CORPORATE
EVENTS

Corporate Events Catering – When Only The Best Will Do.

At Left Coast Catering, we believe that excellent food and service can elevate any workplace event into a memorable occasion. When you need a thoughtful, well-organized, and impeccably executed business event to entertain your employees, impress your shareholders, or promote your new product, we hope you’ll trust us to put our creative team on the project.

We care deeply about creating a streamlined, authentic, welcoming experience for clients and guests. Left Coast Catering goes above and beyond to produce an unparalleled experience. Let us show you how we cater to business events in San Francisco according to your preferences, needs, and desires. (We also specialize in SOCIAL EVENTS)

Introduction: Our Approach to Catering for Events

No two companies are alike, and no two events should be, either. Our team knows this, and we work with you and your team to deliver a fully customized event that includes delicious food, exceptional service, and memorable elements.

We believe the best events are collaborative. If you’re staging a shareholders’ lunch, a week-long training, or a grand opening, our team will ensure your event is one to remember. To do this, we start every catering engagement with an in-depth consultation to capture your vision and objectives. During this meeting, we’ll discuss…

Once we’ve gained a preliminary vision, our event design team will get to work bringing your event to life. Thanks to our extensive range of catering and event production services, we are able to deliver everything you need to ensure your event is the talk of your industry for months to come.

We provide staffing, decorations, photography, and even music in-house, so you can spend your time with the attendees of your party or pulling together that last minute slide presentation.

At Left Coast Catering, we pride ourselves on our adaptability. Our catering team can facilitate events from casual training lunches to elegant parties and shareholder’s dinners. Our style is fresh, vibrant, and deeply service-oriented. Let us work with your team to create a unique, customized menu, signature beverages, and a beautiful event setting. We provide staffing, decorations, photography, and even music in-house, so you can spend your time with the attendees of your party or pulling together that last minute slide presentation.

Let us elevate your next event. You can reach us at (415) 934-0600, or by completing our contact form.

Event Types

We Cater Stunning Corporate Events

We believe in order to be the best catering company in San Francisco, you need to be diverse and flexible. To us, every event is a cause for celebration and needs to reflect the image and essence of the people organizing it. At Left Coast Catering, we deliver:

We believe deeply in quality. Because of that, we build all of our menus around locally-sourced produce and farm-to-table ingredients. The fish we serve is always sustainably-caught or raised, and you can always trust our dishes to be elevated, beautiful, and fresh.

Below are some of the corporate events we produce, as well as the services we employ to make sure each is perfect:

Your launch is one of the most significant events your company will ever put on. It is the cymbal clash that you need everyone to hear. We’ve catered numerous tech launches, new software reveals, and other grand opening events. Our personalized services have allowed us to work with major companies like Google, for example, to create a launch party for a suite of new platforms. No matter what you have in mind for your launch, our team specializes in making your unveiling spectacular.

Recently, we completed a product launch for a client. We had interactive chef stations in their showroom. One chef was rolling vegan sushi. At the other, the chef used a smoking gun and glass domes to create genuinely creative menu options. Our client LOVED the stations and we designed a delicious menu to create a unique, different, and interactive experience.

Open the doors of a new company, unveil a new housing project, throw an awards ceremony, or bring in the mayor of the city to help with fundraising. No matter what your vision may be, our team will help you plan and execute the perfect event. We love taking part in these special moments.

View some of our seasonal Menu samples for Launches and Openings:

Sample Launch & Opening Menus

Great companies recognize that their people are at the center of their success and use cocktail parties and other gatherings to encourage employees and shareholders to come together, unwind and celebrate.

We cater events ranging from casual to black-tie, to informal get-togethers for your workers, to networking events, and high-profile performances. Our trusted, experienced company catering team will listen to your vision and go out of its way to ensure every detail of your cocktail party is perfect.

One of our favorite cocktail parties was a cocktail reception we catered for a long term client. During this event, we offered specialty caviar, and coordination of outside vendors on-site and in advance.

Utilizing our comprehensive event production services, we met with the venue contact in advance to walk the space and plan the seating and layout. We also met with the primary client representative and his friends and accommodated last-minute requests to create an upscale, unforgettable event. In the end, our client was thrilled with the outcome.

View some of our seasonal Cocktail Party Menu samples:

Sample Cocktail Party Menus

We specialize in creating magical holiday events that are the most memorable parties of the year. Regardless of throwing a brunch, dinner, cocktail party, or wine and dessert pairing, our team will rock your party.

