How to choose best wedding caterer

How to choose best wedding caterer

Who are the best Caterers and how to choose one?

In our earlier post, we shared some tips on how to choose a caterer like budget, testimonials, style, etc. Now once you have shortlisted some of the caterers, from among them let us tell you how you can finalize the Best wedding caterer. But before discussing this, let us first know why is it even important to have your wedding catered by the best caterer in town.

You see, when it comes to weddings, the single most important thing which will make the wedding a success or failure, is the experience your guests witness at your wedding. Just ask yourself, if you are invited to a wedding reception; as a guest would you be concerned with the décor or entertainment or bride & groom’s attire or your thoughts revolve around the food which you will be eating in while? Be honest. We all know the answer, of course, people come to the wedding to bless the couple no doubt in it, but they also accept the wedding invite mainly for the food treat they’re going to get at the dining table, not even on Groom or Bride’s attire.

With that said, know, the good food at your wedding party can outweigh a poor ambiance but the bad food will definitely leave a bitter impression on your guests and will overshadow the perfect décor or other entertainment.

In summary, great food can rescue your wedding from small mishaps that may occur at your wedding but a bad catering will send your guests to the doors or in the worst case send them to the restrooms. Needless to say 10 other issues like food shortage, food low on taste, low-quality food, type of serving whether quantified limited portions or unlimited portions till the guests are satisfied, etc., Hence opting for the best wedding caterer is very crucial for your function.

In addition to this, you also need to look at it from the budget aspect, because catering often shuffles between #1 & #2 spot in terms of cost, the other being the venue. The caterer you choose will leave you with the balance amount from your budget in to deciding other elements for your wedding celebration like décor, entertainment etc..

In fact, the food cost will vary dramatically between the caterers for the type of food, quality and services they offer, and in literal terms it is like comparing apples to oranges. (written with pun fun intention). 

We often have to deal with clients, who bring a quote 2-3 times lower than our quote and tell us to reduce the price. What they fail to see is, in the market you find all the types ranging from low-cost, budget friendly to high-end caterers simply because there is a market for  client of all budget types “low cost, budget and high end”

A high-end client would approach a high-end & more sophisticated Caterer, because to them Guests satisfaction is of importance & they don’t mind paying high price to these caterers, because they know they’re getting value for money. While people with limited budgets opt for budget caterers since for them budget is the criterion.

Never mind, what category of client of client you fall into, the following tips will definitely help you in choosing the best wedding caterer for your reception. Regardless of the occasion whether a wedding or any other function, you can follow the same checklist for choosing the best caterer for any of your function. 

So let’s dive into some of the points you need to consider when deciding for the Best Caterer: Ask yourself these questions for each of your shortlisted caterer from the following checklist:

  1. Is the Caterer prompt & responsive
  2. Is the Caterer showing personal interest
  3. Is the Caterer flexible and accommodative of my needs
  4. Is the Caterer able enough to handle my event
  5. Has the Caterer previously catered at the same venue
  6. What is included in the catering service
  7. How does the caterer work
  8. What is the experience of the catering company
  9. Is the Caterer having enough testimonials
  10. Is the Caterer open to provide references to talk to
  11. Is the Caterer professional and have a proper contract
  12. Is the Caterer registered in the local area to run catering business

1) The best caterer is the one who is Prompt & Responsive:

There are many caterers in the city who claim to be professional but when it comes to responding to the inquiries they often lack this professionalism. If the caterer is slow in responding to the inquiries; it means they do not take their clients seriously, which also mean they’re not so serious about their business . If the caterer is prompt in responding to your mails/calls take this as a note they are serious having business with you.

Tip: The best caterer is the one who is very responsive at every step, from onset of your 1st wedding inquiry to order finalization until the order is executed.

2) Is the Caterer showing personal interest:

Prompt responses are not the only thing you should see in a Caterer. Is the caterer showing personal interest is of equal importance too. Often the good caterers provide timely responses with specific replies to specific queries. As if doing the job. But the best caterer goes a step further and shows interest in your event making you feel as if it’s their family event.

On an average, 20-30% of communication should be from the Caterer asking you the event details and the balance 70-80% should be by you answering those queries of the Caterer.

Tip: The questions to anticipate from the caterers are:

>> Purpose of the event ie, occasion,

>> Details of the Venue,

>> Your Budget,

>> Your goal out of this event (what’s your vision for this event)

>> Is there a theme for your wedding event. Etc., these questions will help the caterers serve their clients in a better way.

Note: Showing personal interest and asking as many details as possible sets the best wedding caterer apart from the rest of the caterers.

3) A flexible caterer is the best and is accommodating of Client’s needs:

Usually, all caterers have their specific menu basically a standard menu which their team/chefs are good at. But a standard menu cannot be considered as a perfect menu which will suit the tastes of everybody. Hence, the caterer should be flexible enough to adapt to clients’ needs.  Like if you are hosting a theme wedding then the food you serve should complement the theme of your wedding.

If your caterer isn’t adaptive, the charm of your wedding is lost. So when choosing the best wedding caterer you cannot afford to miss this point. Ask your caterer if they have prior experience into catering such events or serving specific menus; if the answer is NO, check are they willing to be flexible to accommodate your requests?. This is not restricted to themed weddings, special requests can also be for dietary requirements or omission of specific ingredients, etc. the caterer should give in to your needs.

