Planning a birthday party? A wedding reception? A corporate event like a product launch?
As the event organiser, a lot rides on your shoulders. It’s only natural to want everything to be perfect, from the atmosphere down to how the cutlery is arranged.
And of course, you can’t forget the food.
We here at Your Private Chef are big believers in the idea that good food can turn any sort of event into an Unforgettable Food Experience.
You’re stressed about creating the perfect event.
We’re eager to show off our gourmet menu.
Why not kill two birds with one stone?
If you can’t rest easy about your event, put your mind at ease by arranging a taste test with Your Private Chef’s Melbourne caterers.
How can you make the most out of your taste testing session? What should you ask, and what should you look out for? We explain.
Let’s first have a chat
One of the biggest mistakes potential clients come to us with is not having a clear idea of what type of menu they want to offer at their event.
Going in blind does you no favours. Instead of being able to jump straight to asking specific questions about ingredients, presentation and substitutions, you’ll be wasting time establishing basic information.
Before you book your session, we invite you to give our office a call for an in depth chat about your event.
You don’t have to decide your menu, but having a chat is an excellent starting point where we can learn all about the type of event, the location you have in mind, a rough number of guests, and your budget.
Not only does this give you an opportunity to really explore your event, it helps us immeasurably, too!
This is exactly why the vast majority of caterers try to uncover these important details prior to the taste test. You’re busy – so let’s get it right!
Once we’ve had a chat, we can propose a menu and package specially tailored to your needs. This is a great starting point for your tasting session with Chef David!
Come with questions
This one might sound like an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many people turn up to a taste test with nothing more than an empty stomach.
Before you walk through the door, make sure you know exactly what you want to come out knowing. Are you most interested in:
- Food quality?
- Presentation?
- Menu variety and options?
- Additional services (more on those below)?
- Cost?
- Logistics?
On a related note, come with a rough plan of how you want your event to play out. Your caterer will want to understand exactly how you plan on executing your function – they might want to further explore:
- Venue (including their kitchen facilities)
- Guest demographics (kids, corporates, etc.)
- Set-up, styling, and theme
If you haven’t made your mind up yet, don’t sweat it… but if you do, feel free to bring it.
It takes two – bring a family member or trusted friend!
Some people are picky eaters. Others will hoover up anything on a plate.
It’s always good to get a second opinion – especially if you’ll be hosting 50, 100, or 1000 guests! What tickles your inner foodie might not fly with your other guests, after all.
An extra palette is almost a non-negotiable for a tasting session, in our opinion!
We recommend bringing one friend or family member along. We’ll even credit back the cost of two guests, should you book us!
We recommend bringing no more than 3 others with you, as too many opinions can make it harder to reach a decision (you know they saying: Too many cooks spoil the broth!)
Investigate the extras: wait staff
For larger celebrations, choosing wait staff to help run and manage your event is one of the smartest things you can do.
From on-site chefs to wait staff and bartenders, Your Private Chef’s complete catering experience delivers more than just food.
If you’re planning on adding table service to your event, be sure to bring this up during your session. Based on your guest numbers, we can help you choose the right amount of wait staff and bar staff to help make your event run like clockwork.
Investigate the extras: event styling and decor
When caterers set up tasting sessions, many focus solely on the taste part of the taste test.
Needless to say, presentation is a big deal – did you know that appearance directly influences our perception of taste?
To get the most value from your tasting session, take the opportunity to discover how your caterer will go above and beyond to deliver a complete event experience.
Investigate:
- How they can set up dining tables, food stations, and drink and dessert stands
- How they can plate your food (shared or sit-down)
- How they work with venues to ensure your vision is brought to life
- If they can help out with entertainment like lighting, A/V, and music
- Examples of events they’ve designed and styled in the past
No matter the occasion, our event stylists will help you find the perfect aesthetic for your big day – be sure to ask us about event styling for your celebration!
And finally… come relaxed and ready to have fun!
The point of a taste testing session is to get a sneak peak of the culinary delights our talented chefs can whip up for you.
And in our experience, nothing kills the appetite and taste buds quicker than stress!
Searching for Melbourne caterers?
Get in touch with Your Private Chef!
Sit down with our head chef David at our Prahran kitchen for a preview of our huge menu. Best of all, if you choose Your Private Chef for your event catering, the cost of your session for two people will be credited towards your event.
Call us now on 0497 333 100 or contact our friendly event team here to organise that all-important chat before booking in your tasting session with Chef David.
Please note that Your Private Chef only offers tasting sessions for parties of 50 and above.
