Under

Tiny ToTs BIG TASTES

Pint-sized gourmets
have taken control of
the traditional kids
table. Heres how the
industry is responding
to the increased
demand for creative,
child-centric cuisine
Julie Kendrick

heyre charming, theyre adorable, and theyre the apples of their

parents eyes. But no matter how marvelously winsome those
little tykes are, there are a few things you must be prepared
for when catering for kids. Heres one: If theres a chocolate
fountain, kids are inevitably going to spray chocolate everywhere. Whether
its mischief or not, its a mess, says Maari Cedar James, Director of Sales
and Events at Minneapolis, MN-based Chowgirls Killer Catering.
Heres another: At some of those parties, if they can use it in a food fght,
they will. Let me just say, weve learned to consider the throwability
factor, because things like sprinkles can really gain a good trajectory, says
Jeffrey Ware, Director of Operations at Catering by Michaels, Chicago, IL.
Check.
So no chocolate fountains, no sprinkles, and Ill just add this nugget for
good measure: Dippin Dots ice cream is really, really hard to contain.
Every caterer has a cautionary tale or two of kids gone cuckoo. But there
are also plenty of success stories about the joys and signifcant opportunity
that catering to the underage can bring. First, however, you must become an
expert at piquing pint-size palates. Its not as hard as you might think. Im
noticing a lot more kids who have opinions about food, and who want
menus with items that are fresh and healthy, Cedar James says. Their
palates are developing a lot sooner, parents are including them in mitzvah
food selection, and are even bringing them along for wedding tastings.

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age

gourmet mini burger And

ovAltine shAke served in mini
bottles from zest kids

Photo: Rogerio Voltan

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A CAndylAnd pArty from mi ChiCAs

Crepes stAtion with ChoColAte-prAline filling And fresh

strAwberries from mi ChiCAs

Trendspotting: Sriracha
and sushi (really)
Cedar James observations are
echoed by Maeve Webster, President
of Menu Matters, a consultancy
focused on helping foodservice
operators and food manufacturers
analyze, understand, and leverage
trends. There is a big shift in the way
kids are eating, Webster says. For
younger children, traditional items
such as burgers and chicken fngers
remain popular, but there is signifcant
evidence that kids also are increasingly
appreciating ethnic foods and savory
favors, not just fried or sweet items.
Many youngsters are willing to try
things that might be thought of as
traditionally parents-only fare, such as
Sriracha sauce or sushi. When I was a
kid, there is no way I would have tried
sushi, even if someone paid me in
Princess Leia dolls, she laughs.
So is the kids menu itself headed for
obsolescence? We have picked up
on a restaurant trend in which kids
as young as age seven are ordering
off the adult menu, to split an entre
with a grownup or among other
kids, Webster says.
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Industry benchmarking information

shows that most purveyors have
not honed in on this trend, however.
When you look at year-overyear top menued items for kids,
they remain virtually unchanged,
Webster notes. She explained
that the pace for innovative kids
food is being set by higher-end
hotel chains, who have conducted
extensive research and testing, and
have based their kids menus on
those fndings. Hyatts kids menu
includes a number of interactive
offerings, like a build-your-owntaco that comes with fxings to
allow the entre to be built at the
table, Webster says. Its an activity
as well as a food. The menu also
includes a Compose Your Own
Bowl program that includes glutenfree pastas, brown rice, furikake,
spinach, and scallions to name a few.
Additionally, InterContinental Hotels
created a global childrens menu in
conjunction with child food expert
Annabel Karmel in 2014, called
Global Planet Trekkers, addressing
the inquisitive nature of children by
exploring new favors while
also ensuring nutritional balance.

At Westin properties, its Healthy

Kids menu was developed by a team
of SuperChefs that educate kids
on the importanceand the funof
eating smart.
Kids are often an afterthought,
but they really are a huge missed
opportunity, Webster adds. It
makes sense to include them in
early planning, and to offer them as
much detail as you would with adult
menus, Webster says. Especially
at the tween age, they are likely
to be interested in issues such as
food origins, sourcing, and ethical
concerns.

Kid-focused, healthy fare

Some caterers have responded to
these trends by creating separate
kids-only ventures. In So Paulo,
Brazil, chef Juliano Cordeiro and his
partner and wife Daniela Kishimoto,
owners of Zest Cozinha Criativa,
have launched Zest Kids. Its an
innovative project to serve childrens
favorite dishes, but in a very healthy,
educational, and really charming
way, Kishimoto says. We do
mostly kids birthday parties, baby

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showers, and baptisms, and we focus

on menus that please adults and kids
at the same time. Kishimoto has
also noticed an uptick in requests
for health-focused fare. We serve a
lot of baked and steamed foods, but
presented in a playful fashion.

