ica communicater yoga for caterers ............. 2 catersource 2009 ............. 5 small bites ................... 6 marketing ................... 9 inside: executive director’s letter ....... 10 catie entry form .............. 11 chef profile .................. 12 the official newsletter of the international caterers association (cont. on page 14) Sharon Snuffin is not unlike those caterers who win awards, get big articles in the press and are awarded the crème de la crème of events in her area. She is creative, professional, experienced and has been in the industry for 34 years. The only difference is that her company, Snuffin’s Catering, is in a small market and large events in which the client wants to spend a lot of money on food are few and far between. But for the past two years Snuffin has been catering the Corks and Crush Wine Auction, a 500-plus-person fund- raising event in aid of the Good Samaritan Hospital’s pediatric unit and the Fair Foundation. The event organiz- ers have modeled the event on the famous Napa Valley Wine Auction and are intent on making this event the area’s premier event. In fact, according to Snuffin it is the first wine auction to be held in the South Puget Sound area, located just south of Seattle. This year the event was held at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center in its newest building, the Showplex, which is roughly as large as three football fields. The event starts with a wine tasting, car display and a silent auction, then guests move into another area for a sit- down dinner, live auction and dancing. Snuffin provides the appetizers during the wine tasting and the sit-down dinner for 560 people. The organizers bring in a wine consultant and a décor company – Rented Elegance september/october 2008 Big Happening in a Small Market
the o f f i c ia l news le t te r o f the in te rna t iona l ca te rers assoc ia t ion
(cont. on page 14)
Sharon Snuffin is not unlike those caterers who winawards, get big articles in the press and are awarded thecrème de la crème of events in her area. She is creative,professional, experienced and has been in the industryfor 34 years. The only difference is that her company,Snuffin’s Catering, is in a small market and large events inwhich the client wants to spend a lot of money on foodare few and far between.
But for the past two years Snuffin has been catering theCorks and Crush Wine Auction, a 500-plus-person fund-raising event in aid of the Good Samaritan Hospital’spediatric unit and the Fair Foundation. The event organiz-ers have modeled the event on the famous Napa Valley
Wine Auction and are intent on making this event thearea’s premier event. In fact, according to Snuffin it is thefirst wine auction to be held in the South Puget Soundarea, located just south of Seattle.
This year the event was held at the Puyallup Fair andEvents Center in its newest building, the Showplex,which is roughly as large as three football fields. Theevent starts with a wine tasting, car display and a silentauction, then guests move into another area for a sit-down dinner, live auction and dancing. Snuffin providesthe appetizers during the wine tasting and the sit-downdinner for 560 people. The organizers bring in a wineconsultant and a décor company – Rented Elegance
september/october 2008
BigHappeningin a Small
Market
s
s
2
What you might know about the practice of yoga: It is an
ancient Indian spiritual path. Outside India, it is mostly
associated with asanas, or postures, one of the eight
“limbs” of a practice aimed at finding inner peace and
clarity of thought.
What you might NOT know: That there is a little known
form of yoga practiced by almost all caterers (whether
you know it or not) who are constantly in search of bal-
ance between life and work, ways to calm themselves
and clients and find the flexibility needed to perform the
impossible. You are an experienced practitioner of what
one could call “caterer-asana.”
Actually, many caterers do practice actual yoga, finding it
both a great way to stretch, stay in shape and keep their
minds sharp when challenging situations occur. “For me,
yoga is about stress reduction along with all its other
benefits,” says Olive Chase of The Casual Gourmet on
Cape Cod. “In catering, it’s all about trying to keep things
together, but one of the basic philosophies of yoga is to
remain calm and breathe when things fall apart; safe in
the knowledge that they always come back together
again. We just want to stay moving toward that place
rather than get stuck in the moment.”
Ann Lyons, a practitioner of yoga and owner of Melons
Catering in San Francisco, also sees many similarities
between yoga and catering. “Catering and yoga both
require mental and physical flexibility and strength of
character,” she says. “They also both require the ability
to keep your focus while pushing beyond your limita-
tions; and most important, they both strive for growth.”
So for those of you who are just becoming aware of
your inner catering yogi, here are a few poses with which
you might be familiar.
TThhee WWaarrrriioorr
Benefit: Finding Balance and Strength through Growth and Diversification
The warrior pose gets its strength from a solid founda-tion and is built from the bottom up. It exudes a calm-ness and balance. Begin with feet planted firmly on theground and begin to extend outward.
Tony Conway, owner of A Legendary Event in Atlanta,began his business 11 years ago on a strong foundation.As the business grew, Conway felt off-balance. “I foundmyself running the day-today business and moving fur-ther away from what I love – the clients and creativity,” hesays. In yoga, strength comes from knowing when toask for help. In May, 2008, Conway brought on StuartDobson as CFO and Dave Lishness as COO. “I can nowspend more time developing our design division and ournew menus,” Conway says.
In the past two years, A Legendary Event, an $18-millioncompany, has acquired not only the design division butan in-house florist. And, the company is in the process ofmoving everything under one massive 50,000-square-foot roof.
Now that Conway is fully in the warrior pose, the nextstep is balancing. For Conway, this means being able togrow yet still retain the many qualities of a small busi-ness. “Something this large has to stay consistent inquality,” Conway says. “We need to be sure we aren’tjust status quo and we are in tune with what our cus-tomer needs especially in an economy like this one.” Likea yogi, he adds, “We remain humble about our business.Assume is not in our vocabulary. We have to ready forchange.” And the floral and design divisions providediversification especially because A Legendary Event cantravel with corporate clients doing this easier than if theyremained solely a catering firm.
