Blog posts from October, 2014

Spandex table covers are a fantastic way to create a sleek, modern base for your event décor. They hide a wood or plastic folding table, have reinforced feet to avoid ripping and can be washed, stored and put back on with no wrinkling. This can be a huge time saver in an industry where every second counts in getting an event together. When a business such as a party rental company, banquet hall or hotel is looking to purchase 6ft spandex table covers, one of the first things they need to know is how much they cost. Unfortunately for Canadians, there isn't a huge number of stores that sell spandex table covers which can make it hard to budget and purchase these event items. We've rounded up the average cost range you can expect to pay for a 6ft spandex table cover so you can begin the process of budgeting for your next purchase.

6ft spandex table covers come in a wide assortment of colours. The most popular colour by far is a black spandex table cover because of its versatility in working with most other colours. You can also find spandex table covers in white, ivory, blue, green, and red. If you’re a business looking to use spandex table covers for a trade show or other event, we've sold to companies who imprint on the table covers so companies can receive custom branding on their spandex table cover.

A 6ft spandex table cover, regardless of its colour, varies in price from $29.95 to $129.65. These prices are exclusive of taxes and any shipping costs that might apply. Average range for shipping costs will vary depending on the amount of spandex table covers purchased and where you need them shipped to. Budget anywhere from $3.50 - $10.00 per table cover on shipping to be safe.

Tuesday night I had the pleasure of attending my first International Special Events Society (ISES) Toronto event at the Grand Luxe Event Boutique. From the moment I walked into the room I knew this networking event was going to succeed my expectations. From the venue décor to the energy in the room this event had a buzz that I've never experienced before. The networking itself was phenomenal for an ambivert like me – who needs to warm up a bit to people before I come out of my shell. I was greeted by no less than 7 people in the short networking time available and got a chance to speak with Past President Julie Danaylov of A2D2 – Aerial Dance Cirque Company – who made me feel right at home. She mentioned that King Dahl was going to blow my hair back – and he did just that.

Image Source: MGM Resorts Event Productions Tempo NYE 2012

For those unfamiliar with King Dahl, Executive Director of Events for MGM Resorts Event Productions, he manages a 100+ person award-winning team who designs and produces 1000+ events annually with a 100,000 square foot warehouse for props, scenery and décor elements. He is an expert at taking his passion for art, design, environmental aesthetics and music and creating distinctive and innovative design concepts for thousands including celebrities in film, sports and music, Fortune 500 companies and charitable foundations. He's quite an impressive event producer and a top notch speaker.

To impart some of the wisdom he shared with us, I've compiled 10 shareable quotes for you to share with your colleagues on events.

On Hiring: “Put the right people on the bus – in the right seats of the bus” - @kingdahl

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“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten” - @kingdahl

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“The one true constant is how powerful cooperation and collaboration can be” - @kingdahl

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“Innovation comes from studying well beyond your core business.” - @kingdahl

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“Excellence isn’t a goal. It’s where to begin” - @kingdahl

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“Focus your team on 100% accountability. 0% excuses” - @kingdahl

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“Avoid OPUD – over-promising and under-delivering” - @kingdahl

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“Communicate clearly & concisely. The clearer you are with people the less chance for failure” - @kingdahl

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“Never stop learning – you will never know it all. No one does.” - @kingdahl

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“Imagine the ideas that can come from being open to new people with new experiences” - @kingdahl

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Photo Source: Buffetenhancements.com

In the foodservice industry, there are two different types of chafer pans: stainless steel food pans and porcelain chafing dish inserts. Stainless steel has long been the chosen type of chafer pan, however porcelain chafing dish pans have been growing in popularity. To help with purchasing decisions regarding whether to buy a stainless steel or porcelain food pan I've compared the two below for easy reference:

Stainless Steel Food Pans:

• Dishwasher-Safe with most manufacturers recommending hand-drying the pan immediately after the rinse cycle or hand-washing and drying to preserve the original finish
• Not Microwave-Safe
• Food Pans are Oven-Safe Up to 390˚F (198˚C) however prolonged oven use at high temperatures may cause discolouration.
• Prolonged exposure to high heat settings may cause your chafing dish to discolour. A stainless steel cleanser and non-abrasive cloth should refresh the metal
• Warping can occur if placed on cold surfaces or immersed in cold water when hot.
• Food cannot be left or stored in food pan for long periods of time. As well, superficial pitting may occur if very salty or acidic foods are left in the pan.
• Lightweight
• Generally less expensive than porcelain

Porcelain Food Pans:

• Dishwasher-Safe
• Microwave-Safe
• Oven-Safe Up to with no discolouration
• Non-warping
• Food can be left or stored in food pan for long periods of time.
• Heavier than stainless steel
• More expensive than stainless steel
• Easier to break than Stainless steel

Generally whether an event venue or caterer choose porcelain or stainless steel is a matter of personal preference of the company. There's some companies that swear only porcelain will do while others would consider porcelain sacrilege. Hopefully this comparison will help you decide what your company prefers and the benefits and drawbacks of each.

