Choosing a New Orleans caterer can be difficult. The sheer number of caterers and restaurants that offer catering is astounding. Here are a few pointers that we’ve found to be helpful over the years:

Check with your venue. Choosing the venue first in the event planning process is crucial. Some venues may have exclusive catering partners, or some may have a very valuable list of preferred vendors, which brings us to the next topic…

Get recommendations. The best way to find the caterer for you is by word of mouth. Ask your friends and family who they may have used recently. Also, always read online reviews on places like yelp.com, theknot.com, etc.

Know your budget. We can’t say this enough times. Most caterers are very willing to bend where they can to work with your menu to fit your budget, but some aren’t and you may as well weed those out before you waste your time.

Special needs and requests. Always check with the caterer to make sure they can make those special New Orleans dishes that you’re so looking forward to or if  you have specific religious beliefs or dietary concerns those need to be addressed up front.

Eat. Once you choose your caterer, the tasting is the best part. And when your event arrives, make sure you have time to sit down and taste the food, or at the very least, make sure they can pack you a geaux-box!

We hope these tips help, but the most important fact is that you need a caterer that communicate with you to figure out your needs.