One of the benefits of the warrior pose is strength. It’sneeded to remain in this stance for a long time, notunlike being in business for four decades like John andDonna Barsotti. They began Common Plea Catering inPittsburgh as a restaurant 40 years ago and 15 yearsago added off-premise catering and kosher catering to
their services. Today, the catering division is six timeslarger than the restaurant and kosher catering hasbecome a smaller percentage of that.
“We are in a smaller market so find that we need to gowhere we can for business,” Barsotti says. “But whatreally changed our business dynamic was becominginvolved with off-premise venues. Initially we were a preferred vendor then we created exclusive arrange-ments as our association with them became moreimportant.” Today, Common Plea’s catering business isall off-premise except for a room at the restaurant forcatered events of 70 or less.
And, Barsotti branched out further and took over a facili-ty at Carnegie Mellon campus and runs a cafeteria forgraduate students from all over the world who studythere. “We feed them everyday on premise. We prep atour commissary and finish it there.”
Diversification allows caterers the ability to extend intoother markets and not be reliant on just one type ofclientele. Referring to her five separate catering opera-tions (more about these later), Olive Chase says it best: “I never met a niche I didn’t like. They give you volume,stability and visibility.”
tthhee ttrriiaannggllee
Benefit: Finding Culinary Balance
Like a triangle – equal on all sides – the perfect menu is abalance of flavors, colors and textures that all add up toone great culinary experience. Balance in cateringcomes from menus that staff can create, vendors cansupport and the sales team can sell.
To find this balance, Linda Sample at A Thyme to Cook inNew Stonington, Connecticut, brings new meaning tothe term off-season. She uses this time to bring her sea-soning back in line with the direction the company isgoing, the clients and the product itself.
“Winter is slower in production, but busier in researchand development,” she says. “We spend it creating newmenus, revamping our equipment, brainstorming andbalancing out the stress of the season. We also use thistime to create incentives for the staff and to build astronger team.”
And when balancing menus, cost also has to beweighed. “You need to have controls in place,” saysBarsotti from Common Plea. “Today, eggs, flour, breadand rice have seen a big jump in price so even side dish-
es are a big cost. Produce is astronomical. Everythingnow is more about dollars than cents and you just haveto know your cost, your margins and be careful whencompetitors are giving it away not to follow suit. Thehardest thing is to say no.”
Being able to say no also is important to the trianglepose – it calls into play the most important aspect ofmaking a triangle – strength. “It’s important to feel strongenough to not have to take every job,” says Sample. “Wehave become very good at assessing every situationand looking for red flags. We don’t want to overbook ortake something on we can’t deliver.”
cchhiilldd’’ss ppoossee
Benefit: Letting Go
When doing caterer-asana, many owners will experiencea cramp when they have to say no to business or let goof their business altogether. Meant to provide a brief restin the middle of an intense period of time, child’s posecan provide an insight into how to make the ultimatetransition. For instance, after 34 years in the business,Sharon Snuffin, owner of Snuffin’s in Tacoma,Washington, got a glimpse of her own exit plan whenshe practiced a version of child’s pose recently.
“We weren’t even half way through 2008 and already itwas an interesting year,” Snuffin recalls. “In March andApril I lost a significant family member and underwentmajor surgery. I wasn’t here at all for two months … at all.The only things I came in for was payroll and a few othertasks only I can perform, but truly, I just wasn’t there. I foundthat other things had become more important to me.”
With Snuffin dealing with other issues, her staff steppedup. “Everyone did so well,” she says. “Sometimes, if I’mhere, they are loathe to take a step, thinking I’ll secondguess them. In this instance, they had total empower-ment and they did so great. I had even just hired some-one new and she had to sink or swim…she swam. Thiswas a big trial for me. I’ve been working on my exit strat-egy and this tells me that I will be able to leave this busi-ness one day.”
Olive Chase has also found that taking a break once in awhile from the business (if even to go and do a yogaclass) has allowed her to let go of small things. “I’vebecome less dogmatic,” she says. “I take the yoga prin-ciple of flexibility and now believe that just becausewe’ve always done something one way, we don’t haveto keep doing it that way. I am learning to see my busi-ness through new eyes and be more accepting.”
(cont. on page 4)
Find the inspiration
February 22-26Las Vegas Hilton & Convention Center
Educational sessions highlight topics of interest that will add
impact your profit margin!
The 2009 Catersource and Event Solutions Conference & Tradeshow in Las Vegaswill bring you even more education, exciting speakers, new products, networkingevents and learning opportunities than ever before.
The ICA will once again present great educational sessions as well as host the ICAOwner’s Forum, the ICA Resource Room and Club ICA where you can sit in onmany informative roundtable discussions.
Get ready, it’s going to be big! More than 150 educational sessions on topics fromlighting to menu concepts, table decor to marketing strategies, technology to finance,await you at this show that covers it all.
This great education, as well as exposure to the latest products and services at morethan 1,000 tradeshow booths, will help you run your business, increase your salesand improve your bottom line!
Register early for the best rates, early bird prices in effect until November 30, 2008.
Visit www.catersource.com
The hottest food and beverage trends are showcased indemos and events throughout the 2009 Conference & Tradeshow.
More than 7,000 attendees will take part innetworking opportunities at some of the
most exclusive event venues in Las Vegas!
