A buffet presentation from myCHEF’s previous work.
The registration total is not necessarily the catering total for a hybrid workshop. Some people join online, some attend only one session and facilitators may never appear on the delegate list. Build the food brief from the people physically present for each meal, then have one organiser approve the final version.
For corporate catering in Dubai, send the agenda and the attendance breakdown together. That lets the proposal address the actual meal windows rather than assuming every registered participant needs every meal.
Start with a count for each break
Create separate columns for the morning break, lunch and any later service. Count on-site delegates in the relevant window, then add facilitators, speakers and support staff only if you intend to feed them. Exclude online participants from the on-site count unless a separate arrangement has been expressly confirmed.
Use one list for the event, with a named person responsible for updates. Several independently edited spreadsheets make it difficult to know whether a change has already reached the catering team.
| Attendance group | Question before counting meals |
|---|---|
| Full-day on-site delegates | Are they attending every planned food break? |
| Morning-only participants | Will they leave before lunch or stay for it? |
| Afternoon arrivals | Are they arriving before or after lunch ends? |
| Speakers and support staff | Are their meals included in this booking? |
| Online attendees | Are they remote throughout the event? |
Use a reconciliation, not an assumed attendance percentage
Consider a hypothetical workshop with 36 registrations. Eight are online all day, leaving 28 expected on site. Of those, four confirm that they leave before lunch. Two facilitators who are not registered delegates need lunch. The provisional lunch count is therefore 28 minus four plus two: 26 meals.
If three of those 26 people request a particular dietary meal, that normally describes the allocation within the 26, rather than adding three people. Confirm the actual menu and separation requirements with the team. This example explains the counting method; it is not a recommended quantity for your event or a universal allowance for absences.
Resolve uncertain attendance explicitly
Mark unconfirmed participants as uncertain instead of quietly adding them to a confirmed count. Ask the organiser when they can be resolved, and ask the caterer when a final decision is required for the proposed service. Any additional allowance should be agreed deliberately with its scope and cost, rather than generated from an unexplained percentage.
A person changing from online to on-site attendance affects food, seating and potentially the service layout. Record the switch once and notify the people responsible for those areas. A registration platform update does not prove that the food order changed.
Keep dietary detail connected to the correct meal
Ask which break each dietary requirement applies to. A morning-only delegate should not automatically appear in the lunch allocation. Share the minimum information the catering team needs to identify and provide the agreed meal, and use a discreet organiser-led handover where appropriate.
Dietary restrictions and allergies require a clear discussion of ingredients, preparation and service arrangements. Do not infer that a dish is suitable from its name or promise an allergen-free environment without the team's explicit confirmation.
Sign off one final catering summary
- Event date, location and the named decision-maker.
- Service times linked to the agenda.
- Confirmed people per meal, including any staff meals.
- Dietary allocations within those totals.
- Unresolved attendance decisions and their agreed deadline.
- The version approved by the organiser and acknowledged by the catering team.
Use the facilities coordination guide for the delivery and room responsibilities that sit alongside this count. Send the reconciled summary with your workshop catering enquiry and ask for any later change to be acknowledged in writing.
Prepared with AI assistance for myCHEF as practical planning guidance. Confirm the arrangements for your own booking in the written service brief.
