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Meetings of a social nature help to strengthen existing relationships, enables networking, gives prestige and improves the reputation.
When scheduling a social event you must take into account the degree of formality and importance of it, the number of people, the place, the catering and the setting.
At the same time, it is important to differentiate what kind of meal or meeting is the most appropriate depending on the activity to be carried out. In general, a dinner or a banquet is held on time, while a cocktail, wine of honor or lunch is offered after a previous event.
The choice of the type of meeting to carry out will depend on the objective, the budget, the personnel and the time available.
The work plan to organize a banquet should include the following activities: the choice of the menu and the drink, the setting of the tables and the placement of diners, the treatment of the main table, the setting of the tables and rooms, the type of sound equipment, lighting and simultaneous translation (if necessary), the formation of the guest list and the sending of invitations, the production of the speeches, the organization of the formal order, the toasts, the delivery of gifts and the determination of the label, among others.
Here I detail the characteristics and recommendations of some of the most frequently used banquets, both in the private and public sphere.
WORK BREAKFAST
- It is a meeting that has an informal nature and is carried out between members of the same organization or between individuals belonging to different places.
- It applies to executive, political and professional environments, etc.
- Some of the objectives of this meeting may be: to solve conflicts, close a deal, design management plans or strategies, conduct interviews, etc.
- They can be developed in a company room, a restaurant, in a press room, etc.
- The meeting begins when everyone has their breakfast perfectly served.
- Provides the participants' preferred type of breakfast, although at each meal it is convenient to check preferences, especially in the case of allergies or other types of particular preferences.
- I recommend that its duration does not exceed one hour.
BRUNCH
- Brunch has an informal character and its name comes from a mixture of the words breakfast and lunch.
- It is held in the middle of the morning between 10:00 and 12:00.
- Its main feature is that it allows you to have breakfast and lunch at the same time.
- Although it is a widely used meeting within the workplace, it can also take place in congresses, seminars and meetings that take place in hotels or lounges.
- The menu is based on quick breakfast-like dishes: breads, fruits, cakes, pancakes, sandwiches, tea, coffee, natural juices and water. Simple and fresh dishes can be incorporated.
- Generally, the service has the self-service mode, through fountains located on the different tables, having plates, glasses, drinks, cutlery and other utensils.
- You can do it in the same place where the meeting is held (in the case of small meetings), or if it takes place in the facilities of a hotel (for a congress or seminar, etc.) it will be located in a separate room.
- I recommend an approximate duration of between an hour or an hour and a half.
COFFEE BREAK
- It is generally done to produce a cut and rest in an event.
- It is widely used in congresses, where activities are scheduled throughout an entire working day, so it is necessary to have time to then continue with the program.
- You can serve it mid-morning or mid-afternoon and offer it with a light catering.
- I recommend that its duration does not exceed half an hour.
APPETIZER
- Generally offered before lunch or dinner.
- You can serve it through a staff service that circulates the food on trays or on tables where the prepared trays and dishes are placed so that each person can serve themselves.
- The menu consists of small hot and cold bites that can be served by hand or on small plates.
- You can offer alcoholic beverages such as white or red wine, vermouth, sherry, and non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks, juices, sodas and water.
- I recommend that its duration does not exceed one hour.
WINE OF HONOR
- This event is usually offered to celebrate a specific occasion such as a product presentation, a book, a press conference or inaugurations.
- You can offer alcoholic beverages such as white, rose or red wine, champagne or cava, and non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks, juices, sodas and water; and as an accompaniment a light catering of canapés and snacks.
- Generally the service is offered with trays.
- I recommend that its maximum duration is one hour.
LUNCH
- When talking about lunch, you can differentiate between a highly formal meeting such as a wedding or a meeting between friends. Depending on this, the chosen place can be a lounge, a restaurant or an outdoor space.
- It is one of the main meals of the day and it takes place in a range of hours that goes from 12:00 to 15:00.
- If the event is formal, you can send a card with the date, time and place.
- The decoration of the tables can be more moderate compared to a dinner, using more informal glassware and porcelain.
- The menu must be balanced and light, quality and simplicity prevailing. It generally consists of three or four steps: a starter, a protein-based main dish, and a dessert such as a fruit, cake, candy or ice cream tasting.
- In this type of event it is suggested to be moderate in the intake of alcoholic beverages and always add the option of water, juices or soft drinks.
- Do not forget to check in advance if there are guests who require a special menu.
WORK LUNCH
- They are team meetings with hierarchical personnel, professionals, managers and executives to deal with and discuss professional, labor or business issues between people from the same organization or a different one.
- The selected place can be a nearby restaurant or the same company, prioritizing proximity, quality of service and tranquility.
- I recommend a duration of one hour, and the most suitable time for its development is from 12:00 to 13:00 or from 13:00 to 14:00.
- Before starting the meeting itself, it is important to place the order and talk about general topics.
WORK SNACK
- The most suitable place is in the office of the person organizing it or a place close to the location of the organization.