Tip: If they sound rigid then back off and head to the next caterer who is willing to accommodate your requests.

 The best Caterer should be able to handle the event:

Most of the Caterers specialize in large scale events however some caterers’ expertise is only smaller events like birthday parties, housewarming ceremonies or wedding receptions with a lesser guest count. You should get the facts right before finalizing the caterer. If you have shortlisted on the caterers ask them if they have expertise in catering to events of same or around similar capacity/guests count. If they affirm in yes, ask for references and talk to their previous clients and ask the questions you might have in your mind, like:

>> How well did the caterer execute their function,

>> Did the caterer deliver what they promised?

>> Were there any surprises in the event?

>> Will they consider taking the same caterer again in future etc.?

Caution: People have a tendency of getting easily influenced by others’ feedback, if the person is talking negatively about the caterer ask him/her on what basis is s/he telling this, is it their personal  experience or is their opinion influenced by someone in the guests or relatives, chances are the negative remark came out from the person because he wanted to do the catering on own or wanted to arrange one of their acquaintance to this function and because the client did not entertain them and went ahead with a caterer of their choice. They had to say all but good about the caterer.

5) Has the Caterer previously catered at the same venue?

Hiring a Caterer who has previously catered at the same venue as yours will save you from quite a few surprises especially when you choose a venue having a clause of “certain rules to be followed”. For example, some venues do not allow charcoal / cooking on wood for the reason of avoiding the smoke.  when the caterer all prepared reaches the venue only to find wood ain’t allowed, you’ll be in a shock as to how the gas cookers & cylinders need to be arranged, or if the cooking is to be on induction how is that going to be done.

Even at Elite Caterers, we have found it a lot simpler and easier carrying out catering orders at the venues we had previously catered as compared to the venues we are catering for the first time. Hence, it is best to ask your caterer if they have prior experience, additionally, a site visit is highly encouraged even if the caterer is familiar with the venue.

6) What is included in the Catering Service?

Food catering usually covers only food. Serving staff, serve-ware, dining tables, etc. are mostly supplied by the venue management. However, it does not harm you if things are clear from the beginning, ask your caterer what is included in the price they’ve quoted. Comparing the price for the given service with other caterers will give you a fair idea about where each caterer stands, if the price quoted seems too high or too low compared to average of others, ask the caterer the reason of this difference, are there any services included in it other than food, if not ask them the source of the ingredients, raw food items etc., because the quality of food is the single most criterion to decide on the price of the quote and how the final outcome of the cooked food is going to be.

Like we mentioned at the beginning of this post, price of the catering quote varies from caterer to caterer depending on the class of the caterer. Another aspect could be the serve-ware, if your order requires the serve-ware from the Caterer, you have to see whether all caterers are supplying the same, otherwise the comparison would be meaningless if you are questioning a caterer with highest price with fine china serve-ware because the other caterer’s quote is too low – you might have overlooked this caterer is supplying plastic serve ware.

So you will need to carefully review each quotation so as not to compare the price of a sophisticated caterer delivering 5-star service with a budget Caterer who may compromise on the quality of ingredients & cooking methods.

7) How does the Caterer work?

You definitely need to ask your Caterer about their action Plan if you award the order to them. 

The professional caterers like other businesses have Quality plan, strategy plan, business plan etc. which they follow in their business. If your caterer provides this, meaning you can relax as they can be termed as professional catering company and that they’ll follow what has been communicated to you, whether it is procuring of material, logistics, cooking, food handling or serving.

Tip: Like wedding planner is to the décor of the venue and other elements, a caterer is to the dining table, a good caterer will take great care in designing the décor of the table matching the food presentation.

8) What is the experience of the Catering Company?

People learn from their mistakes, this famous saying fits every business or an individual. The more experience you have the more you grow, when deciding on the caterer, you should definitely see how old this business is. Minimum of 3 years and comfortably 5-6 years of experience should be the criterion when you are looking for a caterer for the wedding reception with high guest count. You definitely do not want to get surprises at the most memorable event of your life.

Besides years of experience, you also need to check if the catering company has rich experience in catering different occasions like Weddings, corporate, small parties, indoor, outdoor catering, catering in banquet halls to huge function halls, catering for small crowd to large crowds. Look at their business website for photos of their catered events. These parameters will ensure your caterer is having vast experience and chances of your wedding reception being a huge success will be higher.

Tip: Know that a professional catering company with rich experience will deliver an exceptionally inspired wedding.

9) Is the Caterer having enough Testimonials?

Online reviews, client testimonials on Caterer’s website, and personal recommendations are something you shouldn’t ignore. Look online at oogle reviews, or other platforms where your caterer is listed. Carefully glance thru all the reviews. If there are many and you are short of time, then filter the reviews and read top rated to least rated reviews to analyze the caterer’s ability & service. This will greatly help you in deciding who could be the best Caterer for your wedding reception.  

10) Is the Caterer open to providing references?

After shortlisting the caterers, ask the caterer to provide references of their previous clients. Don’t just ask for their names, but their contacts. A good caterer will not hide the information. You can specifically request the reference of someone whose review on google rating / testimonials websites caught your attention.

11) Professional catering company should have a proper contract:

One of the things that will ensure you are dealing with professionally top rated catering company is that they’ll have a contract in place. Do not be suspicious, the contract is simply to safeguard them as well as their client (you) from unforeseen scenarios.

