When planning a daytime business meeting or corporate conference, it's important to have all areas covered - by both front of house and back of house staff. This type of event can be very different from - say for example - a full-service catered cocktail reception because the food and beverage may be dropped off - and the attendees and guests may be greeted by a registration staff member - but it is important to have all of these positions manned.

At a recent New York City event of this type, we had our Greeter/Registration Staff checking guests in - and our Kitchen Assistant keeping the food and beverage organized and maintained - so the event planners can focus on their tasks at hand.  We love supporting our fellow event professional colleagues!

Being in the hospitality industry, providing the best service to our clients is always on the top of our list. And as we know - details always count - even down to the garnishes at the bar. One may wonder - what is the correct way to prepare these?...

To Flame an Orange Peel
This is a technique that will require practice, but with patience, it will come to you. Remember, fire and alcohol can be a volatile combination so take care when flaming the peel.

1. Hold the orange peel between your thumb and forefinger, with the peel facing away from you.
2. Light a match or lighter, holding it about 2 inches from the peel and over the top of the cocktail glass (filled with your finished drink).
3. Squeeze the peel sharply and watch as the oils spurt out, catch the flame, and create a small fireball over your cocktail.
4. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass and drop it into the drink.
   
   

A Few Safety Tips

• Do not play with fire if you've had too much to drink.
• Make sure that flammable materials, including shirt sleeves and long hair, are clear of the flame (or potential flame).
• Take extra care if your cocktail is topped with a high-proof liquor, especially 151-proof rum, which is often used for its ability to burn.

Check out this article from The Spruce to see more!

Photo Credits: Tapuz, Inc., Getty Images

In honor of #internationalwomensday2018 we are taking a moment to really appreciate our fellow #women in the #NewYorkCity #business world - and this @Thrillist article provides a few great examples. We hope you feel as empowered as we did after reading it! http://bit.ly/2tB5CZR

This week our Sales and Marketing Manager, Nandini Austin, had the pleasure of attending this inspirational New York City event. These are a few of her takeaways from the evening...
---
I have always believed that food and drink connect people and are a gateway to broader cultural issues. Now I know it to be true. I witnessed a few weeks ago a bunch of hospitality strangers come together with one thing in common ‘the willingness to donate their time for a cause they believe -The Dream Foundation.
​
For those of you who don't know the Dream Foundation, is the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults. They fulfill final Dreams that provide inspiration, comfort, and closure at the end of life. With the support of a nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, healthcare organizations and committed donors, Dream Foundation has given life to nearly 30,000 final Dreams since 1994. Dream Foundation does not receive any federal or state funding and relies solely on individual donations and corporate partnerships to fund its programs.
 
The Dream Foundation had their premiere NYC Launch Event on Thurs, Feb 8, 2018, at the Urbani Truffle Lab NYC. The floor soon became packed as guests arrived. The were caviar demonstrations by Calvisius Caviar, canapes of mini waffles and caviar circulating, thin crust pizza made by Chef John de Lucie and delicious mini cakes by Elizabeth Hodes. To wash these all down was a bubbly Italian sparkling wine Ca'del Bosco.
​
Then the room was silenced by an emotive opera performance cellist is Joan Harrison and the baritone Ricardo Rivera. The night concluded with moving speech from the Dream Foundation CEO Kisa Heyer her team including Jacqueline Indelicato - head of their of our New York Advisory Council.
 
Being part of such an important night, nourished my soul from the inside out. I intend to donate more of my time to causes such as these that rely on the kindness of strangers.
 
For more information, please visit www.DreamFoundation.org

- Nandini Austin

Working at an event or in any hospitality type of environment, safety - for both the staff and guests - is the number 1 priority.  This is why we wanted to highlight a few very important notes to remember:

1) Have stocked first aid kits on site. Sometimes a venue, catering company, kitchen, or management team may have them - but we all must remember to keep them stocked with the essentials. (such as Alcohol Wipes, Burn Ointment, Cold Pack, Eye Pad, Eyewash, First Aid Guide, Gauze Pads, Bandages, Gloves, and Burn Free Gel - just to mention a few.)

2) Use dry rags or gloves/mitts to pick up hot vessels. Sometimes we have damp rags or towels nearby - but they will conduct heat. So when transporting a soup bain marie or chafing dish, for example, be sure to use something dry!

