We are off and running on another catering an events season! On our calendar, this is the most wonderful time of year… Flowers are just blooming, giving our chefs lots of great options for garnishes on your platters. Trees are blooming, making great places to hang decorative candles and lanterns. The sky is blue and the sun stays late! The perfect storm!!

Catering, events planning, and design is a unique line of work. Parties and events are as different as the snowflakes. There are options for everything. A good caterer or event planner will coordinate all service ware with the décor and color of the space. They will also tailor the staff, and their individual skills set, to your event. While every party is inherently different, some things remain the same.

Great service! This is one of the most important parts of any event! Happy, smiling, well-dressed, knowledgeable staff are the gentle front line in your arsenal. They will meet and greet, handle your guests as if they were their own, serving quietly in the back or right up front.

This service goes way beyond simply handing out food. Our staff tries to anticipate your guest’s needs before they know they need them. We will look for people that may need assistance at a buffet. We take seriously last second requests based on an unexpected dietary restriction. We look for children; they have their own individual needs and things that make them comfortable. Our team or professional service staff will leave no stone unturned trying to make your guests very comfortable and happy.

Great Food! Enough said? No… Great food has to be handled correctly by great people. Lots of people make good food but great is another thing entirely. You can buy the most expensive cuts of meat, organic vegetables, and exotic seafood, but if it is not prepared, held, and served properly you will not have great food. Our kitchen is state of the art. Our chefs all hold degrees from accredited culinary schools. We have a major investment in the tools, vehicles, and equipment required to prepare food for off-site events efficiently and safely.

Planning! Have a backup plan for your backup plan! There is nothing worse than a poorly planned catered event. It shows from the beginning.

I know I am rambling. This time of year just gets us really excited!

Exciting news at The Cantering Caterer! After an intense search Keith Jacob has been named our new Executive Chef! Keith is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and has broad experience in catering and menu design. He is smart, creative, and brings a fresh approach to our exciting kitchen. We are very excited to have him lead our team…

Becky is planning our first “get to know you” event for wedding professionals. We will be inviting several known wedding planners, dress makers, bridal shops, jewelers, and more to our kitchen to showcase our staff, facility, and creative approach to wedding design. To be included please send us a note.

Come see the new office!! 151 Greenwich Avenue is open for business by appointment. Above Talbot’s and across from Tiffany. The Westport office and commissary remains our flagship space – this new space allows us to serve our Greenwich and Westchester clients better and closer to home…

April is a busy month on the catering and event design calendar! And, it will warm up soon, I swear! Lots of planning going on… The Cantering Caterer was, just today, confirmed as the caterer for The Connecticut Food Bank’s – www.ctfoodbank.org – first “Blue Jeans Ball” this coming September. This is a very exciting cause, they feed thousands through their outreach programs and we are very proud to be serving them and their guests. We will post ticket information as soon as we get it.

We will be using hay bales and lots of denim and sunflowers to transform their warehouse into a really sharp event space – we really hope you can attend.

We are catering the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus’ – www.ctgmc.com – annual “Spring Fling” on June 10th in Edgerton Park in New Haven. The show, auction, and wine tasting start at 2:00pm. This will be The Cantering Caterer’s fourth year catering the event. If you have never seen the Chorus, this is the perfect time! They are so talented and so much fun that you will become a fan immediately.

The Wakeman’s Boys and Girls Club held their annual fundraiser last Friday and it was a smashing success! What was the most popular item on the menu? Tempura Twinkies with Wasabi Dip! Wow… The polenta fries were a big hit, as was the Black Truffle Mac and Cheese.

We are gearing up for the big season and are looking for the best event chefs, wait-staff, bartenders, and event managers around. If this is you, please call us anytime. Fun, hard work with creative happy people making fabulous events! And, the pay is good…

Don’t forget to have a look at our sister company’s new website – www.theeventplanners.com

Big news coming next week!! We will be hosting a series of events in our Westport and Greenwich offices… You do not want to miss this! Details coming soon…