Interview with Marco Rink
As a caterer in Amsterdam, we work together with a lot of different parties for our events: from food and drink suppliers to decorators, technicians and specialists like cocktail shakers and baristas. Clients don’t always realize who actually handles the hauling of event materials — tables, chairs, glasses, cutlery — it all has to be there, on time, in the right place and in the right quantity. People often assume we simply have it sitting on a shelf somewhere. But no, that’s not the case. We’ve worked with Marco Rink of Accuraat Verhuur for years now. What actually goes into professional material rental for catering in Amsterdam? So I asked Marco about his experience.
From Servé to Accuraat: a deliberate switch
Job: Marco, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you ended up at Accuraat Verhuur?
Marco: Sure. I’ve been working in the events and rental industry for about 15 years now. I originally started at Servé Verhuurservice, where I gained a lot of experience with catering clients and logistics. When Servé closed down during Covid, I moved over to Accuraat Verhuur, through a shared client. A number of clients, including you, came along at the same time. That made the transition not just easier, but familiar right away.
Job: You mentioned that Accuraat took over some of Servé’s business back then, and that a number of clients — including Zingfood — came along. How did that feel for you? Was Covid a tense time, being in an industry that was hit so hard? Did you spend a long time sitting at home against your will? Or was the switch effortless?
Marco: Accuraat didn’t take over Servé exactly, but we were able to take on a number of Servé’s clients. Covid was an incredibly tense time, especially because everything came to a standstill and nobody knew where they stood. There was no playbook for a situation like that either.
Between leaving Servé and starting at Accuraat, I ended up at home for about six weeks. The switch itself took some getting used to: new colleagues, a different system, and some things done differently. At the same time, already knowing the industry well helped enormously — I found my footing again fairly quickly.
Accuraat Verhuur: who are they and what do they do for caterers?
Job: And what’s your role there exactly, right now?
Marco: As an account manager, I’m responsible for sales and client relationships. I think actively with clients about their events, put together quotes, and make sure everything on the front end is properly arranged. That way I act as the link between the client and planning, and lay the groundwork for things to run smoothly behind the scenes.
Job: How many people work in sales and service?
Marco: We work with a relatively compact team of 4 people in sales and inside operations. On top of that, we obviously have a larger group in the warehouse and transport who make sure everything actually ends up in the right place.
Job: We know Accuraat from the catering side. Are caterers your biggest customer group, or are there many other types of renters too?
Marco: Caterers are definitely an important customer group for us, but we also work a lot with event agencies, venues, companies and private individuals. Think weddings, corporate parties, trade fairs and product launches. It’s quite broad.
Job: Party-material rental seems like a mostly local business to me. Is it right that you mainly supply Amsterdam caterers?
Marco: This region (Amsterdam) is indeed an important area for us, but we deliver across a large part of the Netherlands, and sometimes just across the border too. That said, the largest volume is in the Randstad, since that’s where most events take place and it’s the most cost-effective for clients in terms of transport.
Job: What kind of events do you deliver for most in Amsterdam?
Marco: That ranges from high-end corporate events and weddings to larger festivals and trade fairs. Amsterdam has an enormous diversity of venues and events, so no week looks the same.
Why caterers choose Accuraat
Job: What does Accuraat do differently from other rental companies in the region? What makes clients choose you specifically?
Marco: What sets us apart is mainly the combination of flexibility, speed and personal contact. We try not to just “rent things out,” but to genuinely think along with the client and the event. That means we can shift quickly, even when something changes last-minute — and in this industry, that’s almost always the case.
On top of that, clients choose us for the reliability and quality of the materials. Everything we supply simply has to look sharp and be ready to use immediately. No hassle. Personal contact plays a big role too.
Clients choose us because we’re flexible, we keep our word, and we go that extra step whenever it’s needed.
Quality control and last-minute fixes
Job: How do you make sure internally that deliveries go out properly?
Marco: We work with multiple layers of checks. Orders are processed digitally, then picked in the warehouse, and checked again before they go out the door. Despite those checks, it’s still human work, but we try to keep mistakes to a minimum.
Job: Do you check materials for quality, or just quantity?
Marco: Both. After items are returned, they go through a counting and inspection phase first. Furniture is checked for damage and cleaned. Glassware, for example, is washed and visually inspected. Even so, a cracked glass can occasionally slip through. If clients report it, we always resolve it properly.
Job: If something does go wrong on your end, what happens?
Marco: We act on it immediately. In case of a malfunction, we try to resolve it by phone — with help from our technical service if needed. If that doesn’t work, we replace the product as quickly as possible. If a shipment turns out incomplete, we schedule a follow-up delivery right away.
Job: Do you ever get panicked calls that materials are missing?
Marco: Yes, that happens regularly. Sometimes a mistake was made in the order-picking process. But often it turns out to be something that was simply forgotten when ordering, or needed last-minute. We always try to think along and, if it’s logistically possible, deliver it anyway.
Events that stuck
Job: Which events are you proudest of?
Marco: The bigger productions where everything comes together: tight timing, complex logistics and lots of different materials. Events, for example, where we handle the complete setup for hundreds of guests. When that runs flawlessly, it’s genuinely satisfying.
Job: Where do you see things go wrong most often at events?
Marco: Mostly in the preparation. Underestimating quantities, ordering too late, or last-minute changes. That often causes stress that could have been avoided.
Job: What are typical mistakes when hiring materials?
Marco: Ordering too little, too little setup time, or logistical challenges. Not thinking through, for example, how accessible a venue is or how materials need to get inside.
Job: If you could give one tip to a caterer organizing a big event for the first time, what’s the biggest logistical blunder you could save them from?
Marco: Don’t underestimate your logistics — that’s really the biggest pitfall.
