You’re planning on hosting an event, but you don’t necessarily have the time for meal preparation, cooking or planning for the celebration.

That’s where working with a caterer can come handy.

Regina Finn, Bon Appetit’s catering manager, provided insight into the catering process.

“Oftentimes, your caterer is not only skilled in providing you with the food you desire, but they are likely also an experienced event planner who has a comprehensive understanding of how to make your vision a reality in the most efficient, safe, effective, and stylish way possible,” Finn said. “It is almost as important to let your caterer in on key event details like guest count, location, dietary restrictions, as it is to let them in on the general vision and vibe you are trying to achieve. Chances are, your caterer will know how to get you things that aren’t necessarily in their direct wheelhouse… or, through years of networking and relationship building, they’ll ‘know a guy who can get you what you need.”

Finn said every celebration or client is unique, and every event should be approached in such a manner.

“We certainly have instances where our clients have their own menu ideas and we will entertain our client’s concepts in these cases and help bring their envisioned menu to life,” Finn said. “Some clients don’t really know where to begin when it comes to menu planning, and in those cases, we can provide some inspiration via our catering guide and walk them through the best options for their unique event and audience. We offer guidance on menu selection and production amounts.”

Bon Appetit offers both onsite and offsite opportunities for catering, and they know clients come with a range of experience in planning events.

“As long as you come to us with honesty and your vision in mind, we can walk you through the entire process of making it a reality,” Finn said. “That’s our job and we love doing it.”

Finn said one of the most important things clients can remember is there are a lot of small and sometimes unseen steps involved between the concept and actualization of the menus.

“The more information you are able to be forthright with in the early planning stages, makes a huge difference to your caterer and the overall quality of your event,” Finn said. “Even what would seem to be seemingly unimportant or minute details to the average eye, end up being very important for your caterer to know.”

Details like the average age of your guests can help a caterer know how much food to prepare, or even how long food is available at an event and keeping with food safety guidelines.

“The longer food is sitting on a buffet, the more difficult it becomes to ensure proper food temperatures and exposure times, so more expenses begin to add up,” Finn said.

Caterers also like to know details like food storage spaces available at an event space, any access to prep areas they may have and time customers may have for set up and tear down.

Finn said that Bon Appetit has catered a range of events at different locations – funeral celebrations at bars, graduation parties at mansions, backyard weddings in tents, dinners in classrooms.

“It’s very important for a caterer take the time to get to know their client, become one with their vision, and earn their trust,” Finn said. “This is the secret recipe to ensuring the satisfaction of your clients. It’s the little points of hospitality that really add up & help build that strong, loving and trusting relationship between you and the people who call you their caterer. We consider ourselves very lucky to have that love and trust in spades over here.”

Even if you are hosting an event in a space like outdoors, Finn said where a location is held is important, but it is rarely impossible for a caterer to do their job in many different locations.

“I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that outdoor events and their requirements are logistically different than indoor events,” Finn said.

Items like access to water or electricity if planning an outdoor meal get a little harder, but are still doable.

Outdoors also means more contingencies because of the weather.

“There are often cost differences between planning indoor and outdoor events – It’s best to plan your event at a location that offers both,” Finn said.

Finn said that Cornell College is one of those spaces that offers both, especially during the summer 2025 season. One of Bon Appetit’s other longstanding local partners is Morning Glory farms in rural Mount Vernon, which offers an events center with both indoor and outdoor venue spaces.

“Always keep your caterer informed and involved when it comes to location,” Finn said “We’ve seen and worked in/ under a variety of conditions and can therefore be a great asset to you when it comes to planning the overall “flow” of your event, no matter where it is taking place.”

For most caterers the biggest challenge always comes down to getting a guest count in a timely manner to adequately prepare.

“All caterers have limitations on how quickly we can change gears and accommodate for a larger than anticipated number of guests, and while we understand that last minute changes can occur, we cannot stress the importance of planning in contingency when it comes to guest count,” Finn said. “The quicker we have information, the quicker we can pivot.”

Bon Appetit’s availability is reduced during the school year, when the focus is on feeding Cornell College’s students first, but they are still happy to do the occasional event locally anywhere in the Iowa City or Cedar Rapids corridor.

“There are a couple of weeks out of the year (i.e. early October) where our time and resources are fully dedicated to the College – so contact us as soon as you know when your event will be taking place, and we will be happy to get you on our schedule,” Finn said.

When it comes to out of season events, Finn said having a couple months advance planning is helpful.

And if the event is being held on Cornell College campus, reserving that space as far in advance is possible is beneficial.

Finn said Bon Appetit has plenty of availability for catering graduation parties and weddings this summer. If you’re interested in catering an event, contact Finn at [email protected] or at 319-895-4470.