sustainable products are a must on any menu.
day’s
MM: With the increase in to- special
dietary needs, for
example, dairy-free, vegan and/or gluten-free, how are you approach- ing these special requests and still offering unique and tasty options?
PL: We thousands
special meals a year and
are fortunate to have a very talented cu- linary team lead by Executive Chef Matt Reichard, who never limits their imagina- tions. Just because someone asks for vegan does not mean it has to be bland. They look to cultures that have their roots in the Far and Middle East for the spices and tech- niques that will take something like tofu to a whole other level. MM: It seems that more than ever there
is an emphasis on whole foods and eating lo- cally. Do you source any of your items from local resources? If not, is this something you are planning to do in the future or are there roadblocks in doing this? PL: We do run into challenges due to the
serve of
their food and beverage events, what would you tell them?
and/or
PL: Listen to guidance from the venue catering company you are working
“Outdoor events are great fun, but be sure to have a realistic back-up plan for inclement weather that involves all the key players.”
volume of product we need, but we make every effort to source as much locally and regionally as possible. During 2010 we made purchases of products and services from over 60 different Dane County vendors. MM: As a venue in the Midwest, we have very pronounced sea-
- Patty Lemke, CPCE General Manager, Monona Catering, LLC
sons, do you have seasonal offerings to match the weather outside? What things do you plan on doing this summer? PL: We do a great deal of menu customization for our clients,
which allows us to not only address special dietary and ethnic needs, but also seasonal requests on a client by client basis. From May through September Monona Catering operates the Lake Vista Café located in the rooftop gardens at Monona Terrace, which of- fers specials that are prepared from products purchased at the Dane County Farmer’s Market. It’s great to be able to walk to the market, purchase the freshest possible ingredients and have those ingredi- ents appear on that same day’s LVC menu. MM: If you could offer advice to planners in terms of planning
WWW WWW.MIDWEST IDWESTMEETINGS COM
EETINGS.COM
with. They know their operation and what their strengths are and typically know how to get the best result from their operation. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t advocate strongly for your vision, but if they continue to advise you differently then there are probably logistic or experience (maybe lack of) factors that should be heeded. Most want to exceed your expectations, so by listening to their advice and being willing to compromise when necessary you can help ensure a successful event. MM: For planners looking to do out- door events, what would you recommend
they do to plan an extra special event this summer? For example, any advice on food options and drinks? PL: Outdoor events are great fun, but be
sure to have a realistic back-up plan for in- clement weather that involves all the key players. Establish a pre-determined time for making the decision to reschedule or move indoors that considers set-up, food produc- tion and staff. Live to that timeline and with just a bit of extra hustle on everyone’s part a little rain or extremely hot weather won’t ruin the party. As for food and drink, whatever is locally
fresh and light on the palette. Lots of veg- etables and fruit and don’t forget fi sh, a nice white fi sh or salmon are great choices that
can be prepared a variety of ways. Make sure the fi sh you choose is a Good or Best Choice on a seafood watch program like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. MM: What are some of the most unusual menus and/or themes you’ve done? PL: There have been many over the years, but some
that come to mind are the Bolivian Birthday Party (in- cluding dancers), full Vegan Wedding (including the cake), Kosher Weddings, Down Under Breakfast Buf- fet for the new Australian ownership of a company, multiple Pakistani and East Indian Weddings and the annual 2,000 person Carbo-Load Dinner for Ironman Wisconsin.
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