Catering Styles Compared: Plated Dinner vs. Sharing Feast in the East Midlands
Choosing the Right Style for Your Event
The way food is served can transform the atmosphere of an event. Whether you’re planning a wedding, gala, or corporate dinner, the choice between a plated dinner and a sharing feast sets the tone for the entire experience. At Salted Orange Catering & Events, we’ve spent over a decade perfecting both styles, bringing elegance, flavour, and theatre to tables across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.
Plated Dinners: Timeless Elegance and Precision
A plated dinner is the hallmark of a formal dining experience. Each guest is individually served with beautifully presented courses, delivered in synchrony by trained service staff. It’s ideal for black-tie events, awards dinners, and weddings where precision and pacing are key.
Benefits of a Plated Dinner:
Elegant presentation: Every plate arrives as a piece of art, showcasing your chosen menu at its best.
Seamless service: Guests remain seated, allowing for speeches and courses to flow naturally.
Menu control: Ideal for events where consistency and timing are essential — no waiting, no buffet queues.
Dietary clarity: Each course is planned in advance, ensuring every dietary requirement is catered for with confidence.
When to Choose It:
Plated service works perfectly for sit-down weddings, corporate galas, and fundraising dinners — any event where structure, sophistication, and formality are the focus.
Sharing Feasts: Sociable, Relaxed, and Full of Personality
A sharing feast flips the traditional format on its head. Instead of individual plates, guests help themselves from generous platters of food placed down the centre of the table. Think roasted meats, vibrant salads, and sides that invite conversation.
This style is increasingly popular at rustic barn weddings, summer parties, and company celebrations that aim for a relaxed, family-style atmosphere.
Benefits of a Sharing Feast:
Interactive dining: Encourages guests to engage, pass dishes, and share experiences.
Abundant and generous: Visually impressive and hearty, ideal for long tables and informal gatherings.
Flexible portions: Guests can take what they like, reducing waste and accommodating varied appetites.
Memorable experience: Creates warmth and conviviality — the kind of event people talk about for years.
When to Choose It:
A sharing feast is ideal when you want an event that feels personal, communal, and filled with laughter. It’s particularly suited to country weddings, outdoor receptions, and team celebrations.
The Salted Orange Perspective
At Salted Orange, we believe catering should reflect the mood of your event — not just fill plates. Our plated dinnersdeliver precision and elegance, while our sharing feasts bring a sense of abundance and connection.
Both are built on the same foundations: local Lincolnshire produce, seasonal ingredients, and menus crafted by chefs with Michelin-star training. Whether it’s our braised beef with chimichurri or roasted beetroot with smoked feta, every dish tells a story of provenance and creativity.
Combining the Two
You don’t always have to choose one or the other. Many clients blend the formats — starting with plated starters and mains served as a sharing experience, or vice versa. This hybrid style combines elegance with sociability, ensuring a natural flow from formal moments to relaxed enjoyment.
Which Style Suits You?
If your event calls for refined timing, structure, and sophistication, the plated dinner is the way forward.
If you’re after connection, conversation, and visual generosity, a sharing feast brings the magic.
Either way, our experienced team at Salted Orange ensures the catering reflects your event’s personality perfectly.
Let’s Plan Your Perfect Menu
Our chefs and event planners will help you design a menu and service style that complements your venue, guest list, and overall atmosphere.
Explore our Weddings and Menus pages to discover how we can bring your event to life, or contact us directly to start planning your bespoke experience.
Salted Orange Catering & Events
Lincolnshire’s leading outside caterer since 2014
Email: enquiries@saltedorange.co.uk
Tel: 07792 419730
Website: www.saltedorange.co.uk