Ultimate Guide: How to Create a Grazing Table That Will Wow Your Guests!

Grazing tables are undoubtedly the charm of casual events, from birthdays and pre-wedding festivals to corporate events and more. Whereas at other events, it tends to appeal to guests with its variety of beautifully styled elements, at corporate events, it offers great opportunities for fostering network and socialization and impressing those tough-to-read clients. 

If you plan on throwing a corporate event to celebrate your company's success, or it’s just an annual day celebration, you should consider creating a grazing table. To learn in-depth about the style ideas, presenting tips and techniques, and even a step-by-step guide on creating it, just hop on below! 

What Actually is a Grazing Table?

Grazing tables are an ideal way to spend more time mingling with your guest without getting a formally cooked meal. Though the proper balance of dishes can accompany both, the grazing table alone is an attraction that steals guests' attention, bounding them to overlook the rest. 

It's not like the typical buffets in which guests serve themselves. Instead, it's an appealing tablescape letting guests nibble conveniently when gossiping. You can set it up anywhere, not necessarily on the table; any large flat surface would work perfectly as a base, and if you don't have that, stick with large platters. 

Why Should You Plan for a Grazing Table in Your Next Corporate Event?

Incorporate sector, everything revolves around mutuality. People tend to grow mutually as a team, consider mutual benefits, and foster mutual understanding to ensure optimal success. In all this, you can stand out by caring for even smaller things. 

For instance, if any of your clients or employees are allergic to some nutrients or follow a special diet, like vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, or gluten-free, you should consider special meal options. This is where the grazing table can be of great help! 

Where it helps deal with multiple dietary restrictions catering, it’s also a budget-friendly option. You can get multiple grazing platters to meet certain dietary restrictions or dedicate each corner of your grazing table to a specific diet. This innovative idea will sorely work well. 

How to Plan the Perfect Grazing Table?

Wondering how to plan for a perfect grazing table? You need to consider certain things, including the ones listed below:

Choose the Right Location and Setup

The very first step towards the creation of a grazing table is the selection of the right spot. Explore the different areas of your office or the event venue and fund a place that’s not only easily accessible but also has maximum visibility. Your grazing table is going to be the main highlight of your event, so ponder a bit or consult with your event planner or caterer if you have booked any. 

Your space should not be congested to avoid stuffing. Do not choose corner locations, as these will restrict access from one or two sides of the table. 

Determining Size and Layout

The next step is to estimate the number of guests (10-40) and figure out the size and layout of your grazing table. Your grazing table set should be large enough to accommodate everyone. If you are planning an event of up to ten to fifteen guests, a single large grazing table will be enough. However, setting up grazing platters at multiple spots can be a good idea for a larger gathering. 

Also, the flow of foot must be considered, and ease of access to every item should be ensured. For this purpose, you should group similar items. For instance, all cheeses should be placed in one specific place. 

Selecting Serving Platters and Décor

Cooperate events normally have minimalist décor, so keep that in mind. Don't go over the bounds; just stick to the simplicity and mix and match the serving platters colors and décor with your brand’s or company’s logo colors or just keep it neutral. You can place napkins, small signs, or labels with your branding on the board. This professional and cohesive presentation will enhance the aesthetic appeal.

DIY vs. Professional Grazing Table Services

When you have everything mapped out in your mind, go ahead with deciding if you want to create a DIY grazing table yourself or hire professional catering services. The former might seem a better option, but weighing the pros and cons will help you make an informed decision. For your convenience, we have gathered a few of them; let's have a look!

Pros of DIY Grazing Tables

Assembling a table in-house brings loads of fun and excitement; here are a few notable pros of DIY grazing tables. 

Cost-Saving These are cost-saving options, as when hiring a catering professional, you will surely need to pay more. When shopping for goods, you can cut short on money by looking for ingredients on sale or bargaining. You can also keep a check on the ingredient quality. So, if you are short on budget, stick to this option.
Better Adaptability  When managing things yourself, you can flexibly adjust the size and layout. You can expand the setup at the last minute to accommodate more guests or add more items to cater to specific dietary requirements. 