3) When working at a stove or fryer, always have a rubber mat in place. This will help ensure a non-skid surface, therefore resulting in less falls and injuries.

Please keep these tips in mind when working at any role in the hospitality industry - whether it's a restaurant, bar, cafe, catered event, wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, kitchen, venue - stay alert, aware and safe! Check out more tips here.

As a growing business, we like to operate as a feedback-based company - meaning that we welcome comments, both positive and negative. Plus, we are Open to Continual Improvement (one of our Core Values!), so we consistently review and utilize feedback in order to better serve our clients.

To ensure that our clients have a positive experience from both our service staff and management team, below are just a few things that we incorporate into our daily operations:

Finding the right staff members
Many of our staff members are referrals from current staff, which we feel is a great compliment! This also instills a sense of accountability among peers.

Careful hiring and screening
Our hiring process is done in several stages so we acquire the right people who align with our Core Values: application review, phone interview, and then an in-person interview. How the applicant presents him or herself, how they correspond leading up to the meeting, and of course, the information they provide during the interview all will inform us on whether our not the applicant is a good fit for us and our clients.

Mandatory on-boarding session
This session is a complete review of our expectations of our staff, an overview of catering basics, and a dress code critique so our staff is fully ready to be a successful contribution to our clients' events.

Incorporating these procedures is very detail-oriented process - but because it usually results in positive client feedback - we are happy to do so! Cheers to positive feedback, happy clients, and successful events!

Working in the event industry, we oftentimes hear the term French Service but what exactly does the term mean?

The concept arose from the elegant style of the French court, le grand couvert (the great cover) and provides a unique and personalized seated dining experience for the guest, as the meal is plated at the table - not pre-plated in the kitchen. 

Two types of French Service:

Cart French Service: This version involves tableside food preparation and assembly, where unprepared foods are brought from the kitchen to the dining room on a gueridon (a cart) and then the final preparation is completed at a side table in front of the guests. For heated foods, a rechaud would be used.

Banquet French Service: The food is prepared in the kitchen - and the servers will serve the food to guests from platters with tongs (from the left side). The platters are then kept in front of the guests to replenish.

Of course the service staff who are providing this type of service must be fully prepared with skill and knowledge to offer such a finessed experience. Typically these roles would include:

Chef de rang (the main server): Tasks would include preparing, serving food, serving the beverages, and presenting checks. Techniques would be tossing, mixing, presentation, saucing, deboning, carving, and flambeing.

Commis de rang (assistant to the main server): Tasks would include taking orders from the main server, bringing food to dining room, serving dishes prepared by the main server, and clearing the tables.

Dining Room Captain: Seats guests and oversees the service. 

Cocktail Server: Serves beverages.

Wine Steward or Sommelier: Trained professional providing wine and food pairing knowledge.

Hopefully these notes will help next time you're wondering, "What exactly is French Service?"...

Click here for more information on the topic!

Now that awards season is in full swing (with the Grammys at Madison Square Garden essentially in the backyard of our Midtown NYC office!...) and trade shows and expos in effect all year round, many event planners and industry professionals may delve into the task of finding event staff for large events. Check out our quick reference below that may help during this planning process...

What roles are needed?
For trade shows or expos (such as those at New York City venues like the Javits Center or The Metropolitan Pavilion), you may need:

Registration Staff / Greeter / Guest Services Staff   
A staff member in this role will register, greet and/or assist guests, attendees, or event participants. The suggested number of staff widely varies for this role, as it depends on factors like number of entrances and/or workshops for staff to guide guests towards, just to mention two examples.
 
Promotional Model / Brand Ambassador
The responsibilities of this role include: Creating brand awareness and positive impressions of the product; distributing product samples and promotional materials; and actively drawing in customers to an event table. The suggested number of staff widely varies for this role as well.

Coat Check Attendant
Checks in/out coats and bags for guests. Our suggested quantity: 1 attendant per 75 guests. This number of course will change according to seasons, type of event, and venue needs.

When a large event is catered and/or serving food and beverages, our go-tos are:

Captain (Catering / Bar / Venue)
Assists with overseeing timeline, service, staff, menu execution, rental details, floor plan details, etc.  Follow the finalized catering plan. Alongside/directed by event planner/caterer, etc.; Assists with managing staff. Our suggested quantity: 1 Captain per 25 guests. 

