Whether you’re a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan, there’s no getting around that giddy feeling of the Major League Baseball season opening in Chicago. The first recorded game in Chicago was played in August 1851—to give you some perspective on how deep you have to dig to find the sport’s roots in the Windy City.

Much to the chagrin of New York Yankee standout Derek Jeter, now the owner of the Miami Marlins, the Cubs started the season hitting it out of the park—quite literally.

The Cub’s leadoff batter and center fielder Ian Happ took a swing at the first pitch of the season, a middle-middle fastball from the Marlins’ Jose Urena. Happ sent the ball over the right-field fence before jogging in the first of eight runs to leave the Cubs on top, 8-4.

It’s simply hard to think of a better way for the Cubbies to start the season.

The Sox rolled up their sleeves and got to work late last month, after having been pummeled in Spring training by the Kansas City Royals. Thankfully, when it counts, the Southsiders were able to walk away with back-to-back wins against the Royals, 14-7 and 4-3.

Even if the Cubs or Sox didn’t manage to put their best foot forward at the beginning of the season, there’s no doubt that every true fan in the city would do everything in their power to be at the first home game—rain, snow, or shine.

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The Windy City is full of opportunities to set your wedding, reception, corporate event, fundraiser, gala dinner, silent auction, fashion show or other special event apart.

The variety of unique venues that work with Catering by Michaels are bound to be able to provide the exact atmosphere, mood, and moments you want to capture at your next big event.

Embrace the Outdoors

Opened in March 2001, Independence Grove is a 1,100-acre preserve and recreational area in Libertyville, Illinois.

Prepared to host events throughout the year, Independence Grove offers a variety of venues among the sprawling fields and forested areas:

• The Native Garden, complete with a waterfall, wildflowers, and greenery.
• The Beach, which can be booked from June to Labor Day.
• The rustic Audubon Hall, built from cedar, stone, and glass, complete with a fireplace, built-in bar and panoramic view of the lake.

And, there are a number of additional options—both indoor and outdoor—that celebrate the beauty of the preserve!

Between a Book’s Covers

When most people think of the Chicago Public Library, they do not think “event venue.” However, the Harold Washington Library Center offers a number of unique settings for your next event.

On the ninth floor, there is the spacious atrium of the Winter Garden—the architectural centerpiece of the Harold Washington Library Center. With marble floors and a terrazzo, this location can offer seating for up to 400 people.

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Have faith in the perfect matzo and other traditional dishes this Passover.

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is one of the most sacred and widely observed holidays in Judaism. And, like with all good holidays, food plays a central role in the festivities, both as a way to bring family and friends together and as religious symbols.

The Torah commands the observance of seven days of Passover to commemorate the exodus of the enslaved Israelites from Egypt. It is a spring celebration of birth, rebirth and the journey from slavery to freedom.

The holiday beings on the 15th of the Jewish month Nisan—March 30 this year.

On the first two nights of Passover, families and friends gather for a feast known as seder. During the meal, the tale of the exodus is told and rituals corresponding to various aspects of the story are performed.

A seder plate on the table contains symbolic foods:

•  Z’roa: A lamb shank represents an offering to the Temple.
• Beitzah: An egg is a symbol of rebirth.
• Maror: Bitter herbs are used to represent the bitterness of enslavement.
• Chazeret: Is a bitter green, which is eaten with the maror.
• Karpas: A non-bitter vegetable will be dipped in salt water to symbolize tears from enslavement.
• Haroset: A combination of nuts, apples, and wine represents the mortar and bricks used by the enslaved Jews.

With demands of modern-day life, it can be hard to prepare everything you need for a full seder feast. It can be especially hard when you come to terms with the fact that it’s more than just putting everything together on a seder plate. Among the traditional items also served during Passover are matzo kugel (a pudding made from matzo and apples), gefilte fish, and chicken soup with matzo balls.

Catering by Michaels provides a complete Passover dinner package, from the ingredients you need for a seder plate to traditional gefilte fish and horseradish encrusted salmon filets.

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While we don’t do what we do for industry awards, we do love when our fiercely dedicated team gets recognition for all their hard work and creativity.

It was our honor to be awarded International Caterers Association’s prestigious CATIE Award for Best Buffet Presentation & Menu. We’re humbled to be among a group that includes some of the best caterers we know.

[It’s not the first CATIE award we’ve won—we’ve also been recognized for innovation and green initiatives in catering.]

It’s always a pleasure when our clients love to be as creative as we do, making the Bondy’s 300 person bar mitzvah one of our favorite events of 2017! The Bondy’s wanted to take their son’s favorite American pastime of baseball and create an over the top sports extravaganza.

We ended up creating three life-size food truck facades with three different themes – American, Asian and Mexican, amidst an explosion of baseball themed décor, in order to bring the client’s vision to life.

Though our buffet food trucks really carried this event, it really came together thanks to a high level of detail to Parker’s baseball theme.

Here are some highlights:

All photos provided courtesy of Jai Girard Photography. Read More…

It seems like not a week goes by without something exciting happening in the sports world. Whether it’s a new season, an exciting play, or even a little drama—it’s certainly never boring!

Sports fans are starting to think about their brackets for March Madness (also known as the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament), where the best of the best in college basketball (68 teams to be exact) go head to head for a shot at winning it all and becoming national champions. 

Let the insanity begin!

At Catering by Michaels, we’re just as excited (ok, if not more…) for the opportunity to relax our diets a bit in the name of the game. While the Super Bowl may be the single day of the year where Americans, on average, consume the most calories in one sitting (yes, even more than Thanksgiving!), we’re willing to bet that the series of events that make up March Madness could give it a run for its money!

[But don’t feel too bad—January is for dieting. March is for basketball and time with friends!]

Catering by Michaels Game Time Catering Menu

Alongside our many delicious catering menu options, we’re excited to announce our Game Time menu. It’s stuffed to the brim with delectable (and yes, indulgent) treats to satisfy any basketball fan. 

Score a game worthy spread while you cheer on your favorite teams. Here are some of the highlights, including many favorite game-time foods:

• Pregame festivities: Dips, wings, and other totally snackable appetizers. You can even order a Bloody Mary bar kit. We’re just warming up!

• Sideline salads: Though watching March Madness games offers the perfect excuse to indulge, our salads offer a great balance so you don’t have to feel too guilty at the end of the day. The Fajita Steak salad is a nice mix of healthy and tasty.

• And the final score is…: It’s all about dessert! Options like our Bourbon Pecan Pie Bread Pudding Muffins will be enjoyed most by partygoers with a more mature palate (though there’s plenty there for the kids, as well).

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