5 Valentine's Day Catering Ideas for a Romantic Corporate Lunch
They say the way to the heart is through the stomach and Saint Valentine's Day is nothing without good food. While business environments might not seem the most likely of settings for romantic feasts, here are five top tips and ideas for a corporate lunch event made in heaven.
Hot or Cold Fork Buffet
Put together an irresistible spread for your staff or guests with a hot or cold fork buffet menu. Mediterranean-inspired dishes – including traditional Greek salad with halloumi, chicken and chorizo in a tomato and basil sauce, or roasted vegetables with parsley, oregano, and authentic feta cheese – offer a range of complementary flavours to set the stage for romance.
Also choose from a variety of salads with dazzling colour combos and seasonal produce, such as a tangy beetroot and bean salad or honeyed parsnips with pears, rocket, macadamia nuts, and gorgonzola.
Finally, don't forget to lay on some wilfully indulgent sweets. Tiramisú, strawberry pavolva, and choux pastry éclairs with passion fruit cream are all perfect endings for your Valentine's Day lunch.
Finger Buffet
Host a finger buffet for a lighter alternative, and especially to encourage casual mingling and conversation. Vibrant colours and dynamic flavours are again some things to keep in mind, with well suited choices including,
Butterfly prawns with sweet chilli sauce
Merguez chipolata with tangy tomato relish
Crostinis with smoked salmon and horseradish
Drinks
A glass of champagne with a strawberry garnish is a classic Saint Valentine's Day drink. But you might also consider providing a selection of light, fruity cocktails, even if they're nonalcoholic for your corporate lunch. Combining ravishing sweetness with some come-hither colours will really help to set the scene and complement your choice of food.
Some fantastic Saint Valentine's Day cocktails and mocktails include the Chocolate Margarita with a chocolate-covered strawberry, the Foxy Lady with dry gin and strawberry liqueur, and the Raspberry Martini with optional pomegranate.
Fine Dining
For traditional romance, you can't go wrong with a fine dining menu or three-course meal. Catering for as few as six guests – or three happy couples – your personal chef and waiting staff can serve a seductive succession of, for example, seafood jewels in a pastry treasure box, citrus chicken with herbs and mustard pomme puree, and balsamic strawberries with mascarpone cream. Our fine dining menus are typically paired with a range of specially chosen wines.
Decor
The finishing touch for any Valentine's lunch has got to be the decor. From chic and understated to inescapably flamboyant, transforming your corporate environment into a haven for romance is a great way to mark and celebrate the occasion. Some of the easiest ways to set the scene are with some tasteful flower arrangements, love heart balloons, and coordinated ceiling streamers. Lighting and music can also be used to good effect, combining soft lighting with special party songs for just the right ambiance.
However you're planning your Saint Valentine's Day corporate lunch, full service catering companies like All in Hand can help make it one to remember. Celebrating romance while asserting your brand with the finest in seasonal food is a win-win for everyone.
