Getting people around the dining table and creating a sense of occasion. Thanksgiving brings families across America together, so why not employees? Yes, we're a London caterer serving London offices. But hear us out on this one.
Thanksgiving creates a sense of home for your American staff and benefits your entire company culture. Fooditude has been the go-to caterer for American tech companies in London since 2005. Since then, we've learnt a thing or two about celebrating Thanksgiving in the workplace.
Now, we'd like to share what we've learnt with you.
No More Homesick Blues
According to Statista, around 166,000 Americans reside in the U.K. Some have come to the U.K. to share their talents within London businesses. Being an ocean apart from their family and friends can be tough and even tougher at a time when they'd be celebrating alongside them.
For your American colleagues spending Thanksgiving in the U.K., hosting a celebration for them is a thoughtful and classy gesture. We see it as an opportunity for a company to create a warm atmosphere that makes your American team feel valued.
Bringing International Teams Together
It goes without saying that London is international. Businesses from across the globe set up shop from Holborn to Canary Wharf. In fact, 355,000 of us are employed by United States-owned businesses in London, according to U.K. government sources.
Given the strong ties between London and U.S. businesses, celebrating Thanksgiving feels especially meaningful. Putting Thanksgiving on the menu in your workplace gives your teams a chance to get closer to their American counterparts through the festivities.
Our Top Tip: Go Big with a Thanksgiving Buffet
If you have the office headcount and the budget, nothing beats a proper Thanksgiving meal with all the traditional must-haves. We're talking the whole hog: mains, sides, salads, sauces and treats.
From our experience delivering a yearly Thanksgiving menu to our clients, we've learnt how much of a buzz the buffet creates in the office canteen. For those unfamiliar with the Thanksgiving menu, it's a time for exploration. And for those connected to the US, it's a moment of nostalgic tastes.
Bringing people together with food is what inspires caterers like us. At Fooditude, Thanksgiving has become one of the most important dates on our calendar. Roman Lovett, Development Chef at Fooditude, explains:
"As development chefs at Fooditude, we have a fantastic job getting to create fresh and seasonal dishes. There is a lot of multi-nations both employed & eating our food, and we endeavour to cook to commemorate as many of the world's biggest celebrations as possible. I feel lucky to help celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy the celebration together."
Get Inspired: Fooditude's 2024 Thanksgiving Menu
Psst. You don’t need on-site kitchen facilities or front-of-house to enjoy our menus. We cook everything from scratch in our central production kitchen, deliver the food, serve it, then pack up (like we were never there!). Here's an infographic shows how it all works.
Mains:
Nutmeg & ginger pumpkin pie, nut crumble & apple VE
Pumpkin pie V
Honey Roast Ham
Roast Turkey
Sauces:
Gravy
Cranberry
Stuffing Meat
Cranberry sauce VE
Served with:
Mash potato VE
Brussel sprouts & onion squash VE
Braised Red Cabbage VE
Creamed sweetcorn & spinach VE
Salads:
Cobb salad V
Apple, celery, cranberry & walnut salad VE
Soup:
Spiced sweet potato soup VE
Alternative Catering Ideas for Celebrating Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving buffet not your style? Some caterers just cook, and then some caterers cook what you want. If your office headcount, budget or culture would benefit from a different kind of catering, we're ready to get creative. If you fancy it, our events team are ready to talk.
Here are alternative ideas for celebrating Thanksgiving in the office to get you inspired:
Thanksgiving Burrito Pop-Up
A Thanksgiving feast, all in one hand-held wrap
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast
A cheeky and indulgent way to start the day
Thanksgiving Platters
Hearty Americana-style spreads your team can pick at,
perhaps accompanied by a glass of Californian wine?
Thanksgiving Fingerfood, Canapes and Cocktails
A chance for teams to unwind at the end of the day, relax with a drink and some light bites
Psst. Decorations always set the mood. To avoid unnecessary plastic, decorate your space with paper autumnal leaves and a selection of gourds.
Celebrate the world's best parties
Make your office menus as diverse as your teams by incorporating themed menus throughout the year. Top-tech companies (who happen to be our clients) work wonders in creating an inclusive office canteen with festive feasts running throughout the year. Some other celebrations you might want to consider celebrating are:
- Burns Night
- St Patrick's Day
- Lunar New Year
- Thai New Year
- Cinco De Mayo
- Eid
- Pride
- Black History Month
- Passover
It's a Wrap
Celebrating Thanksgiving is a chance to make your American employees feel valued. Company culture thrives when people feel seen and heard, and food is an excellent way of reaching out.
Helping clients celebrate diversity and inclusion is what we do best. We witness the company culture benefits firsthand when our clients create a welcoming environment through their food programmes. Whether it's a monthly pop-up or daily breakfasts and lunches, we can say without uncertainty that it works!
If you don't already have a caterer to lend a helping hand, Fooditude would be delighted to make the magic happen in your workplace. We're always here to chat, when you need us.
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