It's all about presentation

When it comes to catering, meeting planners are always looking for the perfect recipe for success. In today's inspired world, catering has risen to new heights - literally! So toss out the tired tidbits, jettison boring buffets. Instead, look for jaw-dropping displays and eye-popping presentations that make a statement. Signature martini, anyone?

"It's a given that a caterer has to have good food and provide value," says Dayne Sullivan of Adventures in San Antonio, a meeting planner who travels across the country to produce spectacular events. "What we look for is someone who goes the extra mile, and today, it's all about presentation," he says.

"In San Antonio, everybody does chips and salsa, and everybody does a plated dinner. What puts you a notch above is how it is presented." Think shrimp cocktail in tall shot glasses, vibrant red cocktail sauce pooling on the bottom, tails artfully arching over the edge. Or bite-sized steak tartare with wasabi dressing - tiny bites gracing Asian spoons.

Today's extravaganzas demand exciting choices - not only the food but the centerpieces, floral arrangements and place settings, too. A kind of modern art, today's ornate settings include decorated glass plates, square plates, metalware, curvaceous plates and ceramics in every color imaginable.

"These artful designs add a new element," says Sullivan. "We love it when our clients say, 'It is so beautiful, we hate to eat it.'"

VERTICAL AND SUSPENDED DISPLAYS

Imagine a stack of martini glasses with parsley'ed rims seeming to float effortlessly in mid-air. The breathtaking display is actually suspended on glass trays by wires for an awe-inspiring look. Or try specially designed buffet tables that have gone vertical. Food is transformed on these unique displays, presented on a series of round, up-and-down tiers or ladder-like vertical displays. Best of all, they allow 360-degree access, a feature guests love. Event attendees can say good-bye to waiting in long buffet lines!

INTERACTIVE CHEF STATIONS

What's more fun than a flaming stir fry or pan-seared sea bass made right in front of your guests? Chefs are part of the entertainment in action stations where guests can be amazed and engaged.

Janet Parr, a former meeting planner for the cosmetics industry turned caterer, says many guests today expect over-the-top presentations. She and her husband, Brad, owners of No Worries Catering in Carrollton, have been known to rent hundreds of evergreens for an event. "We try to make every event amazing." she says. Yet their top request is for the company's famous crab cakes made on-premises by a chef and served with a delicious, homemade tomatillo sauce. "people have us back each year just for the crab cakes," she says.

Leslie LaSorsa of The Catering Company in Austin says her company has been moving away from buffets and towards these types of stations. "we've done a fun crawfish etoufee and even oysters Rockefeller this way," she says. Other ideas include a mashed potato par, sizzling wok demonstration, quesadilla station or flaming crepes suzette show.

FINE DINING STATIONS

"FIne-dining stations are another take on the carving station, but one level up," says Cindy Lo, owner of Red Velvet Events in Austin, a full-service meeting planning company. "Examples of these include caviar stations, or imported cheese stations," she explains. "For clients who like the idea of fine-dining stations, but have limited budgets, we can get very creative in the presentation. For example, an elaborate (but relatively inexpensive) ice display can feature ice sculptures and a bed of shaved ice holding a fabulous array of clam shells with caviar on top."

GO GREEN

"Many clients are asking for environmentally friendly practices now," continues Lo. These can include using green cleaning supplies, conserving water or using reusable dishes, cups and utensils.

The world's leading natural and organic grocer, Whole Foods Market, offers catering with a sustainable focus in many cities. The company's commitment includes purchasing organic, locally grown food whenever possible, recycling plastics, glass and aluminum and using biodegradable waste such as leftover food for composting

MONOGRAM IT

Personalize your event with a monogram. Everything from ice slides and sculptures to canapes have initials or logos on them these days. Sullivan says delicious winter soups such as butternut squash or pumpkin are popular now. Imagine a presentation with initials or a logo piped on top.

SIGNATURE COLORS, SIGNATURE DRINKS

Enter a magical world of twinkle lights or set the stage for the entire evening with an explosion of a branded company color or favorite hue. Echo the mood with signature drinks of the same color. Vodka infused with fruit forms the base for light cocktails and can be named to reflect your special event. Scrumptious mocktails of flavored lemonades continue the theme for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages.