4 Top Tips for Choosing Event Catering

4 top tips for choosing catering bundaberg4 Top Tips for Choosing Catering

Planning an event can be hard work.  Catering your event can be a daunting task! If you are in Bundaberg or Maryborough we want to make life a little easier.  We’ve compiled a list of some important considerations when choosing your menu.  Here are 4 Top Tips for Choosing Catering:

1. How would you describe your guests?

think about who you have invited… what do they like? how old are they? what is the purpose of your function? if the majority of your guest list is made up of health-conscious, dairy free, vegans we wouldn’t suggest hot finger food platters (although perfect for an after work get together).  Our Pesto Pumpkin Salad Boxes on the other hand, would be a sure winner.  Likewise, if your event is about networking then choose smaller food items that are easier to hold and digest mid-conversation.

Fortunately, we’ve be doing this for over 10 years, so our food is designed for all types of functions, guests and food size requirements!  To see our entire menu, visit https://orders.alowishus.com.au/menu

2. What time of day is the function?

Are you starting early with a breakfast or perhaps a pre-dinner drink? This may be obvious but no one really wants to have a brekkie yoghurt with a G&T! Once you determine your time of day it is very easy to narrow down your food decisions.

3. How many guests and how long are they staying?

If you are going for an all dayer, it’s important to remember you will need more food over the time.   If you’re only doing a pre-dinner drink function you will not be needing such large amounts of food.  You can see the number of pieces and recommended guest numbers on our website.  4 Top Tips for Choosing Catering

4. What is your space?

Where will your function be held? What facilities and equipment do you have? What are you prepared to do pre and post the function?

When ordering with Alowishus all your food will arrive beautifully boxed so all you need to do is open the lid.  

We hope you found these 4 Top Tips for Choosing Catering helpful.


Order Catering online Click Here

Handy tipsHow To Make the Most of the Alowishus App

 

We’ve Been Working Hard to Make Things Better for You

While these past few months sure have been crazy times, it’s also been a chance to get better and create some new ways to make dining at Alowishus easier for our awesome customers.

Some of those you’ve already seen….

No doubt the biggest change you would have noticed is the all-new Alowishus Out Front making it easier to collect your take-away coffee and food orders and, much easier to social-distance than in the arcade. In fact, if you order using the Alowishus app, you don’t need to come down the arcade at all.

Also, have you tried the new option to order from your table when dining in?

It’s really easy…

  • Find a vacant table
  • Open the app on your phone and click ‘How are you ordering today?’
  • Choose ‘Order at Table’ and enter your table number (which is on a token attached to the table)
  • Follow the instructions to add items to your cart and pay
  • Sit back and relax while we prepare your order and bring it to you

Speaking of preparing your order, you might have noticed that at certain times of day it can get a little busy at Alowishus.

One of the things we pride ourselves on is giving you fresh tasty food…fast! So, we can’t leave you waiting around for too long now can we?

That’s why we are working on a major overhaul of our kitchen to make it waaay more efficient. If you’ve been in, you might have even noticed some work going on.

But it’s not just about making more room and moving things around. We have been looking very carefully at where the bottlenecks are in the preparation process as well as revising our staffing levels so we can be even better.

It’s all about making your Alowishus experience even better whether you are looking for a coffee, a quick bite to eat on the run, or you are catching up with friends for lunch.

Come check out what’s new at the always improving, Alowishus Delicious.


Did you know Alowishus Nights Are Back!

Handy tipsHow To Make the Most of the Alowishus App

WATCH – Have you seen Alo Out Front?

Our Greatest Gelato Hits

Gelato is a bit like music really…

For some people, their choice of flavour might depend on their mood at the time. Maybe you need something deep and comforting? Or perhaps you are feeling light and boisterous?

On the other hand, some people know exactly what they like and they don’t want to try anything else.

Either way, that’s fine with us. We’re not here to judge. In fact, all of our flavours are a bit special to us because they all have a reason as to why we make them.

That’s why we thought we’d share a bit about some of our most popular flavours (gelato hits!) at the moment…

Caramilk

Caramilk is super popular right now but like many chart-toppers, we don’t know how long it will be around for or if it will ever make a comeback after its time is done.

What we do know is that presently we have to engage some ‘Covert Caramilk Agents’ around town to let us know when they see new stock come into the shops. It can be that hard to get.

Roasted Macadamia and Salted Caramel Liqueur

This one is just SOOO rich and creamy and is a massive hit with the grown-ups. At its heart is a combination of two iconic local products – macadamias from Macadamias Australia and liqueur from Bundaberg Rum.

