Where to start after reading this? Firstly, tip of the chef hat to all who have worked in the catering industry; whether as their full aspiration or to pay their bills whilst they moved towards their dreams. I have just (semi) retired from it after 35 years. I started out as a chef on tour for bands on tour around the world, doing 18 hour days - before landing into LA where a former client asked me to cook for his record party and I accidentally started something that became a fully fledged catering company. With 18 hour days! Small but mighty, we did everything from proposal dinnners to massive global media events for 3000, often bidding against the giants like Wolfgang Puck, AlongCameMary, or reknown chefs like Suzanne Goin’s catering arm. We never once cooked using what is termed a “transit cabinet” out here. But there are So. Many. Stories. Of the near misses, the pinch-me wins, the lovely or horrible clients /guests, the groomzillas, once-in-a-decade downpour in July for a no tent event, forgotten crucial event items in a town that dies for hours bc of a fender-bender on the 405.
To my tribe - a mighty people - prep+event chefs, dish, admin teams, FOH and BOH production peeps, event captains&managers, rentals, floral, photogs, valet & not least our “bar & cater-waiters” that we termed “easy on the eye guys/gals” bc every event out there has to look pretty, inc the staff - thank you for an exhausting, exhilarating, crazy, ride. I miss it but I don't.
Party Down!
I know what I know.
I do not eat catered foods prepared out of sight.
Off and on for years, I worked waiter and bartender for banquets in hotels, convention centres and a big golf course. I also helped on a few more intimate catered events. I have many stories.
What I wanted to emphasize though was the way that these events are all consuming and completed in time. In other careers, I worked in construction or software where the deadline could always be extended or the plans renegotiated. But when you are serving a sit-down wedding and the main course is burnt then you have to serve something (anything!) and very soon. That is not time to ask 200 or 300 people to wait another hour or two.
At the end of the night the whole team often together sat exhausted in a little back kitchen space while sharing some leftover dish that wasn't needed on the buffet table. In the best nights the chef might break out a bottle or two of wine before we all headed home.
You start as a team. You work as a team. And you finish as a team all on the same day.
I was at a high-end party where the only person I knew was the hostess. So, being a bit at loose ends, I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen watching the caterers. It was fascinating to see how smoothly they moved from dish to dish and oven to tray etc. And even though they were extremely swift, they were coordinated, efficient and very calm. It was lovely to watch.
I worked for a catering company in my early 20s.
Some crazy stories:
Catering on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with very rough water. Jumping across 2 feet spanses with a tray of food hoping to not fall in the water. Or the boat swaying and having all the food tables tumble over.
At winter parties, driving on icy roads on Bald Van tires. Sliding as food tumbled over. (Yet forced to serve the food picked off the floor.)
Working at the War Memorial and all the Apple pies had mold and scraping the mold off.
Crazy times.
2
I worked in biotech in the early 2000s and a couple who were both lab technicians had a weekend gig where they did catering both on and off site for a wedding/party venue near NYC.
They would work 5 days in biotech and 2 days in catering, and often bring in trays of desserts and rolls. Many people would take the often dairy based desserts on Monday with no idea where they had been - still looked very nice though. Wonder what they would have found if they analyzed the unrefrigerated leftovers on Tuesday...
@RH How do you know they were unrefrigerated? Why is soon that? And if you really thought that, why didn't you talk to the caterers on how they kept their food before they brought it into work?
Since women do most of the cooking in this country, I do not understand why this article was only about males in the industry. New York Times is still so male oriented I guess.
I pre-ordered the book through Amazon and had it shipped to my catering friend (previous post) in Orange County, CA. She called me this AM and said she got home from a job last night, saw the delivery, opened it, saw the book and despite being tired, read the first fifty pages. Loved it! A professional endorsement for the Lee brothers efforts.
1
I worked in catering from spring 1997 to spring 2011. I was second to my late first wife who owned our business. Even then it was highly nerve-racking and very necessarily improvisational, even in the 'wilds' of Chester County, PA.
I could tell these youngsters of such things as delivering dinners for four parties on New Year's Eve 1999 and then being personal cooks and servers for a fifth (and then, after cleaning up and going home, sleeping most of New Year's Day), feeling the economic oxygen being sucked upwards after the Bush tax cuts, doing a graduation party including vegetarian salads AND pork pulled on site, running a food stand in a garden store and doing horse shows in our mobile 'trolley' kitchen--for starters!
Is there something in the NYC air that makes people think their 'discoveries' ought to be printed and sold which isn't in the air elsewhere?
My first wife passed at the end of August 2009 and the last time I used the kitchen before being compelled to sell it piecemeal was at Thanksgiving 2010 to help a friend at her church. At the time my brother, who has also worked in food service, told me I was lucky to get what I did for our equipment.
1
Great article that was a lot different than I had imagined. I was expecting to read about how glamorous working in the catering business is, but instead I discovered the exact opposite. Demanding, stressful and picky clients and event attendees - no thank you. And for eating catered food? I might pass in the future given the “hot box” method for heating and cooling and storing. Creative use of resources? Yes. Safe food handling? Um, unlikely.
Fascinating glimpse at a world hitherto only viewed from the perspective of a guest. I also found the brothers Lee guided through the nuances of the industry by the Soto brothers intriguing. There are certainly many sibling collaborations, but in catering, an industry that creates concentrated high levels of stress when peak performance is demanded, its heartwarming to see family having nurtured the ultimate trust and confidence in your sibling to succeed at the top of this demanding industry.
