Stations are always a popular option with corporate clients as it encourages socializing and enhances the effectiveness of team building exercises. This past week, we were in Chester County working with one of our long-time corporate clients for their June conference. They wanted to offer employees a fun event with creative food stations at the conclusion of a day of meetings. J. Scott Catering was able to create the atmosphere and accompanying stations the client was hoping to treat their employees to.
Being creative with a stations-style event means going above and beyond with not only the menu, but also the setup and vessels used at the various stations. This event hit the target in so many ways; from food to florals and beyond, J. Scott Catering was able to create American regional food stations that paid homage to the great food found regionally in the U.S. East coast, southern and west coast alike, these stations offered guests a little of everything to sample in small plate portions.
The Taste of Nantucket station offered guests a mini stainless steel pail filled with a bounty of blue crab claws, jumbo beer boiled shrimp and lobster roll. Alongside the bucket, guests enjoyed brown butter, cocktail sauce, and lemon wedges. In each pail, decorative seaweed and kale enhanced the beauty of the station. Placed in between apothecary vases with purple and white wildflowers, this station was a big hit with our guests.
The Southern Skillet station featured individual cast iron skillets with a choice of wild South Carolina shrimp and grits or pork shoulder and cornbread served with roasted mini Yukon gold potatoes. The cast iron skillets featured individual pan handle covers to keep food warm while protecting guest’s hands. The pans were placed on aluminum risers with sterno to keep them warm and fresh throughout the evening.
The Hail to the Vegetarians station provided guests with a full section of meat-free options, a rarity at most events. A petite pot of tomato soup with grilled cheese was served in a miniature sauce pan along with baked vegetable gallette with local mozzarella in a small ramekin. A vegetable bento tray with cucumber roll, futumaki roll and avocado roll served with wasabi and soy sauce were also popular with guests.
The Southwest Small Plates station featured two individual tasting plates with beef and chicken. The Creekstone filet was served with spicy black beans, yellow rice and beer onion with an Oaxacan Pasilla glaze. The mesa rubbed organic chicken breast medallions were thinly sliced and served with white bean Cotiga and green tomato salsa.
The Balti Dish Dessert station featured four selections of delectably sweet treats including berry shortbread capote, strawberry shortbread with pastry cream, key lime pie and mango and black cherry fruit gelato.
Our culinary and wait-staff teams did a fantastic job despite the challenges presented with cooking in a tent outside and dealing with a very strong thunderstorm just as our trucks were unloading. Our client was thrilled with the event and the creativity of the station display. A huge thanks to the J. Scott team and all involved who made this complicated and challenging event possible.