This flavour was originally crafted especially for Winterfeast a few years ago but from time to time we like to bring it back. When we do, it sure sells out fast.

Vegan Options

Our vegan gelatos are growing in demand as more and more people make the choice to adopt a plant-based lifestyle. Our vegan gelatos are soy-based and the delightful flavours include Chai, Vanilla Bean and Strawberry.

All of our sorbets are also suitable for vegans.

What’s Your Favourite Gelato?

Do you have a favourite you stick with all the time or do you like to mix things up? Or perhaps you have an idea for a flavour we don’t have yet? Please feel welcome to let us know.

By the way, did you know we have a special website for our gelato? If you always feel indecisive when you get to the counter, you can always do your homework first.

Check it out here: https://alowishusgelato.com.au/

Check out some of our greatest gelato hits at Alowishus soon!


READ about our gelato journey.

READ about Libby’s love affair with icecream!

WATCH more of Libby’s gelato journey below.

The Christmas Story Comes Alive at Bethlehem Live

Christmas is such a special time of year and over the last few years Bethlehem Live has added another magical element to Christmas time here in Bundaberg.

Held at Central State School, just a short stroll down Barolin St from Alowishus, you could say that Bethlehem Live is like the most elaborate and realistic nativity scene ever, combined with an immersive history lesson and good old family fun.

Many volunteers come together to capture the experience of being in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth.  The streets of our very own Bethlehem Market Place are filled with people doing exactly what they would have been doing when Mary and Joseph arrived while on their way to take part in the census.

It is a reminder that the spirit and meaning of Christmas are well and truly alive over 2000 years on.

What Else Is There?

Once you are finished exploring the streets of Bethlehem, there will be plenty of yummy food on offer, including gelato from the Alowishus Gelato Cart. While you enjoy your gelato, you can take in some live music and the various displays by several community groups.

The Details

If you are looking forward to Bethlehem Live as much as we are, here’s what you need to know…

When: 17th – 20th December 2019

Times: 6pm to 9pm each night

Where: Bundaberg Central State School

For full details, visit the Bethlehem Live website at www.bethlehemlive.com.au or keep up to date on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bethlehemlivebundaberg/

Bethlehem Live is presented by the Combined Churches of Bundaberg in partnership with SU Queensland. Alowishus Delicious is proud to be a sponsor of Bundaberg’s very own Christmas festival once again in 2019.

We’d love to see you there to help celebrate Christmas!

By the way, if you find that the inn is full, you are welcome to come rest a while at Alowishus after visiting Bethlehem Live. We are open late on the Thursday (9pm) and Friday (‘til 11pm) for a nightcap or a light snack.


READ about WHY we like to be involved in the local Bundaberg and Maryborough communities

FIND OUT HOW you can help some of the most vulnerable members of our community this festive season.

WATCH the 12 Days of Alowishus for a bit of a laugh!

Creative Ways to Win the War on Waste

We absolutely love hearing about the creative ways that people use some of our ‘waste’ items. As a business committed to sustainability, it’s a relief to us to know that people can use some of the items that would otherwise have to go in the bin. Reducing our waste has a significant impact on the environment, and protects our oceans and coral reefs.

Some of the items that we give away rather than put into waste include:

  • Small plastic buckets
  • Egg cartons
  • Bottle lids
  • Vege scraps
  • Used coffee grounds

So, what do people do with this stuff? Check out some of these ideas…

On the Farm

Splitters Farm take kitchen scraps and fruit pulp to feed their rescue pigs and chickens. They also take small buckets for general use around the farm such as storing seeds and portioning out feed for the animals. Visitors even use the buckets to collect eggs on the weekend tours. Carly says she loves the sense of community created by working with other businesses to reduce waste along with the social aspect of coming to town to collect the bins.

At School

We have several schools, kindies and day care centres who use our buckets to store loose bits and pieces such as buttons, beads and eye balls used for art and craft. The egg cartons get cut up and made into everything from tiny seed planters to rocket ships. One person even takes our bottle lids as they make great learning aids for tasks such as counting and probability.

On the Worksite

We are told our buckets are the perfect sizes for tradies who need to keep small amounts of excess paint, fibreglass and oil.

In the Garden

We have several people who take our used coffee grounds to add to their compost or directly to the soil. Apparently worms love it and if the worms are happy then it’s a good sign the soil is packed with nutrients. Our buckets also get used for small pot plants. They are the perfect size to start seedlings off until they are ready for transplanting.