1
I hope there are some good guest stories in the book...I used to work at one of NYC’s top caterers and sometimes the guests at these exclusive events are apalling. I’ve seen wine bottles thrown at waiters, Billionaires letting their dog lick plates while still on the table, drunken fights, guests making amateur porn, guest chefs hot boxing in walkin refrigerators, a woman deficate on a rug...so so much crazy stuff
6
I was in this industry over 10 years. I remember those hot boxes, defrosting hor'd oeuvres for 400 people at Sotheby's one evening. You had to be resourceful when something went wrong. This was my support job while I was pursuing something else. I always loved cooking and feeding people. I think I got through it because I was focused but light hearted about it all. It was when I was 6 months pregnant with my second child and a patron took a tray out of my hand that I hung my apron up. I did one more party for a friend later on. I learned a lot about throwing a party and became a very good home party planner and cook.
I worked in the pastry shop of a grand NY hotel in the late 80s. At one million dollar bar mitzvah, the Kosher caterers came to me with a crisis - the centerpiece cake had a box of asparagus sticking out of it. I had to repair the cake from our stock of cakes on hand and color-match and redecorate the cake. They came back again later, screaming they didn't have enough dessert. Eclairs and cream puffs were easy and quick, but I told the caterer that none of it was Kosher. He put his hands over his ears and yelled "I didn't hear that. Just do it." I did it.
9
From 1989 to 1995, I worked for a small LA catering company. I started doing dishes, and ended managing parties and events. The owner was a brilliant and eccentric woman who loved what she did, and treated her staff as her family. I had the time of my life, the camaraderie, the amazing food, and the impromptu rigging to make things work. Staff were artists and choreographers, Broadway and Hollywood actors, and kids of the owners friends. The food was amazing, and was not wasted, what the client did not want, we donated to the shelter and pantry. Good memories, glad I am not doing this now, sounds like a whole different world.
5
Hotels had a really hard time competing with "Outside Caterers" during the "Glorious Years" of the excesses of the 1980's. Strategic combinations of Elite Designer's and Master Caterers, who also were at the helm of several restaurants and design businesses, out maneuvered the Hotel Ballroom proprietors. Socialites and Couture events propelled an added revenue stream to an established food world that dwarfed profits of any previous concept the hospitality industry has ever experienced. Whole events could not be carbon copy of ones only attend two nights prior. Handed blank checks for "Excellence of Inspiration" was the ultimate Culinary experience for everyone. The 90's cemented in the "Private Dining Experience" where the price per person for food was only the gimmick to get the thousands reaped on the beverage bill plus mandatory service costs. We were all aging in the business so it birthed the "Make Them Come To Us" mantra and restrict outside catering only to high profile benefits and galas for publicity.
Forgot one unspoken fact :Sterno contains denatured alcohol and color additives and is poisonous.
All I can say is that this kind of chefs make a lot money through the other “chefs or cooks “ they hired to work events, this kind of chefs hire cooks which don’t know about rates of catering, people who don’t speak English or people who don’t have experience and they pay them very less money, this is a big abuse because the cooks don get the pay what they deserve! I don’t know how the companies permit this...
2
The only think I can say is this kind of chefs make a lot money through the other cooks, they hired people without experience to the events and put them on list as professionals and experienced chefs to charge more money and they pay very little money to the unprofessional cooks!! Thats an abuse to the other cooks that work very hard and don’t get what they deserved!!
Other than a statement in the blurb and one line in the story, I missed the “influential” part. To whom? I thought maybe caterers were advising Supreme Court Justices or members of the Federal Open Market Committee in between the cordon bleu and the sheet cake. Now that would be a story.
3
I free-lanced catered for a while and I can say it is hell.
Long hours, owners who shorted your money or did not pay on time, insane bosses.
It is possible to do it correctly and nicely and yes there are some wonderful caterers out there.
Nothing against the profession per se and it's a needed service.
But I think I would slit my wrists if i had to go back to it....
1
Reading this brought back PTSD from my years of catering. Days would begin at 2pm and end at 2am. Once the staff had to roll multiple 8 top tables through a dirt tunnel into an abandoned turquoise mine in the middle of the desert. That included all the food, decorations, alcohol (and there were always cases and cases of that) and cooking supplies. We had to string the entire place with tea lights....We were hot, sweaty, covered in dust while serving this supposedly glamours dinner. Of course we had to break it all down, stuff it back in the truck and endure the topsy turvy ride through pot holes and mud all the way back to the base hotel.
5
Great article. I always wondered how do they do it?
I laughed at this: “food preferences and intolerances dressed in food-allergy drag.” Yeah, I know how that goes. But I stopped being amused when that snarky slap-down of the spoiled and fussy was stretched to include vegetarians or vegans who ask about dairy. If someone does not eat animal products, their diet does not include dairy. Eschewing animal products is not a “preference.” It is a defined diet that people follow for valid reasons. Butter is an animal product, and it turns up in everything. Grated, hard cheees like Parmesan are often treated like seasoning by caterers. They forget that it’s cheese, made from milk. I have been told that dishes were vegetarian when they contained meat broth, chicken (not a vegetable!), and seafood. Once a waiter at a well-known New York restaurant told me that the dish I ordered was meat-free. It arrived topped with thin slices of foie gras. I don’t think there could have been anything worse to place in front of a vegetarian who gave up meat for humane reasons.