The contract should be clear on:

>> Scope of the Caterer,

>> Scope of Client,

>> Detailed menu with each item listed clearly,

>> Type of catering service,

>> Event and Venue details, number of guests,

>> Scope is the leftover food (by default the leftover food is the property of the caterer and is taken by the caterer after the event is over – however you can place request in advance if you like to take some portion of the leftovers).

Tip: You know you are dealing with best wedding caterer if they are transparent in everything even small details like setup / cleanup, when to serve, leftovers, payment terms etc

12) Is the Caterer registered in the local area to run catering business?

One of the criteria of finalizing the caterer for your wedding reception is ensuring if the caterer is registered with the local governing body. 

Considering a registered catering company will save you all the surprises you may have to encounter dealing with unprofessional /unregistered company.

So these are the top 12 points you should consider when on a lookout for the best wedding caterer for your wedding reception. We hope this checklist will serve as a guide and save you lot of time.

Share in the comments below your own way of choosing the best caterer for your functions and let others know also, most appropriate comments will be included as additional points in our current after modifying the current post.

If you want to know what all questions you should be asking your wedding caterer then head straight to theknot’s blog “questions to ask your wedding caterer”.

Staff Meeting Food Ideas

Staff Meeting Food Ideas

 Business Lunch Menu Ideas – By Elite Caterers

 Deciding on lunch for yourself is easy, but when it comes to team lunch / corporate lunch, one is confused simply because coming up with catering menu ideas that will please everyone’s taste buds is a stressful task especially when you’re looking for catering menu for large groups, well do not you worry, Elite Caterers has done the hard work for you, we share here the best business lunch menu ideas that will leave your colleagues satisfying.

Deli Buffets:

A pleasing menu option for any crowd, deli buffet is quite popular for simple events. You can opt for mixed green salad with different types of dressing, Fruit salad, sandwiches and cupcakes / brownies in the dessert section. 

Themed Menu:

Lately, top caterers in Hyderabad are offering themed lunch options in corporate catering services, you can opt from any of these lunch options.

Italian: Did you ever think of having Pasta served for your corporate event? Lasagne, white sauce pasta are two most popular options needless to say “crowd pleasing food”. Or Pizzas – you can never go wrong with Pizzas, from favorite toppings to the crust, Pizza is always the top choice for any crowd veg or non-veg.

American: Burgers and Fries, who does not love this combination, juicy strips of meat with some greens, and appetizing dressing/topping served with the fries will turn everyone’s lunch from good to great.

Chinese: When it comes to Chinese there are many choices for great, full-flavored meals. From Soups, to spring rolls, fried rice to noodles, there are ample options to choose from. For a spicy and tasty meal, try the Schezwan rice or any variety of noodle dishes.

These food ideas are great for Office lunch or office party for small to large groups, just make sure when you are taking corporate catering service you take from professional caterers who have prior experience in corporate catering Hyderabad city. 

Gourmet Sandwiches:

Having Wraps & Sandwiches for Staff Meetings is great food idea. You can cut into halves and serve as finger food. Mix of healthy options in fillings like roasted meat, grilled chicken or smoked salmon will serve as brain food for your staff. You can also include Indian styled spicy Rolls rich in flavors.

Pan India Food:

We all know, India is famous not just for its tradition & culture but also for the food. Indian food is famous around the world.

When people around the world eating Indian food, why not you bring the food from different states to your office? You can consider having multi-cuisine for your office catering from traditional Rajasthani Thali or lavish Punjabi thali to Lucknow Awadhi cuisine or the Kashmiri healthy food options – Your staff is sure going to love it.

Meat Balls:

Meatball are perfect lunch and learn meal, can be served over rice or just like that as a filling. Depending on your staff eating preferences, lots of filling options from vegetarian to meat can be accommodated.

Kebabs:

Smoky grilled kebabs or the skewers for non veg lovers, while grilled Paneer for vegetarian is a great take in an office lunch. You can also consider sausage and mutton chops for a tasty lunch. Caution: This may add up to your cost if there is less number of people because top caterers in Hyderabad usually have  minimum head count requirement for serving Kebabs and Grills.

Sprout Bowls:

At work Sprout bowls are one of the popular menu items for one gets proteins, carbs all in a bowl. Consider having a “build your own bowl” option and letting the staff to mix and match according to their tastes. 

Soups:

During winters, hot & tangy soup is must have on any chilly day. You get loads of options in soups from regular soups like tomato soup option to mushrooms. Not just that, as a post-lunch snack, your employees can even enjoy the soups instead of the coffee or tea.

Chaats:

You can never go wrong with Indian Snacks. From spicy to tangy creations, one get to have loads of options. Papdi chat, Aloo tikkis, Cutlets Ragda Patties, Bhel puri the list goes on, these lip-smacking Indian Chaats are always satisfying.

Salads:

Array of fresh, colorful salad is a must at any corporate event as it highly nutritious. With Health benefits of Olive oil, chargrilled vegetables, you can go for Greek salad or a simple Japanese cucumber salad. Some of Elite Caterers’ salads designed for corporate clients can be taken as a full meal.

Contact Elite Caterers for your corporate events to get a taste next to none and a service second to none. Call us now or simply WhatsApp.

Best Appetizers For Birthday Party Catering

Best Appetizers For Birthday Party Catering

Birthday Party Menu Suggestions:

Elite Caterers brings you some Birthday Party Menu suggestions, read on to know more.