Recently, we held an 800 person holiday party at The Regency. For this event, the client requested passed stationary appetizers. We also handled numerous last-minute additions regarding rentals, flowers, lighting, and more. We started our planning for this event with a lengthy site visit where we walked the space. Through linen colors, flower arrangements, and lighting, we created a beautiful event around a rich burgundy holiday color theme. Our guests loved the food, and the party was exactly what they’d imagined!

Come to Left Coast Catering for professional party planning and catering for your upcoming holiday parties. We’ll design a festive specialized menu your guests will enjoy. We can support parties in-office or at a third-party venue, including our own, and will work with you to bring your event to life.

View some of our seasonal Holiday Menu samples:

Sample Holiday Menus

Board meetings, training, and conferences are essential for your company, and you can’t afford to sacrifice quality or details. With the help of the Left Coast Catering team, you can plan a beautiful event that exceeds expectations. After organizing so many board meetings and conferences, we know what our customers expect in terms of rentals, set-up, room layout, and more.

We specialize in listening to our clients needs and helping them recreate their vision. The resulting events are always exactly what the client had in mind. We offer custom menus and can accommodate gluten-free or vegan diets, as well as any other specialized menu request.

Recently, we catered a large conference for a business client here in San Francisco. To help the client bring their dream to life, we coordinated specialty rentals, identified cost-savings wherever we could, developed specialized menus (mostly vegan, but we included vegetarian, and gluten-free options as well), scheduled staff familiar with the event and venue, researched what worked and what didn’t from previous years, and helped them with the venue search. Our goal is to make the entire process from planning to execution as easy as possible for our clients.

No matter if it’s a small affair or a party meant for five hundred people, we will develop the perfect menu, design the look, and lighting to make it beautiful. If you’re hosting a conference, you know it’s a significant branding opportunity for your company, and we’ll help maximize the opportunity for you.

The quality of the conference you execute reflects directly on the quality of your company, and we want to help you make a good impression. At Left Coast Catering, we can plan and produce your entire event and make you the star of the evening.

Whether this is an annual affair or a first-time get-together, we will work with you every step of the way. We cater to multi-day training and conferences for your employees. We will deliver amazing food during the workday if you need lunch or afternoon snacks. We can also assist with all day events that roll right into a cocktail party or mixer at the end of the evening.

View some of our seasonal menu samples for board meetings:

Sample Board Meeting Menus
Board Meetings, Training, Conferences

Bring your employees together around a dinner. Whether it is a sit-down, buffet, or family-style dinner, treat them to something special. We will work with you to develop a custom company catering menu for your event and are happy to cater to dietary restrictions, menu preferences, and more.

One of our favorite company dinners was the one we created a buffet for in a CEO’s home. During this event, we went above and beyond to deliver the look the client wanted – choosing linen to match their style and home, developing new menu items and ensuring it included some of their favorite flavors, and incorporating favorite desserts they loved from past catering events that we had produced for them. This event was a massive success. In fact, the client told us, “Thank you guys so much for everything, the team really enjoyed the dinner, and it was seamless as always!”

View some of our seasonal Company Dinner Menu samples:

Sample Company Dinner Menus
Considerations

3 Factors to Consider While Planning Your Event

Hosting a memorable corporate event requires detailed planning and precise execution. Left Coast Catering offers comprehensive event production services. Our team will work with you to handle virtually every detail of your event – from the catering to the lighting and beyond.

While our team is here to provide comprehensive event support, we know that events work better when we join forces and put our heads together. With this in mind, click to explore a few elements to consider as you plan your corporate event:

Your guests make your event, and knowing how many people will attend your event is critical. While your job is to select and invite the right guests for your event, our planning will be more effective when we know how many people are on the guest list.

Not only does an accurate headcount allow your caterer to prepare enough food, but it also ensures you have ample chairs, tables, and tents for your event. For best results, send out invitations in advance and request a formal RSVP. Once you’ve developed your final guest list, Left Coast Catering will get to work planning all the details of your event and ensuring everything is perfect.

Left Coast Catering creates exquisite menus from sustainably and locally-sourced products. Our menus utilize delicious, seasonal produce while also drawing from global and regional culinary inspiration. Thanks to our extensive experience, we are able to effortlessly navigate dietary restrictions and preferences for your big event.

For example, if you’re planning a gluten-free or vegan get-together, our team will craft a delicious menu that is both fresh and unexpected. Let our team put together a selection of appetizers, entrees, and all the rest that will suit your guests.