5
As an event planner I definitely know who does the heavy lifting. It’s the caterer!!! Catering is an art & a science and there are a lot of hacks out there. Fortunately there are some incredible ones. They can cook a gourmet meal in the middle of nowhere with great skill! And last, but not least most restaurants are not good off site caterers!
4
??? How the heck could Matt and Ted Lee work undercover in the restaurant/catering industry (in NEW YORK CITY no less) and not have been recognized?? Those guys are on constant rotation on Food Network/Cooking Channel shows!!
5
@Bobby - just guessing, but (a) probably they worked backstage where the guests never saw them; (b) the professionals in the kitchen may not watch the Food Network or Cooking Channel; and/or (c) the backstage crew knew exactly who they were and what they were doing there, and tolerated their presence with whatever degree of enthusiasm they needed to display in order to keep their jobs. Again, just guessing.
4
"browning off rare beef fillets in the deep fat fryer"? Cigarettes dangling over the tuna tartare? Seriously? As an Executive Chef in catering for 25 years, this is something I've never seen or heard. We triple check needed equipment, so we never have to use coat hangers except for their intended purpose. Clean uniforms, and clean shaven men. All of us took pride in ourselves, and, the finished product. And, we always left the space cleaner than when we arrived. That's professional catering.
24
Two quotes
"One client, the Lee brothers report, regularly pays a young caterer to smuggle poulet de Bresse chickens from Paris on a Gulfstream jet at $200,000 a trip."
and
" at a $1.5 million Labor Day party in the Hamptons."
confirm that This is Messed Up Country
Out of control capitalism + Late stage decadence
we desperately need A new tax code to reign in these out of control wall street crooks
get money out of politics
Vote for berine 2020 -
make it a lot lot hard for someone to afford a party that costs 1.5 million
that's obscene
23
@j who is berine?
I know nothing about catering but do love to eat. What a terrific look at the industry and update on the Lees.
1
Yes catering is like ice skating on roller skates but the margins are fat and the overhead, compared to operating a restaurant, is small and the nomadic employees are often paid in cash. Your popular local caterer can make a very nice living for his/her two to four hours on the tightrope every weekend.
6
I learned a lot in my short stint in catering high-end parties held in Central Park, luxury retail outlets and the Hamptons. Not only is it a stressful environment (wait/rush), but food sits around in unsanitary conditions (especially if prepped in a makeshift kitchen which is usually the case). I distinctly remember working a Hermes store party where there was no running water available at all, and the chef dolled out stake tartare appetizers with a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, directly over the serving bowl. Plus, I'm not very enthusiastic about meats cooked halfway in the caterer's kitchen and then finished off later in a hot box, which was often done.
Aside from the sanitary conditions, the next biggest obscenity is that half the food goes un-eaten because not all the meat is cooked to perfection in those hot boxes. What a sin to raise all those animals, just to have the meat thrown out in droves at the end of the affair. Plus, caterers tend to over-estimate the amount of food needed, so the waste is shameful. This is the height of indecency that Americans never address.
My advice to catering clients is to consider the venue, audience and amount of people. The bigger the party, the best to keep it simple and tasteful. Enough said.
69
@Joe I work for a large catering company, and while I don't discount your personal experience, I can firmly say that I've never seen the likes of anything close to what you describe. Not all caterers are the same, but our company does many, many, very large parties each year - galas and major sporting events are our core business - and we wouldn't be in business after the 50+ years we've been here if we didn't adhere to very stringent food safety standards. My company serves almost 1 million people annually, and in the five years I've been here, we have not had a single complaint of food borne illness. And if you think catering companies aren't under a seriously strict level of scrutiny from the health department, think again. Our company frequently serves diplomats, politicians, and even the office of the President. Zero chance food safety isn't our number one priority - and that we aren't being held accountable for it.
Yes, some food does go to waste, but any caterer worth their salt isn't letting it go to waste because it's not cooked properly. How would we ever survive as a business if we were constantly chucking expensive filets in the trash? Aside from the concerns about sustainability, it's simply not profitable to let food go to waste. We (and I believe other caterers as well) do what we can to minimize food waste, but yes - it is a challenge, especially when you're doing your best to estimate for food allergies/preferences and unexpected additional guests.
23
@JKTA
My intention was not to offend but to share my experience working for a premier NYC caterer in 2008-2010. My point was to get people thinking about the model, to use some common sense, and hopefully, make it more sustainable and safe. Catering is extremely hard work, and I applaud you for doing it.
And I'm glad you have an elite clientele, but so did many of the events I worked. And I can promise you that the the likes of Barbara Walters and Martha Stewart did not eat the lamb chop that was served to them that night (i.e. chops that sat on plates in the open air tent with flies swarming over them). Most likely after the schmooze fest, the elites go out to fabulous restaurants or have their personal chefs prepare a meal.
Regarding profitability, I presume the client pays for the food, whether eaten or not, so I don't understand your argument.
7
@Joe But it is up to the caterers to first check out the venue to see if they have what they need and if the sanitary conditions are safe. That is part of their job and part of their license to do food service. Whoever you worked for was probably in violation. Not the place they did the food in, but their own work. And I find it extremely unethical that they would cook in those conditions. If someone had gotten ill, they're the ones who would have been sued, not the venue.
And I find it a bit wrong of you not to turn that company in to the health authorities.
