Sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. How are you incorporating each of these sensations to fully immerse guests in your event experience? The International Caterers Association is elated to share a few events that have done this seamlessly—our 2023 Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence Award (CATIE) finalists!
These three companies and teams have fully embodied what it means to cultivate an immersive event that envelops guests in the experience, the theme, and the mission. We hope they serve as inspiration to help you create experiences your clients brag about! For each, we’re breaking down exactly how they utilized each one of the senses to add to their event in some way, shape, or form.
Photo courtesy LUX Catering/International Caterers Association
La Caille Tasting | LUX Catering & Events
This entire event was about igniting the senses through custom culinary experiences.
Touch
As guests entered the event, they were given a physical printed map where they could see the route ahead. The event spanned multiple themed spaces guests would move through, each with a different pairing to revel in.
In the “Chocolate Spa” room, they were invited to wash their hands with chocolate heated perfectly to 86 degrees for a unique physical experience.
Smell
The dish enjoyed after the chocolate hand wash was a terrine with white chocolate mousse, fine wine gelato, and cocoa powder dessert, which was paired with an expertly crafted smoked scotch cocktail. The scent of the smoked scotch was designed to elevate the dish and add to the flavor profile with its smoky aroma.
Sight
Each room had a different design, but the one that perhaps popped the most in terms of visuals was the rainbow floral room. It featured bright hues throughout both design and décor, as well as the cuisine!
Photo courtesy LUX Catering/International Caterers Association
They served up compressed watermelon bites with grilled strawberries, chilled strawberries, golden raspberries, sherry champagne créme fraîche, and fried jicama, all paired with a fruit-inspired cocktail finished with a lemon peel, lime peel, and strawberry for extra pops of color.
Sound
The most impressive part? They planned and executed this event with a seven-day turnaround. While there wasn’t necessarily a hearing or sound element to the event, they truly listened to the clients when they said they wanted an unrivaled surprise experience. And they made that happen on a shoestring timeline and budget.
Photo courtesy LUX Catering/International Caterers Association
Taste
Now, with this one it’s hard to know where to even start. But perhaps the most unique taste experience for guests was the room that featured a four-course tasting menu, including:
- Gratitude, a blackened petite tuna loin with black carrot and tomato purée
- Black Magic, a beef tenderloin skewer with blackberry demi-glace and a flaming salt finish
- Reflection, a chocolate mug with a chocolate sip
- Complete, fermented black bean salad with chaga mushroom, black garlic, and toasted chia seeds
Photo courtesy LUX Catering/International Caterers Association
Talk about an event that captivated the senses and fully immersed guests in the experience!
Photo courtesy Footers Catering/International Caterers Association
Premier Night | Footers Catering
The visual snacks at this Premier Night event were insanely creative and nostalgic!
Touch
For this event, the touch element was all about the finger foods! Perhaps the most creative finger food setup was the slider bar. During the planning stage, the Footers team joked how funny it would be to “slide sliders down a slide,” and the client’s response was, “Why not!?”
They wrapped each slider in individual bags to keep the sliders hot and protected, then added pop art menu custom stickers so guests knew what they were about to pick up and nibble on! They could choose from beef tenderloin sliders or caprese sliders.
Smell
Throughout the event, the scent of the passed hors d’oeuvres drifted through the crowd. The favorite bites were the Sugar Donut Pork Belly Bite with black pepper syrup, green apple, and a cinnamon sugar donut hole and the Honey Smoked Salmon Nachos with ginger habanero sauce and wasabi.
Photo courtesy Footers Catering/International Caterers Association
The aromas wafting from each bite were sweet, spicy, smoky, and made mouths water!
Sight
The visuals were what truly shined at this event. There are two that must be featured:
- A Raining Charcuterie Display that was then repurposed for hanging donut hole cones later in the evening. Using lighting hung by the trusses to shine clouds and a sky-inspired background, cups hung from the “sky” to be pulled down and enjoyed!
