Catering Tasting in Rome: How the Menu Trial Works

In short

• The tasting is for deciding, not celebrating: bring few people and a list of questions.
• Ask beforehand how much it costs, how many people it includes and whether it is deducted from the total.
• Judge dishes, portions, temperature and service, not just flavour.
• Leave with a written menu and the agreed changes, to attach to the contract.

The tasting, or menu trial (degustazione or prova menu), is when you taste the dishes the caterer will serve at your event. It is the closest you can get to a real rehearsal before the day. Done well, it saves you surprises and helps you choose between two similar quotes. Here is how to prepare for it and what to look at.

What it is really for

A tasting answers three questions:

1. Does the food match the quote? If one menu costs more than another, the difference should show on the plate.
2. Does the caterer listen? How they react to your requests for changes says a lot about how they will work on the day of the event.
3. What happens front of house? Plating, timing between courses, explaining the dishes, handling questions.

It is not a dinner with friends. Take notes, photograph the dishes and ask about anything that is not clear.

When to do it

The timings are indicative: every caterer has its own rules. To see where the tasting fits into the rest of the preparation, look at the event planning timeline.

The season problem

If you are getting married in June and do the tasting in November, you will not be able to try courgette flowers and Roman courgettes. The same goes for artichokes, which in Rome have their season between late winter and spring. Ask the caterer how they handle the difference: close substitute dishes, photos of the summer versions, a second, smaller tasting nearer the date.

Do you pay?

There is no rule. The most common arrangements are:

• free for two people, often after signing or paying the deposit;
• paid, with a cost per person;
• paid but deducted from the total if you confirm;
• group: some caterers hold tasting evenings with several couples on the same night.

We do not give figures because they vary a great deal from one caterer to another: ask for them in writing before you book.

Who to bring

• The people who decide. The couple, or whoever signs off the budget for the company.
• At most one more trusted person. A parent, a colleague from the events office, the wedding planner.
• Anyone with dietary needs, if the dedicated menu matters. If a key guest is coeliac or vegan, have them taste their version.

More people at the table means more differing opinions, and choosing becomes difficult.

What to judge at the table

The food

• Flavour and cooking. Is the pasta al dente? Is the meat cooked as promised? Are the fried items dry and crisp?
• Temperature. Hot food arrives hot, cold food arrives cold. At your event, with a hundred guests, it will be harder: if it does not work for four, it will not work for a hundred.
• Portions. Are they the ones you will see on the day? Ask explicitly.
• Seasonality. Are the ingredients in season or forced?

Cooked on site or ready-made

Ask which dishes will be prepared on site (cucina espressa) and which will arrive ready-made and simply be reheated. A creamy first course, such as a risotto or a cacio e pepe, changes a lot if it is made to order. Having ready-made dishes is not a flaw, but you need to know.

The service

• Do the staff explain the dishes?
• Is the timing between courses reasonable?
• Is the mise en place the one you will have at the event (plates, glasses, tablecloths)?

The answers

Note how the caterer answers questions on allergens, portions, quantities and changes. Vague answers at a tasting become problems on the day of the event.

Dishes you must taste

• The aperitivo dishes served in large quantities (fried items, hot finger food, filled pizza): they are the hardest to keep good for an hour.
• The first course, especially if it is creamy or a classic the guests know well, such as a risotto or a cacio e pepe.
• The main course, cooked the way it will be at the event.
• The menu for allergies and diets, if planned.
• The dessert or cake, if the caterer makes them.
• The wines, if included: ask for the labels and taste the ones they will serve, for example a white from the Castelli Romani or a red from Lazio.

For ideas on dishes to suggest, read the wedding menu examples and, if you choose Roman cooking, the guide to the Roman cuisine catering menu.

Mistakes to avoid

• Arriving with no idea of the format. If you do not yet know whether you want a served meal or a buffet, the tasting is of little use. Decide the shape of the reception first.
• Judging only by flavour. A delicious dish that cannot hold up for a hundred covers is not a good choice. Always ask how it changes with large numbers.
• Doing too many tastings. Beyond three caterers, memories get muddled. Narrow the list first, with quotes and written questions.
• Forgetting the wine. Wine weighs on the budget as much as a dish. Taste it with the food, not on its own.
• Not taking photos. Weeks later, a photo of the dish reminds you of portion and plating better than any note.

Questions to ask the caterer

• How much does the tasting cost and how many people does it include? Is it deducted from the total?
• Are the tasting portions the same as at the event?
• Which dishes are prepared on site and which arrive ready-made?
• If a dish does not convince me, what do you suggest instead?
• Can I taste the menu for coeliacs, vegans or children?
• Is the wine at the tasting the one you will serve?
• Is the tasting's mise en place the one for the event?
• If the menu changes with the season, can I have a second tasting?
• After the tasting, will you send me the final menu in writing?

After the tasting

Within a couple of days, write to the caterer saying what you liked, what you want to change and what to remove. Ask in return for the updated menu with price and, if anything changes, a new quote. That menu becomes an attachment to the contract: the guide on what to check in a catering contract explains why.

If you are comparing several caterers, hold the tastings a few days apart: your memories stay comparable. You will find caterers who work on weddings on the wedding caterers page. When you have narrowed the list, request a quote and ask straight away how their menu trial works.