I have a friend who has a very successful catering business working for a very demanding and varied clientele in Orange County, CA. One time while visiting she asked if I could help in the kitchen prepare 300 deviled eggs after a member of her staff called out sick. i consider myself a very competent home cook so I figured one day away from the beach to help out, no problem. After 10-minutes of tutoring and about 60-minutes working with her on the eggs, in order to preserve our friendship, I politely told her to go to a place below heaven and left. My home kitchen skills were no match for the demands and perfection she expected in her professional kitchen. I know first hand how difficult it is being an in demand, high-quality catering service and have the utmost respect for all the men and women in this industry. There's a stress level involved that I never even imagined possible.
128
I have supported my writing/acting career in NYC as a cater waiter since 1987 starting at the United Nations. The 80's through the dot com bubble are often referred to as "the golden age" of New York catering. What the article refers to as "hotboxes" I have only known as crescor(e)s. Glorious Foods was king then. I've seen a number of catering companies become hot for a few years and then disappear. Match would be a good example of that. The darling of the newest dot com companies that were lavishly impressing their peers and customers, Match popped with their clients and their bubble. As a former pre school teacher I always bring up the allergens at our pre party meetings. Peanut allergies were unheard of when I taught and have since turned deadly. Nightshade fears and the gluten scare have caused many caterers many headaches. When I started it was only vegetarians that had to be accommodated. Now include pescatarians, vegans and paleo among other often unheard of concerns. I've entered my seventh decade and am not booked very often. When I captained parties the clients would often comment on how lovely the young waiters were. The message is not lost on caterers but in May with graduations, galas and weddings I seem to be renewed. Young again until the height of the season is crossed. That, or I work in the backhouse collecting the used plates, glasses, silverware and garbage as catering's mobile maintenance person referred to as "sanit" which is short for sanitation.
38
@Don Arrup Thanks Don, what a great life story!
1
[email protected] You hit it right on the money Don. Great article. I was expecting a comment from you on this article. Both of us have have been working in the industry for the same amount of years traveling all over the country to work the top catering events in the country. I'll never forget traveling to the Kennedy Center in DC to work the Kennedy Center Honors of to LA to work the Academy Awards dinner with Wolfgang Puck or the Met Gala, The State Luncheon at The UN for world leaders and so many more to mention. I would never have know that Chef Jean Claude from Glorious Food where I work occasionally was the chef who mastered the art of using the hot box or proofing cabinet like it's also called. The New York City catering industry is in a league of its own.
1
Given the NYT article yesterday about human trafficking (slavery) in certain American labor markets, including the restaurant industry, what did the Lees experience of that in the catering industry?
2
How many sentient creatures were harmed and killed during the production of this book?
1
“When the service captain tells you sit, stop talking and sit,” Ted Lee said. “It’s critical. The quality of the salmon is at stake.”
That's funny, but so true!!
3
Nice work!!
How did this become "new"? Peter Gabriel sung about this in ~1975 "The bluebells are calling for sweetbread Sam, real ham, handing out bread and jam, just like any ordinary picnic... picnic...
He didn't add "with hors d'oeurves served on a single use styrofoam fake silver pot and plastic cutlery, just like any ordinary picnic. " I guess that's the part that's new.
God only knows how much non-recyclable trash is generated on a daily basis by catering, and "parties" in general. You can go into party city and see an entire store inventory of single use stuff destined at birth for the landfill.
3
Excellent look and insight into the whims and desires of today’s Mandarin Princes and Princesses. In the past we had just a few Romanovs, but today we have thousands, possibly millions of them.
5
I am a long time catering chef. Food cooked in hot boxes with stereo is disgusting unless you like your food tasting like gas (which it does). Any self respecting caterer gets permits, tents and gear to prepare/finish the food properly on site. You are generally just finishing the food on site but maybe it's the only option in NYC. I'd rather stick an ice pick in my forehead than eat food cooked in a hotbox. Everyone thinks sous vide is this new thing when we caterers have been using it for 30 years. It's a caterers best friend for producing identically/perfectly cooked food.
8
Nice reporting guys but honestly I was doing this catering madness 25-30 years ago in New York...You are a little late with the tale,not sure where you're going with this
6
@Anna Cox - well this is basically an interview-slash book review, not really breaking news. It's about these two brothers' foray into this industry, not (although the author acknowledges that many people have no idea what goes on behind the curtain) an exposé of the industry itself.
Nice work
Hmm, did they also get to experience the the sexual harassment that (usually) female servers have to deal with? Like having 60-70 year-old former star athletes inappropriately (illegally!) touching the brothers' "private parts" in front of other guests as the whole table chuckles and winks? And many other kinds of sexual harassment and assault?
3
Using two metal coat hangers from the coat room for a whisk?!
Ugh.
1
I worked for a few frustrated years in catering in NY for various haute cuisine companies. I spilled water on Chelsea Clinton, served the delightful Pele, special ops on Hilary and Bill, and Tony Blair. Did 10 million dollar weddings in the Hamptons...but the best was a day that I went from protesting at Occupy Wall Street in the morning - where cops dragged a girl by her dreadlocks on the pavement - to serving a Morgan Stanley dinner at the Met’s Egypt room. I couldn’t stomach it. But when I had to serve Filet Mignon topped with Foie Gras topped with - yes - gold leaf to the head of Obama’s economic commission I took great glee in just inaudibly whispering Occupy Wall Street as I passed by their ears and placed their delicacies before them. Catering is a wonderful absurd world ;) Excited to read this book!
