Academic events can be vibrant places, full of knowledge exchange, collaboration, and networking. Of course, the speakers will take centre stage, but catering can have an undeniably huge role in shaping how people feel, whether it’s a spot-on spread raising the experience for everyone, or a disappointing selection hitting the wrong note.
So what does it take to create the kind of catering that will have the whole conference abuzz?
For Carol Robinson, Marketing Executive at Royal Holloway, University of London, it’s all about the right level of communication in advance.
Carol Robinson
Marketing Executive
Royal Holloway, University of London
“We deal very closely with the organisers,” she explains, and that means being specific about the precise kind of catering experience they are looking for. The university offers a wide variety of catering options – “from a conference lunch to a three-course or five-course banquet, barbeques, buffets, and anything in between really”, she says – so it’s important to nail down exactly what is required before menu planning begins.“
But delivering top-notch catering for events presents several operational hurdles, from staffing considerations to the logistics of timing and the various service styles that could be required. At Royal Holloway, that can vary from a casual barbecue to a “five-course banquet and anything in-between”, all the way up to a silver-service fine dining experience, Robinson explains, which means paying an incredible level of attention to the details of execution.
Why Communication is Key
Graham Paterson, Head of Catering at the University of Strathclyde, agrees that the key to exceptional catering lies in proactive and thoughtful engagement with the client.
Graham Paterson
Head of Catering
University of Strathclyde
“For bespoke events, we have a kick-off meeting and encourage people to come in, have a taste, and see if it’s right. Then they know it’s exactly what they want, and we can then make sure that the catering for their event is elevated.”
A more standard approach can suffice for events where food is simply functional, he continues, but for clients where the catering is a crucial element, a collaborative process of tasting and refinement is vital in getting the catering to an exceptional level that meets their expectations.
He gives the example of a recent African-themed menu for a conference. Despite not specialising in that cuisine, the team worked closely with the client on the menu, requesting ingredient profiles, offering initial options, inviting the client for a tasting and then incorporating their feedback on authenticity and spice levels to create a mutually agreeable menu.
Graham Paterson
Head of Catering
University of Strathclyde
“From our perspective, that’s how we can ensure that we have success and maintain our reputation, by giving people what they want rather than what we think they want.”
But that collaborative approach can also include offering alternatives to what the client thinks they want, he explains. The organisers of a recent charity Burns Night supper requested beef, which the team decided to stop serving for sustainability reasons five years ago. Instead, they proposed pan-fried venison, which the client happily accepted, offering a neat example of maintaining principles while still meeting the client’s desire for a Scottish-themed event.
Embracing Innovation
Richard Narramore, Executive Chef at the University of Exeter, also recounts some innovative catering decisions, taken for a recent conference hosting world-leading climate scientists. For the gala dinner, they made the bold choice to feature a fully plant-based starter, and for the main course, opted to position meat as the garnish, making plant-based food the central element of the dish.
Richard Narramore
Executive ChefUniversity of Exeter
“That’s an example of where we’ve tried to push the boundaries around event catering, and it was very well received.”
Elevating Events Through Exceptional Catering
Crafting exceptional catering for academic events, then, boils down to creating memorable and enjoyable moments through food. A willingness to offer thoughtful alternatives, even challenging conventional choices in favour of sustainability or innovation, can demonstrate a commitment to both client satisfaction and broader institutional values, which can elevate catering from a functional necessity to an impactful element that truly enhances the experience.
To discover how Kinetic’s catering solutions can help your university deliver impactful, flexible, and values-driven event catering, visit learn more about our catering solutions.