Server / Waiter
Assists with floor plan set-up and break-down of catering rentals ordered for the event; Serve and bus according to finalized catering plan. Suggested quantity: 1 Server per 25 guests. 

Bartender
Makes drinks for guests per finalized catering plan; Set up/break down bar(s). Suggested quantity: 1 Bartender per 50 guests. 

Bar Back
Assists set up/break down of bar(s); Replenishes bar during event. Suggested quantity: 1 Bar Back per 75 guests. 

Sanit / Porter / Bathroom Attendant
Responsible for rental organization, sanitation, cleaning and / or restocking restroom amenities. Suggested quantity: 1 Porter per 75 guests. 

We hope this quick reference helps as your planning is underway. If you have any event staffing questions at all, feel free to reach out to us at info@tapuzstaffingnyc.com - we're happy to be your event staffing resource!

Indulging during the holidays is one of the fun parts of the season! But sometimes it feels good to take a little breather from the event planning and party hopping. While we are event professionals - not medical professionals - we wanted to share the info on this soothing hot beverage that really hits the spot - especially during the days after Christmas and before New Years. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 squeezed lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh or powdered ginger
• 1/2 liter of boiling water

Preparation:

• If your ginger is fresh, chop it finely
• Pour the ginger and the cinnamon into 1/2 liter of boiling water
• Let infuse 30 minutes
• Pour the lemon juice

Our tips:
​

• Drink before each meal
• Great hot or cold
• For a sweeter flavor, try agave syrup or honey
  
  

10 reasons to try:
​

1. Ginger contains manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, and vitamins B (and C for fresh ginger).
2. Ginger aids digestion.
3. Ginger helps to fight heartburn and relieve gastric reflux.
4. Cinnamon is also rich in manganese, calcium, iron, minerals and vitamins.
5. It is a good stimulus for the immune system and a good fighter against cholesterol.
6. Cinnamon is also an effective intestinal anti-inflammatory to regulate the digestive system and protect the stomach.
7. Lemon is rich in vitamins C, vitamins B, minerals and trace elements like copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and calcium.
8. Has antioxidants which helps to detoxify the body.
9. Lemon is an ally for the digestion and healing of the skin.
10. The three ingredients help you to avoid winter illnesses such as cold and flu.

The event industry is definitely a business where time is of the essence and being on time means being early. We therefore we depend upon many resources to ensure that we are present and accounted for at call time. A few of these resources are navigation apps, like Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps, which suggest shortcuts for commuters driving from Point A to Point B.

When we heard the news that the New Jersey borough of Leonia’s police force will close 60 streets to all drivers aside from residents and people employed in the borough during the morning and afternoon rush periods to fight back against congestion in mid-January 2018 - it really caught our eye. Read the New York Times article here.

When planning an event to launch a new brand or product, there are many variables to consider: venue, decor, catering menu, beverages, and staff - just to name a few. During this phase, you may wonder if hiring a Brand Ambassador is important. Our staff provided this service at a recent brand launch in New York City, where they encouraged guests to get involved with interactive stations throughout the event, kept the energy up - and made sure to spread the word about the new brand.

So what does a Brand Ambassador do at an event?

• Creates brand awareness and positive impressions of the product
• Distributes product samples and promotional materials
• Actively draws in customers to an event table
• Generates brand awareness and positive product impressions to increase sales
• ​Stimulates interest in products
• Engages with guests, answers questions and provides information

What are the characteristics of a Brand Ambassador?

• Ability to be independent and manage oneself
• Energetic
• Well spoken, confident and comfortable working with a variety of customers

So perhaps the next time you are hosting or planning a product launch, you may want to consider a Brand Ambassador - they may be just the right final touch for the event to get give your brand awareness a jumpstart!

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with peace, joy & happiness!

FORMAL:
Service Plate: This large plate, also called a charger, serves as an underplate for the plate holding the first course, which will be brought to the table. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains in place for any other courses, such as a soup course, until the plate holding the entrée is served, at which point the two plates are exchanged. The charger may serve as the underplate for several courses which precede the entrée.

Butter Plate: The small butter plate is placed above the forks at the left of the place setting.

Dinner Fork: The largest of the forks, also called the place fork, is placed on the left of the plate. Other smaller forks for other courses are arranged to the left or right of the dinner fork, according to when they will be used.

Salad Fork: If the salad is served after the entrée, the small salad fork is placed to the right of the dinner fork, next to the plate. If the salad is to be served first, and fish second, then the forks would be arranged (left to right): salad fork, fish fork, dinner fork.