35
I ended my restaurant career in catering. To say it was a nightmare most of the time is an understatement. I could write a book about the horror stories I encountered. The day the lift on the back of the truck malfunctioned and hundreds of dishes and glasses crashed onto the sidewalk was the final straw. If it wasn't for my strong work ethics I'd have just walked away. Luckily it wasn't the full bar stock that was next to be unloaded. Oh, and back of house the size of a bachelor apartment for a sit down dinner for 300. Someone always forgets something important. I could go on, but I'm giving myself anxiety just thinking about it. The next time you're at a catered affair, take a moment to appreciate the people who drag everything in. It's not fun.
29
Good article and I will be buying the book.
1
I never thought catering is something to take lightly, but unfortunately some do.
In my job, I've had to use many caterers over the years and have seen quite a few lose their business in part because they didn't take into consideration the hard work, expense, and customer service demands that are necessary to succeed.
The worst experience was a bout of food poisoning for the entire office capped of by incredibly rude treatment by the owner.
These days I use more established chain restaurants and have eliminated nearly all the problems.
2
I have supported my writing/acting career in NYC as a cater waiter since 1987 starting at the United Nations with Restaurant Associates. The 80's through the dot com bubble are often referred to as "the golden age" of New York catering. What the article refers to as "hotboxes" I have only known as crescor(e)s. Glorious Foods was king then. I've seen a number of catering companies become hot for a few years and then disappear. Match would be a good example of that. The darling of the newest dot com companies that were lavishly impressing their peers and customers, Match popped with their clients and their bubble. As a former pre school teacher I always bring up the allergens at our pre party meetings. Peanut allergies were unheard of when I taught and have since turned deadly. Nightshade fears and the gluten scare have caused many caterers many headaches. When I started it was only vegetarians that had to be accommodated. Now include pescatarians, vegans and paleo among other often unheard of concerns. I've entered my seventh decade and am not booked very often. When I captained parties the clients would often comment on how lovely the young waiters were. The message is not lost on caterers but in May with graduations, galas and weddings I seem to be renewed. Young again until the height of the season is crossed.
1
I stopped reading after the analogy to the Navy SEALS. Really? It’s not a good analogy and it runs the risk of equating the act of assisting with a stressful food prep where a future career is at stake with a rescue mission by trained professionals who regularly and literally risk their lives in the name of our country. NYT, you can do better.
3
I loved the canned response to "faux allergies that don't exist because it sounds healthy" mixed with "I demand a customized experience"...here's your soy free salad and grilled veggies. Shut up and eat it.
6
@Alex Emerson Some people just cannot be catered too.
3
Martha Stewart's "Entertaining" - her first book from the early 1980s - still astonishes today, with scene after lavish scene from her start as a caterer in Westport, Connecticut. Backyard wedding for 250 with bottles of vodka frozen in flower-laden ice? Lobster bake on an island in Long Island Sound? Martha did all that and more.
3
As did dozens of other caterers.
3
Fantastic article- I know people who have worked as servers as well as an amazing woman who now runs a “secret supperclub” from her tiny apartment. I hired her to cater an anniversary party and she and her staff truly were ninjas- swooping in and fashioning a fabulous event, then when it was over everything was swept away as if it had never been, only the fragrant memory hanging in the air.
4
“How much more does the world need to hear from two white guys who grew up in Charleston in the 1980s about how they cook?”
Kudos to them both for figuring this out. I've passed on several of this book's predecessors but will be eating this one up.
9
I always laugh imagining the perfectly IMPERFECT canapés dished out by adorably wacky Dianne Wiest & her actress pal Carrie Fisher in Hannah and Her Sisters.
How many people did the Stanislavski Catering Co. food poison?
1
As a man trained in the art of serving Flaming Cherries Jubilee and lists Leonard's of Great Neck on his résumé, I can relate.
2
It’s offensive how you use the Somali pirate reference. Seems unnecessarily racist. There are pirates of all origins. Pay attention editors.
1
@Melanie - I believe you're looking for eater.com, where such concerns are analyzed ad nauseam.
3
@Melanie for Heaven's sake not everything is about Political Correctness and Social Justice! Also, the pirates who were most recently in the news weren't with Sir Francis Drake, they were indeed Somalian. FACT.
14
@Melanie - as someone else already pointed out, Somali pirates are the only kind that have been in the news in recent years, and are also the only ones who (in the news) have been dealt with by a precision strike force.
Also, Somali is a nationality, not a race.
I could choose to be offended by your comment "unnecessarily racist," with its clear implication that there is, by contrast, some "necessary" level of racism.
1
Brothers Matt and Ted should step into the unglamorous shoes of the dish washer and clean-up crew to get the full experience of the catering world.
It's where the half-eaten plates of "pepper-crusted beef-on-brioche" and chocolate mousse-used-as-an-ashtray come to be scraped, washed, sanitized, and stacked. It's where carbonized sauce pans and not-so-fresh food storage containers are resurrected for another use.
Feeding "billionaires and celebrity brides" may, on the surface, look like glamorous business but somebody has to clean-up the mess.
35
@J Milovich new york city off-site caterers, those whom are referenced in this article, rent all the glassware, plates, linens, etc.; it is all dropped off before event setup and picked up at the end of the event. all washing is done by the contracted company. this book is really about off-site caterers who do everything but wash dishes. top to bottom, everyone deals with organizing dirty plates and lots of credit goes to the sanit(ation) guys.
