Chapter Three

 Catered events need excitement and drama in addition to delicious food  For this reason, themed events are very popular  A theme party transports the attendee to another dimension, another place and time, away from the mundane and ordinary world  Themed events create a magical space of fantasy and fun  Caterers have the opportunity to show their creativity and expertise by developing unique one-of-a-kind events for their clients.

 Before developing a proposal or planning a function, it is necessary to know the reason for the event and who will be attending the party  The demographics (age, income, ethnicity, etc) will influence what would be appropriate.

 Every function or party should be treated as a special event  A caterer may create 200 parties a year, but it is probably not the case for the client. It may just be another party for the caterer, but for the client, it is truly a special occasion  According to Dr. Joe Goldblatt, educator and author of several special events books: ◦ "A special event recognizes a unique moment in time with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs“

 Creativity  Food  Beverage  Entertainment  Decor  Activities

 Fun  Flavor  Excitement  Action  Color  Sound  Entertainment  Showmanship  Surprise

 A caterer should strive to involve all of the 5 senses: Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch and Smell.  Whenever possible, create something out of the ordinary for each event  The key is to INVOLVE and EXCITE  It also provides an opportunity to up$ell, by adding additional components to the event  Guests like interactive events.

 Lights attract and dazzle the eye ◦ Tiny Italian Tivoli lights, pin spots, strobes, black lights, beacons, rope lights, fiber optics, neon, laser lights, etc.  Lights are ‘eye-candy.’  Gobo lights are portable spotlights that can create colors, or focused pattern projection on the ceiling, wall or floor, depending on the metal templates affixed to the lens  The images can be trees, cityscapes, or any image relating to the theme of the event  They are also available in versions that rotate slowly, back and forth, 180º, creating changing patterns that can pulsate in tempo with the music.

 Decorating with sound  Sound can envelop and create a mood  Commercially prepared tapes are available with the sounds of fog horns, rain storms, ocean waves, cooing sea gulls, tropical birds, clopping horses, the clickety-clack of train tracks, and a variety of other background elements  Music playing in a room upon entry reinforces the theme, such as Dixieland Jazz for a New Orleans theme, the Theme from the Godfather for an Italian theme, or the Theme from Tara for a Gone with the Wind theme.

 People in costumes  This can be simply the servers and bartenders in costume and/or actors hired to roam around and entertain  They are part of the décor and add life to the theme.

 Outdoor parties can be held on a patio, balcony, by a swimming pool, golf course, beach, etc  Or they can be off-premise at an off-site location.

 A rite of passage celebration of a 13 year old boy of the Jewish faith becoming a man  The Bat Mitzvah is for females  The religious service is often celebrated with an elaborate event, sometimes rivaling the pomp and ceremony of a wedding.  The Bar/Bat Mitzvah usually commences with either the Friday evening, Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon service  It could also be on a Monday morning or Thursday morning - anytime the Torah is read  The celebration that follows is often a breakfast, luncheon or dinner with entertainment of a grand variety.

 Many Bar/Bat Mitzvahs serve kosher or kosher- style food, depending on whether the family observes the rules of Kashruth, i.e., keeps kosher.  True kosher food must follow stringent rules and pass the approval of a "Mashgiach" who does not have to be a Rabbi, but must be recognized in the community as a person authorized to give certification for kashruth  Kosher-style food may use traditional Jewish recipes, but does not necessarily follow the kosher rules.