Hosting a smaller event with full meals is a big task in itself. People often think that hosting these small events is like baking a cake hence do the mistake of carrying out everything on own. Parties are nothing but get-togethers and meant to have jovial moments with friends and Pals.

If you spend all your time in the kitchen when would you find the time to mix-up with the guests. Even if say you have prepared everything in the day time and are ready to face the guests in the evening, don’t you think you need some time to relax before the event? Would you like to greet your guests with your tired face? 

Thus hiring a caterer is better idea to save you from all the worries. Not just that saves you from the worry of cooking, it also opens up a whole lot of opportunities with fun and creative options in the food menu. They’re expert in their field and knows what goes well with the guests depending on the function type, size of event and the season in which the function is falling. 

We have got some options for Party Appetizers, ask your caterer to include some from these delicious appetizers or feel free to include your caterer’s suggestion of the menu and your party even more special with a variety of appetizers.

Chicken Wings:

Ideal for smaller events, chicken wings are a crowd-pleaser and goes well with any theme. Adding the various flavors like seasoned, teriyaki or barbecue will ensure your guests keep returning to the counter for more. You can even give it a desi makeover with coating of Indian spices and make it a hit at your party.

 

Cheese Balls:

A classy way to kick-start a party is welcoming your guests with cheese balls, pricked with stick are easy to grab with no spoon or fork required. One can’t get enough of these classic entrees after all who doesn’t love cheese.

Crispy Fry Chicken:

Crispy fried chicken is a party food which is guaranteed to be a party hit. This dish is not just scrumptiously simple but downright delicious. After all KFC hasn’t become universally famous just like that.

Fruit Appetizer:

A lighter alternative to a regular appetizer, Fruits or veggie Platter is a great option for people with healthy preferences. You can serve seasonal fruits in a platter or arrange a stand with all cut fruits. Or Stir-fried veggies or char-grilled sticks of veggies with Paneer. 

Spring Rolls:

Spring Rolls are an  all-time favorite of every one. From delicious vegetable filling to cheesy chicken, you can offer a lot to your guests. For that matter you can also include Veg/Chicken puffs to your party. Crispy & buttery on the out and sinfully tender inside will leave your guests wanting for more.

 Meatballs:

A perfect staple for any party, Meatballs are a versatile appetizer that is perfect for chilling nights with lots of options. The desi style kofta can be prepared with chicken mince or any meat. Can be served as dry or with topping of different sauces.

 

 Potato Wedges:

Soft on the inside and crispy on the out, these potato wedges are cooked with the skin on.

Baked or Fried can be served as an accompaniment with your favorite dip or simply with the ketchup. 

Crispy Fries:

A perfect accompaniment made with variety of potatoes, perfectly cooked with its fluffiness on the inside and crispy on the out, these fries tastes great with ketchup. Some even prefer to have it seasoned with spices famously known as masala fries.

Onion Rings:

Ideal on a platter onion rings are undeniably satisfying. These crispy bites can also be served as a side dish with your favorite dip. You can even give a cheesy version to it using mozzarella cheese. Either baked or fried, these onion rings are simply delicious and your guests would be cherishing these delights at your party. 

Aloo Tikki:

Served with Chutney, this crispy delicacy from Indian Streets draws its flavors from variety of Indian spices. You can go a step further and serve your guests the aloo Tikkis stuffed with spicy paneer filling. Rich in taste, these are definitely everyone’s favorite.

Batata Wada:

Potato Fritters or commonly known as Batata Wada a famous snack from India is a deep fried spiced mashed potato. It is soft on the inside due to the mash potato and crispy on the out with the coating of chickpea flour. Serving it with spicy green or tamarind chutney makes it an absolute lip-smacking delicacy.

Chicken Nuggets:

Tender & Juicy chicken on the inside and beautifully golden crunchy on the out, these chicken nuggets are a classic favorite of everybody. Serve it with any dip or simply with ketchup.

So these are some of our suggestions, add them to your party and let your guests pick and choose their favorites. We’ll come up with more suggestions from across the globe in the near future. While these are our recommendations on the food, you can also explore ideas on hosting a birthday party with flair from here.

Write in the comments below your favorite starters and suggestions, which we may consider in our next blog.

Valima Dinner Menu

Valima Dinner Menu

Best Menu for Valima:

Elite Cateres have come up with the ideal valima menu for a typical wedding with Hyderabadi Valima Dishes. Read on to learn more:

Hyderabadi weddings are never boring, with lavish spread of food one gets the best dining experience. The world knows, Hyderabadis are famous for their love of food, but when it comes to hosting a reception, the pressure comes to the hosts on deciding the best Valima Dinner Menu so that the guests remember the wedding for years to come.

Team of Elite Caterers after discussions with their top chefs have jotted down the best menu which you can include for the Valima Dinner.

Though, alterations  / customization are always welcome, this Hyderabadi wedding food menu shared here at bottom of this page is the most preferred by families in their Shadi or Valima reception.

