Caterers are revving up their food station creativity, presenting guests with sweet, savory and satisfying options that look as good as they taste
By Sara Perez Webber
Guests attending catered events these days are likely to find food and drink that’s right up their alley. After all, caterers are coming up with ever-more creative stations where diners can customize dishes to their liking.
And not only do these stations feature a variety of flavors but their presentation also heightens the appeal, with friendly chef attendants, innovative serving vessels, imaginative designs and clever concepts. We’ve rounded up a variety of successful stations from caterers across the country, featuring savory dishes, desserts and cocktails, and incorporating such customer-favorite trends as live cooking, Asian flavors and next-level charcuterie.
Live Cooking
The Hanging Surf & Turf from Constellation Culinary Group was originally conceived as an opulent Tomahawk station, with a chef cooking the herb-butter-basted steak hanging on hooks above a bed of roasted potatoes. Constellation took the concept to another level by adding hanging skewers of shrimp, tuna and braised octopus, which are basted with miso butter and torched above a bed of oysters. Meanwhile, the oysters are being cooked on a bed of lava rocks, so a distinct smokiness is being infused from two vantage points.
Guests love taking photos at the Italian Pasta Cone station by Bite Catering Couture in Los Angeles, where chefs prepare spaghetti to order in a classic pomodoro sauce and toss it with fresh Parmesan. Gluten-free pasta is an option at this station, and guests walk away with easy-to-hold cones.
Often paired with the pasta cone station is the Pizza Station from Bite Catering Couture. A chef prepares pizzas on site in a large pizza oven, offering guests such options as Margherita, pepperoni, and a vegan and gluten-free veggie variety. “Clients enjoy this option because the live cooking adds a fun element to events for their guests,” says Elizabeth Goel, executive chef and owner.
Sweet Rewards
Bite Catering Couture designed its Flaming Donut Station “to give guests the freedom to create their own dessert combinations while enjoying the entertainment of the cooking,” says Goel. Fresh donuts are flambéed in the client’s choice of liquor sauce. At one brunch event, the company incorporated the client’s vendor partner, a peanut butter whiskey, for a unique on-brand treat. The desserts are then topped with coffee or vanilla ice cream, and finished with toppings such as salted French caramel, whipped cream and candied pecan-bacon bits.
Another client favorite for Bite Catering Couture, the Nitro Ice Cream Station grabs guests’ attention with a chef mixing liquid nitrogen for ice cream, which is served in mini cones. “We love pairing this with a small-plate dessert station,” says Goel. “One of our favorite toppings is our olive oil chocolate shell sauce, which hardens—just like those you had as a kid!”
At the Pound Cake Station at Butler’s Pantry in St. Louis, guests add the toppings of their choosing to mini bundt cakes. For a fall event, Butler’s Pantry leaned into the season, offering autumnal toppings such as whipped pumpkin, cinnamon roasted apples and cranberry chutney, as well as whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, caramel pistachios and crushed walnuts. “As with any station trend, guests really love the customization,” says Bridget Bitza, chief revenue officer. “From smooth and creamy, to crunchy or chewy, the variety of flavors and textures made this a stand-out pick.”
Specialized Sips
“Signature cocktails will never go out of style!” declares Bitza of Butler’s Pantry in St. Louis. For that reason, the company’s Margarita Station is “guaranteed to be a hit,” she adds. Butler’s provides three recipes as a guide for guests—for a Paloma, Skinny Margarita and Spicy Margarita—but they can be as creative as they’d like with their concoction. With liquor options including reposado tequila, Espolon Blanco tequila and triple sec, guests can add such mixers as orange and grapefruit juice, margarita mix and soda water; sweeteners including simple syrup and agave nectar; and garnishes like lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, jalapeño and cilantro, in glasses rimmed with sugar, salt or tajin.
Guests love the Prosecco Bar served up by the Madison Beach Hotel in Madison, Connecticut. At this conversation-starter, guests can jazz up their prosecco by adding such options as St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, orange and cranberry juices, lemonade, Aperol, lavender simple syrup, and peach and berry purees.
