We know planning your event takes a lot of time and energy, and we’re here to make you look good. With chef-driven preparations and quality ingredients from local farms and food artisans, the value of our catering menu is unsurpassed. We’ll take care of the food, but you take all the credit! Here are a few pro tips to help you get the planning process started.
Presentation
Our salads, appetizers, and cocktail sandwiches look great in your favorite serving bowl, platter or on a cutting board. Don’t be afraid to re-plate items! Before re-plating salads, set a few of each topping off to the side. Lightly toss the salad with dressing and then arrange the toppings you saved on top for the perfect finishing touch. Position utensils & napkins at the end of your catering spread so guests don’t have to juggle while serving their food. Create visual depth by using upside-down crates or wire down baskets to display items at different heights; you can also use an upside-down Mendo box and cover it with a piece of fabric.
Quantity Planning Tips
When serving sandwiches for lunch or dinner we recommend one half sandwich for every guest and an additional half sandwich for half of your guest count. 30 half sandwiches is perfect for 20 guests! For mid-afternoon cocktail parties, or “light snacks” we suggest 5.5 pieces per person. For cocktail parties substituting dinner we suggest 7.5 pieces per person (Cocktail Sandwiches and Baby Baguettes each count as 2 pieces).
No matter what your occasion, the dedicated and trained Catering Specialists at each location are like your personal party planners, and they’re looking forward to helping you by phone or email. With our simple pick-up or delivery options, getting your meal where it needs to go couldn’t be easier. Our first location was at the base of a skyscraper, so creating a compelling lunch package for corporate office meetings was a given. But sandwiches like to go casual, too—and not just on Fridays. Invite us to your birthdays and baby showers—we’ll bring the crave-worthy sandwich assortment, served up in our signature blue trays. Have a picnic or potluck coming up? Snag a few gourmet whole grain or pasta salads to share, and bask in the glory of your own time-saving genius. Game day at your place? Hook it up with mini cocktail sandos and some skewers and let the high fives roll in. From road trips to field trips, our individual box lunches are a square meal—complete with potato chips or deli side and a cookie. For all these occasions and many more—when in doubt, bring sandwiches. Contact your local Mendocino Farms today and ask to speak with the Catering Specialist!