Event and Party Catering KL – Chefspiration Catering
Words: Stephen Reid
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Events and parties hold varied meanings for people: a source of enjoyment for some, a chance for business networking for others. Extroverts may revel in them, while introverts might find them daunting. Guests typically relish the experience, but hosts face the challenge of meticulous preparations—cleaning, curating the guest list, stocking up on drinks, and deciding on the food, whether it’s a sit-down dinner or bite-sized canapés for larger groups. The planning, shopping, cooking, and catering the final touches—all before greeting the first guest—can be quite the undertaking.
In today’s busy world, where most couples are employed full-time, hosting can be overwhelming without household help, making it an infrequent event. Recognising this, premium UK supermarkets like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose offer ready-to-serve party fare—canapés and snacks that could easily be mistaken for homemade. This catering convenience alleviates the stress of party planning, allowing hosts to mingle and enjoy the company—the true essence of hosting.
Having relocated to Malaysia over a decade ago, I’ve longed for the ease of picking out party delights from my preferred stores. Although Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are present, their offerings are limited to non-perishable goods rather than the fresh, ready-to-eat options found in their UK deli sections.
Event and Party Catering Kuala Lumpur
Therefore, learning about Chefspiration Catering, a Kuala Lumpur party and event catering service, was a breath of fresh air. They offer personalised catering services to streamline party planning and execution.
Alexandra Prabaharan is an entrepreneur and nutritionist chef behind the business. Driven by a love for food and a belief in accessible, flavourful, and healthy eating, she has carved out a niche for affordable, delicious meals. Alexandra told us the most rewarding aspect of the job for her is the positive feedback from satisfied customers. Clients are often surprised that catered party food can be good-looking, delicious and nutritious all at the same time.
Supermarket party food often has a hidden cost to health, laden with salt, fat, and various additives to maintain its shelf appeal. That’s why Alexandra Catering’s offerings are so appealing. They provide options of full-service catering where they will come to set up, decorate, standby with waiters and clean up afterwards, or deliver ready-to-serve meals, or (in our case) provide a DIY kit reminiscent of a certain Swedish furniture brand, with some assembly required!
Embracing the DIY spirit, we chose the latter and selected a predominantly vegetarian menu, though meatier options are also available. The food arrived in eco-friendly packaging, with some items in reusable containers—ideal for storing leftovers, if any, remains from such delectable fare.
Assembly is required to ensure freshness, particularly for items like crackers that would otherwise wilt. No one appreciates a canapé with a soggy bottom, a faux pas humorously highlighted in ‘The Great British Bake Off’. This step also sidesteps the need for preservatives commonly found in pre-assembled supermarket foods.
The only hiccup was deciphering the contents of some containers, a puzzle even for us at Yum List. While instructions and a visual guide were provided, distinguishing between chopped cilantro and various parsleys was momentarily perplexing. We’ve recommended that Alexandra label these containers for those less versed in the culinary arts.
Hosting parties often aligns with having overnight guests, which presents a perfect opportunity to turn canapé assembly into an engaging group activity. It’s straightforward: a spread, a cracker, and a garnish. We breezed through the task, accompanied by a G&T—Monica, a gin aficionado, provided an impressive selection. I can imagine assigning this enjoyable task to my guests before the arrival of the main party crowd. For those preferring a hands-off approach, Alexandra’s team can also fully prepare and garnish the dishes for immediate serving.
Chefspiration Party Menu KL
The first appetiser we served was a delectable Chicken Liver Pâté Crostini, accompanied by Asian Pickled Vegetables. I was in charge of this dish and was pleased with the outcome. The process was straightforward: ‘Spread the pâté generously on slices of baguette, garnish with pickled vegetable slices and fresh cilantro leaves’, and then arrange them on one of Monica’s elegant serving platters, ready for serving. Having faced challenges in sourcing fresh pâté since my move to KL, I’ve prepared it myself and shared any surplus with friends. It was evident that Alexandra had put in exceptional effort. Her pâté’s velvety texture was a clear indicator of her meticulous process, which undoubtedly involved blending and straining it to ensure a silky consistency, free of any lumps that might mar the exquisite bite.