3
Supreme new found respect for Baby J’s caterers! Every event A , food, venue, service top notch. She always made it look so effortless! Bravo! Great article shedding light on a small but important niche of New York’s food industry. I’ll have to pick up the book too.
1
Having worked in every type of kitchen, from 3 star to dive, working catering was always the most demanding, unenjoyable, fulfilling and creative place I ever worked. The end of night clean up and starting back early the next day is brutal. Good catering cooks are worth more then they get paid, and are head and shoulders above many of today’s diva chefs. You couldn’t pay me enough to do it again.
17
Great article! They would have an easier time if they used what we use in our kitchen, ModPans by San Jamar. They work so well for our catering events. Huge thanks to NYT and the Lee Brothers for showing a side of the business that is so different from the fake competitions staged on most cooking TV shows.
5
Great article even if I prefer to (and do) eat at home where I can trust the sanitary and other habits of the food preparer.
5
I noticed on cooking competition show that the restaurant chefs always dismiss catering chefs. Looks like they should re-think their attitude. I have nothing but respect for the work these folks are doing.
8
Food safety is what comes to mind when I read this article. Are the foods being kept at safe temperatures? It doesn’t sound like it. One of the last lines about the book authors no longer worrying about keeping their food at safe temperatures is terrifying. Their are many documented outbreaks associated with catering events for a reason.
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@Olivia,
I agree with foods being kept at safe temperatures during these lavish galas, parties, etc. It makes me think twice about eating any foods at catered events. Something to think about.
3
@Olivia As someone who works in high-end catering for a large catering company, and a company that serves to some very VIP guests, I can tell you that food safety is our number one top priority. Always. No exceptions. Can I speak for every caterer out there? No. But I can speak for any reputable catering company who has been in a business for any lengthy period of time. We wouldn't be in business if we didn't handle our product safely. I can also tell you that any caterer out there who caters to a VIP clientele (think diplomats, celebs, politicians, etc) is under a microscope from the health department. Probably going to be tough to stay in business if you make headlines for passing on a food borne illness to a senator. The level of scrutiny is intense, and there is no wiggle room for laziness or poor education on the subject of food safety.
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Health departments don’t have the resources to inspect every event. They do not ride along with the food. I’m sure some large catering companies are very good at food safety but I still think it’s a concern because the food is traveling while warm. And because of the high pressure of the events, I think a lot of corners are cut. Google wedding and outbreak and you’ll see what I mean.
1
Finally, food industry folks are understanding/shedding light on the chaos and magic of the catering world. I have been in the business for 20+ years and still get asked, "what exactly do you do?" We create mobile kitchens in highly compromised settings, employ as many as 60 people on one day and only a few the next, manage nearly impossible timelines (plating 400+ dinners in less than 20 minutes), all while keeping the client content, hopefully never having to think about what's happening behind the scenes. It's utter madness, totally fulfilling and I can't think of doing anything else.
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WoW. Lovely article about very difficult work. What bothers me are the leftovers. At most events I have attended there have been many (I still have chimchurri sauce in my fridge left from the two quarts the caterer gave me when I asked to take some leftovers from one event -- works well in ground beef!) Many small events and lecture in NYC provide tasty snacks (dinner) afterwards -- yes, free.
Supposedly we throw away $240 BILLION worth of food annually in the USA (obviously including grocery store throw outs.) Why is anyone going hungry or eating substandard food such as is served in many schools and nursing homes and hospitals??
13
Many caterers partner with charitable food distribution organizations to make sure this wonderful food does not go to waste. However, there are always rules and regulations that can stand in the way. I don’t think chefs ever enjoy throwing out food.
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@Make The Filthy-Rich Honest - I worked for a caterer in college and, along with my fellow student co-workers, took home most of the leftovers
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@Make The Filthy-Rich Honest I work for a large catering company, and I know for us (and most of our competitors), we donate a huge amount of food leftovers to several local organizations to help feed people in need. However, as someone else mentioned, there are a ton of regulations in place regarding food safety, which do not permit us to donate certain items (mainly those that have already been cooked or heated), or to give them as leftovers to guests. It's a huge liability for caterers to give leftovers to a guest who very likely wont be able to adhere to food safety standards on the trip home. It's a constant challenge for us to figure out how to reduce food waste, and made more so by the increased need to have extra food on hand to accommodate food allergies and preferences.
9
I was blown away by the attention to detail by chef Bruno Bertin of Daniel Boulud’s catering company Feast and Fetes. Resplendent presentation and exquisite level of cuisine served at the correct temperature in an event space that doesn’t have a professional restaurant kitchen.
One has to be organized, a multitasker, and keep a cool head above and beyond culinary skills. It is hard work and can make an event sparkle if done well.
17
I live on a lane dead ended by a property that was owned by a member of the German family whose business prints the Euro. During the Season, she had several catered affairs. Instead of the caterers using her kitchen, they set up shop along my picket fence on the lane, creating gourmet plates of food. The servers entered the property through an invisible gate from the lane.
One savvy caterer, sensitive to my feelings gave me a plate of the food she was serving to guests. That was a great PR move and a marketing idea. I hired her several weeks later for my own modest soiree.
