'Our event attendees can expect an attentive staff, beautiful table-scapes, a unique setup, delectable food and a planning staff that wants to make their vision come to life.' - Salem Convention Center Catering Manager, Sarah Utterback When it comes to events, whether it's formal or informal or small or large, delicious food and excellent service is a must. When you host an event with us, you can rest assured that The Salem Convention Center culinary and catering team will go out of their way to serve your guests high quality Northwest inspired cuisine, while supporting local growers and sustainability. Led by Executive Chef Tory Knaus and Director of Catering Theresa Greco, the Salem Convention Center has arrived on Oregon's culinary map! We recently asked Salem Convention Center's Catering Manager Sarah Utterback some questions about some of our daytime catering options here at The Salem Convention Center. Here's what she had to say... Salem Convention Center Catering Manager Sarah Utterback What is the most popular lunch item? Our most popular lunch item is our SCC Lunch Buffet. The buffet allows you to pair your selection of entrée items and sides with our classic salads and chef's choice desserts. This is a great option for meeting planners who know their attendee's favorite entrée items. Our favorites include the Chicken Cordon Bleu and the Vegetarian Tart with Mushrooms, Spinach & Feta Cheese! Does it have vegan and gluten free options? It most certainly does! The majority of the entrée items on our menu are gluten free. Our favorite gluten free option on the Lunch Buffet menu is the Sautéed Chicken Medallions. The moist Chicken Medallions are topped with a delicious Roasted Ratatouille…sure to please your attendees! The vegan option on our Lunch Buffet menu is a Moroccan Tangine! It is a hearty entrée that is overflowing with olives, garbanzo beans, preserved lemon and eggplant! What comes with our lunch options? All of our lunch options include Iced Tea, Coffee & Water, Bread & Butter and a Dessert Selection. What do you recommend for dessert? I always recommend having a chocolate and cheesecake option to keep all attendees pleased. These are the two most popular options that guests gravitate toward. BUT, my favorite lunch dessert is our Seasonal Northwest Berry Crisp. A mixture of fresh berries are placed in individual ramekins, topped with a crumble and baked until bubbly. This dessert option displays the flavorful Northwest Berries that we are lucky to have in our backyard and is a great option for guests that are from out of town wanting to taste the Northwest Bounty! What is a good afternoon snack? Do you have a sweet tooth? Then the Sweet Incentive is the perfect break option for you! Platters of Candy Bars, Granola Bars, Assorted Gourmet Cookies & Chocolate Brownies are served alongside an assortment of Soft Drinks. Are you wanting to keep it healthy? Try our Hummus & Vegetable Mezze! Hummus Dip, Fresh Vegetables, Feta Cheese & Pita Chips are joined by Assorted Organic Juices, Talking Rain, Stewarts, Reeds & San Pellegrino Sparkling Water. My personal favorite is our Afternoon Fiesta Break Package! Our Tri-Colored Tortilla Chips and Kettle Chips are served alongside House Made Salsa, Guacamole and French Onion Dip. Finish it off with a glass of House Made Lemonade & Iced Tea or be daring enough to mix the two and create an Arnold Palmer! (Ask about our Marionberry Lemonade as an alternative!) Do you have plated options? Of course! Along with our fabulous buffets, we offer a selection of Hot Plated Entrees, Sandwiches and Entrée salads. For a vegetable packed salad with some flair, serve the Chop Chop Salad at your next luncheon. The Chop Chop stars Ancho & Beer Marinated Chicken Breast on a Bed of Romaine & Spring Greens, Julienned Carrots, Zucchini, Red & Yellow Peppers, Tomatoes, Scallions & Cotija Cheese. Pepitas add a bit of crunch to the salad and the Lime Cumin Vinaigrette is the perfect finishing touch! When is my guarantee due? We ask that final guarantees are provided 3 business days prior to the event. If you are serving more than one dish at your event, we ask that the split count is provided 5 business days prior. This gives our Chef plenty of time to order the ingredients needed to make your delicious lunch option and allows us to schedule the proper amount of servers for your lunch! What's new? Looking for something fun and different to add to your meeting? Check out our Infused Water Station, Iced Taj Chai Tea and Iced Java Trio. These refreshing beverages can be added to any meeting, break package or meal and are sure to gain “ooo's” and “awes” from your attendees! Each event is unique and the Salem Convention Center service staff is here to help guide you through every detail to ensure your special day is everything you envision! For more information about our catering services please contact our catering department at 1-866-614-1900.
