What better time than the week of St. Patrick’s Day to talk about a green event I love?

For some, this year’s Spring Columbia College Chicago (CCC) Open House is just another event on campus. But for Catering by Michaels, it represents a real sense of nostalgia for our company’s sustainability mission. 

Let’s back up a bit…

Columbia College Chicago hosts an open house for both undergraduate and graduate admissions twice a year. It’s the largest admissions event on campus, with anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000 guests on campus each semester. Our team has been honored to have a consistent role in these events, catering every Open House since 2011. Here’s a little known fact: It’s actually our partnership with Columbia College Chicago that kickstarted our commitment to sustainability. 

I had been working with them for some time, and they asked what we could do to make the event more sustainable. As one of our biggest clients, I was obliged to do anything in my power to fulfill their request. I brought the topic to our management, and the rest is history! It’s been really exciting to see how Catering by Michaels and Columbia College have grown in the direction of sustainability together.

For this particular event, we send all food in reusable baskets, and on platters and trays. Additionally, we provide compostable plate ware, flatware, and napkins. Our staff is trained up on recycling and composting best practices, and guides any confused guests through what goes where. 

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Who knows the catering process better than Catering By Michaels’ President, Stewart Glass? We managed to find some time in Stewart’s busy scheduling to get the inside scoop on how to find the perfect caterer for your event.

What are some tips for choosing the right caterer? What questions should people be asking?

Here are two ways to start learning how to find the perfect caterer for your event:

1. Ask your friends/relatives first, and find out if they have recommendations
2. If you or your circle hasn’t hired a caterer before, take to the internet – look at reviews to some extent on review sites like WeddingWire/EventWire, The Knot, Google, and Yelp.

It’s not just what questions you should be asking, but what questions a caterer is asking you.

As a caterer, they need to dig into your brain. It’s very important that they ask a ton of questions. You should never take this as an insult, or as getting too much into your business, because if they don’t ask you a lot of questions, you may not get the solution you’re imagining. Your caterer needs to know where you’re coming from, what you’re looking for, what your goals are. There needs to be a context. For example, if you don’t have a venue yet, that’s going to have an affect on your catering partnership.

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Hors d’oeuvres are an important part of any special event, whether they’re the only food at your event, or just a warm up before the main course. Catering By Michaels offers plenty of great options that are both unique and delicious. One (or a few of!) these seven hors d’oeuvre choices are sure to please you and your guests. Just make sure to warn guests if there’s more food coming, so they don’t completely fill up on these tasty bites.

PULLED BRISKET BARBACOA

Set atop a mini jalapeño corn muffin, and garnished with chopped parsley.
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Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to honor and show appreciation for all loving relationships — whether they’re romantic partnerships, friendships, or family bonds. As a full service caterer, we have the amazing opportunity to be a part of so many special moments and celebrations in our client’s lives. 

On this very romantic day, we wanted to share the union of a very special couple, Ellyn + Carlo, and their gorgeous wedding at Independence Grove that was featured on David Lai Weddings blog.  

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Food tastings are probably the most fun and delicious part of wedding planning. However, there’s more work involved than you may initially think. We want to make sure that you walk away from the wedding tasting not only full, but feeling confident and excited about your custom menu.

Here are the top 10 things to know before your wedding tasting.

Be open-minded.

Be willing to think outside the box. There’s a good chance that almost everyone has had a Caesar salad at a wedding before, so guests will be more excited by something unexpected. Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you like what you taste, then it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser on your big day.

Consider the timeline.

Though your designer will guide you with timeline items, it’s helpful to have a general idea of flow during your big day. For example, consider where you will be during cocktail hour. If you’re not there, be sure to have some hors d’oeuvres set aside so you don’t get hungry.

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