Do you work within the catering industry or as an event caterer, and are you trying to create stylish high-volume dishes that do not compromise quality?
Large-scale catering requires careful planning and execution. It's in a different league from traditional restaurant kitchen service and takes other skills to succeed. In this blog, we have gathered a few ideas about how you can create stand-out dishes that are stylish and practical, perfect for a large number and how using innovative next-gen cooking systems can help with your cooking preparation.
Whereas restaurants produce food as orders come in, catering events require lots of preparation, often in bulk. Since catering kitchens will likely have limited space and equipment, the cooking process needs streamlining and equipment, like catering cookers, carefully selected to handle high-volume dishes, with many smaller items prepared in advance. Timing and logistics also play a huge role, involving cooking dishes at the right time and ensuring the food's safe transportation to the event location.
Lastly, even though menu selection can be limited since it's more challenging to produce a wide variety of dishes in large quantities, creativity and efficiency are vital to creating successful high-volume dishes for catered events that do not lack flavour.
1. Choose visually appealing ingredients
Opt for colourful and fresh visually appealing ingredients, like vibrant vegetables, juicy fruits and herbs. This will make your dishes more exciting and delicious.
2. Experiment with plating
Play with shapes and textures to create visually appealing plate designs. Use edible flowers, microgreens, and unique platters to add a wow factor.
3. Consider alternative protein sources
For high-volume dishes, consider using plant-based protein options like tofu, legumes, or quinoa, which are healthier and more affordable.
4. Use bold and contrasting flavours
Combine complimentary flavours and textures to add depth and complexity to your dishes; for example, experiment with spices, condiments, and unexpected combinations.
5. Keep it simple
With high-volume dishes, it's essential to keep it simple but not dull. Stick to simple yet creative dishes that are easy to produce and don't require too much time for prep.
Our innovative iCombi Pro and iVario Pro cooking systems make it easier to cook multiple dishes to perfection without compromising quality.
The iCombi Pro is a state-of-the-art cooking system which differs greatly from traditional catering cookers. It is incredibly versatile, similar to a combination oven and allows different cooking methods, such as grilling, roasting, frying and baking, all in one compact appliance, which means you do not need to rely on a lot of machinery. The iCombi Pro also can cook several dishes at once, as it can be programmed to cook specific dishes differently when placed on separate racks. The iCombi Pro can also keep dishes at temperature until service, so meeting tight deadlines has never been easier for large-scale catering.
The iVario Pro is also a perfect companion to the iCombi Pro. It is a next-generation Bratt pan with a compartment design that ensures that different flavours do not mix, allowing you to cook several dishes simultaneously without any issues.
Our machines aren't just efficient in their cooking but also environmentally friendly. The iCombi Pro and iVario Pro are designed to be energy efficient, have a self-cleaning function, and have quick heat-up time. So you'll be doing your bit for the environment too!
Creating stylish high-volume dishes for the catering industry is a challenging task, but with the right tools and creativity, it's possible to deliver food that is both visually appealing and delicious. And using advanced catering appliances such as RATIONAL's iCombi Pro and iVario Pro can make preparation, cooking, and serving of high-volume dishes for catering events more manageable. For more information, contact the team at RATIONAL today!