Read on to know more:

Ideal Valima Dinner Menu

WELCOME DRINKS

Fruit Punch
Pineapple Punch

APPETIZERS

Murfh Sunehri Kabab
Gosht Barrah Kabab
Ajwaini Mahi (Fish)

SALADS

Corn Salad
Garden Fresh Salad
Russian / Mexican Salad

SHAHI SHORBA

Marag
or
Malayi Paya

ROTIYOUN KI BAHAR

Rumaali Roti
Ajwaini Naan / Butter Naan

BASMATI KHAZANA

Zafrani Gosht Biryani
Elite’s Special Suffyani Biryani
(Baigan-mirchi Ka salan & Dahi k Chutni) 

SHAHI HANDIS

Bhuna Gosht
Chicken Schezwan
Murgh Achari or Dum Murgh

SIZZLERS

Chicken Sizzler

MEETHA

Baadam Ki Firni
Cut Fruit
Sunrise or Apricot Pudding

Live Station Catering:

KABABS

Pathar Ka Gosht
Aatishe Machi
Angari Murgh

STREET FOOD

Chaat Counter
Dosa

MASHRUBAAT

Mocktail or Fruit Station
Assorted Teas

FUN FOOD

Sugar Candy Or Pop Corn
Fire Paan

ICE CREAM

Turkish Ice Cream
and / or
Stone Ice Cream

 

If you like to have this Menu at you Valima Dinner, contact Elite Caterers at “WhatsApp or Call” 

Welcome your guests with a choice of mocktails and win their Hearts.

After welcome perfumes, serving your guests with welcome drinks with some of the luscious juices is a great idea. Serving these flavorful drinks in style will not put a hole in your pocket, Elite Caterers have the following options for you to choose from to get your celebration off on the right foot.

Fruit Punch: made with fresh fruits and your choice of ice-cream, this is a refreshing chiller which can be enjoyed anytime. It is one of the popular welcome drinks mostly served @ Wedding receptions.

Pineapple punch: this refreshing pineapple punch has been a hit in most of the valima ceremonies we catered to. Adding orange to it makes it even more delicious with sweet and citrusy taste which you can serve at your function.

Mix fruit: a combination of various flavorful fruits juice, this juice has long been a favorite drink. Serving this in your function will brighten up your event.

Make Welcome Drinks a must have in your wedding food menu esp. during winters.

Appetizers

These pre-meal bites are must-have items in a wedding reception, especially when the wedding is at night and you are hosting a dinner reception, these appetizers marks a perfect beginning of the feast.

Elite Caterers offering of top appetizers is sure to impress one and all at your Valima Dinner. We’ve got plenty of delicious Appetizer options to choose.

From plain Veg chat-pat for veg lovers to Murgh Sunehri kebab in poultry or Gosht Barrah kebabs in meat to Ajwaini fish from the sea-food, we bet these appetizers will be crowd pleasing.

Alternatively you can consider having fresh fruits appetizers to traditionally heavy appetizers.

Also having the appetizers as a live counter will delight your guests’ palate.

So, adding 2 to 3 appetizers to your Wedding Food Menu will be a great idea.

Royal Spread of Salads

Salads are considered as a window to a whole wedding reception meal, serving salads in a seated style or having separate salad bar coupled with Appetizer bar is a great option, the delicious spread of Salads & Appetizers will leave your guests wondering what’s coming up next in the main course.

Corn Salad: not just beautifully colorful but corn salad is a healthy accompaniment to the main course. This has been quite a hit among our Hyderabadi Clients at weddings. 

Garden Fresh Green Salad: a mix of onions, lemons, cucumber, radish, and beetroot makes it a healthy option which you shouldn’t miss serving at your valima dinner. 

Mexican Salad and Russian salad are a great addition to your dinner menu. With their rich combination of flavors, these salads will magically make your guests fall in love with the veggies. 

So these are some of our recommendations you can add to your Valima dinner party.

Shahi Shorba/stews:

What can be better other than hot soups in Wedding menu in the chilling winter nights?. There is nothing warmer than a bowl of soup which your guests would love to return to again and again.

Shahi nihari, malai Paya or Marag are equally good to be served with a variety of naan. However, the most preferred as a typical Hyderabadi Valima dishes is Marag, this best goes with Naan or Rumaali Roti.

 

Rotiyoun Ki Bahar (Indian Breads)

When it comes to breads, Indians leaves the world behind. From simple roti (phulka) to Rumali Roti, Plain naan to Butter naan, single layered paratha to multilayered kulcha, one can have whole lot of options in the breads. Most preferred types of bread in hyderabadi marriage functions are Rumali Roti, Dil naan, Plain & butter Naan, black seeds naan and kulcha.

 

Gravies

Add these to your Valima Dinner menu and set the mood of your party right!

Gravies in Hyderabadi Valima Dinner menu are simply inevitable. Served with choice of Indian bread, these traditional gravies from Mughlai Cuisine with a subtle taste and Soul warming aroma of fresh spices makes these gravies an absolute must-have item without which the dinner table seems incomplete.

The gravies making to list of Hyderabadi Valima Dishes are Murgh Achari, Dum Ka chicken (Dum Murgh), Bhuna Gosht. 

You can also switch over to Rogan Gosh Chops and Schezwan Chicken or Harimirch chicken. By the way Rogan Gosh Chops from Elite Caterers is a soul-filling dish which certainly needs to be at the dinner table.

Hyderabadi Biryani:

Biryani is undoubtedly the star at any Hyderabadi wedding. Craze of biryani is such that even in overseas it is a must-have item in any desi-wedding. In fact, when the talks of Hyderabadi Valima dishes comes up, Biryani, Haleem and Dum ka Chicken are the 3 most items that tops the charts.