A lot of caterers focus, understandably, on the food and the experience, but forget that a big event is above all an operation.
The biggest blunder I see? No tight plan for setup, breakdown and transport. Think: too little loading/unloading time, no clear routing on-site, or materials not being in the right place at the right moment. Then everything falls behind immediately, and you never catch up.
My tip: work everything out in detail beforehand, as if it were a military operation’s playbook. Who’s where, when, with which materials? And always build in slack. Better to be ready an hour early than start ten minutes late.
Job: Do you have a juicy story?
Marco: Our drivers especially experience all kinds of things. One driver fell straight into a ditch getting out of his van. Another, picking up an order, found a couple among the rental items in the middle of, let’s say, an intimate moment.
[Carts with new tables still being assembled]
Logistical challenges at Amsterdam catering venues
Job: We once did a catering job at a big event at the Tuschinski cinema. Deliveries there can only go through the Reguliersdwarstraat, and only before 10am, because the street closes to suppliers after that. When I mentioned we rented from Accuraat, they said: “No problem, they come extremely early, have the key to the back door, and know exactly where they’re allowed to put things.” Amsterdam obviously has more unusual venues like this. What are the most logistically challenging places you still manage to deliver to?
Marco: We do regularly have deliveries to venues where logistics are anything but standard. In Amsterdam, we mostly deal with time restrictions: in parts of the city centre we can often only deliver before 11am or noon. That sometimes clashes with the opening hours of hospitality venues.
What helps is that we hold keys to a number of venues. That way we can deliver earlier, or pick up later, without depending on staff being present. That makes things a lot more efficient, both for us and the client.
We’re also seeing environmental zones play a bigger role in more and more cities. We can’t get everywhere with our full fleet, so that sometimes calls for creative planning and quick thinking.
And then there are the physical challenges: gravel paths, small staircases, narrow entrances — it sounds simple, but it has a direct impact on how, and how fast, you can deliver.
Finally, there are venues like Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where we deliver behind customs. Drivers need to be registered in advance there and always carry a passport or ID card. That kind of route requires extra preparation, but we’re well set up for it by now.
From RAI to Lowlands: big events
Job: Are you moving more toward decoration and full-concept services?
Marco: We’re certainly looking at expanding, but step by step. Our strength right now lies in material rental, service and logistics. Partnerships with stylists and decorators for that side of things are a logical next step.
Job: Is there an event that’s always stayed with you?
Marco: There have been a few big jobs where large quantities of tables and chairs had to be set up on short notice.
Job: Can you give some examples of events and venues like that?
Marco: Think of setting up large-scale events like card trading game tournaments (like Pokémon), where we fit out entire halls with around 1,200 tables and 4,000 chairs. We do that at venues like RAI Amsterdam, Jaarbeurs Utrecht or the Westfalenhalle.
We supply materials to Fijnfestijn, which tours the whole country.
Every year we deliver around 20 trailers’ worth of materials for Lowlands festival.
But very recently also materials for the National Remembrance ceremony on Dam Square in Amsterdam.
Sustainability at Accuraat Verhuur
Job: Sustainability is a hot topic in the catering industry. How are you responding to that?
Marco: Sustainability is an important, and increasingly concrete, part of our day-to-day operations. In our new premises, we deliberately invested in solar panels, so we generate a large share of our own energy.
We also use rooftop heat collectors that preheat the water for our dishwashers. That significantly lowers energy use in our washing facility, without compromising on hygiene or capacity.
We’re also taking steps in our logistics: our fleet is going electric, step by step. Our first fully electric van is already part of our operations, and two fully electric trucks have been ordered. And that’s just the start of making our transport greener.
Professional caterers vs. private individuals: a world of difference
Job: What’s the biggest difference between professional caterers and private individuals?
Marco: Professionals know exactly what they need and how the process works, from placing an order to returning materials neatly. With private individuals, there’s usually more guidance involved, which is nice too, but more intensive.
Job: Where do you notice that difference the most?
Marco: Mostly in the preparation. Professionals tend to be more efficient and complete in their requests, while private individuals have more questions and make more changes.
[Chair storage in Accuraat’s warehouse]
The future: software, AI and smarter ordering systems
Job: When is a favorites list coming to the account system?
Marco: That’s actually already there. Every item on our site has a little heart icon. Click it, and you can add the item to a favorites list.
Job: What I actually mean is being able to repeat an order I placed before. My clients are creatures of habit too. Some of them do the exact same event every year.
Marco: That’s not possible in our system yet, at the moment. We are in talks with a new software provider though, so who knows, we might be able to offer that in the future.
Until then, you can always ask us to copy a previous order for you. That’s a small effort on our end, and usually sorted quickly.
Job: Artificial intelligence can take over a lot of our tasks. When can I upload the food and drink menu, plus guest numbers, for an event, so your bot puts together the order list for us? Checking and removing items is easier for me as a caterer than figuring everything out myself. It also reduces the risk of us, as the client, forgetting something — and you renting out more than needed as a result.
Marco: Artificial intelligence can support us on several fronts. I see clear opportunities especially in processing requests faster and smarter, and in suggesting suitable alternatives.
At the same time, we’re still exploring how and where we can best use it. It’s important to us that we don’t lose the personal contact with our clients. That direct back-and-forth and thinking along together is, for us, an essential part of our service.
So the challenge for us isn’t really whether we’ll use AI, but how we can make it supportive without it replacing the human factor.
Organizing catering in Amsterdam? Here’s how we work together
Planning an event in Amsterdam and want everything to be right — from the food down to the last chair? Zingfood takes care of the catering, from drinks receptions to walking dinners. For the materials — tables, chairs, glasses and more — we rent through Marco and his colleagues via Accuraatverhuur.nl. You can arrange that yourself, or ask us to include it in your proposal.