Originally published September 22, 2026. Updated November 6, 2026.

A company holiday party asks the organizer to bring several things together: a budget someone needs to approve, a room that works for the group and a meal that feels like a celebration.

Spanish tapas and paella offer room to shape that experience. You might be planning a casual office lunch, an evening reception or a seated dinner with colleagues and clients. Choosing the format first makes the catering decisions easier.

Here is how to build a holiday party plan your team can review and your vendors can put into action.

Write a brief before collecting proposals

Start with your preferred date and any alternatives, approximate attendance, location, event hours and total budget.

Clarify who is invited. An employee lunch, a celebration with partners and a client reception may need different seating, service and timing. Identify who approves the proposal and when that decision is needed.

Share dietary requirements as early as possible. If registration is still open, agree on a deadline for submitting the final guest count and meal information.

Ñora’s corporate catering services cover a range of company gatherings. A clear brief helps us recommend an approach suited to yours.

Choose the amount of service you need

For an office lunch or informal gathering, tray catering may be a useful starting point. Ñora offers pickup, delivery through ezCater and an optional tray-setup arrangement. Confirm what your chosen option includes and who will manage serving, replenishment and cleanup.

For a reception or dinner, full-service catering can bring together the food, culinary team and additional event support. Specify which services you want included in the quote.

A useful proposal should make responsibilities clear enough that a colleague can read it and understand who is doing what.

Decide whether tapas are the welcome or the meal

Small plates can serve different purposes. An appetizer selection before dinner needs a different plan from a reception where tapas are the main food.

Tell your caterer which experience you want. For a standing reception, discuss how guests will hold a drink and eat comfortably, where they can set down plates and what seating will be available.

For a dinner, choose an opening selection that leaves room for the main course. Build dietary accommodations into the whole meal.

Our tapas and pintxos article offers inspiration; confirm current dishes and availability when developing the proposal.

Confirm how paella will fit the venue

Live cooking can give guests something to enjoy together during the party. The location still needs to suit the equipment, staff and venue’s requirements.

Have the catering team review the proposed cooking area before making it part of your event announcement. For an office building, include delivery access, loading arrangements and any restrictions supplied by building management.

If live cooking is unsuitable, discuss another preparation and service arrangement. Our live-paella guide explains the experience and setup.

Keep the program short enough for dinner to happen

Put speeches, awards and presentations into the catering timeline. Name one person who will communicate changes to the event lead.

An illustrative evening might look like this:

Time	Activity
5:30 p.m.	Arrival, drinks and appetizers
6:10 p.m.	Brief company welcome
6:20 p.m.	Dinner service begins
7:20 p.m.	Dessert and informal conversation
8:00 p.m.	Guest departure

This is a planning example. Your caterer should confirm the service window for your headcount and format. Setup and breakdown need their own access times.

Give beverages and clearing a place in the plan

Choose drinks that suit your organization’s preferences, including appealing alcohol-free options. Confirm company and venue policies before deciding how alcohol will be supplied.

Review beverages, ice, water, glassware and bar staffing together. Our beverage planning article and glassware guide provide starting points; quantities should be adjusted to your actual event.

Also assign the less visible jobs: collecting used glasses, clearing tables, managing waste and gathering rentals. These responsibilities deserve space in the proposal.

Approve the complete cost and scope

Before confirming the event, review food, labor hours, rentals, transportation and applicable taxes or fees. Check payment terms, headcount deadlines, cancellation terms and the process for approving additions.

If your preferred date is unavailable, ask about alternatives your team could attend. Date flexibility is useful to explore, but availability and any price differences must be confirmed.

Let’s plan your company celebration

Send Ñora your date options, location, guest count, budget and the format you have in mind.

Request a corporate holiday catering proposal and we will help you build the menu and service plan.