Catering your own event? We’ve got the equipment covered
“Plates need to be out in five minutes. That’s five minutes. Can I get a ‘Yes Chef’?!”
While this may not be Masterchef, if you’re catering your own event, or an event for a client, the stress is very real. The food preparation is just as important as the way it’s served to the guests and it’s a lot to have to think through.
MPR Hiring has you covered with everything you need to pull it all off (seemingly) effortlessly no matter what you’re making. Here are some ideas and tips to make catering an event a little easier:
South African favourites
The potjie pot is a South African catering staple. It’s earned its rightful place as a national treasure – thanks to its reputation for always being delicious and the ease with which you can feed large groups of people with just one big potjie. Designed to retain its cooking temperature for hours on end, it’s the ideal way to achieve a superb slow-cooked meal for many guests. We offer potjie pots for hire from 3-70 litres.
Another local classic is the spitbraai, which is always a hit. The spitbraai turns meat over a maintained fire to perfectly cook it from every angle. Like the potjie, it requires long cooking time, but always delivers a tender and tasty meal.
Both the spitbraai and potjie are perfect options when you’re catering your own event as they have the added benefit of only requiring your full attention during preparation. Once the food is cooking away, all you need to do as the caterer is keep tasting, adding moisture, and keeping the fire going until it’s ready to serve.
The best part? You can serve straight from the pot or braai with the right ladles or carving knives. Easy.
Getting hot in here
If you’re used to cooking in your own kitchen but need to cater on location, hiring gas or convection ovens for on-site cooking helps to ensure everything can be freshly prepared on the day.
It’s not only about the preparation though – the way the food is served can ultimately make or break the culinary experience. Whether you need to keep it warm behind the scenes or out in front as a buffet style meal, keeping the food at the right temperature is one of the biggest concerns for a caterer. At MPR Hiring, we have everything from pie warmers to Bain Marie.
A Bain Marie can be used to heat food to a fixed temperature and is ideal for a buffet set up. Chafing dishes range in size and can be used directly on tables – with the added benefit of having easy-open lids to keep the food from drying out. Whichever dishing option you choose, make sure there’s good flow for servers and guests.
Tip: Hiring an urn makes offering hot beverages that much easier for you as the caterer. Create a hot drinks station by providing all the essentials and letting your guests prepare their drinks as they like them.
MPR Hiring has been providing catering equipment for events of every type and size for decades. Chat to us about your specific menu and needs and we’ll send you a customised quote. Let’s chat.