This week allowed 6 special Azubis to experience the fast-paced world of large-scale event catering at Europa-Park’s Annual After-work Party. Over the course of four days, we worked across several events, with one of the main highlights being the preparation and delivery of catering for a large After-Work Party.
What made this experience particularly valuable was that we were able to see the entire process from preparing ingredients and organising food production to plating hundreds of dishes and eventually working at the food service stations during the event.
Preparing for the After-Work Party
The first day was focused heavily on preparation. Before an event of this size can even begin, there is a significant amount of planning and organisation involved. We started by gathering and transporting all of the ingredients and food supplies needed for the catering operation.
The menu was designed to give guests several options. One side of the catering setup featured Fusilli pasta with mushroom sauce and herb-marinated chicken, while another offered Penne with Arrabbiata sauce and Sweet-Chilli chicken.
Our first task as Azubis was preparing the pasta for the next stage of production. We unpacked the Fusilli and Penne, distributed them across the designated trays and prepared them for pre-cooking in the combi-oven.
We then moved on to preparing the chicken. Six trays of sliced chicken were marinated with olive oil, mixed herbs and salt, while another six trays were prepared with Sweet-Chilli sauce.
The scale of the preparation was a reminder that catering for a large event is very different from cooking a single meal in a restaurant. Organisation, consistency and timing become just as important as the cooking itself.
We also assisted with the preparation of vegetarian and vegan options. This included cutting a variety of fresh herbs that would later be incorporated into the couscous.
Working the Food Service Stations
Once the preparation was complete, we Azubis were assigned to different food service stations. Two team members worked at the station serving penne with arrabbiata sauce and sweet-chilli chicken, while another two were responsible for the fusilli with mushroom sauce and herb-marinated chicken station. This gave me the opportunity to put several skills into practice at the same time such as food preparation, presentation, portioning, service and communication with the rest of the team.
Working during an actual event is also very different from practising in a training environment. There is a constant flow of guests, food needs to be replenished, presentation needs to remain consistent and the team has to react quickly when something changes. One also needs to ensure that you are engage positively with the guest as you serve.
What I Took Away From the Experience
One of the biggest lessons I took from these events is that professional catering is about much more than cooking. It requires planning, preparation, communication, teamwork, consistency and the ability to perform under pressure. When you are preparing food for hundreds of people, small mistakes can have a much bigger impact.
As an Azubi, experiences like this are extremely valuable because they allow us to develop skills that cannot always be learned in a classroom. I was able to see how a large-scale catering operation works from behind the scenes and understand just how much coordination is required to deliver a successful event.
Most importantly, the experience strengthened our confidence in working as part of a professional kitchen team and gave us another opportunity to understand the standards expected within the hospitality industry.
From preparing the first tray of pasta to serving the final guest, every stage of the process matters.
We wish to thank our mentor Toni Petrusic and fello Azubis Amy, Noah, Sizwe, Max and Alex and Fatima for making these four days special!
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