Dinner Knife: The large dinner knife is placed to the right of the dinner plate.

Soup Spoon: If soup or fruit is served as a first course, then the accompanying spoon goes to the right of the knives.

Butter Knife: The small spreader is paced diagonally on top of the butter plate, handle on the right and blade down.

Glasses: These are placed on the right, above the knives and spoons. They can number up to five and are placed in the order they will be used. When there are more than three glasses, they can be arranged with smaller glasses in front. The water glass is placed directly above the knives. Just to the right are placed a red or white wine glass. Glasses used for a particular course are removed at the end of the course.

Napkin: The napkin is placed on top of the charger (if one is used) or in the space for the plate. It can also go to the left of the forks, or under the forks if space is tight.
-----
​
Credit: EmilyPost.Com

​When it comes to our staff working at events, safety is a top priority for us! Whether it's reminding everyone to say "behind you" when walking through a kitchen or work area or using the proper approach to cleaning up broken glass, most tasks in an event setting have a set of systematic guidelines in which to follow to ensure that the staff and guests are all safe - and this includes the use of chafing dishes and sternos. 

Chafing dishes are the heating vessels in which food is kept warm during service. The are very often ornate and pretty - but must be handled with care - especially the sternos that are below. Keep the below tips in mind while working with this equipment:

How to set up a chafing dish:

• Place the base in exactly the position which you intend to use it.
• Remove the sterno can lid and set sterno in place under chafing dish. Place the lid over the top to control heat during service.
• Place the empty water pan in the stand and check that it is secure.
• Fill the water pan with approximately one inch of boiling water.
• Light the sterno with a stick lighter, taking care to keep your hand away from the flame.
• Place the hot food pan on top of the water pan and close the lid.

Maintaining while in use:

• Occasionally stir the food to make sure the bottom does not burn and ensure even cooking.
• When it comes time to add more sterno, the old burners may be hot so use tongs to take them out. Typically a sterno will burn 1½ to 2 hours, slightly faster if they are outside.
• Use an oven mitt to tilt/lift up one side of the chafer, it you hear a sizzle, add water to the water pan.
• The lid should remain on the chafer while the food is not being served.
• If you think you food is getting too hot, use only one sterno.

Important to keep in mind:

• Do not leave an open flame unattended
• Never use chafers without water in the water pan
• Open the lid carefully so that rising steam does not burn your face or hands 

• Never transfer the water pan while the water is hot. Fill with boiling water and allow to cool before disposing of contents.
• Allow fuel canisters to completely cool before removing from holders.
• Extinguish the burners before cleaning up or moving dishes. This can be done by simply putting the lid over the flame, using a large serving spoon, or the bottom of a previously extinguished (and cooled) sterno can.

Photo Credit: www.silentcapturephoto.com
---
It's that time of the year! Post-Thanksgiving and Pre-New Years and holiday parties are the place to be! Our server and bartending staff had a great time passing hors d'oeuvres and pouring libations to keep the good cheer going at a recent New York City cocktail reception.

When planning for these events, a host may wonder how much food and beverage is the right amount to serve. Below are a few of our quick tips:

Food
Outside of typical meal hours
5-6 types of hors d'oeuvres; Plan on each guest eating 1 or 2 of each.

During typical meal hours
8-10 types of hors d'oeuvres; Plan on each guest eating 2 or 3 of each.

Drinks
• Each guest will drink an average of 2 drinks the first hour; and 1 each hour thereafter.

• A one-liter bottle of alcohol yields approximately 22 mixed drinks.

• To accommodate any non-cocktail drinkers, estimate one bottle of wine per 8 guests.
​
• One 750-ml bottle of Champagne fills six regular Champagne glasses. The amounts listed in the chart below account for how much Champagne guests will drink from the bar. If you plan to have a Champagne toast, you will need to purchase additional bottles—you only need to pour about a third of a glass for a toast, so plan on 1 bottle for every 10 guests.

• Garnishes: Plan on a 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime and two each of olives, cherries, and onions per guest. This means that if you have 24 guests, you'll need at least 12 lemons and 12 limes plus 48 each of olives, cherries, and onions.

• Plan on one and a half pounds of ice per person. This will provide enough ice for drinks as well as any ice baths for wine or beer.

