Common House hosts many different types of events that can be categorized three ways: Corporate Meetings, Corporate Social and Social.

These range from business training sessions to bridal showers to full 120+ weddings.

To accommodate this broad range of events, we like to offer banquet menus (different than the restaurant a la carte offerings) that cover cocktail style events and seated, family style dining.

The CDC and Events Director should work closely together developing banquet menus that will satisfy client requests and needs!

Banquet menus should be developed seasonally (Spring, Summer, Fall + Winter) within these categories:

• Breakfast, Brunch Lunch

• Casual Platters + Boards

• Passed Canapés

• Family Style Dinner

• Heavy Hors D’oeuvres

• Action Stations

• Plated Dinner (guest count restricted based on CH location)

• Desserts

Charlottesville Banquet Menus

Richmond Banquet Menus

Chattanooga Banquet Menus (as of 06.2022)

Set-up:

• Whenever a client is ready to have a menu tasting in preparation for their event, the Director of Events will create a Tasting Menu BEO in TripleSeat as its own event.

• The client must confirm tasting menu selections two weeks prior to the event for the kitchen to prep time.

• Any dietary restrictions will be listed within the tasting BEO

• Each taster has their own tasting menu printed with a Common House pen for their own note-taking

Details:

• Portions should remain small. Just a few bites per person (including the Events Director)

• Events Director will taste the food for quality control and be able to engage in conversation about each dish

• Tastings will always be scheduled at 1:30pm or after when the kitchen is slower

Operations:

• Tastings will take place between 2 and 6 weeks prior to the event date for seasonality

• Tastings typically last 1.5 hours

• The MOD or seasoned server will take point on running dishes and informing the tasters of the dish name and details

• Same point person to be in communication with the kitchen on firing dishes to keep the tasting moving at a quick pace

• Each dish should be presented as you would at the actual event (canape on plate or board, family-style dishes to be on one platter and guests to serve themselves, etc.)

Follow Up

• Events Director will take notes on client reactions, thoughts, feedback and add all notes to the event BEO under ‘Kitchen Notes’ as it correlates with the dishes they select

• Events Director will share any verbal and written feedback to Chef

For a tutorial on how to use our event software, TripleSeat, watch this video (run time is 45 minutes).

You’ll learn how to view the event calendar, filter by month or location within the house, download BEO/kitchen sheets for event menu details, review the event run of show, guest counts + more.