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Bites: Lots of love required for small pieces

Bites: Lots of love required for small pieces

We’ve been hearing from a lot of people recently that compare our Bites menus to other types of catering. People love the smaller look and the greater variety that comes with these types of menus. Since these are less familiar than more traditional options, we’ve decided to do a Q&A with our own Chef Elizabeth to outline how the Bites option is different from other types of catering (incl. Bite Catering Couture’s own line of sit down and buffet menus):

Q: Why do people tend to choose Bite menus?
CE: My customers really love the look of the individual Bites, the diversity of a Bites menu, and the flavors that you can pack into a small Bite to really make each one pop. People get excited about what’s coming out next…there’s fun new food every few minutes over 3 hours. Also, customers tend to really enjoy the ability to mingle freely with their guests, as they aren’t tied to their table.

Q: How are Bites parties different from sit-down parties?
CE: Bites menu allows for a stand-up party where guests can mingle freely and eat interesting items over time. This leads to a more social feel for larger groups, where more dynamic conversations can take place. This can also really save money on rentals like tables, plates, and silverware. In addition, its much more natural for people to eat gradually. We’ve found that people enjoy their food more and listen more to their bodies on quantity when they can eat over the course of an evening.

Q: What goes into making small pieces?
CE: Each Bite is a little hand-crafted work of art made by a skilled chef. We actually put much more time and flavor into each one, as each Bite has to stand on its own. I don’t think most people understand how much goes into making each one…we can’t make large batches the same way other caterers can with trays of meats or dishes.

Q: That sounds like a lot of work. Are Bites a lot more expensive than other types of catering?
CE: It is a lot of work. Fortunately, our format allows for a lot of savings on other things, so the overall cost is about the same as any premium caterer. Rentals is the big one…since people are standing up and aren’t using plates, you can save a lot of money on tables, chairs, plates, silverware, and all of that. You can often use fewer staff as well, as the food doesn’t all need to come out at the same time…it comes out over the course of 3 hours. We can arrange some of our room temperature Bites in gorgeous displays that can substitute for decorations.

Q: Are there ways to save money using Bites options?
CE: We know many people are on a budget these days. We do offer drop-off and limited service menus for those who love our food, but don’t want to pay for chefs on site. The menus are either room temperature or Bites our clients can heat and serve themselves. We send them out well packaged and with instructions on what preparation is required. Drop-off allows for fun food at your party while being our most economical option.

Q: What size parties work well with Bites?
CE: Our Bites are a good fit for parties generally between 20 and 200 people. Smaller than that hits our minimums and larger tends to need more of a buffet format.

Q: What kind of budgets work with a Bites menu?
CE: Our lighter menus start at about $20/person in food cost and our more filling and elaborate menus range from $35 to $100+/person in food cost. Since we make our Bites from scratch, we can customize menus to meet a variety of dietary preferences.

Interested in seeing more? Check out our Bites/appetizer menus to get some inspiration for your next party!

Photo Gallery

Eggy bread breakfast sandwiches

Eggy bread breakfast sandwiches

Mini Fish Tacos Displayed in Lime

Mini Fish Tacos Displayed in Lime

Lettuce Wrap Bites on Bamboo Spoons

Lettuce Wrap Bites on Bamboo Spoons

Beets & Goat Cheese Crostini at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Beets & Goat Cheese Crostini at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Mini Cheese Burgers with Brioche Buns

Mini Cheese Burgers with Brioche Buns

Mini Pecan Pie Bites

Mini Pecan Pie Bites

Smoked Salmon Blini

Smoked Salmon Blini

Shrimp Skewers

Shrimp Skewers

Cucumber and Boursin Tea Sandwiches

Cucumber and Boursin Tea Sandwiches

Veggie Burgers on Tree Tray

Veggie Burgers on Tree Tray

Veggie Burgers On Tree Tray

Veggie Burgers On Tree Tray

Smoked Salmon Blini and Tomato Herb Tart

Smoked Salmon Blini and Tomato Herb Tart

Italian Meatball Sliders

Italian Meatball Sliders

S'mores cup

S'mores cup

Cheese & Charcuterie Display

Cheese & Charcuterie Display

Shrimp quesadilla bites with tropical salsa

Shrimp quesadilla bites with tropical salsa

Edamame Hummus with Tapenade Crostini for Funeral Menu at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Edamame Hummus with Tapenade Crostini for Funeral Menu at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Grilled Flank Steak Crostini