Left Coast Catering is a full-service catering company, which means we provide everything from lighting to tenting. We can also provide photographers and all of the elements needed to make your event a smash hit that everyone talks about on the Monday after your party. Let our event production services streamline your event planning and give you more time to enjoy your function, connect with your peers, and enjoy some delicious food.

Event Services

Comprehensive Event Catering Services

We’ve already mentioned our event production service, but what else do we offer clients?

We believe excellent catering requires comprehensive service. We don’t just handle the food and leave the rest to you. Instead, we bring our skilled team in to help you manage every single aspect of your event – from lightning to music and beyond. It’s all a part of our comprehensive event production services.

Our team of event production experts will handle the planning, scheduling, and timeline of the party. Consider us your one-stop-shop for the ultimate party.

Here are a few of the services we offer our clients:

We like to go further for our customers than other catering companies in San Francisco. We do more than feed your guests. We coordinate floor plans, lighting, vendors, and more. Let our team bring in furniture, decor, and anything else you need to enjoy a perfect, comfortable event. Our goal is to make planning the perfect event as easy as possible. How can we help you?
Menus are the core of our service, and we love working with clients to meet specific preferences and requirements. Looking for a themed menu? We’re happy to work with you to create a delicious, memorable selection of appetizers, entrees, and more. We listen to our customers and determine precisely what they're looking for. In each event we produce, we style our menus to an event's budget, theme, and preferences. This means each event is fully customized, and that no two are ever the same!
No party is complete without some well-matched beverages. We like to think the cocktail makes the event, especially in a company setting. Left Coast Catering provides fully licensed bar and beverage service for your gatherings. In addition to beer and wine, we offer custom cocktail menus and can design a signature event just for your event.
When you work with Left Coast Catering, our team will provide specialty linens and tableware to make your event complete. We have the decor to match every style preference and theme. Even better, our skilled staff will set up and remove the linens for you.
At Left Coast Catering, all of our staff members work in-house. Everyone is employed by us, which means they understand our operations and standards and are a part of the Left Coast Catering family. This creates a predictable and straightforward experience for you.
Not a party planner? Don’t worry - you don’t need to be to throw a beautiful workplace event. Our team of event experts can help create the perfect party, from the floor plan to the seating arrangement. Leave it to us to develop a smart and streamlined floor plan.
Expert lighting can have a substantial impact and often makes the difference between an ‘okay’ and ‘exceptional’ event. When you work with Left Coast Catering, our skilled, reliable lighting design experts provide trustworthy service that caters to your needs. Our team can help create the ambiance you want, with in-house lighting or additional lighting.
Immortalize your big event with some high-quality photography? Looking to capture the moment? We partner with Club Soda Productions for all your photo and video needs.
Protect yourself and your event from the elements with our professional tenting services. Our tenting experts will make recommendations about the size of tent you need. They'll also develop a seating plan, erect the tent, install a dance floor, hang lighting, set up a buffet table, and do whatever else you need us to do to make your event picture perfect. All you have to do is sit back and relax.
Flowers make any event more beautiful. Fortunately, we offer a team of skilled florists who can create custom centerpieces and more elaborate designs, like floral backdrops or ceilings.
Leave your guests with something to remember your event by. In the past, we've created sugar cookies with company logos, for example, which are a great way to enhance branding identity and stay top-of-mind with event attendees.
FAQ
  • Let us know you are interested in Left Coast Catering by completing the request form including your event date, location and guest count.
  • We will contact you and discuss topics such as your taste preferences, nature of event and budget.
  • Once we have gathered your information we will create an initial proposal until we get it right.
  • Once the proposal meets your approval we request a 50% deposit  and a credit card  on file to secure our services.
  • We will schedule a site inspection to determine your exact needs. Following your event your final balance will be billed.
  • You and your guests walk away from the best party you’ve ever had!

Do you have a minimum?
Full service events start at $3500.00. This is not a package price as each event is customized but typically includes food, labor, basic rentals, production and gratuity.

What does it cost?
Great question! There are many factors that go into determining the cost of the event. Below is what we see as a typical starting point for a full service event.These prices include food, labor, rentals and bar.

  • Cocktail receptions start at $125 per person
  • Lunch start $ 125 per person
  • Dinners start at $ 175 per person
  • Wedding start at $ 225 per person

Can you provide a cost estimate?
Absolutely. In order to provide detailed cost estimate, it is helpful to provide the start and end time of your event, an estimated guest count, venue information, rental requirements, and your estimated budget.

Do you charge for vendor or kid's meals?
Depending on the offering, we will provide discounted meals for vendors and kids under 12.