Fundraising

Some groups use the buckets for raffles. They are especially handy when you need several containers for multiple draws.

…and Something a Bit Unusual

One of our ‘bucket beneficiaries’ uses them in their coral collecting business. They are much stronger than the single-use ones used by many in that industry and having something that can be reused is obviously much more sustainable.

What Can You Use?

If there is something you can use and help us to minimise waste in the process, please feel welcome to get in touch so we can let you know what’s available. We’d love to have you on board as part of the movement towards a more sustainable way of doing business.


READ – How we have reduced our waste to landfill by two whole industrial bins per week!

READ – 13 Ways to use Old Coffee Grounds

READ – More about out War on Waste!

WATCH – Come along with us as we visit some our suppliers and surprise them with some of our delicious, house-made gelato – made using their very own produce.

https://youtu.be/b8CpIY0caiw

Collaborate…. The Best Way to Help a Mate

We love to collaborate with other hospitality businesses and events to help each other out whenever we can. It’s better for our business, their business and the whole community.

Here’s how we have worked with a few of our friends lately…

Our Christmas Party

When we had our last staff Christmas party, some amazing people from other cafes actually came and worked at Alowishus. These incredibly selfless people were Zac from Oodies, Bec from Water Street Kitchen and Kylie from Eleven Acres. We absolutely loved and appreciated this gesture because it meant that most of our team could enjoy some social time together.

Our Gelato

Love our gelato? We also supply it to HSG at the Gardens (and previously Penny Lane under the former owners). We even supply Gelato in the summer and Hot Soup in the winter to Bella Donna Hair & Makeup. They surprise and delight their clients with a sweet treat or hearty soup. Oops! The cats out of the bag now.

We love this relationship not only because it is a compliment to our product, but it is an easy way for another café to expand their range without reinventing the wheel gelato.

Great Neighbours

We have an excellent relationship with our neighbours at Nourish Café. It is a pleasure working together to make our little arcade a thriving friendly hub where people can enjoy conversation, coffee and fresh delicious food. We also combine to promote Cafesmart, an annual initiative to raise funds for the homeless.

Good Coffee – The Lifeblood of Every Café

No matter what else you do, when you run a café you simply MUST make a good coffee. When Cuppatime Café in North Bundaberg reached out to us, one of our hotshot baristas, Brendan, visited for a few hours and helped their team refine some skills to ensure that Cuppatime was producing the best coffee possible.

Community Events

Our staff have worked on site at various events including business conferences and trade expos at venues such as the Multiplex and Citicoast Church. We also recently supplied staff members to assist Sunrise Rotary in their marquee at Oceanfest. It went so well, we are joining forces again in 2020 to do something even bigger and better.

These event collaborations are a fantastic way to connect with the community away from our café and it’s also satisfying to contribute to having better events in the region.

Collaborate and Always Go for the Win/Win

Here at Alowishus we think that success is way more fun when you can help others have a win at the same time. Go find a mate, and collaborate!


Read more about how we support the Bundaberg and Maryborough communities here.

Learn more about CafeSmart here.

Watch our visit to local supplier Tinaberries below.

WHY – HOW – WHAT – Community & Alowishus

At Alowishus our goal is to help the local community thrive, by encouraging business, community spirit, family connections and individual achievements.

Paying It Forward for Our Most Vulnerable

Have you heard about our Pay It Forward program?
It’s an easy and affordable way to help the needy and vulnerable in our community with their most essential need – food in their tummies.

It’s Just $4
We have a page on our website where you can buy Pay It Forward vouchers for a sandwich or toastie for $4 each. On your behalf, we will pass the vouchers on to a local community organisation who will ensure they are given to those who need them most. So, it’s that easy. You buy the voucher online and Alowishus and the community organisations will do the rest.

Here’s the link to the page on our website: https://alowishus.com.au/product/pif/

But Surely it Costs More Than $4?
Well, yes it does. But we’re happy to chip in that bit extra to make sure it’s easy and affordable for people to contribute.

Who Are the Organisations that Distribute the Pay It Forward Vouchers?
Currently, the organisations we work with include:

On any given night in Australia, over 115,000 people are homeless. Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast contribute more to this number than you might think. You may not be able to solve the bigger problem, but if you can spare $4, you can help someone at least have a nutritious meal today and hope for tomorrow.

Read more about the causes we support here.

Watch the video for some background on the Pay It Forward program.