“Our crew had a good
time at the show and we
walked right out of the
sales classes and closed the
deal on a $75,000 party
using the techniques we
learned - trip paid for!”
David Ashley, Global Gourmet Catering San Francisco, CA
get the education!
4
tthhee bbaacckkbbeenndd
Benefit: Flexibility
Generally, flexibility comes easily to caterers. Otherwise,how could one stay in a business where everythingmight change in a day, sometimes in an hour? But eventhough you may have become very good at bendingover backwards for clients, just as in yoga, you have tobend carefully in order not to get injured. In the case ofyour business that could mean protecting your bottomline, your reputation, or simply your sanity.
“Sixty percent of my week as a caterer is spent thinkingabout next Saturday,” Chase says. “Many of our eventsare booked a year out and then we start detailing themsix weeks before. It’s like always living in another timezone. But when I take the time to slow down and be inthe present, I often see things that need my attention. Itbecomes about keeping my focus.”
And although those events may be planned weeks out,sometimes change just can’t be foreseen. Here is wherebeing flexible and not getting hurt really pay off. “A clientwho had planned on having her wedding at home decid-ed for whatever reason to have it elsewhere. Normally,this isn’t too unusual but her wedding was in twoweeks,” Linda Sample recalls. “It’s not easy in this area tofind a lot of great venues that aren’t already booked butwe raced around and found an airport hangar that wasbeing renovated. Then we changed the menu, the lookand the entire setup of the event.”
Sample recalls another event she dubbed her “loavesand fishes” event. “We were catering a graduation for800 people when the president, in his closing remarks,invited all 3,000 attendees back to the event. We wereable to feed them all somehow. We just made it work.”
And then there is flexibility not just with clients but withthe direction your business takes. For instance, whenChase bought her building almost three years ago, it hadbeen a bakery. “There were two cake decorators therewho were clearly artists,” Chase says. “I hadn’t thoughtabout retail before this, but I couldn’t let them go. Wehired them and a pastry chef, we upgraded the equip-ment and we started to produce cakes. That was$350,000 I would have left on the table. Now peoplecome in for cakes and are surprised we also do catering.Who knew? I’m glad now I was open and flexible and inthe moment.”
sshhaavvaassaannaa
FFiinnaall RReellaaxxaattiioonn PPoossee
The name of this pose says it all… perhaps it’s why itmight be the hardest pose for most people. It is abouttotal surrender.
Images of perfect events and weddings abound on TV,in magazines, on the internet. It doesn’t help that thesemedia often have the luxury of time to shoot studio pho-tos, or go back and retake a shot. Because of this,clients often walk into catering offices with a lot of veryhigh expectations.
“There is a lot of pressure on caterers to perform,”Chase says. “And that leads to stress. But what I’velearned is that stress is based on fear. And so, it helpsme to always start with the worse-case scenario. Whatis the worst thing that can happen? We give them backtheir money? Not that you want to, but if you had to itwouldn’t be the worst thing that has ever happened.”
Sample agrees “If you anticipate everything from theworse-case scenario vantage point, then you be readyfor almost anything. In addition, training and empoweringyour staff goes a long way in averting disaster.”
As Ann Lyons says, “At the end of the day, it’s neverabout what happens. It’s about how you handle it.”Because we know stuff happens and for all those prac-ticing caterer-asana, they are always learning how tosummon balance, strength and flexibility in the face ofsituations that would drive most people mad.
A Thyme to Cook, www.athymetocook.com
Common Plea Catering, www.commonplea-restaurant.com;
A Legendary Eventwww.legendaryevents.com
Melons Cateringwww.melonscatering.com
Snuffin’s Cateringwww.snuffinscatering.com
Find the inspiration
February 22-26Las Vegas Hilton & Convention Center
Educational sessions highlight topics of interest that will add
impact your profit margin!
The 2009 Catersource and Event Solutions Conference & Tradeshow in Las Vegaswill bring you even more education, exciting speakers, new products, networkingevents and learning opportunities than ever before.
The ICA will once again present great educational sessions as well as host the ICAOwner’s Forum, the ICA Resource Room and Club ICA where you can sit in onmany informative roundtable discussions.
Get ready, it’s going to be big! More than 150 educational sessions on topics fromlighting to menu concepts, table decor to marketing strategies, technology to finance,await you at this show that covers it all.
This great education, as well as exposure to the latest products and services at morethan 1,000 tradeshow booths, will help you run your business, increase your salesand improve your bottom line!
Register early for the best rates, early bird prices in effect until November 30, 2008.
Visit www.catersource.com
The hottest food and beverage trends are showcased indemos and events throughout the 2009 Conference & Tradeshow.
More than 7,000 attendees will take part innetworking opportunities at some of the
most exclusive event venues in Las Vegas!
“Our crew had a good
time at the show and we
walked right out of the
sales classes and closed the
deal on a $75,000 party
using the techniques we
learned - trip paid for!”
David Ashley, Global Gourmet Catering San Francisco, CA
get the education!
6
small bites
CHEF’S SECRETS FROM CATERARTS
At CaterArts, held at Sullivan University this past July, aninternational assembly of ICA catering chefs sharedideas at hands-on, demonstration and instructor-ledclasses. Here are a few juicy tidbits hot off the grill.(Watch the November/ December issue of theCommuniCater for more.)
