Share plates: The Trending Function Fare

July 8, 2016
Joining friends for a special occasion should not require confusing seating charts and personal silverware.
Instead, we believe that tables laden with banquet-style platters and mingle-as-you-please table arrangements creates a communal dining atmosphere that can change the outcome of the whole evening. Rather than binding guests to allocated seating, share plates invite strangers to bond over their meals and move around the room.
Share plates have become the new trendy face of the catering world, enabling guests to sample multiple dishes and choose their own portion sizes.
With over 20 years of experience catering we’ve witnessed the rise of shared plates as a preferred menu style for private events. Below, we’ve outlined a selection of shared menu ideas for your Christmas party, wedding, or private function.
Don’t diminish the dining experience
While share plates are growing in popularity throughout the hospitality industry, some people still hesitate at the description, envisioning paper platters of party pies and deli meats. Really, the term “share plate” is packed with endless possibilities – many of which involve quality food and a five star dining experience.
For example, more engaged couples and newlyweds are electing to host their respective functions cocktail style. While the food still emanates the elegance and style one would expect at an engagement party or wedding, it also adds a little energy into the mix. Guests are invited into a fun, social experience that wouldn’t normally occur during a plated dinner. Breaking bread together can be a positive bonding experience for inlaws or social circles that are meeting for the first time.
As one of Brisbane’s premier catering companies, we can organise a large range of share plates that are suitable for weddings and engagement parties, including:
Entrée seafood platters served with crusty bread, lemons and lime
Tasmanian pacific oysters freshly shucked with passionfruit dressing
Singapore chilli Moreton Bay bug tails
Hervey Bay half shell scallops topped with aioli and sourdough crumbs
Bonding time: Break the ice with your food
One of the biggest benefits to a shared meal is the communal atmosphere it invites to the event. At casual social gatherings, such as birthday parties and family dinners, this energy can change the outcome of the whole evening. Rather than binding guests to allocated seating, share plates invite strangers to bond over their meals and move around the room.
Guests also tend to appreciate the ability to taste multiple dishes. Ordering a dissatisfying restaurant meal can often sour the mood at a social gathering, so share plates allow your friends to find what they like. They’re also free to pick their own portions, rather than leaving the room later with an empty stomach (or a plate that’s been barely touched).
Our range of share plates allow your guests to explore different dishes as they please, and include shared meals of:
Whole roasted lamb racks crusted with parmesan and horseradish
Pan-fried snapper fillets with crisp speck, brussel sprouts and lemon and dill butter cream
Sauteed assortment of mushrooms with goats cheese, sherry vinegar and tomato concasse
Roasted root vegetables with confit garlic and thyme
Sweeten the deal
Of course, no meal is truly complete without dessert. Eliminate those guilty “Is anyone else having dessert?” queries and send your guests home on a sugar high with our range of dessert share plates.
Cheese platters with quince paste and lavosh
Assorted mini desserts including tiramisu and crème brulee
Share plate catering: Enquire now
Join us for the new dining trend that is the shared plate experience. We have a range of shared menu items available to suit your personal event.
Enquire online or Ph: (07) 3210 2281
Category: News