The inaugural Dessert Goals Festival took place in Brooklyn, New York, on October 23. Wowfulls’ Hong Kong-style egg waffle cones were a popular Instagrammed item. The event's hashtag was #omgdessertgoals.
Each tour ended with an "Opulence Reveal" in the Library room. The tasting experience featured an assortment of food reflective of the Rémy Martin XO cognac. Afterward, guests could enjoy cognac cocktails.
In one of the Lexus grand tasting's inspiring food presentations during L.A. Food & Wine, Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn served mini shaved ice cones in a metal bucket set up like a beach scene, with sugar for sand. Ingredients for the dessert came from the venue's garden.
In another example of elegant presentation, Bagatelle served its peanut butter cake topped with a concord grape macaron during opening night of the Taste.
The selection of tacos included offerings from Bernie Matz of Bodega Taqueria Y Tequila.
Heinz ketchup created custom label’s for this year’s Burger Bash, complete with the festival’s hashtag. Food Network star Rachael Ray hosted the event.
SoFlo Tropical Fruit Cocktail served in shiny tin cans came from Luis Vasquez at the Miami Beach Edition hotel.
Presenting sponsor Grey Goose’s bartenders mixed cocktails such as the l’espresso martini that paired well with the desserts. The event, which took place at the National Hotel Miami Beach, was hosted by Duff Goldman.
Dishes at the event included Scottish king salmon from Blade sushi bar.
Servings of Oreo cheesecake came with a folded napkin and spoon, making for smoother service in the dine-around format. The dessert, from Tru Tru Cakes and More, was served at the Farm to Table Brunch February 22 at the Palms Hotel & Spa.
At the Watermill Center’s benefit in 2015, Great Performances created dishes that would allow guests to easily roam—all self-serve options designed to be hand-held and didn't even necessarily require plates. Among them was fried chicken served in waffle cones.
Rather than the traditional bowl of splash-prone red sauce, New York’s Elegant Affairs offered a neater take on spaghetti and meatballs, using mess-free form topped with a micro meatball and marinara and sprinkled with parmesan.
Mary Giuliani Catering and Events in New York created a catering option of one-bite paella with shrimp and chorizo with sips of sangria, a take on the hearty rice dish.
Salad can be messy, with the risk of oily dressing ending up on clothes and hands. Occasions Caterers in Washington created a wedge salad bite hors d’oeuvre, served on a fork, that tidies up salad service.
A popular alternative to soup in a bowl, with all of its messy slurp potential, many caterers offer inventive soup shooters. One example: Chicago’s Boutique Bites' artful soup shooters with popcorn and truffle oil.
Le Méridien Chicago Oakbrook Center has introduced three new locally inspired menus for meeting breaks. The hotel's Sweet Home Chicago menu offers a variety of self-serve candy that originated in the city, including Lemonheads, Milk Duds, Red Hots, Tootsie Rolls, and Dots. Named after the blues song by Robert Johnson, the candy-shop-inspired display—which also offers pretzel bites and lemonade and iced tea—comes with a chalkboard sign that displays information about the Chicago-founded National Confections Association.
The second Chicago-theme menu is Nuts on Clark, a summer-inspired display that offers popcorn, nuts, and more as an homage to Clark Avenue, which is two blocks from Wrigley Field. The display offers a variety of popcorn toppings and mix-ins including caramel, chocolate, and garlic olive oil, candy and nuts, and flavored seasonings including ranch, cheddar, and sriracha. Beverages include bottles of Americana-brand flavored soda.
The final Chicago-theme menu is the Illinois Farm Table, which offers locally sourced fruits and vegetables for smoothies, pastries, and juices from a display with farm-inspired decor. Chalkboards detail where each ingredient is from, and seasonal scented candles are placed at the tables. Guests can create their own juices and smoothies with the ingredients or enjoy prepared items such as crudites with truffle aioli.
El Conquistador Resort and Las Casitas Village, Waldorf Astoria Resorts in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, offer a Flavors of Puerto Rico menu with local fare prepared by executive chef Ernie Reyes. Menu items include grilled local vegetable bruschetta with spicy aioli.