Hors D’oeuvre Creations
At this session Jack McCann from Merri-Makers in NewJersey and Joanne Purnell, Executive Chef of GoodGracious! Events in Los Angeles, cycled through hun-dreds of new ideas. Two that have gone over well withPurnell’s clientele was a soy paper wrapper that is avail-able in a variety of colors and a blueberry paper. Purnellused the orange soy paper to create a Chicken CaesarCone (see photo). They are available at www.jfc.com.And the blueberry paper is made by drying blueberrypuree in a low heat oven. She tears it off and uses it asgarnish with desserts such as Caramel Cracker JackCrunch served in a martini glass.
The First Course
In this session, Tim Lundy, CSEP, from Distinctive DesignEvents / Rosewood Market in North Carolina, and DavidKeener, Corporate Chef of Ridgewells in Washington,D.C. gave the chefs in attendance a look at first courses.One item of interest to the audience was a product thatKeener has been using in a variety of creative ways –
Asian rice cracker pearls. He used them at the openingnight of CaterArts to add texture and a visual element toTofu Satay and then showed them again in this seminarwith Crispy Chicken Satays. At an event, the satays areglazed with Sweet and Spicy Peanut Glaze and servedwith a bowl of these rice pearls on the side which guestsdip the chicken for a great look and an interactive experi-ence guests. Keener glazes the satays right before theyare served so the pearls stick better. Find the rice crack-er pearls at New York Mutual Trading Company. (Call201.933.9555. The product is officially called KotusbuArare Rice Cracker Granules but Keener notes thatcaterers should also reference Product No. 30521 whenordering.)
Hens
hall p
hotograp
hy
Quote of the MonthNo Charge for a Little Color
“This is the year of the white-tablecloth wedding.
They all want white even though I tell them a little color
doesn’t cost extra!”
Sharon Snuffin, Snuffin’s Catering
PARK ITHERE!
CLIENTSONLY
“ “
GREAT IDEAS – PARK IT HERE
At Joy Wallace Catering Production and Design Team inMiami, whenever they have a client coming to the com-missary for a tasting or meeting, they create a customsign with the client’s name and place it at a parkingspace next to the front door. What a perfect way to illus-trate the company’s attention to detail without ever hav-ing to say it!
s
7
THE CATERING GURU:The Path to Simplicity
The word “guru” means guide. Many food gurus them-selves are guided by a certain food principle or culinaryphilosophy which they use to guide their clients. Cateringchefs are no different. For instance, in Denver, atCatering By Design, Executive Chef and Co-OwnerCade Nagy is experimenting with the very yogic principleof absolute simplicity. (For more on yoga and caterers,see Page 2.)
“I have yet to come up with a clever name for a new lineof appetizers I’m working on but so far I’m calling it ThePower of Three,” he says. “There is nothing new here,but for caterers I believe there is. I want to work on dish-es that are three ingredients or less. The point is to goback to the roots of what food is all about; the flavorsand textures and the food itself, not the techniques orme as a chef but the food.”
Nagy credits two things that have guided him on thisculinary path. “One of them was photography,” he says.“For years I’ve been studying the subject and everyonesays shoot, shoot, shoot.” Instead, he took the oppositeapproach recently and went back to the 4-by-5 camera.A larger format, it requires him to take his time, studyeach shot for composition and lighting and actually shootless. The second was a trip to Blue Hill in Upstate NewYork (with the ICA Culinary Learning Journey). “The chefthere showed us how to use the land and what’s on it toits fullest potential,” Nagy says. “It was a lesson inrespecting the ingredients.”
Now, Nagy is about finding the absolute best in food.“The idea of only working with three ingredients forcesyou to study the food you are working with, know itsproperties and bring the best out of it by either combin-ing it with something or just leaving it alone.“
One of Nagy’s favorite three-ingredient hors d’oeuvre to date – Sun-Ripened Watermelon with Blood Orange Balsamic Reduction and Toasted Pistachios
Photo by
Cad
e Na
gy
Non-Uniformity:Dressing Staff for Form
and FunctionBy Kim Mechem
Photos by Nancy Hu
Branding your catering firm begins the moment the firstguest sees your waitstaff. It’s important a person’s lookembodies the image you want to convey. For some itmay be a classic look of tone-on-tone – black, flat front,wool-blend pants with a crisp, button down shirt in jetblack, a black satin tie, and a thin black pinstripe bistrolength apron. For others, it might involve alternative lookssuch as a woman’s wrap shirt with the flair of a V-neckand set-in cap sleeves; a flattering look for all bodytypes. Culinary Classics offers theseand many other looks.
The company has worked with manycaterers helping them create a front-of the-house look that is as appealingas the cuisine they serve. Attention todetail is key and Culinary Classicsconsiders all the elements whendeveloping a concept, including fabricblends, color-fast performance, costeffectiveness, style and more. Theyalso help give caterers ideas on how to create newlooks. For instance, a traditional white bistro apron canbe cut at an angle at the two bottom corners then sewntogether with a contrasting red thread color, creating acolorful and dramatic look while still keeping the garmentfunctional.
Culinary Classics understands that what your staff wearsis as important a branding element as your food, logo orwebsite. A variety of fabric options, styles and colorsallow you to choose a look that breaks the mold, bring-ing form and function to the front-of-the-house.
A SMALL LEAP FOR YOGAWhen you have a passion for something, it seems toappear everywhere. Olive Chase, owner of The CasualGourmet in Cape Cod, has found yoga to be helpful inbody and mind and… buffet? She found these yogafrogs and couldn’t resist adding them to a healthy buffetof crudite.
THE BLOG: On Its Way to Becoming Another Kitchen Tool?
