Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering loves this culinary trend!

At Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, we enjoy watching for new trends in catering entertainment. It’s fascinating to see what’s emerging on the east and west coasts – and what’s catching fire in right here in the Midwest.

One trend that’s caught our attention is destination-specific cuisine.

When building a destination-specific event, Jacquie’s team works with our host to create a culinary adventure centered around a specific region or place. Because the event is immersive, everything from the food and drinks, to the décor, music and lighting, are all built around the destination. It’s fun, different, and it goes a long way toward creating a memorable event. It’s literally food for thought!

Here are Jacquie’s hints for keeping a destination-specific event hopping:

• A balance of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks make events more inclusive, and enable your guests to choose for themselves what they prefer to drink. Get creative. Base non-alcoholic cocktails on fruits, flowers and spices from the region.
• We love the idea of a tea station – especially for United Kingdom, Japanese or Chinese-themed events.
• Beer and wine from microbreweries and vintners are a must to provide a truly country-specific indulgence.
• Add a signature adult beverage based on the region or country of your party. For example, you could have a Mohito Mamasito to celebrate a Caribbean island such as Cuba.
• No matter the setting, people prefer healthy food options. Plan your menu around high-protein, low-fat sustainably sourced meats and fish and whole grain, nonprocessed side dishes.
• Make sure to have grab and go options. Give guests an opportunity to grab something and bring it home. Dessert stations are ideal for this.
• Destination food can be the event in itself. We put our centerpiece dishes in the limelight through immersive experiences that serve up your message with a side of fun. For a Greek-themed event for instance, we love to prepare and serve Saganaki (flaming cheese). It quite literally “lights up the room!”
• Tapas, taco bars or pizza stations are always popular, and a lot of fun. Offer fresh-to-order tortillas at your taco bar or we can have a pizzaiolo on hand to create and toss pizza dough right in front of your guests.

It’s all about ease for the party-goer to have small portions that transport easily so they can mingle at the same time they eat. It’s about serving up a gourmet dish with a drink that compliments it.

Truly immersive, strategic events are about engaging with people through all five senses—taste included. That’s why we love destination-specific themed parties!