How to Find the Right Caterer

The Right Menu for Your Event
Everyone has their own unique palate and preferences. (Remember how much your brother loved Brussel sprouts…while you viewed the ugly little cabbages with sheer disgust and hoped the dog under the table would finish the job for you!?)
Sometimes you just have to eat what’s in front of you. Other times, there’s no room for compromise. Like when you’re hosting an event, i.e. you want everything on your menu to be pink for a Breast Cancer Awareness Fund Raiser. You need a vegan menu. A gluten-free menu. You want “a bit of this, with a touch of that.” Then you’ll need a caterer who is creative enough to customize.

The Right Chef
While some chefs stick to their specialty, (i.e. they do Italian really well, but Asian dishes aren’t their forte. They specialize in Greek Cuisine, so Western barbeque isn’t in their wheelhouse), Chef Tony Ambrose, owner of Ambrosia, is one of those exceptional chefs happy to customize his menu based on your vision. His specialties range from French Asian to Pacific Rim and Mediterranean. Ambrosia was named in the top 25 new restaurants in the country by Esquire, with awards from Boston Magazine, Bon Appetit, and more. Tony has appeared as a guest chef on top culinary showcases like the Food Network and the Anthony Spinazzola Gala Festival.

A key ingredient in Tony’s success…is Tony himself. In fact, you can’t be more “hands-on” than Tony. You’ll find him down on the docks picking out the freshest vegetables, hand selecting the day’s catch of scallops and monkfish…he knows exactly what he wants, because he’s the one who’ll be preparing it for you. If you’d like to see his preparation up close and personal, Tony is happy to create his extraordinary dishes right in front of you and your guests – hot, fresh and visually exciting.

The Right Questions
So, get your checklist ready when you talk to potential caterers. Can they customize? What’s their specialty? Experience? Will they give your small party of 10 as much TLC as a gathering of 100-150? (Tony says the engineering and design of any size event are the same!) Can they work within your budget? Create dishes that reflect your theme? You and your caterer will be working closely together as you make choices for your big event, so be sure to pick someone you’ll enjoy collaborating with. Then put everything in their experienced hands and do what too many hosts forget to do…have a great time!