Wedding catering: An expert’s top tips for wedding food

Choose the right catering for your wedding

Cajsa’s Kök is a restaurant and catering company providing event catering in Uppsala and Stockholm.
— When I made the leap from competitive chef to founding Cajsa’s Kök, the idea was just as clear then as it is today. Through well-prepared and inspiring food, we aim to enrich our customers’ celebrations and everyday lives. Really good, seasonal produce – preferably from our own region – prepared with inspiration drawn from the world’s major cities and cuisines. That’s our recipe,” says Cajsa Johansson, owner.

Why choose a catering service for your wedding?

— For those who want to be involved in designing their wedding and have it exactly as they want it, catering is perfect! The freedom to choose everything – from the venue and location to the type of food, level of service, decorations, setting, indeed everything… – ensures a unique and highly personalised wedding celebration. It may also be the case that the venue chosen by the bride and groom lacks a kitchen or catering facilities, in which case on-site catering is, of course, required.

When is it most common for people to want catering for their wedding?

— There’s no single ‘most common’ scenario; it’s the variety that makes catering so unique. Everything from the sophisticated, high-end wedding reception to the simpler affair where guests take care of much of it themselves – such as setting the tables, serving, decorations and so on. Catering is always a good option, except in cases where there’s an established caterer or restaurant with its own kitchen.

What are the most popular dishes for weddings?

— It’s usually seafood or fish for the starter and meat for the main course, often with seasonal accompaniments. One interesting trend is that we’re increasingly being asked for vegetarian and vegan menus; it’s an exciting challenge for us chefs. The trend for locally sourced food is also strong, and it’s great when we can tailor the ingredients on the menu to the bride and groom’s home region. Asparagus from Gotland, game from Norrland, fish from the West Coast. If the bride and groom are from another country, it can turn into ‘fusion cooking’: mozzarella from Italy, ceviche from Peru, red curry from Thailand. It’s always extra fun and delicious when we get to help create a personalised menu!

What should you bear in mind when choosing a catering company?

— Make sure the catering company has plenty of experience with similar events; feel free to ask for references. It’s also a good idea to clarify the division of responsibilities – who does what. Always ask for a tasting of the menu; it’s a worthwhile investment to ensure you’re confident your choice of menu is right and that the food will taste great on the wedding day!

How much does wedding catering cost?

— It varies depending on what the bride and groom choose. Perhaps they’ll go for the ‘full package’ including a set menu and drinks package, service, table setting, decorations, technical equipment, entertainment, perhaps a marquee, and so on. Of course, this will cost more than if they simply opt for the food and a simpler menu from the catering company and organise the rest themselves. Most catering companies have good websites where pricing details for the various elements are clearly displayed, and they often offer a variety of package deals.

Tell us about an unusual and fun wedding you’ve organised.

— We’ve been fortunate enough to organise many weddings in unusual venues, such as in the ruins of a castle where the wedding cake was served on one of the ruins’ old doors as a ‘cake stand’. We hope to organise weddings on the roof of Uppsala Castle in the future, where our partners at Go Adventure organise rooftop walks – that would be great fun and spectacular!

Do you have any fun wedding memories?

— A smoke machine set off the fire alarm in the venue during the wedding dance, and the party had to be cut short. After the firefighters had made sure everything was in order, they treated the bride and groom to a ride in the fire engine! Challenging situations can often turn into fun memories and photos.

What are your top 3 wedding tips?

– Create your own wedding celebration and don’t pay too much attention to what others think; your wedding day is your day.
– Feel free to be ambitious in your wedding planning, but make sure you have fun along the way.
– Have a Plan A and a Plan B depending on what the weather has in store in our unpredictable climate!

Cajsa Johansson

Founder and owner,
CAJSA’S KÖK
www.cajsas-kok.se

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