You should interview several caterers before you select the one best for your activity or event.  Ask family and friends to recommend a caterer. If you have attended a wonderful wedding or other event, find out who catered. Event coordinators, photographers and florists may also be helpful in suggesting a quality catering service.

A number of questions can help you as you wonder how to select a caterer for your wedding or party. Request sample menus from caterers before you spend time interviewing them to help weed out caterers that are not suited to your personal needs.  

Once you have decided upon the caterers you wish to interview, you should assemble some information:

First, you should be able to communicate to your potential caterers your goals for the party.

• Are you celebrating a special occasion in a warm, intimate style?
• Do you want a funky, fun atmosphere?
• Are there important clients you would like to impress?

Second, have some sort of a budget in mind before approaching your caterer.  Plan ahead, you should have your caterer minimum of 6 months ahead for low season (January - April) and a year ahead for high season (May - December).

1. When you hire a caterer for your event, you will need to meet with that person well before your event is planned. Arrange to meet prospective caterers to get a sense of whether the caterer’s taste and personality match your own.  Will the catering representative be at your event?  With Divine Feast Catering Inc. we have teams for the events and if Paul and/or Karen can not be at your event you will meet with the person in charge of your event, before your event date.
2. Find out how many years the company has been in business.  Divine Feast Catering Inc. has been in business for 8 years, but Paul and Karen's combined experience is 40 years.  Will they give out references? Divine Feast Catering Inc. will give references upon request.
3. Are the caterers you have contacted, do they return your phone calls and/or emails in a timely fashion?  Divine Feast Catering tries to get back to you with in 48 hours.
4. Will they do complimentary tasters?  Divine Feast Catering Inc. does complimentary tasters.
5. Will they customize a menu for you to suit you and your guests needs?  Do they do ethnic foods?  Divine Feast Catering will customize and create unique dishes for your event and loves the challenge of making ethnic foods.
6. "Leftover" policy when your caterer says they do not give out leftovers, it is probably that they are keeping in accordance with the health authorities policies.  When you hire caterers, they are the professionals, it is their insurance, please do not argue with them for  "Leftovers".
7. Make sure the caterer  you choose has a license from the City of Kelowna.  Is there facility a certified venue in which Interior Health inspects?  You can also ask to see their City of Kelowna business licensce and their last report from Interior Health.
8. Are the servers included in the per person price?  How many servers will be at your event?  How will their servers be dressed? With Divine Feast Catering Inc.  you will get one server for every 30 - 40 guests with a buffet or tapas style menu, our servers are dressed in uniform shirts and black dress pants.
9. Do they charge extra for cake cutting or opening bottles of wine?  Find out of any extra charges so that you are not suprised when you recieve the bill.  With Divine Feast Catering Inc.  when we give you a price this is your total price of services requested at the time of your quote.  Divine Feast Catering Inc. does not charge extra for cake cutting or corkage fee (this is a wine presentation. Only the first glass of wine will be poured, this is not a bar service).
10. Do they charge different for the children attending your event?  With Divine Feast Catering Inc. children from 0-4 yrs old are free, children from 5 - 11 yrs old are half price and from 12 yrs old and up is full price.
11. Do they charge for photographers, bartenders, Dj's, Band?  Divine Feast Catering does not charge for the other service industry people, but please make sure they are included in your numbers.
12. Make sure you have a contract that states; the menu, the price is per person, what services the price per person includes, when the deposit is required, when the final payment needs to be made and when the final number of guests needs to be given to them.   If they are asking for GST tax make sure they have a GST government number, you can call the Revenue Canada Agency to find out if your Caterer has this number or you can ask the caterer for it.

Finally, be realistic — Top quality caterers offering top-notch food and services, highly trained personnel and top shelf beverages  has a price, do not expect  bargin basement prices, you get what you pay for. Do your best to have your priorities in order. If food is the most important spend more there.