The Farm in Canyons Village at Park City, Utah, offers an aprés-ski-inspired menu from chef Manual Rozehmal, focusing on ingredients sourced from local farms and artisan purveyors. Shareable items include a local charcuterie board with Avalanche salami, fresh pickles, house mustard, beehive cheese, and lavash crackers.
Next door to the Farm is Murdock's Cafe, which offers seven unique takes on hot cocoa: the Sandlot, with graham cracker dust and toasted marshmallows; 94 Crumbs, with chocolate whipped cream and Oreo pieces; Moose Boost, with an espresso shot and whipped cream; the Bear Lake, with raspberry hot cocoa and chocolate whipped cream; the Mogul Mint, with peppermint hot cocoa, peppermint whipped cream, and crushed peppermint; the Carmel Corn, with popcorn whipped cream and salted caramel; and the Peanut Booter, with peanut butter whipped cream and dark chocolate pieces.
The Breakers Palm Beach offers a Localecopia menu for meeting breaks, as well as a variety of events. Created by executive chef of banquets Jeff Simms, the menu features dishes made with locally and sustainably sourced ingredients from local farmers and food purveyors. Items include craft mojitos; passed selections such as tempura squash blossoms and Pine Island crab cakes; salads, fruit, seafood, and other meat entrées served buffet-style; and desserts including chocolate chip cookies with milk shots and key lime pie cake pops. Seasonal items include Florida stone crabs with key lime mustard. Keeping with the Florida theme, multiple menu items mention where ingredients come from, such as beets from Polk County and sweet corn from Belle Glade.
Southern food and culture magazine Garden & Gun celebrated its 10th anniversary with a party at the Beekman in New York. Inspired by Southern hospitality, the event offered Cheerwine and mini boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts as party favors.
Guests could make their own custom blends of tea while nibbling on breakfast treats like artisanal pop tarts and mini sandwiches.
Sugarfina created a D.I.Y. candy bar cart decked with succulents, hanging terrariums, and palm fronds.
Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events
Leslie Tseng, who joined New York-based Marcey Brownstein Catering 11 years ago, continues to shape the company’s cuisine alongside executive chef Will Burgess, taking inspiration from gongbi—the meticulous technique of traditional Chinese painting—which results in dishes that are highly detailed.
Mini garden boards with herb butter, pumpernickel “dirt,” and mini veggies
"We wanted to come up with a beautiful way to highlight an early summer bounty of mini vegetables in a fun and innovative way. We wanted it to be whimsical, playful, and conversation-starting, but not too goofy or weird. In addition, these were on the dining tables and acted as a decor element since floral was minimal."
Pinch Food Design
Known for his innovative approach to plating, Bob Spiegal is in constant demand to cater prestigious New York events, such as the Whitney Museum’s fall gala, New York Philharmonic’s opening in the park, and the Cooper Union gala. He embraces the idea of one-bite food served without traditional silverware and plates, making Pinch a go-to caterer for unconventional presentations.
Formaggi, prosciutto, salumi foccacia, and Italian pickles served on a clipboard
"We wanted guests to have the same experience [of a traditional trattoria], but at an event. The clipboard was logical because it held the butcher’s paper, which had the menu printed on it."
Boutique Bites
After getting her degree from New York’s Culinary Institute of America, Elaina Vazquez worked at luxury restaurants such as Avenues at the Peninsula hotel in Chicago and Joël Robuchon at the Mansion in Las Vegas. In 2008, at age 26, she opened her own catering firm in Chicago, which now serves a client base that includes fashion designers and film directors. Vazquez is known for what she refers to as “stylish minis”—everything from quarter-size cheeseburgers to tiny tacos.
Filet mignon sandwich
"The menu consisted of typical food you would take to a picnic—but presented in a fun, fashionable, and more interesting way. Filet mignon sandwiches were wrapped with parchment and tied with red-and-white twine; homemade potato chips were served in mini fry baskets."