- An Andy Warhol-themed mac and cheese station where they created life-size Warhol soup cans and served up their tasty Juniper Bacon Mac n' Cheese Short Plate inside the repurposed and custom-labeled cans!
Sound
This team was on the dance floor from start to finish! Playing throwbacks and today’s hits, the team worked up an appetite busting a move and enjoyed the playful setup that allowed them to weave in and out of the food displays!
Photo courtesy Footers Catering/International Caterers Association
Taste
This leads us to taste—we shared a few delectable dishes so far, but here are a few more the guests drooled over:
- Nitro Stout Short Rib Short Plate with braised boneless beef short rib, goat cheese and charred scallion, mashed potatoes, crispy bourbon bacon
- Light-Up Cotton Candy Wands (we love the tie of visual and edible here)
- Glowing Bread Bar featuring freshly baked gluten-free scallion naan, garden focaccia, everything brioche, garlic oil, chili chive oil, blackberry balsamic vinegar, chive blossom vinegar, fig cinnamon honey, lemon dill mustard, black pepper, pink sea salt, diced tomato bruschetta, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese
The mix of tangible, creative elements of design and flavor combos made this event brighter than most!
Photo courtesy 24 Carrots Catering and Event/International Caterers Association
Pacific Symphony Gala - Fandango! Alta California | 24 Carrots
With the inspiration of Alta California and California’s rich history, this Californian caterer dove deep into local culture and history and brought a scene straight from Alta California to life!
Touch
Not every element of touch has to be about the food, and at this event, it certainly wasn’t! They had two sweet little burros, Pedro and Sweet Pea, that guests loved to give a pat and take a photo with.
Smell
The scent of the great outdoors melded perfectly with the earthy dishes prepared. As you stopped by stations, you could catch the scent of the whole-roasted suckling pig or the charcoal-roasted sweet potatoes with koji créme fraîche!
But the star of the show in terms of aromas was the Grilled Oysters action station where they grilled fresh oysters with smoked paprika garlic butter on top.
Photo courtesy 24 Carrots Catering and Event/International Caterers Association
Sight
To captivate guests in a way that infused culture right from the get-go, they recreated a Spanish-style mission featuring the signature bell tower or campanario to welcome guests. The guests walked in the door to see this façade, complemented by draping, beautiful bougainvillea flowers. Then, as they entered the event through a set of arches inspired by Spanish colonial architecture, they saw a mercado-style setup with lush, bold, blooming florals, vivid textiles atop tables, a vintage cart filled with fruit, flowers, and props that helped transport guests back in time. Truly a sight to see!
Sound
Throughout the event, they shared a plethora of unique performers, including lassoing vaqueros (cowboys), Mexican folk dancers, a Native American ballad, and more. Each serenaded guests with the rich culture of the state and its people, along with their ancestors—a truly special aspect of the event that guests loved!
Taste
The entire menu was made gluten-free because the host has a gluten allergy. In addition to the aforementioned dishes, guests enjoyed:
- Shrimp Paella with chicken chorizo, baby squash, heirloom tomatoes, shallots, saffron threads, sea salt, black pepper, and preserved lemon aioli
- Duet of Slow-Roasted Prime Strip Loin & Diver Sea Scallops with braised Spanish gigante beans, roasted baby zucchini, patty pan squash, sweet corn, braised oxtail jus, popcorn sprouts, and pea tendrils
- Butternut Squash Risotto Cups with wild mushroom persillade, and shallot confit
An ode to history became one of the organization’s most beloved events due to the environment and experience created!
With all this inspiration in mind, how can you engage all five senses at your next event?
As we move forward toward a more innovative and grand events world, how you show up and the ideas you can cultivate are key. These teams went above and beyond to create more than just an event, but rather an experience. How can you do the same this upcoming season?
Want more expert tips, tricks, and advice to grow your business? Join the International Caterers Association to gain access to education, exclusive events, and a private Facebook group where you can talk shop with other catering professionals! To learn more about membership and join, visit https://www.internationalcaterers.org/.