Mario Batali blogs. So does Thomas Keller. Just asrestaurant chefs sharpen their knives, so are they sharp-ening their communication skills with blogs that docu-ment their kitchen experiments, renovations and eventheir personal lives.
WWHHYY??An informal survey of caterers on the subject of blogsreveals that caterers have yet to blog. Caterers haven’tpicked up the blog yet. The main reason? Lack of time.However, just as catering trends follow restaurants forthe most part, this might mean that catering blogs arenot far behind.
It’s important to note that blogs are not the inane chat-tering they once were. They have quickly developed intoa new way to communicate and a more personal mar-keting tool. Blogs can be springboards to other forms ofcommunication such as books and TV.
Some professionals tack them onto their web homepage and use them as newsletters to easily update peo-ple on what is going on, but the most successful blogsare community affairs with guests, looks at other peo-ple’s food, information that people can use.
Blogs are an outlet for creativity. They allow us to hearfrom many different voices that may not have anothervehicle for expression.
WWHHYY NNOOTT??To start blogging doesn’t take much time, effort or money.Sites such as blogspot.com have a 1, 2, 3 template thatgets you up and running in no time. As you become more proficient, you can add more features and design elements.
However, to put it onto you web page, you’ll have toconsult your webmaster or I.T. person as that takes a little more techno talent than most of us have.
The best thing about blogging is that if you don’t likesomething in a post, you can go back and change it. It’snot like an event – there is not just one shot at perfection.
WWHHOO BBLLOOGGSS??Well, so far, not too many of you. But Frank Puleo, alwaysthe pioneer, has been blogging from Beijing for a StatenIsland online newspaper. Puleo and his company,Catering by Framboise in Staten Island, was in Beijing forthe month of August as the official catering company forthe Olympics. He and his team cooked about 30,000meals for U.S. athletes, as well as catering for theOlympic committee’s U.S.A. House in Beijing, for theduration of the 2008 Olympic Games in China.
To hear about the joys of eating, shopping, working andjust being in China, visit www.silive.com. Scroll down thepage to the bottom left box on “bogs” and click 2008Olympics where Puleo and Joe Daly, also from Cateringby Framboise, are blogging from behind the scenes.
small bitescontinued
Muddle blackberries and basil with lemon and simple
syrup. Add ice and vodka. Shake and strain over an
iced highball. Add Ginger Ale and garnish with a
lemon slice.
Blackberry Basil Coolerby Ridgewells Catering
1-1/2 ounces Square One Vodka (organic)5 blackberries6 basil leaves1 lemon wedge½ ounce simple syrupGinger Ale
,,,8
9
tasteful marketingPhotography by Eli Turner Freed Photography
Several times a year Ridgewells Catering rolls out a newmenu and invites clients to a tasting. They have provenvery successful in bringing in new business; a great timeto spend with clients renewing relationships. “We wantedto introduce a totally fresh, seasonal menu,” says SusanLacz, Principal/CEO.
This year the tasting was held at House of Sweden, avenue in D.C. Guests were treated to a menu playfullydubbed “Going Green with Yummy Cuisine.” The ideascreated by Executive Chef Darren Norris and his culinaryteam were as fresh as the ingredients used. An AsianNoodle Bar allowed guests to mix and match. Panini wasdisplayed on warm terracotta. And desserts were lightand colorful.
Pipettes of Chili-Garlic Sauce, Mojito, Orange Vinaigrette Splash
Menu
10
A CATIE Awardwith Your NameOn ItAnd why shouldn’t you win aCATIE Award this year?Consider the benefits of win-ning one – you can market itto your clients and prospec-tive clients, announce it toyour local press, tout it onyour website and collateral materials, and KNOW thatyou’re the BEST.
The entry rules and detailed specs are designed to guideyou in preparing a worthy entry. Put yourself in the shoesof a judge who opens your entry - it’s up to you to writeyour text so to tell the story of your food – describe it.For inspiration, you may view many of the actual entriesfrom last year at the members-only area of icacater.org
You can easily increase your chances of winning by sub-mitting multiple entries in the same category. If you havemore than one great hors d’oeuvre, enter each as aseparate entry in that category.Honestly, Jack Milan figured this out a couple years agoand submitted two entries for BestTote cuisine. As it turned out, theywere the ONLY two entries, result-ing in a double-nomination and asure win. And that was the end ofthe Best Tote Cuisine category.
Since the inception of these presti-gious awards in 2004, Jack Milan ofDifferent Tastes and Meryl Snow ofFeastivities have proved hard tobeat but both promise they are NOT entering this year.Entering the CATIEs now is like being nominated for aBest Actress Oscar in a year when Meryl Streep has notmade a movie.
So do enter the CATIEs this year as your competitorslikely will – and I’m sure you agree that a CATIE Award willlook better in your marketing materials.
Christine EmersonExecutive Director
director’sletter
�Catering to all your uniform needsCall 1.800.373.2963 www.culinaryclassics.comServer Jackets, Shirts, Aprons, Chef coats,Ties and more.
Scholarship applications are now beingaccepted for the 2009 catersource and
Event Solutions Conference & Tradeshow, February 22-26, 2009.
Deadline for submission: October 1, 2008
The application process is open to all ICA members in good standing and whohave been ICA members for at least one
full calendar year.
Scholarship criteria have been expandedand will be awarded on merit and/or finan-cial need. Also available are The Sterno®
Brand “Perfection Under Fire™” ICA Scholarship, and the Chef Reinhard
Jacob Memorial Scholarship.