Well, it's Thanksgiving time and you may still be recovering from either too much Thanksgiving Day food or family - or both! Now that the weekend is upon us, you may be wondering what else is going on aside from food comas and binge-watching Netflix faves (not that either of those are too bad though, come to think of it!...) Below is a list of our Top 5 Picks for this weekend if you are feeling like getting out and about in New York City. Whatever you may choose - we hope you enjoy yourself during this festive time of year!

Just as many of our fellow colleagues may feel, we take great pride in our work in the event industry. Finding just the right service staff for each of our clients' events motivates us to keep going. Making our clients happy and hearing positive feedback after an event inspires us even more! Many thanks to this particular client for leaving a Google review when he needed a few extra hands for his private dinner.

"As a chef and business owner, having a good team is essential for me. I recently produced a private event and needed some additional hands. I reached out to Tapuz for a few extra cooks and some servers. Everyone showed up on time and ready for action. I will absolutely call them again next time I need any event staff!"

Looking forward to many more events together in the future!

Have you used our services and had a good experience as well?
Click here to let us know!

We were just taking a moment to appreciate our multi-talented team! With this particular staff member, juggling happened to be on his list of skills and strengths. Although definitely not a requirement to be on our roster, it certainly is entertaining - especially during our day at the Biz Bash Event Expo at the New York City Javits Center!

Working in the event industry is fast-paced -- and that's why we love it! But even though things around us are happening quickly, we can't forget about safety. One of the most common mistakes while working at an event is lifting something incorrectly, which unfortunately can result in a serious back injury. Since our industry is so physical, we definitely do not want this to happen!

A few pointers to keep in mind:

Do not:

• Bend at the waist
  ​

Do:

• Squat
• Lift
• Keep back straight
• Use legs (!)
• Hold load close 

​Mulled Wine With Cranberries and Rosemary
1 bottle red wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brandy
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole allspice berries
4 star anise
1/2 tsp whole cloves
5 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the back of a spoon to expose the seeds
1/2 vanilla bean, slit down the center (if you save pods this is a good time to reuse one)
grated fresh nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)
8 clementines, cut in half (remove any seeds)
cinnamon stick and star anise
1/2 cup whole fresh cranberries
5 sprigs fresh rosemary

Put the water and sugar in the crock pot and turn on high. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Juice 4 of the clementines and add to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat until the wine just gets to a simmer. Then turn the dial to the 'keep warm' setting and let it sit for about 30 minutes before serving. You can strain the wine before serving, or not. garnish each glass with a sprig of rosemary and a few cranberries.
theviewfromgreatisland.com

Earl Grey Hot Toddy
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1-2 oz of your favorite bourbon
4 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp of honey (more if you want it a little sweeter)

Put the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the water from the heat, add in the tea bags and cover. Allow the tea to steep for about 3-5 minutes. After a few minutes, pour in the lemon juice and mix in the honey. Add 1/2-1 oz of the bourbon to two coffee mugs, pour the tea mixture over each. Garnish with a slice of lemon. carolinagirlcooks.com

Hot Pumpkin Buttered Rum
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup dark spiced rum
3 cups boiling water

Beat butter, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree in a blender on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Whisk together 2 tablespoons spiced pumpkin butter with 2 ounces dark rum in each of 4 heatproof glasses. Pour ¾ cup boiling water over each, and stir. Serve warm and enjoy! dineanddish.net

​Maple-Bourbon Chai Tea Toddy
6 ounces steaming hot water
2 chai tea bags
3 ounces Knob Creek Maple Bourbon
1 ounce half-and-half
Cinnamon stick for garnish

Pour the steaming water over the chai tea bags in a heatproof mug. Let steep for 3 minutes, then remove the tea bags. Add the maple bourbon and half-and-half and stir to combine. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. thekitchn.com

Bourbon-Spiked White Hot Chocolate
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 ounce Bourbon
​
In a saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the milk, whisking often (about 3 minutes). Once melted, add the rest of the milk, the pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spice and stir vigorously to incorporate. Pour a small amount of the hot chocolate into two serving glasses, add one ounce of Kahlua OR one-half ounce of bourbon (bourbon is much stronger in taste). Top off with hot chocolate, stir and then top with whipped cream, caramel sauce and more pumpkin pie spice. Use non-dairy milk and non-dairy white chocolate to make this recipe vegan friendly! minimalistbaker.com