Babycino Kids Supporting Sick Kids

We all hope that we never have to spend time at the children’s ward of a hospital. But if you
ever do, it’s reassuring to know that the staff are warm and caring and the facilities are first
class so your little one is in good hands.

Here in Bundaberg, anyone who has ever been to the Paediatric Ward at Bundaberg Base
Hospital knows that we are ever so lucky to have a facility with amazing staff where kids and
their families feel genuinely cared for.

But We Need More Than Great People

The professional caring staff needs up-to-date equipment and resources to support them in
caring for sick kids. This is an ongoing cost to replace items and purchase new equipment.
To that end, a local organisation helping to make sure that the Paediatric Ward has the best
possible equipment is the Bundaberg Health Services Foundation (BHSF).

BHSF is a local charity that essentially funds items required for patient care (right
throughout the hospital) that are not provided for in government budgets. They also run
community health projects. All money donated to BHSF stays here in Bundaberg and
benefits everyone.

How We Like to Help

Here at Alowishus in Bundaberg, we support our local children’s ward through our Babycino program.

We charge $1 for babycinos and all of that dollar goes to the Paediatric Ward at the
Bundaberg Base Hospital. We choose to use BHSF to handle the funds as they know best
what the ward requires and can pool it with other funds to get the equipment that is most
needed.

How You Can Help

When you visit Alowishus to enjoy a grown-up coffee, simply order a babycino for your little
one (it’s just frothy milk basically). If you don’t have kids with you but you’d like to give a
dollar to a great cause, just let us know.

See what other great causes we support here.

Watch the video for some background on our Pay It Forward program.

Do you know your ‘WHY’?

I remember being around 13 and seeing a World Vision ad on the television.  You know one. It features a little African kid with a huge distended belly. Half naked with a face full of snot and flies, looking mournful and lost.  Even as a teenager, completely self-indulgent, I remember weeping at the thought of this poor child and the suffering he was enduring.

I’ve always had a heightened sense of altruism.  Who has ever done one of those personality tests? Whenever I do one my Altruism is disproportionality off the chart. The rest of my characteristics are quite balanced. My love language is acts of service, and when my husband helps with the dishes (which is rare) my heart sings. It’s the little things for me.

When we opened Alowishus our vision, (I say ‘ours’ but the truth be told it was Michael’s alone), the vision was to create a place for people to come and meet and gather, to grow relationships and influence our community, not just for our customers, but for our team and our suppliers also.  Our company name is Tsedaqah Pty Ltd (it has a silent T as in Tsunami). It’s is a Hebrew word that translates loosely into English as Justice/Fairness/Upright Living/Integrity/Relationship.  

 

why we started michael tracey
In the early days

“Alowishus Delicious was established in 2011 as a place to connect with family, friends, clients and the local community.  We believe in ‘keeping things local’ and work hard to grow meaningful & lasting relationships with our staff, our suppliers and of course you, our customer. Our goal is, and always will be, to provide you with great value and outstanding service. We look forward to seeing and serving you every day.”

Our Company Vision

 

Local Community

We love the local community and truly believe it is the backbone of society.  The isolation of individuals which is happening is a major contributor to the degradation of society.  We have more smart devices now than ever before and yet we are more disconnected than ever before. Alowishus exists to be a ‘porch’, a place where passersby can stop for a chat and connect with a neighbour, a simple interaction that in today’s society is becoming quickly obsolete. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpSnz0745so

Our success to date can be contributed to many things, however, one thing we do that is paramount is giving back.  I’m not sure what your beliefs are, I am Christian and believe that whatever we sow we will reap 100 fold. It doesn’t matter what you believe though, it’s a law of the universe that you get back what you give out, some call it karma.  We are born on a date, and we die on a date, and those two dates are engraved on our headstones. In between those two dates is a little dash. When I move on from this world I want my dash to represent great things, I want my dash to have impacted lives and made them better.  

How do you do it all?

I guess this is my driver to keep on keeping on.  I’m often asked ‘how do you do it all?’ Apart from the fact that I have the best team in Bundy and a super supportive family, I know what my ‘why’ is. Therefore I rarely question what I’m doing. Knowing your ‘why’ makes it easy to keep trudging when the way becomes rough. A favourite quote of mine is from Winston Churchill. “When you are going through hell, keep ongoing”. After all, why would you want to stop there?

Do you know your why? Do you want to know your why? This website will get you started

Simon Sinek did a viral TED Talk about WHY – Watch it here

Click here to read about some of the projects that Alowishus Delicious is involved in within our local community