Creative Corporate Catering in Tampa: A Ballpark-Inspired Event at Armature Works
Sometimes the inspiration for an event menu begins with a season, a location or a client’s favorite cuisine. And sometimes the client tells you the keynote speaker is Cal Ripken Jr. That makes things a little easier.
When Synovus asked Good Food Events + Catering to provide the food and hospitality for a corporate event at Armature Works in Tampa, we immediately began thinking about how the menu could become part of the experience; not simply something served alongside it.
With one of baseball’s most recognizable names joining the evening, a ballpark-inspired menu seemed like an obvious starting point. But this wasn’t going to be peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
From Ballpark Food to Event Experience
Our approach to creative catering often begins with a simple question:
Why are the guests here?
Understanding the purpose of an event gives our culinary and event teams an opportunity to create something more personal. For this evening, we wanted guests to recognize the familiar flavors and nostalgia of America’s ballparks while experiencing them in a way that felt completely appropriate for an elevated corporate event.
The cocktail hour began with passed hors d’oeuvres including Coconut Fried Chicken Bites with piña colada honey mustard, Hazelnut Pesto + Tomato Bruschetta, and Wild Mushroom Tarts. From there, the experience transitioned into interactive stations.
And that’s where baseball took center field.
A Nod to Baltimore
Cal Ripken Jr. spent his entire Major League Baseball career in Baltimore, so incorporating a little Baltimore flavor into the menu was a must.
Our Baltimore Ballpark Concession Stand paired familiar game-day favorites with elevated ingredients and presentation.
Guests could grab Mini Bistro Burgers with sharp cheddar, fancy sauce and pickles on fresh-baked brioche buns; fresh soft pretzels finished with coarse salt and served with beer cheese; and individual containers of both classic butter and salted truffle popcorn.
And, of course, Baltimore needed crab cakes.
Our Pan-Sautéed Lump Crab Cakes with Creole white remoulade brought a distinctly Maryland-inspired element to the station while still feeling completely at home at a Tampa Bay event.
And a Little Tampa Bay, Too
If Baltimore was getting represented, we certainly weren’t going to leave Tampa out of the lineup. Enter the Tampa Bay Cuban Fries, featured on our station style menu.
The attended station began with crispy fried potato wedges tossed with garlic and salt. Guests could then build their own combination with slow-roasted mojo pork, Swiss mornay, diced salami, chopped dill pickles, yellow mustard aioli and scallions.
The inspiration came from one of Tampa’s most recognizable foods—the Cuban sandwich—but instead of simply recreating it, our culinary team turned those flavors into an interactive station designed for a cocktail-style event.
That’s the kind of creative menu development we love.
Catering That Becomes Part of the Event
The best themed menus don’t need to scream the theme. A few thoughtful details can do far more.
A familiar red-and-white popcorn box. A baseball tucked into the station décor. Ballpark-inspired menu signage. A soft pretzel guests recognize immediately. A Maryland crab cake beside a Tampa-inspired Cuban creation.
Each detail reinforces the story without overwhelming it. And at a corporate event, that’s particularly important. Guests should be able to network, enjoy themselves and experience great hospitality while the food quietly reinforces the reason everyone has gathered.
Corporate Events at Armature Works
Armature Works is particularly well suited to experiences like this. The historic Tampa property offers more than 20,000 square feet across multiple private event spaces, including The Gathering, its largest multi-functional event space.
Its combination of historic architecture, exposed brick and flexible event spaces gives planners plenty of room to build a completely customized corporate experience.
For our team, venues like Armature Works also provide an opportunity to demonstrate what off-premise catering can really be: thoughtful menu development, interactive culinary experiences, polished service and the operational execution required to bring all of those pieces together.
Creativity Is Part of the Hospitality
At Good Food Events + Catering, we believe catering should do more than satisfy an appetite. It should contribute something to the event.
Sometimes that means an unexpected culinary technique. Sometimes it’s an interactive station. And sometimes it’s recognizing that when Cal Ripken Jr. is coming to dinner, the humble ballpark concession stand deserves a serious upgrade.
The food can be playful. The presentation can be creative. But the execution still has to be flawless.
That’s where creativity and hospitality meet, and where an idea on paper becomes an experience guests remember.
And every once in a while, we don’t mind knocking one out of the park.
Event Sponsor: Synovus
Venue: Armature Works | Tampa, Florida
Catering: Good Food Events + Catering
Photography: Jonathan Fanning Photography