A delight for the soul of a food lover, hyderabadi biryani has been the winner of hearts for ages. Elite caterers proudly boast that their biryanis are the signature dish. 

Rich in flavors Zaffrani Gosht or Murgh Biryani or Sufiyani Biryani have such an enticing taste that your guests will crave for more/can’t have enough.

At Elite caterers the lip smacking Biryanis are served with rich Dahi ki chutney and Baghare baigan & Mirchi ka Saalan popularly knows as 3 in 1 (Mirchi, baigan & tamate) curry that will take the taste to another level.

If you want your guests to fall in love with you, you ought to include Zaffrani biryani from Elite caterers in Valima dinner menu.

Sizzlers:

Sizzlers are a definite crowd-pleaser. Universally loved catering staple, Sizzlers makes a great addition to any Hyderabadi Wedding Food Menu.

Here are some of our suggestions you must consider to include in your wedding food menu.

Paneer Tikka sizzler for your vegetarian guests, Barrah Chops in meat section, or chicken Tikka kabab from poultry.

Elite Caterers’ offering of irresistible sizzlers are something that no one can refuse to have, in fact your guests – young, adult alike will crave for more.

 

Desserts:

No wedding is complete without desserts. People of all age groups love to indulge in this sinful experience. Be it Apple Rabdi, Cream Fruit, Badam ki Firni or Apricot Pudding – these are some of the greatest hits and proudly forms a part of Hyderabadi valima dishes.

Serving any of these desserts will definitely give a pleasurable taste to one and all.

Your guests are sure to leave the dining hall highly satiated.

Live Food Stations

Adding live counters will give a beautiful twist to your Valima Reception.

Live food stations have become quite popular in marriages these days. A definite crowd pleaser – having live food and drinks stall at weddings will bring cheer to the wedding itself.

 Consider serving appetizers in the live counter in your dinner menu. Barbecued Fish to chicken charcoal – everything being cooked in front of eyes with smoky atmosphere will be a great hit in your wedding.

While the kebabs are on the charcoal, your guests can turn around to Indian street food stall for tantalizing chaats. Panipuri to cocktail kachori, Mini samosas to bhelpuri are the favorites of people of all ages. If your guests are fan of the south Indian food, you must have to have a dedicated stall for Dosas & Vadas.

 

Cut Fruit stall and Mocktail counter during summers is a great fit in your wedding reception. While a dedicated stall for assorted teas for tea lovers esp. during rainy season and chilling nights will be soul warming.

And in fun station for kids and adults you can consider having stalls for Popcorn, Sugar candy, Twist Potato, chocolate fountain, Fire Paan and the list goes on.

Live Ice Cream Counter: have been famous lately at Hyderabadi weddings, there is a great demand for Turkish Ice cream and stone ice creams, why not have it served as Live Counters in your wedding, this will definitely add value to your wedding as part of  the feast.

Main Table:

When you are serving a lavish dinner to your guests why not go a step further and treat the Dulha and Duhan with a royal treat.

Murg Musallam, Tangdi Kebab, Dum Ki raan or whole Lamb Roast and mutton mandi are very much “in” today, you ought to include any of these special items on the main table at Bride and Groom Side.

Make your wedding truly memorable for you as well as for your family with these heart-warming and soul filling special delicacies.

Get your function catered by Elite Caterers.

Most Preferred Hyderabadi Valima Dinner Menu

Welcome drinks

Fruit Punch
Pineapple Punch

Appetizers

Murfh Sunehri Kabab
Gosht Barrah Kabab
Ajwaini Mahi (Fish)

Salads

Corn Salad
Garden Fresh Salad
Russian / Mexican Salad

Shahi Shorba

Marag
or
Malayi Paya

Rotiyoun Ki Bahar

Rumaali Roti
Ajwaini Naan / Butter Naan

Basmati Khazana

Zafrani Gosht Biryani
Elite’s Special Suffyani Biryani
(Baigan-mirchi Ka salan & Dahi k Chutni)

Shahi Handis

Bhuna Gosht
Chicken Schezwan
Murgh Achari or Dum Murgh

Sizzlers

Chicken Sizzler

Meetha

Baadam Ki Firni
Cut Fruit
Sunrise or Apricot Pudding

Live Station Catering

Kababs

Pathar Ka Gosht
Aatishe Machi
Angari Murgh

Street food

Chaat Counter
Dosa

Mashrubaat

Mocktail or Fruit Station
Assorted Teas

Fun food

Sugar Candy Or Pop Corn
Fire Paan

Ice Cream

Turkish Ice Cream
and / or
Stone Ice Cream

Get your Wedding function / Valima catered by Elite Caterers.

Housewarming Party Ideas And Food List

Housewarming Party Ideas And Food List

Housewarming Food Menu (South Indian Vegtarian):

Looking for the perfect food menu for housewarming party? At Elite Caterers, we understand that planning a housewarming party can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to deciding what to serve. That’s why we’re here to help you with some fantastic housewarming food ideas and create a delicious food menu for your Housewarming Ceremony.

When it comes to housewarming parties, the food menu plays a crucial role in impressing your guests. To make your task easier, we have curated a Pure South-Indian Vegetarian Menu perfect for Housewarming ceremony that will leave your guests craving for more. Let’s explore some delectable options from Pure South-Indian Vegetarian Menu.

