By the time the directors arrive, the table should be ready. Water is poured, glasses are in place and there is room for the papers that may still be needed. None of this requires ceremony. It requires knowing how the room will be used.
Start with the room, not the menu
For a law firm or a board meeting in Madrid, lunch often takes place on the premises. It might be served in a boardroom, a private dining room or a meeting space temporarily arranged for the occasion. Each calls for a different approach.
Before planning the food, I establish whether business will continue throughout lunch, how people will be seated and whether staff can enter without disturbing the discussion. I also check the practicalities: access, preparation space, refrigeration and the appliances available. An office kitchen is not necessarily equipped to finish a restaurant-style service.
Food that lets people get on with business
A dish can be beautifully cooked and still be wrong for a boardroom. Fish that needs picking through, awkward garnishes and food that demands an explanation can all get in the way. I favour clear flavours, manageable portions and dishes designed to arrive at the right temperature.
Seasonal produce remains central to the menu. A carefully reduced stock may sit alongside a piece of fish and vegetables cooked separately to preserve their character. Fermentation, curing and small amounts of Gárum Botánico sometimes bring the final depth to a sauce. Gárum Sociorum is used where it genuinely belongs. The technique is part of the cooking; it need not become part of the meeting.
Work to the meeting's timetable
A board meeting may overrun. The agreed lunch time is therefore a window rather than a cue to carry food into the room regardless of what is happening. I establish who will give the signal, how much flexibility the menu allows and whether courses should be kept to a minimum.
One point of contact makes a difference. This may be an executive assistant, a company secretary or a member of the office team. We settle the guest count, dietary requirements, access arrangements and service plan in advance. If numbers or timings change, we assess what can reasonably be adjusted.
Privacy is a practical requirement
I do not need to know what the directors are discussing. I need to know when to enter, when to leave and how the room should be restored afterwards. Information shared for planning is handled discreetly. Any particular confidentiality provisions should be agreed before the engagement.
I lead the cooking myself. Where a separate front-of-house presence is required, staffing is assessed and costed for that particular lunch. It would be misleading to suggest that an extended team accompanies every booking.
Arranging a boardroom lunch in Madrid
The most useful initial details are the date, venue, approximate number of guests and likely serving time. From there, we can review the facilities, seating arrangement, dietary needs and the amount of service the occasion calls for. A proposal should reflect the room as it exists, rather than assume a fully equipped catering kitchen.
For law firms, boards and senior leadership teams, this work sits within my Gabinete corporate hospitality service. You may also find it useful to read about hosting an important client over lunch and serving lunch at the office.
