Los Angeles is full of high-end, celebrity-packed events, but few rival the high profile of the major award shows’ official after-parties. The man behind the food at many of those parties is Patina Catering chef and co-founder Joachim Splichal. This year, his company took over catering operations at the Recording Academy’s official Grammy Celebration after-party, an event that draws 5,000 guests for dinner—making it the largest award season party in town.
In keeping with the after-party’s Candy Land-inspired theme, Splichal and the Patina team reinvented the event’s traditional late-dinner and dessert catering options. Full-size cotton candy trees decorated stations around the massive room, and colorful candy apples covered in white chocolate and edible glitter hung from the branches. Playful snacks included chocolate-covered Pop Rocks shooters, liquid s’mores on a stick, cream puffs dusted with edible glitter, and sugared bombolini atop an assortment of panna cotta (one bubble-gum-infused).
The sweets topped off a menu that celebrated iconic California dining destinations, with dishes representing Napa wine country, Beverly Hills (with gluten-free cuisine), Santa Monica farmers’ markets (with vegan and vegetarian dishes), and street-style taco stands.
Patina has also been the official caterer of the Emmy awards’ Governors Ball (and Creative Arts ball) for a two decades, serving thousands of guests at what’s billed as the largest annual formal dinner in North America. Menus are designed more than a year in advance, and the dishes are exclusive to event guests.
“Ultimately, the ingredients are what truly lead our imagination and creativity,” Splichal says.
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