As a PA you can often be tasked with the challenge of finding the perfect private dining venue, with a spot-on location. Liv Rafferty, digital content executive at Headbox, has pulled together a checklist for PAs, which will make the process of finding a private dining venue a breeze.
Theme
Deciding on an overall theme for your event is an important first step. Will it be a formal affair, with a black-tie dress code and silver service or perhaps it will be more informal, with smart-casual attire and pub-style food? This may already be obvious from the brief. If not, it’s an important initial brainstorm to have, as it will help guide all future decisions.
Deciding on the theme also means making a decision about whether you want the event to be private or semi-private which will incur different costs. When considering this critical aspect, you should consider the needs of your guests. Will sensitive topics or business information be discussed over dinner, which you would prefer to keep private? Or will you be having speeches at your private event? If so, hiring a totally private dining room venue is recommended. Donโt forget, depending on the levels of privacy required, the access to the venue and to the facilities within the venue may need to be considered.
Food
The star of the show at private dining events is obviously the food. In these modern times and in the culinary hub that is London, there are plenty of options to choose from that will suit a variety of budgets. Thinking about the cuisine you want is the first step, and then you can consider what style of food will best suit your guests and your event.
Will it be relaxed and informal bowl food? Or perhaps sharing platters with various charcuterie, or even high-end oysters and seafood? Menus are becoming more versatile and itโs no longer all about your standard set meal of three courses. Instead tapas style food is on the rise and sharing plates are increasingly popular.
“In these modern times and in the culinary hub that is London, there are plenty of options to choose from that will suit a variety of budgets.”
Sharing style food proves to be a great talking point at any private dining event as food lovers get to share their passion while they sample all the amazing options. Whatever it may be make sure it suits your attendees and, although it may seem obvious, make sure the menu caters for all tastes. Vegan and vegetarian options are integral in ensuring variety across the evening without alienating some attendees. Private dining events should be all about being inclusive, ensuring there is something for everyone.
Drinks
If food is the main event of the evening the drinks are the side show. It’s your job to think about the drinks for the evening. Sometimes the venue will do the work for you and provide suggested pairings to their food. Whether it be wine, cocktails, beers, spirits or soft drinks or most likely a collection of all the above. Again, this decision and the importance of knowing the guest list inside out is your responsibility. If you know your guests prefer drink of choice you will be bound to receive incredible attendee feedback and impress your boss to boot.
Table layout
Table layout is an important step on your private dining checklist. A private dining event is quite an intimate affair. When organising the seating plan it’s important to consider the relationship between the attendees and whether or not they will enjoy sitting next to each other, thereโs nothing worse than awkward or limited conversation. So as a PA you must make sure this is spot on.
Once youโve established the seating plan you should also think about the table settings. Find out from the venue what they will provide for this is an important step in planning a private dining event. You should have your name cards and any decoration you want for the table beforehand to make the night itself as streamlined as possible.
Location
Location, location, location โ the most important thing when finding a private dining venue. The first thing to consider here is accessibility and whether or not your guests will be able to get to the venue with ease. What are the transport links like? Does it have disabled access? To find the perfect venue, youโll need to think about all of the above. Thinking about your brief and considering all the initial steps is essential before beginning your venue search.
As a PA conducting a venue search for a private dining event can be a tricky task but when you find the ideal Space, everything else will fall into place.
