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The Times Food and Dining

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Tantalising treats: what to ask your afternoon tea caterers



The afternoon tea is a special occasion for Sydney workplaces looking to refresh their senses with something delightful. From the brownie to the bread, the cake to the coffee, this is a taste-tantalising shindig that is perfect for office events!

But to enjoy the ultimate afternoon tea you need the best team in the business. We’re talking about the experts in eating, those who can bring the most scrumptious goodies and serve them in absolute style, and will take care of everything so that you can focus on your job whilst they do theirs.

But how do you find this team of experts? Well, you simply have to ask them a few questions to ensure that they are the team with the most tantalising treats:

  1. What kind of goodies do you provide?

Because the best afternoon tea catering Sydney has should create a special occasion, and not one where you and your team get shafted with a couple of stale muffins and burnt coffee. They should be able to provide a plethora of mouthwatering munchies, with everything from brownies, croissants, cakes, slices, tea and barista coffee on the delectable menu!

So, the first thing you should ask when it comes to finding your team is this: “what are the goodies you are going to bring?”

  1. Can you cater for large groups?

The best caterers will be able to cater for functions big and small. Sydney has a diverse office culture that ranges from five-person startups to multinational corporations, and the caterers should be able to accommodate your requests regardless of numbers!

After all, this service is one that is typically used for office functions and special workplace events, and so it shouldn’t falter when it comes to feeding the masses of hungry team members.

  1. Do you provide servers?

Many low-grade caterers will simply pop by and drop off their meagre offerings, leaving team members to squabble over the food when they should really be enjoying this reinvigorating break from their duties. But the best catering team will provide professional, highly experienced servers who will take care of everything from setting up to service, barista duties and cleaning.

This is truly the mark of a highly professional team who is passionate about turning this event into an awkward gathering into a special, vibrant occasion!

  1. Are you available on this particular day?

Because afternoon teas often fall on the funner days of the week (at least Thursday), you want to be sure that you can bring in your experts on the day you need them. What’s more, your caterers will need time to prepare your chosen goodies and bring the right amount for your attendees, so it’s important to get in early to ensure you can book them exactly when you need them!

  1. Can you cater to different dietary needs?

Because you don’t want to go with a team who says, “nope, it’s the highly glutenous croissants and cows milk coffee or nothing at all”. Today’s workplace events should cater to all kinds of dietary needs, accommodating people for their dietary concerns, health, lifestyle and religious beliefs, so you should definitely find a caterer who is happy to meet your team’s needs across the board.

These are the five most imperative to questions to ask your prospective caterers. Once you have got these out of the way, you will know for sure whether or not they are the team to make your afternoon tea a taste-tantalising treat!

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