The Importance of Menu Testing Before Events

I’ve been juggling several large events lately, and I’ve found that menu testing can make or break the client experience. It’s vital not only to ensure flavors work but also to anticipate any potential issues with dietary restrictions — has anyone else implemented a formal tasting process for their events, and how has that impacted your outcomes?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍⁠‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​​‍⁠‌​⁠‍‌‌‍​‍‌​‌​​⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I’ve definitely found that doing a pre-event tasting can reveal unexpected issues, especially with dietary restrictions. For instance, we had a gluten-free option that didn’t hold up well under heat, so we switched it up last minute. Have you tried getting feedback from clients after the tasting?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌‍⁠⁠‌​‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‌⁠⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌​‍⁠‌​​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Menu testing is crucial, especially for large events. I’ve started incorporating a dedicated tasting session a week out, which gives us time to adjust before the big day. It’s surprising how even a small tweak can improve the overall experience.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌‌​‍⁠‌‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‌‌⁠‌​⁠⁠​⁠‍​‌​⁠​‌‍​‍‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍​⁠‌​⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I totally agree on the importance of testing for dietary restrictions. I usually hold my tastings about two weeks ahead to fine-tune flavors and plating. It gives us a buffer to make necessary adjustments, so I can’t recommend that enough.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​⁠‌​‌‌‌​​‍​⁠​‌‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌​‍‌‌​⁠‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​‌​⁠​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌​⁠‌​‍⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​