Wolfgang Puck Catering
Having worked his way up from a cook at a bar and grill, Los Angeles-based Matt Bencivenga is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry. As partner and chef of Wolfgang Puck Catering, Bencivenga oversees the company’s culinary development and operations in 15 markets across the country, serving innovative, high-end cuisine at noteworthy events. But he still considers his Jersey-style meatballs his most beloved dish.
White chocolate mousse in golden egg shells
"The egg shell is a great way to showcase different types of dishes. We fill it with chocolate mousse, crab Louie, and other options. Using an egg shell as a vessel during the spring is just so symbolic of the season that it’s become very popular."
Limelight Catering
Chef Molly Johnson got her big break working as a personal chef for actor Hugh Jackman. These days, she stays busy with full-service catering at Limelight Catering for some 1,000 events each year, and clients have ranged from Steppenwolf Theater Company to Google. Though she boasts a versatile repertoire, the Chicago-based chef specializes in Middle Eastern, and specifically Lebanese, cuisine.
Papadum crisp with braised French lentils, sweet pepper, carrot confit, toasted cumin, and fresh herb vinaigrette
"We ‘paint’ stripes on the plate with honey—or agave nectar if the dish is vegan—using small paintbrushes. Then, we gently dust over each line with an array of ground spices. This plate has turmeric, sweet paprika, cumin, and ground fennel—the same spices used in the preparation of the hors d’oeuvre."
Occasions Caterers
Heather Weaver decided that she wanted to be a chef at a young age, and after culinary school, she began to work in some of Washington, D.C.’s most distinguished restaurants. Her respect for ingredients and tradition combined with creative curiosity led her to her current role as the lead chef of research and development at Occasions Caterers in the Nation’s Capital. With the help of co-founder Eric Michael and creative director Amy Lewerenz, Weaver develops, tests, and explores new dishes, ingredients, and presentations in an effort to stand out from fellow caterers.
Scallop hors d’oeuvres with shells magnetically affixed to metal pins attached to driftwood trays
"When interpreting or reinterpreting dishes, you should always begin with understanding its origin and the culture that created it. The tray design was truly about form and function. … Eric conceived the idea of producing something that related to the ingredients, was striking, and functionally effective."
SBE Events and Catering
Classically trained in Paris and with more than two decades of experience, Hugo Veltman brings expert execution and creativity to SBE Events and Catering. Prior to joining the Los Angeles-based company, Veltman worked at Patina Restaurant Group and Charlie Trotter in Chicago. Now in Hollywood, Veltman’s clients and events include major motion picture studios and premieres, like A Million Ways to Die in the West, as well as award celebrations, such as 2014’s Golden Globes after-party for the Weinstein Company.
Custom chili station with various fixings, such as cheddar cheese, green onions, jalapeños, sour cream, and Fritos, served in mini faux cast-iron skillets
"Most chefs try to show off what they can do; I aim to understand the client’s needs and fulfill them to perfection. I do this in a fresh, new, and innovative way, whether it means creating a custom menu or taking a classic and making it my own. It’s the details and execution that make my team different."
S’mores got their start as sticky, gooey, handheld campfire treats, but events have reinvented them in many ways friendlier to guests, such as this example of a lollipop version at the Engage!14 Wedding Summit dessert party.
At a September event, Preston Bailey transformed the new Four Seasons New York Downtown in celebration of his relationship with the property. As part of the event’s catering options, the hotel supplied tiramisu served as grab-and-go offerings.
Always a crowd favorite, hummus can get messy when served as a dip. At the 2014 Washington Humane Society's annual Fashion for Paws runway show, hors d'oeuvres during the reception included beets and hummus on pita points as a tidy alternative to service at a station.
Snacks were provided in Chinese takeout-style containers.
At this year’s Time Inc. NewFront presentation, which was held on May 4 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, Ray Bloch Productions created a doughnut wall featuring treats with vibrant glazes that represented the brand’s new logo colors. Great Performances supplied the doughnuts.