Portable Kosher kitchen

We bring all the equipment
required to have a kosher event
anywhere, including a food truck
with warming ovens, says Chany
Kleinberger, partner at Mi Chicas
Kosher Catering & Events in Spring
Valley, NY. In addition to bar and
bat mitzvahs, the company also
caters parties celebrating the bris,
a circumcision ceremony, and the
upsherin, a haircutting ceremony
held when a boy is three years old.
We just did a bris with a Candyland
theme, with a Candyland cake
centerpiece, Kleinberger says.

them simple things like mozzarella

sticks or buttered noodles, we make
them as delicious as we can, and
ensure theyre cooked perfectly and
seasoned properly. Still, Ware says,
he wonders if clients are not giving
enough credit to younger guests
palates. I think a skilled chef can
make a kale salad that kids would
love, he says.

Dcor and more

For bar and bat mitzvahs, we
usually create a fun lounge area for
kids, with a more formal seating
area for adults, Kleinberger says.
For kids, its all about having a
good time with their friends; and
for parents, they want a chance

to relax and let loose after the big

day. Other trends include a high
degree of personalization in every
aspect of the event, including the
creation of a unique logo with
the celebrated boy or girls name.
Weve used someone who makes
wax hands and another person who
creates tie-dyed t-shirts.
As for weddings, Were noticing
more requests for kids-only tables
with coloring books, markers, and
other activities for little ones, and
even their own custom beverages,
Cedar James says. One thing she
knows she can count ongrownups
sneaking over to the kids buffet to
grab some chicken fngers. They
cant help themselves, she laughs.

Sophisticated tastes
Food stations are very popular,
Cedar James says, especially if
they refect the interests or travel
experience of the child. At a recent
bar mitzvah, the honoree especially
loved salmon, so it was served as the
main course. At another, the family
wanted to honor their Russian
heritage, so Chowgirls prepared
family recipes for the crowd,
including mushroom hand pies, bitesized savory kugel, and the boy-ofhonors favorite, which was, believe
it or notpickled beets.

Familiar and tasty

While the bar and bat mitzvah
children usually have input into
the menu for their event, kids
attending a mostly adult event
dont usually have much say, says
Ware. But even if were serving
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A dAzzling ArrAy of goodies will CAptivAte Children; from CAtering by miChAels.

Photo: Images by Phil Farber

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Photo: Images by Phil Farber

g is definitely for goudA, At CAtering by miChAels

Watch outs
Exuberant kids add a lot of energy to an event. They can
also do some serious damage. We recommend that our
clients keep elaborate centerpieces to a minimum, Cedar
James says. Decorative elements draw attention and can
incite mischief. Even the innocuous balloon centerpiece,
for example, is a kid-magnet. Pint-sized partiers have been
known to sit on balloons, pop them, bat them around
manically, and even suck the helium.

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zest kids Colorful pink lemonAde sippy Cups

Trending tastes
National trends include candy/sweets bars that allow guests
to create their own desserts, and then also take home goodie
bags full of treats. Some events include having a food truck
parked outside the ceremony location to allow guests to
grab a quick snack before heading into a more formal buffet,
or in the venue parking lot for going-away treats when the

As a way to replace elaborate tablescapes, some event

planners have reported an uptick in the use of print and
graphic elements, including temporary tattoos, printed
canvas gift bags, or customized napkins and cups.

event has concluded.

Food choices can also have a big impact on how the

venue looks after the last guest has left. If you have a
cotton candy machine, it will make a messand ditto
for popcorn, Cedar James says. Small cupcakes and
or doughnut trees are just as much fun, and do a lot less
damage in terms of clean up. And dont forgetyou have
already been warned about Dippin Dots.

Chinese take-out containers (featured on Catersources

Finally, the length of the event can have an impact on

restless kids, so its important to counsel clients regarding
the partys length. For kids events, we defnitely
recommend keeping the timeline shorter, Cedar James
says. Keep the focus on food, beverages, and dancing,
and get everybody out of there in three hours.

Chowgirls Killer Catering, Minnesota Custom-made virgin

Other top menu items include:

Zest Kids, Brazil Edamame with sea salt, served in mini
cover this month!)
Micro hotdogs with individual ketchup, mustard, and mayo
tubes
Catering by Michaels, Illinois DIY bars, including tacos
and sushi
cocktails with fresh juice and garnishes, citrus peel or basil,
served in fun cups with paper straws and cocktail umbrellas
Mi Chicas, New York French fry bars, warm cinnamon buns

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