Grilled Flank Steak Crostini

English Sausage Rolls

English Sausage Rolls

High Tea Display on White Risers

High Tea Display on White Risers

Mini Scrambled Eggs in Bacon Cups

Mini Scrambled Eggs in Bacon Cups

Mini Eggy Bread sandwiches

Mini Eggy Bread sandwiches

Cashew Crusted Key Lime Pie Bites

Cashew Crusted Key Lime Pie Bites

Mini Stuffed Breakfast Potatoes

Mini Stuffed Breakfast Potatoes

Chocolate truffle brownie on tray

Chocolate truffle brownie on tray

Assorted Mini Pancakes on Slate Tray

Assorted Mini Pancakes on Slate Tray

Wagyu Steak House Bites on Spoons and Metal Tray

Wagyu Steak House Bites on Spoons and Metal Tray

Crispy Cereal Cups with Berries

Crispy Cereal Cups with Berries

Asparagus Puff Pastry

Asparagus Puff Pastry

Lemon Tarts on Tray

Lemon Tarts on Tray

Wooden Tray with Lemon Tarts

Wooden Tray with Lemon Tarts

Shrimp Cocktail Closeup

Shrimp Cocktail Closeup

Chicken Satay Skewers at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Chicken Satay Skewers at Torrance Cultural Arts Center

Asian Chicken Salad on Crispy Wonton Bites

Asian Chicken Salad on Crispy Wonton Bites

Chilled english pea soup with cucumber boursin canape

Chilled english pea soup with cucumber boursin canape

Mac N Cheese Bites

Mac N Cheese Bites

Pretzel canapes  w/ cheese fondue

Pretzel canapes w/ cheese fondue

Mini Pecan Tart

Mini Pecan Tart

Pretzel canapes w/ cheese fondue and server in black

Pretzel canapes w/ cheese fondue and server in black

Passed Dessert Duo

Passed Dessert Duo

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Mini Pancake Stacks

Mini Pancake Stacks

Crostini Bar Display

Crostini Bar Display

Yorkshire Pudding Bites

Yorkshire Pudding Bites

Asian duck pancakes

Asian duck pancakes

Ahi Tuna Tartara Bites on Wonton Crisp

Ahi Tuna Tartara Bites on Wonton Crisp

Grilled flank steak crostini closeup

Grilled flank steak crostini closeup

Short Rib Sliders on Tray

Short Rib Sliders on Tray

Tea and Orchards Harvest Buffet Setup on Table

Tea and Orchards Harvest Buffet Setup on Table

Passed Mac n Cheese Bites on Wooden Peel

Passed Mac n Cheese Bites on Wooden Peel

Mini Vegetable Eggrolls

Mini Vegetable Eggrolls

Passed Mini Sope

Passed Mini Sope

Smoked BBQ Chicken Slider on Wood Tray

Smoked BBQ Chicken Slider on Wood Tray

Passed Mini Tamale

Passed Mini Tamale

Sauteed Polenta Cakes with Mushroom Ragu and Microgreens

Sauteed Polenta Cakes with Mushroom Ragu and Microgreens

Lobster and Avocado Tasting Spoons

Lobster and Avocado Tasting Spoons

Edamame Hummus Cucumber Canape on White Tray

Edamame Hummus Cucumber Canape on White Tray

Tomato and Herb Tarts in White Bowl

Tomato and Herb Tarts in White Bowl

Welcome Appetizers Table

Welcome Appetizers Table

Mini Chicken n Waffles on Tray

Mini Chicken n Waffles on Tray

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Mini Cheeseburgers with Baseball Picks

Mini Cheeseburgers with Baseball Picks

Mini Chicago Dogs Tray Passed

Mini Chicago Dogs Tray Passed

Puff Pastry Cups on Slate Display

Puff Pastry Cups on Slate Display

Mediterranean Herb Shrimp

Mediterranean Herb Shrimp

Herb Mediterranean Shrimp on Buffet

Herb Mediterranean Shrimp on Buffet

Caprese Skewers on Display

Caprese Skewers on Display

Pecan Tartlets

Pecan Tartlets

Mini Lobster Rolls

Mini Lobster Rolls

Crostini Bar Display

Crostini Bar Display

Crab Cucumber Canape Overlooking Display

Crab Cucumber Canape Overlooking Display

Market Display with Bites

Market Display with Bites


By: Vijay Goel -- May 24, 2009
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