Visit www.icacater.orgFor scholarship criteria and application
forms. Click on “Foundation.”
For more information, please contact LonLane, Secretary, ICA Educational Foundation
11. Submit entries in a half-inch or 1-inch three-ring binder with a clear plastic sleeve coverfor use by the judging panel. Use a clear plastic sleeve (also called page protector) for EACH page except the actual entry form.
12. All entry binders must be ANONYMOUS. Please do not reference your company or anycompany individuals in your entries, and DO NOT use company letterhead for binder submissions. Exceptions include Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, and Marketing Collateral.
13. You may enter in more than one category for the same product. A separate binder, photos, entry form, CD-ROM, fee and description that fit the category MUST be submittedwith each entry.
14. Binders and all collateral materials submitted become the property of the ICA and maybe used in future published materials at the ICA’s discretion. No materials will be returned tothe company or individual. No exceptions.
15. To qualify for the 2008 CATIE AWARDS, the entry must have been produced to an actualclient for an actual event between November 1, 2007 and October 31, 2008.
1. Each entry must include the completed official entry form.
2. Entry Fee is $75.00 for ICA members and $100.00 for non-members for entries receivedby 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 31, 2008. Late entries will be accepted until 6:00p.m., Wednesday, January 7, 2009 (7 days after the posted deadline date) for an addition-al surcharge of $25.00 per entry for either ICA members or non-members.
3. Entry must include payment by check in USD funds, or credit card. For multiple entries,include one photocopy of the check within each entry binder.
4. Entry should include a maximum 100-word synopsis of the event.
5. Entry should include a maximum 1,000-word description of the event. Please refer tothe Detailed Category Specifications* to assure this description includes the informationthat will be used as judging criteria for each category.
6. Entry should include recipes when applicable.
7. Include a minimum of two (2) or more photos and/or collateral material such as menus,recipes, production notes, and programs pertaining to entry (no videos accepted).PHOTOGRAPHS SHOULD BE TAKEN AT THE EVENT DURING THE PRODUCT PRODUCTIONAND OF THE FINAL DISPLAY. Please be sure that you have thoroughly documented yourproducts at the event. Food-styled photos may accompany the entry as long as the on-sitephotographs document the item being produced and served at an event. The product quality at event should be the same as the food-styled photograph.
8. Contact information and actual event date for the client must be provided.
9. Include a budget breakdown where applicable and based on the retail value (the amountthe client was billed including service charges.) Include budget detail for Signature CatererBest Wedding, and Signature Caterer Best Event only. Refer to Detailed Specs for require-ments.
10. Include (1) CD-ROM with: minimum (2) digital photo(s) and maximum ten (10) photos,the 100-word synopsis and the 1,000 Word Description (MS Word Document) of the event.CD ROM content does not have to be anonymous.
Company name Contact name
Address
City State Zip Country
Phone Fax E-mail
Name of entry Date of actual event
Client Name Phone E-mail
Check # _________ enclosed, for _______________ number of entries. Make check payable to ICA or
Credit Card payment: �� Visa �� MasterCard �� American Express
Signature:__________________________________________________________ V number: _____________
ICA CATIE AWARDS 2008“Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence” Awards
OFFIC IAL ENTRY FORM
�� Best New Food Concept
�� Best Hors d’oeuvre
�� Best Single Plate Presentation
�� Best Plated Menu
�� Best Buffet Presentation
�� Best Themed Menu and Presentation
�� Best Celebration Cake
Categories (Check one category per entry form)*
�� Best Use of Food as Décor
�� Innovative Mixology
�� Best Barbecue or Picnic
�� Best Marketing Collateral
�� Best Collaborative Effort
�� Signature Caterer for Best Wedding
�� Signature Caterer for Best Event
�� Pastry Chef of the Year
�� Chef of the Year
* Detailed specifications for each category areat www.icacater.org on the page “2008 CATIEawards” under “Detailed Specifications” orphone 877.422.4221 and request a copy to bee-mailed or faxed to you.
rules
paym
ent o
ptions
inform
ation
Deadline for entries to be received at the ICA’s New York office is 6:00 p.m.,Wednesday, December 31, 2008. Late entries (see Rule 2 for fees) will be accepteduntil 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2009.
Entries must be sent to:International Caterers Association91 Timberlane DriveWilliamsville, NY 14221-1423Phone: 877.422.4221
Nominees in each category will be notified no later than Tuesday, February 3, 2009.
Awards will be presented at the CATIE Gala Awards Celebration on Wednesday, February25, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 2009 catersource and Event SolutionsConference & Tradeshow. Admission fees to the awards ceremony is the responsibilityof each nominee.
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chefprofile
RobertHudymaCatered Affare Fine FoodsToronto, Canada
I don’t think many of usthought that we would bein the current positions thatare in when we were 15.Nevertheless, my first foray
into the food business was behind the meat counter of alocal grocery store. I could literally leave my house at8:00 am and be at work before the second hand made itfull circle. I was able to learn all the aspects of the meatand deli trade as well as the retail aspects of a large cor-porate food service operation.
It wasn’t however, my first passion. My interests at thetime lay in more scientific endeavors such as minerals,specifically, gold. I spent many years prospecting, stakingclaims and canoeing in the Canadian north, where, funnyenough I used to do all the cooking. Although this mayseem romantic it is not. Even today, the drone of onemosquito is enough for me to reach for the OFF.
