Friday, August 31, 2012

Assessing The Suitability Of Banquet Chairs For Various Events

the quality of the chair, including its design, size and the material used to make it, should always be considered.
It is common to find banquet chairs used as seats in many events. Organizers of events are seen to have preference over banquet chairs over other types of chairs in the events they set up. Aside from the fact that these chairs are known to be more comfortable than most, they can also be used in various events or occasions. It is also easier and simpler to maintain them and care for them. Of course, that would depend largely on the material they are made of. Overall, the chairs are a favorite because they have versatility in design and material used. They are easy to transport and you can easily store them by stacking them. Their transportability and portability also increase if they happen to be of the foldable design.
Events will definitely have a lot more substance if banquet chairs are used. The theme of the occasion should coincide with the design, shape and color of the chairs themselves, which is why a lot of planning should be made when making a choice of the chairs. Granted that all the features and attributes mentioned give the chairs a good image, but nothing lacks flaws. There are bound to be some drawbacks or problems, both major and minor, in these banquet chairs.
The first drawback you are most likely to encounter is the cost. If you run a catering business, or an events organization business, you will need a good number of chairs, and in a stock of different sizes and design. The cost of buying such a volume of chairs is not cheap, yet your budget will depend on the type of chair materials you will buy. An event would look really professional if metal banquet chairs are used, even if they are quite on the bulky or heavy side. You can also choose to buy plastic chairs, but they can prove to be more expensive than the metal chairs. They have the advantage of being lighter, though.
The positive side of it is they will be long-lasting business assets, which is if you handle and maintain them properly. When you have to host a big event, you will not bother will issues of hiring extra chairs if you have a good number in stock. You do not have to worry during the slower or off-peak seasons, too, because you can hire out the banquet chairs to those who need them.
As you focus on cost, you will touch on comfort and durability of the chairs. Comfort should most definitely be considered. After all, these are metal chairs we're talking about. It is no wonder, then, that cushions are often placed on these metal chairs. Your budget would increase considerably if you have to take into account the cushion covers that will have to be used. Compared to metal chairs, the plastic ones would prove to be easier and more comfortable to set up. They are rather expensive, though, and that's something you shouldn't forget. If you manage to find banquet chairs that are made of both metal and plastic, you already have comfort and durability covered. Metal tends to rust, plastic does not, and plastic will add that element of comfort in the chairs instead of have the expensive option of cushioned metal banquet chairs.
Storage will be the other issue of concern. You cannot expect the chairs to never require repairs. They become old, they get scratched and damaged from repeated stacking and storing. That is a flaw with the chairs that many need to come to terms with. You may put all preventive care and maintenance measures but still it would happen. But that doesn't mean that you should be careless in the storage and transport of these banquet chairs.
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Friday, August 24, 2012

Health Benefits of Smoked Salmon

smoked fish, including smoked salmon, could contribute to colon and stomach cancers. The good news is that the nitrates and nitrites which it contains after the smoking process are at such low levels that you would have to eat more than you could manage at one sitting for them to cause you any significant harm. It is good for you, although it is best for women past childbearing age and for men. Children and pregnant women are advised to only eat two portions (140 gram portions) of it a week.
Fresh salmon contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than smoked salmon, but as people in the West tend not to have enough of these in their diets, smoked salmon and other oily fish are very good sources. These Omega-3 fatty acids help keep the skin from aging and are beneficial for the heart and brain.
Smoked salmon also contains some of the B-complex vitamins, notably vitamins B1, B6 and B12, making it good for the nerves and bones. It also contains the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D, so is a useful way of getting this vitamin in the long cold winters of the Northern Hemisphere. It contains selenium too, a mineral which is useful for women going through the menopause, and post-menopausal women. It is also a source of phosphorus, copper, potassium, iron and calcium as well as smaller amounts of other minerals.
The smoking process, if it is hot smoked, means that the parasites which are present in fresh salmon are killed. However, fresh wild salmon is a healthier option. The problem with smoking any fish is that it contains higher amounts of sodium than fresh fish. Therefore it is not recommended that people with heart disease or high blood pressure eat this fish. One portion of smoked salmon contains just a little less sodium than the recommended daily dose for those with heart problems and hypertension. If salt is not a problem in your diet, then go ahead and eat smoked salmon (if you like it) in moderation.
Smoked salmon is very low in calories and perfect for a diet, as it provides you with protein as well as vitamins and minerals. In fact you can add smoked salmon to sauces and serve it with pasta, or simply put it on some brown bread spread with cream cheese and top it with a teaspoonful of black caviar. You can substitute the cream cheese with natural cottage cheese if you are on a calorie controlled diet.
Smoked salmon is healthy and of course very tasty, so as long as you are not pregnant or a child, you can eat it twice a week in moderation. Enjoy it! Personally I can't get enough of it!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Top Sushi Fish and How They Benefit Your Health

the most popular Japanese Food, is becoming higher in demand all the time and its easy to see why. The combination of seasoned rice married with roasted seaweed and fresh fish is not only satisfying, it is also kind to the body. Check out the numerous health benefits of these popular sushi fish:
Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna
Bluefin also goes by akami, chu-toro, or o-toro and yellowfin is sometimes called ahi tuna. Whatever you call it, tuna is one of the most popular fish selected for sushi. Its rich flavor and deep color make it an excellent choice.
Tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are shown to improve eye health, prevent cancer, clarify the mind, lift the mood, and combat type 2 diabetes. Not only that, but tuna is a rich source of selenium which helps to produce enzymes that clean the liver, helping the body to better detoxify itself.
Eel
Also called unagi, eel is commonly covered in a thick sweet soy sauce. Eel is chocked full of vitamins like A, D, E, and B. In some parts of Europe and Japan, eel is sold in pill form as a health-boosting supplement. It is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Yellowtail
You might also see this scrumptious fish labeled as Hamachi or Kona Kampachi. Yellowtail is a rich and fatty fish with a delicately sweet flavor.
This deep sea delicacy is also a better source of omega-3 fatty acids than any other fish on this list. Among this healthy fat's many benefits are helping with depression, lowering blood pressure, and battling inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
Salmon
Much like yellowtail, salmon is known for its slightly sweet and rich taste. Also, like every fish listed here, salmon is an excellent source of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that, but it is also full of vitamins A, B, and D which help to energize, boost immunity, and protect bones.

