Here are two questions to ask a caterer who you're considering booking for a special event. 

Can you show me examples of your food presentation style?

You should ask the catering company owner for some sample images of their dishes so that you can get an idea of what their food presentation style is like. This is very important when you're having a special event catered, where you need the food to be one of the highlights of the evening, as food presentation affects people's perception of the dish, how appetising they find it, as well as how much they enjoy consuming it. It could also be important if your event is themed and you want the food to be presented in a manner that's in keeping with the theme, as you'll need to ensure that the caterer is accustomed to coming up with creative food-presentation styles.

If the caterer can show you a selection of photos that demonstrate an artistic, creative and beautiful approach to food presentation (for example, if their photos show that they place foods with contrasting colours near one another, stack ingredients to add height to the dish, are liberal with their use of pretty garnishes and creative in regards to how they cut meat and vegetables), then this is a strong indication that they have the ability to present the food at your event in the striking and appetising way that you want it to be.

Have you catered events at my chosen venue before?

Another good question to ask is if they've catered events at your chosen venue before. Whilst this is not essential (as any good caterer will be able to quickly adapt to their surroundings and work efficiently in them), it can be helpful, as it could allow the event to go that much more smoothly.

For example, if the caterer's serving staff have already worked at this venue before, they'll be familiar with the route from the kitchen to the rooms where the guests dine and so will be less likely to get lost whilst bringing dishes to the guests. Likewise, if the caterer has already used the kitchen facilities at the venue where you're having the event, they'll find it easier to operate its equipment and prep the food in an efficient manner.

Lastly, if they've catered an event at this venue before, they'll also have a better idea of the food preparation area's space constraints (or lack thereof). This means that if, for instance, the venue has a small food prep area, the caterer will know that they'll need to bring the compact version of their soupmaker or blender with them, to ensure it fits in this space, and may, therefore, need more time to prepare the large quantities of soup or sauces required for your event.

Reach out to a catering company for more information.