Best Catered Event - 2025

The best catered event is defined as an event that stands out as extraordinary and innovative (excluding weddings). This category is not an award for an event planner or event designer. The caterer should be responsible for the original menu concept, design and management of catering production. Only Décor elements that support the catering design and layout should be included. Excluding the culinary component, the caterer may utilize sub-contracted services to produce the event and achieve their design, as long as, it is the caterer’s vision that is being implemented from concept to completion. If the menu design concept is not TOTALLY yours, do not enter this category. [The Event must have taken place between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024.]

Entries should be formatted as follows:
1. Include name of the Category, Name of the Product/Event, 100-word maximum synopsis of the entry.

2. A 750-word maximum description addressing the following:
• Describe the event concept.
• Describe the menu design and how it relates to or impacts the event.

3. In addition to the above 100-word & 750-word description, please answer the following four questions in no more than 1000-words. The vendor list does not count in your 1000-word total.
• What was the overall vision and what did you do to enhance it?
• What were the challenges and how were they overcome?
• How was the event unique and well executed?
• What vendor companies did you use and what were their contributions (include their email address and phone number)?

4. Collateral to include photographs, key recipes, and full event menu. Photos may be positioned within synopsis and description texts. Maximum number of photos is 20 and they must be at least 300 dpi at 8x10. A collage may be used and counts as one image. 

Your entry must be anonymous and without any reference or pictures of your company identifiers. This is a blind judging and judges will score your entry based on your submittal only.

Entry should include copies of the following supporting documents:
• Event Contract (This is required to document your scope of services with the client. Please delete all references to charges and fees for the event in addition to any references to your company.)
• Final Menu and key recipes (minimum 5 recipes)
• All Design Production Documents

CATIES Official Rules

By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to the official rules and warrants that his or her entry complies with all requirements in the official rules.

By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted photographs/images are an original work created solely by the entrant, that the images do not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the images.

If the images contain any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the images, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the image, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph by ICA without compensation.

Winners will be chosen by ICA or judges selected by ICA, in their sole discretion. Winners will be notified by ICA. All decisions by ICA and/or the judges are final and binding.

By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive, royalty-free license to ICA, to reproduce, distribute, display and otherwise use the images in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Additionally, by entering, each entrant grants to ICA the unrestricted right to use all statements made in connection with the Contest, and the names, personal data, pictures or likenesses of Contest entrants, or choose not to do so, in its sole discretion.

Judging Criteria and Scoring Values:
• The overall catering concept: 15 points
• Menu design and how it relates to or impacts the event: 15 points
• Effectiveness of event: 15 points
• Achievement of goals: 10 points
• Effectiveness of meeting challenges: 10 points
• Recipes: 10 points
• Overall Impression: 25 points