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As a fundraiser, I have worked with many chefs and event planners and have attended many galas and events; these folks have my undying respect and thanks for all their hard work and excellence.
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My husband has been a catering chef for many years, first trained in New York City by Jean-Claude Nedelec at Glorious Food, and working at several of the top NYC caterers over the years before moving west. He has served presidents and heads of state and the highest ranks of NY society, consistently creating perfect meals, sometimes in the equivalent of a shoebox, for the most demanding clients one could ever imagine. The stories would make your head spin. He raised three kids while doing this and has my undying respect for succeeding in one of the most difficult niches of the business. NYC catering takes a special breed of chef. Thanks for the profile!
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Your husband’s stories sound like they would be better than those in the Lees book
4
Very interesting article. Once again we she how hard working the world of the kitchen and food preparation is. also I wonder why the kitchen prep workers are being paid only $10/hr? the minimum wage for NYC has been $12 and upwards for several years, (depending on the business's size) Often I read about under paid restaurant workers. Maybe it time for an article on that.
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@john g The minimum wage for tipped employees is MUCH lower. https://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm
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@Leslie'
Good point - and link. And I can remember working at hotels - 7 days/week x 3 meals a day - where the "minimum" - which was under the existing minimum to start with - was also docked by subtractions for room and board.
Kitchen prep workers, however, do not have tips to fill in their income.
And recent organization to push for minimum wage for waitstaff met opposition from waitstaff, who make more from tips than they would if being paid a minimum or above wage.
3
@Leslie Is the kitchen staff prepping for a catered event tipped?
1
Having worked for a major NYC caterer mentioned in this article, I can attest to the magic and creativity of the chefs and kitchen staff, especially under fire. However, the nastiness, lying, backstabbing and utter disrespect that is prevalent in the front of the house and especially the main office is something I experienced, never expected from colleagues, and will never forget. It’s an unpleasant business!
25
The article is interesting, and I am sure the book is interesting, too. But referring to the catering industry as “hugely influential,“ and some of the other superlatives, seems to be a bit much, doesn’t it? I mean, really: we’re talking about people who cook extravagant, high priced meals for rich people. Call me a prole, but I think there’s not a whole lot of social value in this.
17
@Koyote It's not all high priced meals for rich people. A lot of middle class couples have weddings that cost tens of thousands of dollars. The food better be spectacular or the online reviews will kill you.
5
@Koyote Just because many rich people are clients of caterers, doesn't mean an industry can't have an impact. And, not all clients of caterers are rich people. They come from all walks of life, and hire caterers for things like memorial services, baby showers, retirement parties, weddings, religious celebrations, and more. Not to mention the corporate clients for office parties for their employees, conferences, etc. Not to completely discount your point of view, but food is often a vehicle for gatherings, celebrations, and traditions - and I personally think there's a lot of social value in those :)
6
During the time I worked for a catering company we did events for rich, influential clients, large companies, many weddings for regular people, and fantastic outdoor weddings with no kitchen. We also catered women’s club meetings, private birthday parties, and small dinners.
Catering serves a range of clients, not just rich ones. My favorite event was a birthday party that a wonderful 80 year old teacher threw for herself to thank her friends and family for enriching her life. She wasn’t rich, so we did an afternoon tea, one of the least expensive meals to produce. She was ecstatic throughout the event and it was truly an honor to facilitate her thank you to all of the people she loved.
13
I spent over two decades doing catering. It is a mind numbing, fast paced madhouse....all run (hopefully) by a Chef that knows his business.
Not for the faint of heart....or for those who think they "know better" than the Chef when it comes to the details of taste and plating.
8
Try planning and executing a site wide bbq for 2,000 hospital employees in the parking lot while insuring all in-house catered meetings are taken care of, cafe operations for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and 500 patient meal meals 3 times a day. Without extra labor or space.
For more excitement, move the whole shebang inside because the safety manager feared the high winds would knock the tents down.
23
I’m glad someone chimed in to talk about hospital food prep and catering, it’s own specialty niche! Very challenging esp since all lines, patient service catering for hospital meetings, special events, even the employee cafeteria all come out of the same kitchen.
6
I will get the book because I have to. Don't know if I will read it. I live the book 24/7, litterley, as most caterers do. We live, sleep and breathe catering. Catering is a fairly broad term. I've done it for over 35 years now. I always say I will have to work for 10 years after I'm dead to finally figure it out. Over 35 years. The last 20 plus with a successful Maryland caterer. I've worked in almost every aspect from driver to dishwasher to event production, cooking, schlepping and off premise catering /event sales, (my present job discription/title). Of course does anyone in this business really have a singular job discription? You may have a title. There is probably no one title that can describe what you actually do in this business. Advancing and changing job titles never says you will never do those past jobs again.
I was lucky to grow up in the catering world so it as part of my DNA. That has always helped when you question the commitment from time to time. The funny thing is that every day is like the first day on the job. The feeling you get everyday, learning something new, meeting new people, making people you have worked for, for years, happy and satisfied is a feeling that almost can't be described. One constant always remains. That hot box. In a field, in a tent, in a garage, in a closet, in a truck, under a stairway, in a back alley, any 10x10 space. The hot box and sterno is always there. Don't know if I should laugh or cry now.
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Back in the early aughts, I worked for one New England's "best" off-site caterers. What an experience. It was never easy, often grueling and yes, usually satisfying. Sometimes even unusually so.