Cons of DIY Grazing Tables

Here are a few cons of setting up the grazing tables yourself:

Time Constraints when arranging a corporate event, a grazing table isn't the only thing you need to take care of. There are a lot of other important things like the overall décor, invitation cards, and more. So, besides spending time buying and gathering the things yourself, pay attention to something more important. 

Other Challenges It's not all about placing the things in the right spot; you should be cautious about food safety and presentation. Most of the time, grazing tables include perishable items that need to be kept at the right temperature. The presentation can also become a headache if you are a beginner in food styling. 

Why You Should Hire Professional Service?

Hop on below to explore why hiring a professional service is better. 

Expertise in Presentation  No doubt, professional services cost more, but the price is the worth of their experience and skills. They put in all of their efforts to come up with results up to your expectation, and most of the time, they just surprise with their creation. Just give them a try to experience the perks on your own!

Attention to Detail  Professional caterers are committed to keeping a check on each and every detail. From the grazing platform to the food items and décor pieces, they will take care of everything, elevating your event’s aesthetics to another level! Moreover, they offer a stress-free event management solution, letting you enjoy it to the fullest. 

By now, you must be tempted to hire a professional service. This is when Hey,Crois! comes into play! Our team are expert in catering grazing tables for cooperate events. They can cater to special dietary requirements and more of your needs with utter perfection, delivering you the best of what you expected! 

Key Design and Presentation Tips

Designing and presenting are the most important aspects of grazing tables. If we say these factors decide if your table is a hit or miss, it won’t actually be wrong. As explained earlier, you should have a plan, picture, or vision to bring to life. This will make things pretty much easier. Hop on below to have a look at the other important tips and tricks! 

Visual Appeal Matters

Creating a visual appeal is the key to leaving a strong impression on attendees, enticing them to sample the offerings. You can place beautiful candle stands for a more tempting touch. Another idea is to place fruit bowls upside down and place platters over it. You can also rely on wooden crates for a rustic touch. 

Incorporating Corporate Branding

You can add a touch of branding in multiple ways. Consider the brand color scheme when choosing dishes, bowls, and flowers. You can also rely on custom signage and branded labels. For a better approach, include sweets like cookies or cupcakes with the brand logo on top. 

Centerpiece Ideas

A standout centerpiece is a must-have for grazing tables, adding that WOW factor to them. Place your centerpiece first, and then work your way around with the rest of the stuff. Keep adding height where needed by placing fruit bowls or stands. Where a heightened stand can serve as an exotic centerpiece, flower vases can also be complementary. 

Step-by-Step Guide on Assembling a Grazing Table

If you have opted for a DIY grazing table idea, grab your shopping bags, put on your shoes, and go shopping for every needed ingredient. Wait, have you made a list? Hold on a bit and make one, so you can skip visiting the market over and over for the missing things. 

Once everything is gathered, follow the step-by-step instructions below to assemble your grazing table. 

• Line the bottom of the grazing platter or table with your choice of salads. 

• Place a variety of cheeses in certain places. You can make a ham rose in the center to elevate the aesthetics. 

• Proceed with stuffing the table with sweets, including nuts, pickles, or snacks. If you don't have these in your theme grazing table, skip. 

• Fill up some of the space with fruits, condiments, and sauces. For a more appealing approach, cut your fruits with special cutters, giving them nice shapes.

• Give your grazing box final touches, covering white spaces with the rest of the crackers and meats. 

• Voila! You have created a mouth-watering grazing setup served with sides of crunchy dip veggies. 

Bonus Tips: When purchasing things, you should ensure their freshness. For the veggies, cut them and place them in a container dipped in water to retain their freshness, and for the meats, visit the deli and get them cut as thin as possible. 

Wrapping It Up!

That was all about how grazing tables can take your event’s aesthetic appeal and ambiance to another level. With them, you can take care of dietary restrictions when staying within budget. Moreover, visually appealing grazing tables are ideal for indulging guests in discussions and promoting socialization.

So, ensure to include these in your future corporate gatherings. Don’t forget to check out “Hey, Crois!” for corporate grazing tables! Hope you found the guide worth reading. Stay tuned for more, and do let us know in the comments below if you have more interesting grazing table ideas.