Salads:

A mix-and-match style of veg salads is a perfect choice for the housewarming Event. Seasonal vegetables combined with flavorful dressings will not only please the taste buds but also provide a visually appealing spread. You can opt for fresh garden salads with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, etc., or go for the evergreen Greek salads with feta cheese, olives, lettuce, and red onion.

healthy salad

Sweets:

No celebration is complete without sweets, and when it’s a housewarming celebration, sweets are a MUST. We offer a range of irresistible options for your housewarming party. Consider including everyone’s favourite Badushai or the timeless Mysore Pak. Poornam Parelu and Bakshalu are also popular choices among our clients. To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, don’t forget to include the delightful Semiya Payasam.

double ka meetha by bets caterer in hyderabad

Hot Items:

Indian crowds always appreciate some hot and crispy snacks. Treat your guests to a selection of fried hot items like Mirchi Bhajji or Aloo Bhajji, Aloo Bonda, Pan, or Bread Bajji. These deep-fried delights will surely be a hit throughout the day.

Onion Rings

Rice Items:

Rice is a staple in any South Indian menu. For your housewarming party, you can choose from two categories: Regular Rice Items and Special Rice Items. For the regular rice section, consider options like Tamata Rice, Pulihora, Lemon Rice, or the classic Jeera Rice. In the special rice category, you have choices like Vegetable Pulao, Vegetable Dum Biryani, Kaju Pulao, or Kaju Matar Pulao.

kaju biryani

Gravies:

To accompany the rice dishes, it’s important to have flavorful gravies. For regular rice, you can choose from Aloo Tamata Curry, Munnakai Tamata Curry, or Vankaya Aloogadda Curry. When it comes to special rice, options like Vankaya Masala, Tamata Masala, Donda Masala, Capsicum, or Mirchi Masala will complement the flavors perfectly.

baghare baigan

Breads:

Consider including Wheat Phulka, Poori, or Rumali Roti. Pair these breads with mouthwatering gravies like Aloo Matar or Aloo Gobi Masala. You can also add Paneer Butter Masala or Shahi Paneer for a touch of royal indulgence. Mushroom lovers will appreciate the addition of Mushroom Masala or Mushroom Paneer.

Indian Breads

Fries:

A Housewarming Party Menu must include some dry fry items to enhance the bread experience. Aloo Fry, Bendakaya Fry, Gobi 65, or Aloo 65 are all-time favorites. These crispy snacks can be enjoyed with bread or savored on their own.

manchuria elite caterers

Daal, Sambar & Rasam:

No South Indian meal is complete without daal, sambar, and rasam. For daal, consider options like Tamata Daal, Palakura Mango, Sarakai Pappu, or the classic Dal Tadka. In the sambar category, you can choose from Gummadikai Pulusu, Munaga or Andhra Sambar, Pachhi Pulusu, or Telangana Pappu Charu. For rasams, go for Tamata Rasam, Miryala Rasam, or Ullipaya Rasam.

veg caterers hyderabad Dal Fry

Pachadi Pickles & Staples:

South Indian meals are known for their pachadi, pickles, and staples. Offer a variety of pachadi options such as Tamata Pachadi, Dosakaya Pachadi, Pudeena Pachadi, Onion Pachadi, Beerakai Pachadi, and more. Don’t forget to include essentials like Steamed Rice, Fryums or Papadam, and Plain Curd.

pachadi

With all the above suggestions, we are sure your housewarming party will be a hit, but note your party is not just about food. Your guests will be excited to see your new home, so design your home décor around a specific theme to impress your guests. Keep the food menu simple and elegant, aligning it with the chosen theme. You can google for some great Housewarming decoration ideas.

To share your new home with friends who can’t attend in person, consider creating a virtual housewarming website. And don’t forget to include thoughtful gifts for your guests, you can head to housewarming gifts amazon India to find wonderful options that will create lasting memories.

If you’re looking for catering services for your housewarming party in Hyderabad, Elite Caterers is the perfect choice. With our experience in catering numerous housewarming parties, we guarantee to provide you with the best catering service in town. Still unsure? Visit our page “Why should you choose Elite Caterers for your catering event?” for more information.

Talk to our Catering Consultant for your

House Warming Party

How To Avoid Mistakes That Ruin Your Wedding

How To Avoid Mistakes That Ruin Your Wedding

How to avoid Mistakes in Weddings?

We all wait for that one special day of our life and have lots of dreams for our wedding day, however, not always what we dream can be achieved. Everything has its share of ups & downs. These days Weddings in Hyderabad are more focused on décor, lavishness, Bride-Groom Attires, the jewelry, with so many aspects to consider, certain nuances are bound to happen causing minor inconveniences to big problems.

Below are some of the pointers that can happen in Indian Weddings, and you should anticipate these when planning for your wedding day. See how you can manage these situations and avoid these wedding mistakes to make your day stress free and most memorable day of your life for you as well as your guests. 

Planning:

There is a famous saying “If You fail to Plan – You PLAN to Fail” this goes well with pretty much anything. You may think planning for a wedding can be easier. Many thinks so and start the planning with the wrong choices for example, You spend more time on deciding the decoration than a Venue, while fact of the matter is The venue for the wedding is the single most important aspect in any Wedding, this is where you celebrate your special day and this is where your guests come to bless you for the wedding.

ps, More on “tips for choosing a wedding venue” can be read HERE.