While this article seems to focus on the logistics (all well and good), fine catering can only begin with rock-solid logistics.
Only then are great celebrations, parties, events, et cetera, able to take flight, allowing the menu, venue, and people, most of all the people, shine.
13
Fantastic article. About time caterers got the recognition they deserve. These guys do magic. I’ve chaired different galas in NY and have never been disappointed with their work, I’ve also hired them for big and small dinner parties at home, where they never less than creative, caring and professional. Feasts and Fetes, Glorious Foods, Great Performances, Cipriani. I’m always in awe that all goes without a hitch and they remember that the new fifth wife of a big guy on table 3, seat 5 has some imaginary food phobia and drop her plate exactly as requested.
A forever grateful client, thank you for always making us look good.
51
Finally, some recognition of what is catering work comes to light!
It is elating to read about what I've done as a freelance catering chef for 14 years. And yes, I've worked some time with S&C, Jorge and Juan. My specialty was the hot box. Stressful and physically demanding, you have to manipulate multiple sheet pans loaded with meat, poultry, vegetables, starch and so on.
On the other hand it is a never boring business where you can be on a construction site one day, and the next in one of the nicest apartments in NYC, cooking for the wealthiest people in the world, or shipped to Qatar for a royal wedding.
Well done, Matt and Ted!
25
Why were the kitchen prep workers being paid only $10/hr when the minimum wage for NYC has been $12 and upwards for several years, depending on size of the business?
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@Beth - as someone else pointed out on another comment, the minimum wage for the "tipped professions" is MUCH lower than the official minimum wage. Here in WA it has historically been about half.
As a former waiter for BTB I can tell you best hire anyone can make is anyone who worked as waitstaff at a catering hall or an offsite caterer.
Why?
Bc just like this article says
Hardworking
Creative
Resilient
Ready to perform.
56
Extremely informative and matches the pace of the tireless kitchen. I can almost feel the pressure towards perfection while duplicating plates . The detailing and the fervor that goes into the catering business.
I see my 20 year son come home after a shift of work in a fine dining catering company; I see both, the excitement and the exhaustion and the penchant for perfection.
No mean business , catering.
Bravo ,to all who cook and support this industry in any which way.
36
A wonderful and informative article. Thank you.
18
A la carte is the riskiest business. With catering at least you know how many covers, the exact menu, service times, etc.
4
@Apple Shareholder Maybe rather than 'riskier' it's a different kind of risk?
2
@Apple Shareholder Nope. I have done both as a chef at the highest level. Catering is a nightmare. Literally, I still have catering nightmares.
3
When the bride/groom are 4 hours late to their dry reception, its 98 degrees in the shade, the ice swan has been decapitated, and Aunt Millie's gotta eat so she can take her pills, you know you are in a harsh business! Still have catering nightmares 15 years later that I didn't bring the silverware!
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@teacherinNC Everyone interested in the catering world should see the French comedy film, "C'est la vie"- the owner is like the Basil Fawlty of catering. Hilarious!
5
An article mentioning caterers in NYC by omitting Abigail Kirsch? For shame! Most of the weddings I've gone to in recent years were catered by her company -- and quite nicely, too.
I used to sell catering services for Aramark, many years ago, and once catered a dinner for 75. Once. That was enough.
25
In Charleston, back in 1994, the restaurant group for whom I was Business Development Director, gave me the task of developing an off premise catering business to consume the excess capacity of the under-utilized hotel kitchen where we held the F&B contract. (BTW--I'd planned and helmed chefs headed to the James Beard House, and know how tight that kitchen is.) Having raised to be able to host a dinner party and cook for 25 without feeling stressed, I plunged into this catering world. From stressed-out brides to finicky bar mitzvah moms, I've planned dinners, breakfasts, brunches and cocktail hours for all types. Under all conditions. Catering chefs and service staffs and the under-sung banquet captains are heros in the F&B world. As the Lees tell the tail, these creative culinarians do more with less in all manner of ways. Looking forward to reading this book.
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@Cheryl
I can appreciate your experience, especially in regards to Brides (and their mothers).
Once had a bride's mom DEMAND 14 inch 'Purple' taper candles for the reception....that was 15 from beginning, regardless of what she'd signed a contract for previously detailing what the table center pieces were to be. (Yes, we pulled it off, but short of working as a sailor, I've never cussed so much under my breath...)
9
Great, and long overdue article. I used to video weddings and events. It is a nightmare, high pressure business. I ran into a DJ I knew from that era recently. I said to him, "Earl, do you still do weddings". He gave me a quizzical look -"Weddings Paul??? If I even think about a wedding, I get sick!". I can relate to that.
72
These are the hardest working -- and least appreciated -- chef's in the industry. Bravo!!
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@ Peter Saunderstown
Extremely hard and precision-demanding work. Probably the same applies to the chefs of kings who had to make banquets for hundreds of sit-down guests.
In watching the TV series "Upatairs Downstairs" and the recent "Downton Abbey", I kept asking myself, where did the women cooks of those times learn the art of haute cuisine shown in the scenes of the films?
11
Love this article because it teaches me to appreciate and seeing beyond my past experience and bias, so much syncronization, choreography, joy, love, skills, and art in making meals for a lot of people. As I get older, I can't eat all the great food I love for the taste but I can get the same enjoyment through reading and feeling about how they are created.
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@TH
It involves all of those qualities, married to a military level of war preparations.
4
Hugely influential?
6