Your Event Solution produced an adult Willy Wonka-theme corporate event for an association’s annual meeting on April 1 at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside of Atlanta. Showcasing a unique take on a doughnut wall, the event offered doughnuts placed on giant letters that spelled out “sweet."
Google’s I/O developer conference took place May 17 to 19 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in San Francisco. To improve the flow of attendees through the food area, staff held color-coded menu signs that corresponded to the colors on the packaged food. Amanda Matuk, executive producer of the event, said the system worked well and allowed 7,200 people to be fed in 45 minutes.
The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum has tight regulations on how branding and sponsorships can be used in its facility, so Hello! DC and Occasions Caterers incorporated the opening-night event’s sponsors into the naming of each dish served throughout the facility. Food stations held a selection of small main dishes like the Airport Chinese Takeout, sponsored by Washington Dulles International Airport.
The second-floor bars served the Tanger-tini, sponsored by Tanger Outlets, on the rocks, mixing orange juice, orange vodka, and triple sec with a splash of lemon-lime soda and grenadine.
For the closing-night party at Nationals Park on Wednesday, Levy Catering served up a mix of Maryland, Washington, and Virginia dishes like crab cakes, half smokes, and Virginia ham biscuits.
Levy Catering created small chalkboard signs for each of the 22 food stations throughout the concourse level of the ballpark.
Noosa Yoghurt celebrated its new mix-in line with a launch event on July 12 at 447 Broadway in New York. The event, which was designed by M Booth, featured a D.I.Y. yogurt bar that invited attendees to make their own creations.
The event offered cocktails and “mocktails” inspired by the new flavors, including maple ginger, coconut almond chocolate, honey cranberry almond, and banana chocolate peanut.
The 11th edition of Luminato took place June 14 to 25 in Toronto. This year’s opening party, which took place at the CBC Atrium, offered chicken parmesan lollipops. The event was catered by Daniel et Daniel and curated by the PC Cooking School.
Forkable is a new option to provide individualized lunches for in-office meetings and events. Attendees input their preferences into the online platform, for example to indicate if they are vegetarian or prefer low-calorie meals. The week before the scheduled delivery, Forkable sends a message to each attendee with a suggested lunch from a nearby restaurant, based on the budget determined by the planner. The attendee can accept it or choose from more than a dozen other options. The day of the event, Forkable delivers the lunches labeled with the names of each attendee. Users are asked to rate their lunches so the system becomes “smarter” over time about individual preferences. There’s no contract or commitment, but Forkable does require a minimum of four orders per delivery. The service is available in the San Francisco area, Silicon Valley, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, and Austin, Texas, with plans for future expansion in the United States and abroad.
The event, which was centered around the past, present, and future of the Negroni cocktail, included a “Negroni Goes to Space” bar that imagined the future of the cocktail.
Refreshments included Pop Rocks, popcorn, and soda from SodaStream.
A reflective pink wall dotted with cotton candy was a sweet detail at the launch party for the collaboration between celebrity makeup artist Billy B and Gállány Cosmetics, which was held in June inside the Vivienne Westwood Penthouse at the London West Hollywood.
HBO comedy series Insecure celebrated the premiere of its second season with a block party on July 15, which took place at Miracle Theatre and the South Market Street block in Inglewood, California. The event, which was produced by Team Epiphany, featured on-theme food stations from local Los Angeles vendors, including Earle’s on Crenshaw.
For a camp-theme party, skip the fire and marshmallow-melting attempts and try KG Fare Catering & Events' version of the desert: dipped graham-crackers displayed on clothespins.
To keep guests' drinks cool without watering them down, Maria Zoitas of Maria’s Homemade recommends adding fruit-infused ice cubes to drinks at summer parties. Add berries, grapes, or pomegranate seeds to the water in ice cube trays to create the refreshing treat.
Salad—a summer staple—can be messy, with the risk of a dressing spill onto clothing or hands. Occasions Caterers in Washington created a wedge salad bite hors d’oeuvre, served on a fork, to keep serving clean.
