With the holiday season in full swing, many are planning their seasonal festivities and holiday parties. Is there a better way to celebrate the season than warming up by the fireside with the ones you love?

We can think of just one thing that can make this picture even more perfect: outsourcing the work involved with cooking and cleaning holiday meals, so that you can spend even more time relaxing by the fire!

Catering Your Holiday Meal

For over three decades, Catering By Michaels has been helping you spend less time fussing in the kitchen and more time with the ones you love.

We know that the holidays are a busy, exciting time of year for everyone. There is a lot to get done in a short amount of time. Just as Santa relies upon his elves to help him bring holiday cheer everywhere, our team is here to help make your holiday dinner magical.

Christmas is a joyous time of year, and we’ve designed a special holiday menu that captures all those warm, delicious flavors to life:

A Taste Of Our Holiday Menu

Keep your guests full and happy with a selection of small passed hors-d’oeuvres, like our Charred Corn-Pepper Wontons, Petite Pups en Croute, or Sweet & Sour Meatballs (to list a few).

Then, enjoy classic favorites like our White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese and Apple Cider Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham (on the bone!).

For those of you looking for traditional with a twist, our Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Dip with Bacon, Butternut Squash Lasagna, or Wild Mushroom Pot Pie are real crowd pleasers.

When it comes to catering your meal, Catering By Michaels leaves no detail unnoticed. It’s more than just a meal, it’s the centerpiece of your evening, and we know that more than anyone!

Take a look at our full holiday menu to see all of the delicious possibilities.

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Is there a better time to get engaged than over the holidays?

You’re surrounded by the people you love and spirits are already high due to all of the holiday cheer. A wedding proposal makes for a beautiful cherry on top of your end of year festivities.

For most couples, excitement gives way to the hubbub of wedding planning. Brides are especially in a hurry to start gathering information – for good reason. Venues book out quickly, especially if you’re planning a Saturday night wedding. As a result, it’s not unheard of to plan up to two years out in terms of booking the venue of your dreams.

From the catering perspective, a quarter of that time will be sufficient to secure your perfect menu. We recommend signing a catering proposal at least six months out – with more time being better.

Just like wedding venues, caterers also book up fast. But unlike venues, caterers can be more flexible in terms of the exact deliverables you’re agreeing on. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to switch up your menu specifics even after locking in your caterer.

Ideally, you’ll chat with a caterer before booking your venue. The reason? You might otherwise get locked into an inflexible arrangement.

So many people fall in love with a venue because that’s where they started the wedding planning process. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure to look through the venue’s list of approved caterers and find out if that’s going to result in another large expense.

Caterers are a great place to start when it comes to establishing budget because they have all the numbers regarding details that include cost per plate, rentals, staff, and various other odds and ends that you may not have considered. Caterers work with venues and can provide a more complete picture while you’re going through these early planning stages.

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The holiday season is here, which means that holiday celebrations, events, and parties are in the planning stages by many busy hosts across Chicagoland.

Hosting a holiday party can certainly be stressful — no matter how long you’ve been doing it. There are a lot of things to consider in order to give your guests the best possible holiday party experience.

When all else fails, it helps to fall back on a solid foundation: good food!

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why you might want to consider catering or delivering during the busy holiday season.

Then, even if you’re opting to take on the food aspect of party planning, you’ll want to stick around for our holiday party planning tips — based on many years of helping people throw unforgettable events.

Why You Should Cater Your Holiday Party

Hosting and organizing a party can quite overwhelming during an otherwise joyous holiday season. One of the biggest time and energy sucks of the process revolves around preparing food and drink for your guests.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider catering or delivery for your next holiday party:

• Pre-set menus are available. When you let someone else take care of the big picture, you don’t have to bother with all the minute details of what you need to grab at the grocery store and whether or not you even have the right tools to make your desired menu items! Most catering services offer pre-set menus that can be customized according to specific tastes or dietary preferences.
• There’s no need to join the holiday crowd at the supermarket. The holidays mean other people are also working on their own holiday parties and you can expect empty shelves for key ingredients on the day of a major holiday or at the very least, long checkout lines.
• Full-service catering gives you the type of assistance you need the most. Full-service catering takes care of after-party cleanup in addition to food preparation and delivery, so that you can focus on your guests.

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Influenced by his love for travel and cooking, chef Andrew Zimmerman has married his two great loves into one phenomenal concept — and its name is Proxi.

Inspired by street food from around the world, this Chicago-based restaurant takes patron’s palates on a journey through Asia, India, Mexico, and beyond.

Zimmerman’s passion for flavor and ability to blur the lines when it comes to different types of cuisine is why Proxi is one of the Chicago restaurants we love! Let Proxi’s menu take you around the world, one boundary-blurring dish at a time.

The Setting: Raw and Elegant

Located in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, Proxi fits in comfortably on the prestigious Restaurant Row.

What Zimmerman has been able to express through his food, restaurant designer Meyer Davis has captured in terms of the restaurant’s ambiance. An undeniable elegance sets the stage from the moment you enter the restaurant.

A playful balance of raw industrial elements and warm, inviting furnishings mirror the juxtaposition of Proxi’s fusion food style.

The vibe is both swanky and inviting, with a dining room and lounge divided by one long central bar. Patrons have the opportunity to reserve a seat at the chef’s table overlooking the open kitchen.

(Photo credit: ProxiChicago.com)

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Fall is in the air.

As we bid farewell to Summer BBQs and beach bonfires, we welcome some of our favorite Fall traditions: apple picking, pumpkin patches, and of course Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving: the Busiest Travel Day of the Year

One thing that makes Thanksgiving so special is being able to spend time with friends and family. Many people travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones.

This can often mean traffic, delays, and long commute times. It’s easy to get cranky but remember why you’re traveling in the first place. Having a good attitude and checking all time expectations at the door will keep your spirits right where they need to be.

Reasons to be Thankful: Friends, Family, and Food

Friends: Making New Traditions, Upholding Old Ones

With everyone’s busy lives, it can be hard to gather everyone together, all at one time. But Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends. Making time for your friends also helps alleviate some of the pressures of family time.

A Friendsgiving potluck is a great way to celebrate the season and show thankfulness for friendship. Have everyone bring a dish (make sure to cover appetizers, sides, and desserts at minimum!) to the host, who will be in charge of the turkey. Or, hire a caterer to take care of everything so that you and your friends can spend all of your time catching up — instead of worrying about cooking and cleanup.

Family: Get Everyone Involved

No matter how much you love them, when it comes to family, spending the holidays with them can be stressful at times. To get in front of any potential negativity, this is the perfect opportunity to organize some fun activities that everyone can participate in.

A few ideas:

• Put together a friendly family football game.
• Host an early breakfast/brunch bash to keep the hunger at bay.
• Grab a game that everyone can participate in and let loose a little.

The Feast: Getting All Your Favorite Foods On One Table

As families grow and new members join, including everyone’s favorite dish on the Thanksgiving menu can be tricky. To be sure, it isn’t always practical (and there certainly isn’t enough stove space) to have six different types of potatoes on the menu!

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