What are the costs involved?
Food, rentals such as tables, chairs, linen, china, glassware. Onsite labor, bar set-up, sales tax, 18% production, administration and insurance fee.

Are there any additional fees I should be aware of?
Flowers, decor, and alcohol are an additional charge.

Can you create a custom menu for my event?
Absolutely! We will work with you to create a perfect menu based on your tastes and the format of the event while working with the season at hand

What kind of ingredients do you use?
We source sustainably raised meat and fish and rely on our vendors for  locally sourced products. Also, we make everything from pickled vegetables to delightful pastries in-house.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Yes, our culinary team has years of experience and we can accommodate almost any dietary requirement including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options

Do you offer decor?
Yes, we have an in-house production manager who creates fabulous event designs and florals for an additional fee.

What other services can you provide for my event?
Rentals, linen, decor, entertainment, band/DJ, flowers, photo booth, vallet and wedding coordinator referrals.

Do you require a day with your coordinator for weddings?
Yes, we require a day of wedding planner to coordinate the schedule and activities for the day. Left Coast Catering will handle the catering including the food, bar and set-up and breakdown of the rentals.

 Do you have a minimum number of staff required for an event?
We require a minimum of two staff people for a full service event and have a 5-hour minimum for each person.

How many servers will be needed at my event?
Typically we staff:

  • 1 server for every 10 guests for seated meals,
  • 1 server for every 30 guests for buffet,
  • 1server for every 25 for cocktail receptions with both tray passed and stationary appetizers,
  • 1 server for every 50 for larger scale events without passed appetizers.

Can you help me find a venue?
Absolutely!  We have venue partners throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. We can help find the absolute best location for your event.

If I have an event in my home but I don’t want you to work in the kitchen, can you still accommodate?
Yes, we are in the catering business and can create a kitchen anywhere. This starts with us creating the right menu and bringing in the correct kitchen equipment for your event.

Do you handle trash removal service?
We will take away any back of house compost and leftover food on full service events at no cost. If you need us to take the trash off-site there is an additional fee that varies by the size of the event.

How far do you travel?
We operate in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, however we are able to travel up to 75 miles outside the city with appropriate travel fees applied.

How much advance notice do you need for events?
We require two weeks advance notice to properly prepare for your event. This gives us the time needed to create your menu and proposal, schedule a site visit, order the rentals and linen and staff the event.

Do you require a deposit to hold the date?
Yes, in order to secure the date we require a signed contract and a 50% deposit.

When do you require a final guest count?
We require 10 days advanced notice. Events over $20,000 require 14 days advance notice.

When do I need to finalize any menu changes?
10 days prior to the event date. For events over $20,000, 30 days prior to the event date.

Do you provide tastings?
Yes, we are happy to offer our clients a tasting for events over $10k once you have received a proposal.  We charge $500 for a group of 4 people per guest, which is applied towards the balance with a signed contract.

Are you a certified green business?
 Yes!  Our principles, policies and practices aim to improve the quality of life and create  a positive effect for our customers, employees, communities, and the planet.

 How long have you been around?
 Left Coast Catering got its start working in the Silicon Valley in 1994 catering private dinners for some of the top executives. Since then we have grown into a full service catering company that has accommodated events of up to 1,500 guests.

 What is the production charge?
The 18% is based on the event subtotal. The "production, administrative and insurance" charge helps to pay for staff that handle all aspects of our business that are not at your event, (both administrative and kitchen), and the many types of insurance we are required to hold. It is a standard for most caterers to include with their proposals, but many caterers refer to it simply as a "service charge"

Why is there tax on everything?
California Board of Equalization requires sales tax on all services.

What is your cancellation policy?
If you cancel your event after the date is booked (proposal is accepted and a date is reserved) there will be a cancellation fee  due based on the date of cancellation as follows:

  • Cancellation one month or more prior to the event, a 20% cancellation fee plus any costs incurred
  • Cancellation within two weeks prior to the event, a 50% cancellation fee plus any costs incurred
  • Cancellation within seven business days prior to the event, payment is due in full

What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards, personal checks and ACH transfers

How does billing work?
We require a 50% deposit, a credit card on file and a signed contract in order to save the date. Final balance is due the day of the event. We accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash.

Are you fully insured?
We carry 2 million dollars of liability insurance and workman's compensation Give us a call to discuss your event.

 

Let’s Start Planning Your Event Today!

Now that you know how we work, connect with us to start planning your next company event. We would love to make your launch party or team building dinner genuinely unforgettable. Please contact us now at (415) 934-0600 or complete our contact form.