of more traditional and rustic styles of cooking, such as the classic spit roast, which we love. We’re also enjoying less common meats occasionally being requested such as Alpaca and Kangaroo.

Our new fine dining menu enjoys rustic cuts of meats such as:

• Slow-cooked beef cheeks, bordelaise sauce, button mushrooms, smoked gammon, caramelised red onion, pomme purée, croute & truffle oil
• Sous vide duck breast, chestnut purée; Dutch carrots, caramelised plum, jus (gf)
• Braised lamb shanks with soft polenta, roasted garlic and cremolta (nf)

 

Beautiful desserts

Imagine hanging cakes decorated in lush green vines and flower buds, or a grand high tea sweet station with jar cakes, lemon curd meringues and Raspberry and rose water mini éclairs. How about a decadent cheese tower with garnish of native flowers, berries, nuts and rustic props?

We love desserts and paying homage to them with a shrine full of sweets puts a smile on our faces.

Zero waste

2017 is all about minimising food waste and packaging waste, which is why we write our menus in such a way to be able to utilise all of our supplies with next to no unnecessary wastage.

We also actively recycle and reuse packaging where it is safe to do so.

We also enjoy working with like-minded suppliers and Victorian small businesses that also do their bit to support local farmers and minimise the carbon footprint of unnecessary transport. One of our increasingly frustrating battles has been around logistics and couriers who won’t help our customers do the right thing and reuse their polystyrene delivery boxes without charging a fortune for the experience.

Rest assured we are close to a solution for this, as we know how much you hate having to throw those boxes into landfill!

Until that solution is secured, here are a few great ideas for how to reuse those boxes yourself at home; check out this great blog: 7 ways to upcycle your Styrofoam coolers

Gourmet meal delivery

Gourmet meal delivery has soared over the past year or so – it’s replaced unhealthy take-out for all kinds of people – busy parents, young singles, new home leavers, students, elderly, etc.

People want the convenience that fast food offers, but not at the expense of their health. Gourmet delivery is the perfect solution! View our gourmet meal delivery menu here.