Food of course, was the natural alternative and one that Icould relate to. It was during my college training that Imet my future partner in business and life, ColleenWalker. After a few brief sojourns into the restaurantbusiness Colleen and I decided to start Catered Affare in1986. Since then we have catered parties for everyonefrom the corporate elite and blushing brides to the fullspectrum of social festivities.
Unlike many chefs, I never studied under a mentor. I didgo to many conferences and brainstormed with otherchefs but I read a lot, an awful lot. If I could glean oneidea and extrapolate it, or take it along a new tangent, Ihad the kitchen to try different things. If you are really aself starter, this is the best way to do it. It may take morediscipline, but the end results fuel more creativity and Ithink allows for more culinary freedom. I often argue thatmost of the new trends in the food business start off inthe kitchens of caterers who don’t have the constraint offixed menus or ethnic styles. It is also through informalgatherings of chefs and owners that we discuss currenttrends and possible issues that may affect our industryon the whole.
The catering business is a physical one, not so much forbeing on your feet all day, but the lifting and lugging ofequipment and food. The mental exactitude of it com-bined with the non-culinary aspects of a large functiontakes its toll on you, especially from an owner’s perspec-tive. Our ongoing challenge is trying to find staff that isnot only interested in the glitz and glamour of the busi-ness but is prepared for the physical impact it has onyou. Some chefs may argue that catering is not thatstressful compared to a restaurant chef. Personally, Iwould hire a catering chef over a restaurant chef any-time. They have the timing and the understanding oforganization; I think they see the bigger picture and havedeveloped methods to execute larger events more effi-ciently. They also know that they have to satisfy 200hundred people all at once as opposed to a table of four.Passion and love of food is not enough anymore; perse-verance and the willingness to learn all the setup andbreakdown is what I look for. If there is one tool in mykitchen that makes it all come together (and this mayseem a bit cliché) it’s my staff.
Toronto has a very vibrant food scene. We have some ofthe best chefs here, both in the restaurant and cateringsectors. Combine that with the multicultural diversity andof course the food diversity, the availability of ingredientsis astounding. The greenbelt around Toronto is home tomany specialized operations such as organic greens,micro cheese producers, specialty meat purveyors andfine wineries. My philosophy has always been to buy thebest, whether it is organic or conventional, and to pre-pare and present it in manner that is not only visuallyappealing but explores the taste sensations.
My new trend is all about taste – pure, simple, subtle orextreme – just make it taste good. Some of the recentadditions to my pantry are smoked sea salt, excellent onheirloom tomatoes, spice pastes, somewhat common Iknow, but when you need an extra flavor boost, theycan’t beat. And savory syrups; basil and elderflower; ginger, lime lemongrass, chili and lime leaf.
Some of my favorite restaurants are the mom and popethnic operations. These are the ones who in late Augusthave the tomato baskets in the back and the smell ofbasil perfumes the air of the restaurant. Or, the Indianeatery where the door sticks, but the fragrant incense ofcumin, coriander and chili says come on in! Colleen and Idon’t go out often but when we do, it’s usually to one ofthese flavor powerhouses.
Now, as a chef I know we all have our vices and I am nodifferent. Sure, we can gorge ourselves on applewoodsmoked salmon, or have that 60-day aged steak. But, atthe end of the day I have a weakness for French friedYukon gold potatoes with a little tarragon aioli on the side.
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Wild Rice, Sundried Blueberry and Cranberry Scones
This is one of our all-time favorite recipes. For sweet versions omit the wild rice, salt and pepper and chives.
6 cups all purpose flour3 tablespoons baking powder½ cup dried blueberries½ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped½ cup cooked wild rice2 tablespoons chopped chivesSalt and pepper to taste1 quart of 35% cream (less 6 tablespoons)
Mix dry ingredients making a well in the middle of a stain-less bowl.
Add the cream and combine as quickly as possible, notoverworking the dough. Turn out onto a floured surfaceand roll to one-inch thickness.
Using a two-inch cutter, punch out scones. Left overdough can be reused.
Glaze with egg white and superfine fruit sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes until browned andslightly puffed. Cool on rack.
Note: Other versions include cheddar, smoked baconand chives, Swiss Emmenthaler and Black Forest Ham
Planked Salmon Marinated with Rye Whiskey and Maple Syrup
I started serving this in 1982 when I was the chef of asmall restaurant north of Toronto.
1 side of fresh salmon cut into 6 strips starting twoinches from the tail, keeping the tail intact
6 ounces rye whiskey6 ounces maple syrup, amber or darkSalt, fresh cracked pepper3 strands of blanched leek, as long as possible.3-4 ounces fine maple sugar-available online or at local maple producersI cedar plank
If you have a daughter and have braided her hair,then this is easy. I usually braid by number, mentallylabeling each strip one through six. Start with stripfour and bring it over strip one. Bring strip three overstrip six. Continue to work from the inside out untilyou have a nice braid formed. [Editor’s Note: To seehow this is done, check out www.youtube.com andsearch for “How to Braid a Six-Strand Challah. Thereis a great seven-minute video by Maya Sophia.]
Tie it with the leek for esthetic reasons only andglaze with maple sugar and more maple syrup.
Place the plank on a baking tray and roast till theinternal temperature of the salmon in the thickestpart is 120 degrees.
Let cool and dust with more maple sugar or glazewith maple butter if you have it.
Serve it with the scones above with a side of cedarjelly. Cedar jelly is made from the boiling of newgrowth cedar tips with sugar and set with pectin anda food color (available at specialty food stores or atForbes Fine Foods).
