Food is not just sustenance; it's an experience, a memory, and a conversation starter. Throughout history and across cultures, food has brought people together, providing comfort, indulgence, excitement, and more. In fact, studies have shown that offering complimentary food can significantly boost event attendance, with one study citing a 38.4% increase. Additionally, foods high in protein and fiber have been linked to increased productivity and attention spans.
Eventbrite’s 2024 Event Trends Report tells us that this is the “Year of Adventure,” which includes “meeting new people, discovering shared interests, building connections, making friends, and finding digital and IRL communities to link with.”
A key component of events in this “Year of Adventure” is the growing trend of interactive food experiences at events. In fact, data indicates that there's a significant interest in interactive and unique culinary elements at events.
Imagine an event where attendees get to roll their own sushi or assemble their own canapés under the guidance of a professional chef. Restaurants and event planners are responding to this interest by incorporating more of these hands-on food experiences, live cooking demonstrations, themed menus, and immersive dining environments to meet this demand for memorable, interactive culinary moments.
An interactive food experience isn’t just a buffet with uninspiring, clichéd dishes. The idea is to captivate attendees with new and memorable experiences. Take your guests on an exciting culinary adventure that engages the senses and takes place in thoughtfully designed spaces with carefully chosen furniture.
Creating a memorable culinary experience is not just about the food itself, but also about the environment in which it's served. A well-designed space can enhance the dining experience, facilitate interactions and create lasting impressions.
Let's imagine an event with a 'farm-to-table' theme. Rather than traditional dining tables, consider using rustic communal tables that encourage conversation and interaction. Pair these with comfortable lounge-style seating that invite guests to linger and enjoy their meals. This kind of setup encourages more casual, intimate conversations among guests.
Instead of a single serving area, you could create several 'food station vignettes' throughout the venue, each one showcasing a different course or food type. For example, a high-top Ventura Communal Bar Table could serve as a stand-up appetizer station where guests can mingle, while a cozy lounge area with an Endless Powered 6-Seat Square Ottoman and Table could be a dessert corner for guests to relax and recharge. The right furniture and layout can transform your event space into a multi-dimensional culinary adventure, enhancing the overall food experience and leaving a lasting impression on your guests.
Here’s where CORT Events comes in. Our suite of comprehensive services, including spatial planning services and furniture options helps support thematic concept development. The My Space Planner tool allows you to visualize your space in two and three dimensions. We provide personalized service that is tailored to meet your event’s unique vision and objectives.
Two important components of space planning are ensuring your layout is strategic and establishing accessibility and comfort for all guests. Avoiding bottlenecks and crowds is key. Ensure that your culinary stations are spread apart enough to prevent congestion.
Don’t put too much food at a station. Instead, go with multiple spots. Guide guests with clear signage to direct them to various food stations, enhancing their experience and preventing confusion.
Creating a 'flow' that guides guests through the event space can create a gastronomical journey for attendees. For instance, starting with light appetizers and drinks, moving on to heavier main courses, and finally leading to dessert stations can ensure that your guests have an engaging and enjoyable experience.
It may sound overdramatic to say that your furniture choice can make or break your interactive food experience, but choosing the proper functional and stylish furniture does add to the appeal and engagement of the event. Check out these examples from CORT Events’ catalog of furniture pieces that enhance food stations at your events.
The right tables can serve to both accommodate food display and encourage guest interaction. The Ventura Communal Bar Table comes in an array of colors that can fit any theme. It’s spacious yet comfortable, and it’s equally ideal for guests to sit on barstools or stand. The Madison 10’ Table is another versatile choice that’s ideal for spreading out.
The right seating options will encourage socializing and comfort. This way, people won’t feel rushed to eat, and the soft seating will also encourage them to interact with each other. The Endless Powered Serpentine with 6 Glass Round Tables in White Vinyl has a unique shape and tables that make it ideal for lounge areas around food stations. The Endless Powered 6-Seat Square Ottoman and Table in White Vinyl is another terrific option that provides comfortable seating, tables, and the ability to charge up as needed.
Stylish counters like the Maxim Counter, which combines sleek design with practical features like serving space, can blend functionality with aesthetic appeal. Even better, you can customize this piece to match your event's aesthetic, branding, or theme.
Culinary experiences are more than just samples of food on a buffet table. If you harness interactivity and technology, you’ll make the experiences truly memorable and maximize engagement.
Some of the best interactive elements are the ones where guests learn something from the experience. Live cooking demonstrations in which chefs prepare dishes in front of guests aren’t just entertaining, but they also give attendees a glimpse inside the process of preparing professional meals. They may walk away with tips or recipes that they can take home and try.
Technology makes the interactive food experience even better. Digital menus allow you to tell the story of each dish as well as share ingredients and nutritional and allergen information. Attendees can take photos of virtual recipe cards to try new dishes at home. Branded hashtags and photo backdrops allow guests to share their experiences on social media, and you can achieve these with drapes, thematic displays, and good lighting. Consider incorporating technologies like interactive touchscreens for placing orders or augmented reality apps that provide information about the origin of the ingredients.
By leveraging the' natural curiosity of attendees, interactive dining experiences create engaging, multi-sensory adventures that go beyond traditional restaurant offerings, driving their growing popularity in the culinary world.
In a “Year of Adventure,” it’s easy to make an event even more memorable and engaging by adding interactive culinary elements. Proper space design and layout will lend themselves to an effective foodie adventure while choosing the right furniture can transform food stations into highlights of your event.
As with any unique and adventurous experience, you can take your event planning to new heights by leveraging resources and partnering with CORT Events. Let us help you create unforgettable culinary experiences that resonate with your attendees long after the event concludes.
In the end, every detail matters in creating an unforgettable event. How will you make your next event a culinary adventure?