- The maximum recommended duration is one hour.
- They are provided between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (although it may vary according to each country).
- I recommend serving coffee, tea and water, and small sweet and / or salty snacks.
COCKTAIL
- It is a type of formal reception that is offered to a public or private authority, or also to acquire an informal nuance.
- The word cocktail means combined, and designates a mixture of different liqueurs. The word in Spanish is called an aperitif.
- Over time it has been used to designate those events that have a variable degree of formality.
- The event is characterized by being a meeting where the guests remain standing and circulate freely through the space.
- You can offer a cocktail at presentations, congresses, conventions, seminars, personal celebrations, etc. Always in events in which a large number of participants congregate.
- This type of event requires spacious, equipped and well-distributed spaces.
- Generally the invitation is sent with a maximum anticipation of one month and a minimum of 15 days. The form will depend on the degree of formality of the event.
- The recommended schedule is from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and its duration is two to three hours. However, there are times when it can be done at noon between 12:00 and 13:30.
- Regarding the appropriate clothing will depend on the formality, importance and schedule.
- The chosen place may be the facilities of a hotel, a private room or outdoors.
- The food service may be offered by service personnel or main tables can be placed in the room so that the guests serve themselves by their own means, placing everything sweet and salty in one, and in the other the drink, glassware, tableware and napkins.
- The menu is based on hot and cold bites that can be presented in small portions such as casseroles, cold cuts and cheeses, canapés, and all kinds of miniatures.
- As in any long-term event, it is important to set up a cloakroom service.
VERNISSAGE
- This type of event can also be called "opening cocktail" or "welcome cocktail" and refers to the cocktail with which it is given at the beginning of an art exhibition.
- The term comes from French and means "varnished", referring to official exhibitions in the 19th century, where artists gave a final touch to their works by varnishing them. The elite custom of visiting academies during varnishing, prior to the formal opening of the exhibition, gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an artwork or series of artworks with friends and patrons. In the 20th century it became an opportunity to commercialize the works in view of buyers and critics. It is currently carried out for exhibitions, book presentations, openings, etc.
- It is a social gathering similar to a cocktail but more informal.
- The menu is similar to the Wine of Honor.
- The service is performed by staff who circulate the food on trays.
- I recommend that its duration does not exceed two hours.
RECEPTION
- The reception is usually assigned a formal and official character, since in many cases it is offered to an important authority or personality.
- The style and menu presents the same characteristics as a cocktail but has a maximum duration of two hours.
- The service is offered by service personnel through trays and / or support tables.
BUFFET
- This type of event is an intermediate alternative between a formal dinner and a cocktail.
- It has a self-service mode, since it is the diners themselves who serve themselves, and unlike other meals they are located on tables.
- Since there are no assigned tables, participants can move freely around the space, which facilitates contact between guests.
- The service can be offered in two ways: one in which the guests are served individually and the service is delivered by personnel designated for this purpose; and another way in which guests sit at tables and stand up to serve dishes from a main table. The first alternative is simpler to plan and requires less space, while the second is more formal in nature and involves more organization.
- Service personnel must be professional and adequately trained. It is estimated at the rate of one for every ten diners.
- The suggested time is between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., although this schedule of the routines of each country.
-Regarding the design of the route, you can present a single large table located on a wall or in the center of the room, or distribute the food on several smaller tables. If the table is placed against the wall, the service begins on the left and the guest moves to the right, but if it is placed in the center, the tour begins to the right and then circulates in a clockwise direction.
- The variety of the menu includes hot, cold and mixed dishes. On the tables, the food is ordered according to its consumption: starter, main course, side dishes and desserts. - Savory dishes and desserts should not be placed on the same table.
- Decorative arrangements, cutlery, crockery, salt and pepper shakers, napkins and glassware should be placed on the guest tables.
- At least two support tables are recommended: one with plates and cutlery (corresponding to starter, main course and dessert) and napkins; and another with the drink, ice and glassware.
- It is recommended to serve drinks by service personnel, and food sources should not remain on the tables for more than two hours.
- The tables can be round, square or rectangular or horseshoe-shaped.
- If you place a table against the wall, you must leave enough space for the mobility of the service personnel. It is advisable to place the table at the entrance of the room and with a tablecloth long enough to cover all sides.
DINNER
- It applies to both the private and public spheres.
- The schedule varies between 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (always depending on each country), and can be extended from 2 hours onwards, especially if some entertainment is offered later.
- The menu must be balanced without overloading the dishes. It is recommended that you organize yourself in three or four steps in which options for vegetarians and celiacs should not be lacking. Do not forget to check individual orders in advance.
- It is essential to adapt the menu to the time of year, choosing fresh and light products in spring and summer; and the most consistent foods for fall and winter.
- In a formal dinner I recommend you to offer a welcome cocktail prior to the start of the event.
Regardless of the type of format chosen, I recommend that you follow these general organizational guidelines that will help you organize yourself better:
Never stop, never settle, until the good is better and the best is excellent.
DanielaSánchezSilva©
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