FAST FACTS ABOUT ROBERT
Favorite GadgetA good stainless steel grater
Embarrassing item in his fridgePuff pastry sheets. I use them to wrap around home-made German Neurenberg sausages glazed withhoney mustard.
On organic foodsWe have organic foods here for six months out of theyear. It’s not California, but it’s a start.
Largest Catered EventWe catered a plated dinner for 1,200 Special Olympicathletes. Numbers that size are not our specialty, butwe were organized beyond my intelligence.
14
and Design in Seattle. Snuffin provides food and all thestaff and equipment necessary for its preparation andserving.
“This event is very unusual in our area. We don’t oftenhave a client like this with a large event who is willing topay for something high-end,” Snuffin says. “The menu,without the cheese stations that were added this yearand bar expenses comes to $57 for food per person.This is a very large budget for food this area. And we had57 people on staff. I was calling in husbands, friends andfamily to help with this because on top of it all, we hadtwo other parties that day. Unfortunately, we didn’t knowthe date of this event when we booked these.”
The client would be a dream client for any market. “Theyhave experience and knowledge of food and know theyhave to pay for something good,” Snuffin says.
making it happen
“Creating the right menu is the most important elementof pulling off an event of this size for me,” Snuffin says.“We don’t have a huge kitchen staff or a professionalbaker so dessert had to be something we could dogiven our staff skill level and that could be done ahead.Plus, we had to figure out how to pack it and assemble iton site. We don’t have a step van so we do a lot of prepin the kitchen then everything goes into a regular vanand gets transferred to vertical holding cabinets on site.”
Next, Snuffin made sure that the equipment she neededwas available. “As soon as we got the contract, whichwas nine months in advance, we put the equipment on
hold with local and Seattle-based rental companies. Wepaid $900 to have two convection ovens brought infrom Seattle. That’s a lot. But the client was willing to payfor it. They wanted a good product.”
The field kitchen was separated into two work areas withmobile carts to run the hot food to either side. Snuffin ranthe kitchen and had people on either side to plate. “Wehad a lot of space and were able to layout all our cours-es which was a big help.” And, because this marketdoesn’t have a huge staff from which to pull, Snuffin asksher party staff to do a lot of kitchen tasks. And she calledin cavalry from her catering friends. “I’d had surgery twomonths prior and couldn’t lift anything heavy. LaurinFegley and his partner, Danny Valerius from SimplySmooth in Allentown, Pennsylvania, flew in to help. Andfor carvers, I had three of the husbands of my regularstaff. I show them how to do it and they think it’s fun.Really, for a small company like us to pull of somethinglike this, there is a sense of accomplishment for us all.”
the challenge
Even with the best of plans, there will always be some-thing unforeseen. In this case, the lead committee per-son in charge of telling Snuffin when to serve the mealmade the decision to let the live auction run withoutbeing interrupted by dinner. The entrée was held backfor 40 minutes until the auction closed.
“As we were plating – we had three-fourths of the mealplated – we were told to hold on,” Snuffin recalls. “Wehad been perfectly on schedule but the food had to goback into the ovens and those that weren’t plated had toremain in the holding cabinets, continuing to cook. Therewas nothing else we could do.”
(cont. from cover)
Gazpacho shot with wild mushroom bruschetta
Caprese Salad Stack
menu2008 Corks and Crush Wine Auction
Premium Table Auction Menu
AppetizerRoasted and Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho “Shots”
Wild Mushroom and Fresh Herb Bruschetta~
Chilean ShrimptiniLayered with Guacamole and Crisp Lettuce
Absolut Vodka Vinaigrette
First CourseCaprese Salad Stack
Vine Ripe Tomatoes Layered with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, and Garden Basil Leaves
Garnished with Infused Basil Oil
Dungeness Crab Salad Served in a Chinese Soup Spoon
EntréePepper Crusted Beef Tenderloin Medallions with
Maytag Bleu Cheese Crème
Basil Glazed King Salmon Filets Israeli Cous Cous with Vegetable Confetti
Rustic Olive and Ciabatta Breads
DessertA Trio of Decadent Desserts
Double Chocolate Ganache Layered “S’More”Silky Lemon Curd Tarte
Raspberry Bedazzled Bon BonIndividual Boxes of Bedazzled Bon Bons to Take Home
But Snuffin had a secret weapon to make guests forgetthe wait for their entrees. A veteran of catersource andICA conferences, she had recalled the words of a speak-er, Randy Fuhrman from Creative Concept, as sheplanned her menu – always dazzle them at the end withdessert. “We served a trio of desserts and added theDazzle Me Bon Bons [glittery truffle balls] to the plateand we gave a box to everyone to take home.
The evening ended on a dazzling note for both guestsand caterer. Snuffin had produced a profitable party bybeing creative with resources and without having com-promised anything.
“Last year the organizers raised $300,000 and this yearthey brought in $540, 000,” Snuffin says. “And, they’vejust called to award me the contract for next year. I had amoment of panic when I realized it could go to 650 peo-ple, then I thought – we can do that.” Because on top oforganization and know-how, it really takes that can-doattitude to take it to the next level.
Copyright 2008. The CommuniCater is produced and published six timesa year by the International Caterers Association Educational Foundationand is distributed to members of the ICA as an educational tool. The ICAdoes not claim to be engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other pro-fessional services. Any and all contents printed herein may not be repro-duced either in whole or in part without written permission from the ICAor the International Caterers Association Educational Foundation.