Friday, August 10, 2012

The Rise of Food Festivals in Wales

A huge change has occurred on the food festival scene in Wales in recent times. Starting with just a handful of food festivals in Wales they are now big business and have become definite dates in the culinary calendar of many.
One of the most famous food festivals held in Wales is the Abergavenny food festival. It started 14 years ago with just 2,500 people attending on a wet Sunday, it is now attended by some 35,00 people and is a firm favourite not just in the culinary world but for local businesses and trader too. The food festival brings a huge increase of trade for local businesses.
There is now a total of 15 food based festivals in Wales including Abergavenny Food Festival, Mold Food Festival, Conwy Feast and Llangollen Food and Drink Festival. A desire to know where our food has come from is believed to have increased the demand for festivals such as these with people much more interested in local produce and supporting local food producers.
All senses are bombarded as you walk along the rows of artisan food stalls and smell the aromas of freshly cooked produce, no matter whether it is a sizzling hot chilli or a traditional sticky toffee pudding. All these artisan food producers have the skill to entice customers to try some of their produce as they walk by.
Many people will not accept the processed TV dinners that have been with us for so long and are turning their backs on all this unhealthy food for locally produced fresh food from producers such as those stallholders at the Abergavenny Food Festival.
The food festival this year had over 200 producers from Wales the Marches and area close by. The Abergavenny Food Festival has something for everyone not just rows of stalls with food to taste. There are workshops for children and celebrity chef demonstrations as well as events taking place inside Abergavenny Castle. A real treat for anyone remotely interested in food and is well worth a visit, each September.
Ecat Finalists now Announced
The newly launched Event Caterers Team Challenge (Ecats) at The Restaurant Show 2012 has been announced. The Ecats was launched to bring together the very best of private event caterers across the United Kingdom. It tests them to their limits in the delivery of corporate events, weddings, outdoor events and private events.
Ecats is in association with the craft guild of chefs and this event is set to get the competition theatre bustling with expectation on the 8th October at Earls Court. The finalists include teams of 4-5 people they are from the following establishments:
Delaware
Red Anywhere
Fish Face Event Catering
CH&Co Catering Ltd
Sodexo Prestige
Purple Grape Catering
Richmond caterers
Ecats was invented to celebrate the wonderful talents of event chefs in catering, these talented chefs often wet overlooked as they do not have a restaurant or hotel of their own from which to showcase all their work. The chefs have been set the task of a real outside catering event. This event will be the perfect platform from which the talented chefs will be able to show everyone across the industry their best skills.
The competition brief is as follows:
"The catering company has been approached by a partner in a London city law firm who wants to organise a surprise birthday party for his partner in business who will be 50 years young on 31st October. As this is Halloween he has decided that it is to be themed as a black


Friday, August 3, 2012

Mobile Catering: Fast Food on Hot Wheels

a talent for cooking delicious food. It is a business that is not only very profitable but would also leave the owner enough time to spend with the family. It can be started on a small scale and expanded gradually as it starts to grow. Running a mobile catering vehicle can also be quite useful for people who for some reason have to move around a lot and need a good source of income. But like all businesses, this one also needs a bit of thought and a bit of planning before jumping into it.
First of all, it is necessary to find a good vehicle. Mobile caterers depend very much on the quality of their vehicles to keep the business running. For newcomers in this field it will be advisable to find a second hand vehicle that already has all the equipment installed. Buying a brand new vehicle and refurbishing it with new equipment can be very expensive. It would be a good idea to do a bit of research and analysis on the type of vehicle required and the most affordable place to get it. The second point that one needs to consider is, who the business is going to cater to. Festival caterers set up their stalls at a carnival, fair, or religious celebrations. They sell food items that are in keeping with the theme of the celebration. Many caterers choose to specialize exclusively in festival catering or event catering, designing their whole business around it.
Other people prefer to do site catering, crew catering or location catering. They help out with options such as feeding a security force. If there is a large catering requirement needed for a large group of people at a specific location, such caterers can help out with it. Such catering units pride themselves on being able to function in the most challenging of environments. The vehicles carry their own power, water, and their own freezer units. Many catering units are very good at hog roast which they can serve at weddings and functions, indoors or outdoors!
During the planning stage, it is important to plan the kind of food that is going to be served at the stall. The kitchen equipment will have to be chosen according to this. If the cooking involves grilling and baking, then it is necessary to buy griddles and ovens. If the plan is to sell cold cuts and salads then cold shelves and refrigerators will be necessary. The mobile catering unit wnuld also need to be equipped with coffee machines, blenders, boilers, ice makers, and smoothie machines. It would be a good idea before starting the business to conduct a little bit of research on the food. After all, one needs to know which food items are in demand and which ones are not. One should also plan on what prices the food items are going to be offered at. With the right plan, a mobile catering business can be very profitable.
Karoline Ortenza is the author of this article on mobile catering. Find more information, about mobile caterers here