Monica took the lead in preparing the Roast Sweet Potato Rounds, which included layering each round with creme fraîche then garnishing them with pomegranate seeds and rocket. The slight charring along the edges of the roasted potato rounds enhanced the nutty taste, while the vibrant green rocket and the ruby-like pomegranate seeds added a burst of colour to the presentation.
The second appetiser I assembled was the Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps, a dish that’s delightfully easy to prepare. The assembly was a breeze: I started by laying out crisp, freshly washed lettuce leaves on a serving dish, then added a generous helping of the flavorful chicken larb mixture. Known in Thai cuisine as Larb Gai, this simple yet tasty salad features finely chopped chicken, red onion, and various herbs, all brought to life with a tangy lime dressing. Tucked into the lettuce cups, this dish stood out as my top pick. It’s nearly carb-free, making it ideal for those mindful of their intake, and it delivers a pleasant heat from the chillies that are inviting rather than overwhelming for the palate.
Our reelographer, Kennix, was responsible for the next dish, Gochujang Prawn with Avocado on Rice Cracker. She spread the mashed avocado on the little rice crackers with a steady hand, topped them with a slice of marinated cooked prawn, and garnished them with chopped chilli, chives, and sesame seeds before arranging them neatly on a plate. This dish stood out as another personal favourite, where the tender prawn melded seamlessly with the lush avocado, complemented by a gentle chilli warmth and the sesame’s subtle crunch.
The rest of the canapés were ready to serve; just place them into your own dishes. The homemade Roasted Red Pepper Dip, which outshines any variant I’ve sampled in the UK, is rich in taste and expertly seasoned, a welcome change from the excessively salted store versions. Adorn it with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a handful of toasted sunflower seeds for that final touch. It’s ready to be savoured with crunchy veggies and aromatic garlic flatbread. We popped this on the table alongside the Hawt Mama Hummus jars, which come in three flavours: Chili Crisp, Sambal Hijau and Tom Yam. As for the Miso Caramelized Onion Hummus, I positioned it slightly out of reach—its irresistible taste kept me coming back for seconds!
After the canapés, we chose a selection of more substantial dishes to serve hot, which simply required popping into your own dishes and reheating. The Potato Croquettes had a crisp golden Panko crumb outer shell and enclosed the creamiest mashed potato filling. It was an effort to stop after consuming two—another dish I had to place just out of reach.
Monica effortlessly transferred the Vegetable Lasagna from its aluminium container to her ceramic dish. Once baked to perfection and steaming hot, it could have been mistaken for a homemade creation—technically true, though not in her kitchen! Bursting with a rich, sumptuous tomato sauce, it would satisfy even the hungriest guest. It can also be prepared with beef, lamb, or chicken.
Our final selection included a Veggie Tagine, which can also be prepared with lamb or chicken, accompanied by a Couscous Pilaf. This dish is a robust and flavourful delight, packed with a vibrant mix of carrots, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, pumpkin, and dried apricots. Echoing the advice of doctors and nutritionists, they often suggest consuming a variety of colours for optimal health or ‘eating the rainbow’, and this dish splendidly meets that criterion.
Reasons to contact Chefspiration Catering for your next event or party in Kuala Lumpur: Chefspiration Catering KL turns every party into a joy for hosts as well as guests. They remove the hassle of menu planning and food preparation by having a nutritionist craft and deliver dishes that are guaranteed to be both delicious and nutritious. This ensures that hosts can focus on what’s truly important—cherishing moments with their guests. While Alexandra’s team is equipped to handle it all, I must say, the joy of doing a bit of the final touch ourselves was fun. I look forward to sharing it with future houseguests who offer to help—just hand them a drink and a cracker to spread!
Contact Alexandra to start planning the menu for your own party. Prices start from RM 30 per head with a minimum of 30 persons, including the team coming to your house and setting up the food so it’s ready for your guests. For an additional RM100, you can opt to have a person on site for the whole event.
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Find more restaurants in KL with great vegan and vegetarian options here, and stay up-to-date with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations for Malaysia here and here.