COOK - Focus on the what

Jan 2013 - I decided that we needed to first come up with a "What" and then we will figure out the "How".  We were over thinking this things and spinning in circles until we were dizzy.   So...WHAT have we been hired to do? Supply Food & Beverage for a corporate anniversary where the attendance could be as high as 9,200 guest. Supply Food & Beverage. Food & Beverage.....concentrate on the What!!! 

1. Food: We need food that will hold up hot over a long period of time, that is easy to produce, store and transport.

2. Beverage: Beer & Wine Bar with a Speciality Drink. Easy enough except for the speciality drink, they can be so complicated, I have never liked a pre mixed cocktail but I know that for this event to be successful that is what we have to do - twist and pour.

So we called up all of our vendors and the sampling begun........

No, No, No.....Brian WTF is this???.....No, Maybe, No, Maybe, No, No, No......BRIAN!?!?!...Maybe, Maybe, .......

We finally came up with a proposal we were comfortable with.  So we were once again off on a drive to Bloomington - ahhhh state road 37, what a beautiful drive......not.

COOK - Ok, now what?

Jan 2013 - I  have to keep reminding myself that crawling up into a ball under my desk is NOT an option.  Not only is this event very large but it is a logistic challenge like nothing I have ever seen. We have been studying the facts for weeks. 

Challenge #1MENU

Fact: We have been doing business with this client for 15 years.  We know they like to eat and they are a meat and potatoes crowd. And they take advantage of "free" :-) Fact: The year before we started working with the client they had a very large event and they ran out of food on a buffet with over 200 people left to go. At that point in time they swore they would never, ever do a buffet again. To them the word "Buffet" is a cuss word. They don't want a buffet. Fact:  Doors open at 4:30, programs starts at 5:30 and food starts at 7:30 and goes until 11:00 - to me this means guest are going to be hungry! Fact: So food has to last and spread over 3 hours Fact: A served meal is not an option. Guest count to large. Field-house is not large enough.  Fact: my client used the words stations (only because they are allergic to buffets) and finger foods.  My thought was logistically this is tougher, stations for this size would be like going on an Easter egg hunt and fingers foods just mean more food (variety and quantity)  If a client is hungry they are going to eat and 12oz of food is 12oz of food weather it is served to them as a full portion or finger foods. 

Oh and then there is the question "how the heck do we produce & store this much product"?  It is just physically not possible.  I have the best team in the world but lets be for real :-)

The best part of all of this is that our client trust us to suggest to them what the menu should be.  They didn't come to us with a list of foods they wanted to see but instead trusted us to suggest what would be best under the circumstances.   They know this is a challenge and look to us to be the experts.  I love this client!! One of my favorites!!  That is why they are one of only two that I still handle personally. 

So what to do, what to do? What a puzzle...... Again reminding myself that crawling up into a ball under my desk is NOT an option.