Another example is, if it’s a Hyderabadi wedding reception & knowing that people of Hyderabad are big foodies, you will need to decide on the Food Catering Options and the Menu after knowing the Guest list, function timings etc. Remember it’s an event of your life, so you must think of all possibilities to avoid any wedding mistakes. 

Wedding Catering by Elite Caterers @ Khaja Mansion

Red Rose Palace - Wedding Dinner Catered by Elite Caterers

Catering:

Agreed, your budget is tight and you are considering to cut down on some of the items/ dishes from the Menu or thinking on compromising on the quality of food by deciding to get the food cooked by one of your family members or a traditional Bawarchi or by giving the catering service order to Novice or budget Caterers who quote the lowest – remember if you pay for peanuts you get peanuts. These are some of the common wedding mistakes people do when it comes to catering. You need to realize, the guests will associate to your function only with the food experience they had atyour wedding. To them your special day is not as special, even the venue or decorations doesn’t matter as much as the food, they attend the function for Food. So keep this in mind, they will remember your function for years to come either with praise and beautiful dining experience or with hard feelings

So, hire the best caterer for your wedding, one way to do this is by doing a search in google with best catering service or Top wedding caterers in Hyderabad or the city of your choice, quickly glance thru the ratings, shortlist the top rated caterers (above 4.5 rating), contact them and share your menu preference and budget or ask for their wedding reception food menu, most of the caterers these days have different wedding catering packages & prices for clients of varying budgets, choose the one that fits your budget, you can also ask for customization.

From among these caterers finalize the one which to you is the most professional, you can ask the caterer to share their past customers phone numbers so you contact them to know their experience with this caterer.

Also read:

  1. Catering advice for weddings
  2. Top Tips for choosing a caterer
  3. How to save on catering cost in your wedding

DIY Wedding:

A common assumption in India is that, we can do everything on own. If you think the same that you can do your wedding on own – It’s a BIG NO. Gone are those days, when the weddings were a family affair. Presuming you can do it all on own is not wise and hence a big wedding mistakes which needs to be avoided. 

Your relatives who think are experts, may offer you suggestions or tell that everything is manageable, simply do not give-in to their ideas, They may have good intention of arranging your wedding in budget, however know that you and they are not experts. Hosting a wedding party is way different than planning for a birthday party at home.

Lots of aspects are to be considered and you definitely don’t want to experiment their event management skills in your wedding. So, hire Wedding Planner expert to make your wedding a grandeur affair.

Tip:  Read our other article about “How to deal with opinonated relatives?

 

Budgeting:

Everyone want their wedding to be perfect, and to make it one, you may want to ignore the cost of certain things at the last minute you simply cannot avoid such situations an aunt may approach and say this is mandatory or that is required and you end up shelling-out of lot of money which is unaccounted and you end up midway with short of cash or receive a shock seeing the bills after the wedding.

Best is not to fully rely on your uncle/cousin while taking out the money for xyz reason, instead let one person in the family handle the money matters, sit with him before the wedding and discuss in detail all the possible expenses from Venue, decorations, florists, videographer, lightings, catering etc., and for all the contingencies.

Know that, the wedding industry is like that with tons of people (businesses) making profit from one single wedding, so be careful when you’re spending the money, whether it is the most expensive wedding dress or the Orchids your florists is going to charge you, or the off-season dishes your caterer is pushing you to include in your menu to cash-in, make sure you don’t spend unnecessary.

Best is to hire an Event management company so they will take all the stress & worry of your head. You simply pay them for their rate and they handle every aspect of your wedding.

Note, be wary of your spending, set a budget and use it as a tool to figure-out what’s important to you and what you can cut. You can also opt for wedding budget calculator to reduce marriage expenses in India. 

Booking The Venue: 

Most couples, do a mistake that they start searching for venue very late, this often leads them to paying more because of last minute rush. If your wedding is falling in the peak wedding season, it’s wise to search the marriage function hall and book in advance, make the advance payment and reserve the hall as early as possible. You surely do not want the stress of searching for the venue nearing your wedding date.

Guests List:

If you invited 500 people for your wedding, assuming only 50% will turn-up is not wise at all. What if 70% will turn-up to your wedding reception and you booked the hall with seated capacity of only 250, what an uncomfortable situation will that be with so many guests waiting to get in.

Make sure, you book the banquet with 90-95% of your invited list, while for the food catering, give the order assuming 100% of attendance from the invitees. You surely do not want to end-up being embarrassed in front of your guests.

Micromanaging: 

One of the reason you feel things are going out of way is because you tend to control every detail, you may have genuine concerns on how the complete ceremony will take-off, but too much of interference with your vendors would make the entire execution slightly distasteful. Trust your vendors, be it the event management company handling all the departments or individual vendors – they are expert in their fields and know exactly what they’re doing, hence step back and relax. On the flip-side, this may backfire, if you’re too relaxed throughout the process, so moderation is what is required.

Trying All Alone: 

It’s not advisable that you try to do it all. If you’re blessed to have friends and family members who are there to help you then why not delegate certain works to them like researching a vendor, or designing the invitations, or helping you in budgeting the entire wedding affair.

No matter, how perfect you plan out, some nuisances are bound to occur, at time certain tensions are inevitable too, but keep your cool at all times, do not forget that you are actually getting married and not planning a wedding.

0
0
0
0
0
× Let's WhatsApp