Funeral Catering: A Few Thoughts to Help Organise The Food

Make planning the food for a funeral a little less stressful

While the food served at a wake is an important part of the day, it can be a little daunting to have to think about all the finer details, especially when it's required at such a difficult time and with one's thoughts elsewhere.. Food is important at these times and that's simply because good food has a way of bringing people together and offering a sense of humble support during times of grief. The following article is here to help anyone going through such a time understand the necessary considerations and hopefully make the process of organising the catering a more smooth and stress free one.

Considerations

Before contacting a caterer, think about the following and try to write as much information down as possible. The chosen caterer will likely ask questions about these details, so having the information ready can help the process.

• Timing and Locations - Where is the service being held and at what time? Where is the wake being held and at what time will people be arriving? What is the distance between the two locations? This information will help the caterer plan their own timings for arrival and the set up of any equipment, ensuring the food is presented at the right time.
• Menu Choices - The caterer will have menu options available to choose from. If choosing from their menu options, have a look through their online menu's and try to decide before contacting them. If something more custom is required to add a personal touch then have a think about what that is and try to write down as much as possible so that the caterer has a clear understanding of the requirements.
• Drink Choices - Does the venue for the wake serve drinks? If not then what is required from the caterer. Tea, Coffee, alcohol, soft drinks or all of the above?
• Equipment - Does the venue have plates, cutlery and table linen or does it need hiring from the caterer? Also, if the venue does not serve drinks, do they have any glassware available or does that need hiring from the caterer?
• Staff - Service staff is something to consider, depending on the amount of people attending and the type of food being served as this takes the stress away from serving, clearing tables, collecting rubbish and refilling drinks. Would service staff be required and if so how many and how long for?
• Room Set up - Are there any specific requirements in terms of setting up the room? Will there be flowers and pictures and where is the food being presented? Are there tables at the venue and will they be set up for the caterer or will the caterer need to set them up, that sort of thing. It's a good idea to have a clear vision for how this will be laid out and to be able to explain that to the caterer.
• Date - What is the date? Although this is an obvious one, it's worth to think about the fact that ideally the caterer needs to be booked as soon as possible after getting a date set, to be sure all preparations can be made in the short time available. Therefore, think about the above points and try and have as much planned as possible in advance so that when the date is set, the caterer can be informed on the same day giving as much notice as possible, allowing time for any possible issues to be resolved early on.

What would be important to the late loved one?

Maybe they loved a specific bowl from their cupboard at home. Perhaps they always had their cereal out of it and were a cereal connoisseur, dabbling in all different varieties and sometimes even sneaking out of bed at night for a midnight bowl of shreddies. Often, the things that seem trivial are in fact far from trivial and are exactly the things that make us the characters we are. Try to have a think if there is anything that might put a personal touch on the catering. In the cereal example, it might be that instead of serving dessert, a cereal buffet served in bowls similar to their favourite one is a nice way to honour something they enjoyed while bringing people together in remembrance. Have a think about the considerations above and how one might do it in a way that adds that special nod to the person who is being celebrated.

Choosing the Caterer

Choosing a caterer can be a task in itself with so many things to think about so try and follow the points below to help make a short list. If needs be, call the caterer to find out any additional information that isn't on their website.

• Caterers location - Try to choose a caterer that's local to the venue as this minimises any risk of disruption with the delivery time.
• Experience - Does the caterer have experience with funeral catering? Catering for a funeral should be handled with great care and attention to the fact that it is a sensitive occasion. Experienced funeral caterers recognise this and are experienced in talking with clients through difficult times.
• Venue Knowledge - Does the caterer have any experience working at the venue? This is a big positive if so, as they will be well versed in how that particular venue operates with things such as access to the venue, equipment available, how much space there is for what's required etc. It makes the process a lot smoother.
• Recommendation - A recommended caterer brings peace of mind. Simply knowing of someone who has had that caterer and been pleased will relieve any doubt or apprehension about the quality of the food and standard of service.
• Menu Options - Can the caterer deliver what you want? Are they flexible and able to offer any personal touches that you might have thought about?
• Budget - Can they offer what's required and within the budget? If not, is there something they can do to help stay within the budget? It's worth considering, that because the food is being delivered, there will be a 20% VAT charge on top of the listed prices for caterers that are VAT registered.

Gourmet Foods

With over 30 years experience, Gourmet Foods has provided, to many of our clients, the comforting and professional service required for such a delicate occasion. We have extensive knowledge and experience with most of the known venues around the Solihull and surrounding Birmingham areas and we are flexible in our menu options leaving room for customisation and attention to special detail.

If you would like to have a chat with us about catering for a funeral then please do get in touch with us and we will support you to the best of our ability.