One of the most memorable parts of a guest's experience at any event is the service. Having experienced, knowledgeable, professional and courteous wait staff for parties & events can be challenging at times. Often service staff have more than one job or are students in addition to earning a living which can make it hard to always have the staff on hand required for the event. I know that when I'm looking for a service or product I always want to look for the best that I can possibly afford.

To help our customers who are caterers, event venues and party rental companies easily research and hire event and catering staff, I've researched the best companies for event staffing in Toronto.

Core Event Staff Ltd

Founded in 1999, Core Event Staff was started when the owners realized the Toronto area had a lack of reliable, friendly and refined catering staff. They have a consistent reputation of building and maintaining relationships by going above and beyond the call of duty. They encourage staff to strive for excellence, attention to detail, depth of service and quality of experience. They offer supervisors that can act as liaisons between the wait staff and your team, servers well versed in fine dining, mis en place, buffet service, or speedy bussing, and bartenders who are efficient, great under pressure and Smart Serve® Certified.

The Butler Did It Event Staffing

Founded in 1989, The Butler Did It was formed with a mission to provide excellence in service. Having provided exceptional service to some of Toronto’s most exclusive events including for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Roy Thomson Hall, they strive to create events with service that is memorable. They offer supervisors and head waits that are Food Safety Certified and servers who are Smart Serve® certified. All staff members go through a proprietary Standards of Professional Service™ program and on-site mentoring by senior staff. Continual learning in the form of workshops and orientations are also performed to continue the growth and learning of the service staff.

Nasco Staffing Solutions

Having been in business for over 14 years, Nasco Staffing Solutions is a full service event staffing company with locations in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. They have exclusive staffing contracts with 10 venues across Canada and over 2000 staff able to fill hundreds of event related roles. They offer staff as bartenders, cocktail servers, wait staff, banquet servers, coat check staff, concession workers, hosts, bussers, housekeeping and stewards. Because they specialize in the events industry, their staff have relevant experience. They also have a comprehensive and interactive training program that they run each new employee through to make sure they conform to the highest level of service.

Sammic Cutlery Polisher

Made in Spain, Sammic has three different models for their cutlery polishers: a tabletop unit outputting 3000 pieces per hour, a floor standing unit outputting 8000 pieces per hour and a second floor standing unit outputting 8000 pieces per hour that comes with a motor brake which shortens the stopping time, reduces vibrations and improves the durability of the machine. All three units are equipped with the following:

• Fully automatic
• Stainless steel exterior with a Stainless steel drying tank
• Rounded cutlery carousel which avoids cutlery jams
• Lights and sounds indicating when machine is done
• Lights indicating if heating elements are activated
• Lights indicating that the polishing product must be replaced
• Drying and polishing cycle with automatic stop after use
• UVC-ray germicide lamp sterilizes both the cutlery and the drying product

Sammic cutlery polishers are available in Canada through Permul Foodservice Equipment.

CPI Silvershine Cutlery Dryer/Polisher

Made in USA, CPI Silvershine has four different models of cutlery polishers: CDM-Star which outputs 1500 pieces per hour, CDM-2K which outputs 2000 pieces per hour, CDM-6K which outputs 6000 pieces per hour and CDM-12K which outputs 12000 pieces per hour. They were awarded the 2007 Kitchen Innovations award at the National Restaurant Association show. All four models come with the following features:

• A 9-11W ultraviolet (UV-C) lamp operating at a peak of 253.7 nm for a safe, chemical-free germicide process
• Sanitation option can be engaged/disengaged manually
• Machine self-diagnoses on start-up
• Patented stainless steel NAUTILUS tub
• Calrod heated tub provides consistent heat
• Internal timer monitors granulate change periods (Every 400 hrs)
• Operates automatically at 30-40 seconds per piece
• Quiet and vibration free

CPI Silvershine is available in Canada through GBS Food Service Equipment.