Say Cheese
A Burrata Bar “fits in perfectly with the growing trend of specialty foods, as it is an authentic Italian handcrafted cheese,” says Bitza from Butler’s Pantry. “It’s becoming a favorite for guests for its versatility in flavor, dietary accommodation and visual appeal.” At the Burrata Bar, guests can pair the creamy cheese with a variety of options, including sliced bruschetta, poached pear, prosciutto, heirloom tomatoes, hot honey and fig jam.
Texas Christian University Catering by Sodexo debuted the TCU Cheese Trolley during a reception to celebrate President Daniel Pullin’s first year at the university. A cheese monger accompanied the mobile trolley, ringing a bell before making a move so guests could anticipate its arrival. The attendant prepared small plates for each guest, suggesting the best accompaniments on the cart—from crackers and preserves to honey and olives—as well as the best wines to pair with the choices. The artisan cheeses offered included Deer Creek Wisconsin Rattlesnake Cheddar, Atalanta Italian Grana Padano, Mifroma Swiss Gruyere, Cambozola German Triple Crème, Humbolt Fog California Aged Goat Cheese and Arrigoni Italian Taleggio.
Asian Flavors
Constellation Culinary Group blends the distinctive qualities of Asian cuisine with a creative infusion of CBD into both food and beverages at its CBD Ramen Bar. To accompany their ramen noodles, guests can choose either CBD-infused herb roasted chicken broth or a non-infused alternative. Then they choose from an array of toppings, with their customized creations served in a double-insulated stainless-steel cup. Complementing the ramen offerings are a selection of inspired cocktails, including fresh-pressed melon concoctions, herb-forward drinks and CBD-infused options—including the intriguing “Unicorn Tears” spritzers.
Liberty University Dining Services created a Lettuce Wrap Bar at a buffet it hosted for the CEO of Campus North America for Sodexo, Brett Ladd. The buffet was designed to highlight customization, local produce and contrasting colors. Guests could fill lettuce leaves with proteins including Thai chicken, sesame crusted ahi tuna, Asian pork and a plant-based Chinese five-spice walnut “meat” filling. Toppings included cucumber, pickled red onion, matchstick carrots, green onions, red cabbage, teriyaki glaze and yum yum sauce. Plus, guests could pair their lettuce wraps with pot stickers, Asian noodles, jasmine rice and garlic broccoli.
At a recent college function, Butler’s Pantry appealed to students’ fondness for comfort food with its Ramen Station. “What we loved most about this offering was the social aspect,” says Bitza. “It naturally encouraged interaction and conversation among students and also provided a trendy focal point, perfect for sharing on social media. Students loved being able to personalize their bowls by selecting their preferred broth flavor, adjusting spice levels and adding favorite toppings,” including daikon, bok choy, fresh mushrooms, scallions and soft-boiled eggs.
Charged Up Charcuterie
With The Market Experience station, Bite Catering Couture takes its charcuterie up a notch: A chef carves prosciutto or Spanish ham to order in front of guests. “Clients love the added bonus that carving onsite really cuts down on waste,” says Goel. Along with a selection of fine cheeses, artisan breads and crackers, accompaniments include roasted kabocha, spring succotash, shaved gold beets with toasted pecans and edible flowers, and house-made edamame hummus.
For a charity event last April, Tulsa University Dining created a Charcuterie Board Display so dazzling that it’s become the university’s signature offering, featured at nearly every noteworthy occasion—and its success helped to double the number of catered events compared to the previous year. In addition to charcuterie boards, the menu featured such appetizers as grilled vegetable displays and fruits, gradually leading guests to more substantial options like savory sandwiches and sweet desserts. Round tables promoted an efficient flow, allowing guests to easily navigate the display. Catering Director Angel Huff and Executive Chef Tim Anderson sought to avoid concealing food in chafers, displaying finger foods on stylish shelves and boards. The main charcuterie board was shaped like a hurricane, the university’s mascot.
