There is so much more to catering than simply deciding whether to serve chicken or turkey sandwiches, if the bread should be whole wheat or oat grain and if chips or a fresh fruit cup should be served alongside.

A variety of evolving factors continue to greatly impact the catering segment of the foodservice industry. “There are a multitude of issues. There’s a reluctance to jump into catering events,” says Juan Zuniga, vice president of culinary for QuestFood Management Services in Lombard, Ill. “Things are more open to buffet style. There’s a return to a trend of the past. You want to serve hors d’oeuvres like in the past because that’s easier to execute again. You don’t have to worry about individualized portions like we were three years ago. People aren’t as overly concerned about germs or COVID being passed around.”

The way foodservice staff serve guests for catered events continues to evolve. Their individual concerns and desires as to what they consume play an even more substantial role in both menu and the approach to service. “For us, it’s definitely geared to personalizing as much as we can. The days of ‘Here’s the menu, pick something’ are gone,” Zuniga says. “There’s a lot more of the approach of customizing the menu to fit your needs. You pick what you want.

“If you want quesadillas as an appetizer and a curry bar as the main entree, you can do that,” Zuniga continues. “People are getting more specific, and we can accommodate that. The consumer is more vocal and not as hesitant as to what is provided with that. They ask if we can change it to this? The consumer is more educated and open to what they want. There’s a better line of communication. The expectations are set more clearly.”

So, from where do those clearer consumer expectations derive? “In a weird way, COVID expanded their knowledge of food. They spent two years on the couch, and everyone became a foodie or an expert. They know about international cuisine, and they wanted more and more,” Zuniga says. “There were more requests for plant-forward menus, too.”

Catering operations are often diverse by nature, so consumers’ openness to trying new foods can be a positive. “We’re diverse and we play in those spaces,” Zuniga notes. “We’re strong in European, Mediterranean and Italian cuisines and we like to play in the plant space.”

And, really, the evolution of catering menus has only just begun. “There’s a dramatic shift and people are going to want to lean into Asian, Indian or Mediterranean (cuisines). People are looking for Latin-American cuisine and Asian cuisine,” Zuniga says. “You see more of that. There’s a request for vegan cuisine on our menus.”

The types of cuisines served are not the only changes. Even old standby items, like sandwiches, are getting upgrades. “It’s more elevated with delis not just serving turkey and cheese sandwiches,” Zuniga notes. “You get better options than just turkey, salami and ham. You see more things like prosciutto and spicy meats. It’s simple but elevated at the same time.”

The concept of Think Globally, Act Locally is also being fully embraced by Zuniga’s catering clients. “One hundred percent. You look at locally sourced bread and clients request we use local people who use locally grown mushrooms,” Zuniga says. “That’s a big push right now. The minority-owned and women-owned businesses are expanding the reach of local business. The amount of Asian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine and international cuisine requests have blown up and we have to stay ahead of that. That’s such a hot topic.”

Since the subject of heat has turned up, Zuniga says one piece of equipment in particular plays a key role in a successful catering kitchen. “Ovens. Nice ovens. You can’t go wrong with that,” he says. “The hidden gem in using the vacuum sealer for food. We’re able to quickly marinate proteins with that.”

Technology also plays an integral role in the success of catering whether it’s in food preparation or marketing.

Matt Schuler is the director of culinary development for Scopos Hospitality Group based in Ephrata, Pa. Schuler is a veteran of the foodservice industry. His career spans more than 12 years, including the last nine with Scopos. Schuler believes that one of the ways in which technology has impacted catering is by doing a better job sustaining cold temperatures on certain proteins.

“I think the industry has gotten a lot smarter on just cook-chill in general. Chill is something that’s been around for a long time, but now we can cook and chill in smaller batches,” Schuler says. “We can cook and chill in the same unit. Some companies have blast chillers that you can low cook and hold overnight.”

Take, for example, the tried-and-true turkey sandwich, a staple in many a lunch catering menu. The technology is in place to allow operators to roast turkey breasts overnight, controlling the flavor and sodium content and more, Schuler notes. “The chef comes in the next morning and that product is ready to slice because it’s been cooked,” he adds. “There’s more yield and lower price per pound and all while nobody’s in the kitchen.”

Another way the influx of technology benefits catering operations is through the modernization of containers for food transport, according to Schuler. “I think the transport of hot and cold foods has come a long way,” he says. “Whereas in years past, you’d have these very large, carrying food-holding containers that are heavy and bulky.” These large containers might take two people to carry them, which is not a very efficient way of using labor.

Today’s containers are much lighter than their predecessors, Schuler notes. “You can pick them up with one hand and the containers will still hold food safely, cold or hot, for five-plus hours. And that’s the key moving forward: making things lighter, easier, more ergonomic and more efficient. We really have to look at ways at how equipment can work to our advantage.”

Another game-changing form of technology affecting this type of service are catering and food trucks, according to Schuler. These units allow operators to transport food to the point of service and handle plating, serving the food and more. “Nowadays, catering trucks and food trucks have become more common as has making sure that you can have a kitchen on wheels if needed. Ten
years ago, food trucks were around, but nowadays everybody’s got them.”

The benefits of using a catering or food truck are considerable. “Before, you were renting a U-Haul truck, loading it up, taking it on-site. It was hours and hours of setup, production and breakdown,” Schuler says. “The industry has really become data-driven in realizing that those hours are time and time is money. And we’re trying to get more and more efficient as we do these. So maybe instead of 10 people, you only need five. And that’s something that’s going to keep evolving as we move forward.”