24 Carrots Catering & Events

This past spring, 24 Carrots Catering & Events opened up the doors to their facility in Irvine, Calif. for an ICA workshop. Every member in attendance was blown away by their level of creativity and attention to detail in food, design, and service. At first glance, the agenda seemed like your run-of-the-mill workshop event. However, throughout the entire day and a half workshop, the 24 Carrots team pulled out all the stops, delighting guests with surprises and creative inspiration quite literally around every corner.

One common definition of sustainability is “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Another forward-looking perspective is that all earthbound resources are ultimately finite, so we need to act as stewards for the earth to make sure that we don’t leave a damaged planet for our children and grandchildren. This is the reason that conservation of resources is so important.

In today's fast-paced culinary world, chefs and catering company owners are always on the lookout for ways to streamline their operations and enhance creativity.

Enter Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, a tool that's not just for techies anymore! It's time for culinary experts to embrace AI to stay ahead of the curve and evolve their skills. Here's why using AI could be a game-changer, allowing you more time to focus on what you love or even work less while still achieving great results.

Creating a successful restaurant experience in a catered environment requires a delicate blend of culinary artistry and exquisite service. The dining landscape has evolved, and today’s catering clients demand not only delectable dishes but also unforgettable experiences. We are pushed daily to create newness and to elevate what we did yesterday.

I say it all the time, but what we do in the catering world is much like creating a Broadway show. You need to set the stage and in our case it’s a culinary stage. There’s a beginning, a middle, and an end, and as those moments unfold, they must surprise and delight your client and their guests.

The only way to grow is to challenge yourself, right? That goes for your culinary team as well. If you want your culinary team to grow and to prosper you need to challenge them. They need to feel uncomfortable, possibly insecure, yet supported, and pushed to get out of their daily routine, to believe in themselves, and to trust that no matter the outcome, the fact that they tried is the only way to better themselves.

We’ve found that the successful recipe to challenge our team has been to encourage their creativity, build their confidence, and let them compete in our culinary challenges.

When I joined my mom’s catering company over 25 years ago, I never imagined we would be where we are today! Truthfully, from the beginning I used to joke that if we didn’t fight and kill each other, we’d potentially have something pretty special.

Fast forward to today, and you’ll not only find that my brother joined in, but that we have team members who have worked for us longer than I have and who knew me and Jeffrey when we were young kids. How special is that?! These people are as much family to us as our own blood relatives as we spend more time with them than we do our own families. Running a family business that was started over 40 years ago by my mother (who is still very involved) is a delicate dance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation.

Way back in the 1800s when Escoffier developed the Kitchen Brigade System (as showcased on Hulu’s popular new television show The Bear), it was a great idea to help establish order and hierarchy in the kitchen of hotels and restaurants. This age-old system has been the foundation in the culinary world that delineates the titles, job responsibilities, and departments in our kitchens today. Or does it?

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

Jenny Bast graduated from UNL in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Dietetics & Human Nutrition and immediately jumped into the Culinary Arts program at MCC for Which she completed in 2019. As Sous Chef, Jenny represented Catering Creations competing against Catering Chef’s from around the country at the Catersource convention in 2019 and won first place in the Beyond the Plate Competition. In 2021, she was promoted to Executive Sous Chef.

Michele Yanovich most recently worked the past 25 1/2 years as an Executive Administrative Assistant/ Controller. She started working part-time as a lead for Catering Creations in 2011, but in the summer of 2017 we were lucky enough to hire her full-time in our front office staff.

Nestled on a corner in the “Over the Rhine” neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio is what appears to be a gorgeous German gothic church. Sweeping spires, stained glass. Look closer. The French doors read, The Transept. Inside, a unique, historic, and unforgettable Cincinnati event venue awaits.

It was this venue, housing four unique spaces on four floors, that hosted the Leading Caterers of America, a prestigious group of some of the top companies in catering and events, this past November 2022.

The theme: Renaissance Masters – Art of a Different Palate. The food: small plates divided amongst six stations, plus local beers, a bourbon flight tasting, and cocktails at bars on every floor.

Three venues, three nights, and not just any guest list. DelightMore (previously Funky’s Catering Events) hosted the Leading Caterers of America Executive Summit, a prestigious group of some of the top companies in catering and events, in November 2022. From the first night, a reception at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, to the second night at Transept—once a German gothic church, now an unforgettable four-story event venue—to a final night of celestial Cincinnati panoramas combined with impeccable cuisine at The View, it was a whirlwind of exceptional gastronomy in extraordinary venues. Here’s a look.

Pinecroft at Crosley Estate, a beautiful Tudor estate once owned by inventor, innovator, and former owner of the Cincinnati Reds, Powel Crosley, Jr., sits on 18 pristine acres tucked away from the bustle of the city—but is just mere minutes from the liveliness of the downtown scene. Now maintained by DelightMore (previously Funky’s Catering Events) and the Cincinnati Preservation Society, its lush gardens, rows of orchards, and a gorgeous Garden pavilion, make this a favorite for everything from weddings to corporate to social events.

Perched on the edge of Mt. Adams, celestial Cincinnati panoramas combined with impeccable cuisine, all to reward attendees of the Leading Caterers of America Executive Summit, in November 2022. It was a three-course plated meal to impress, with passed appetizers to begin, and wine pairings throughout that delighted with their surprising companionship.

With a 25-foot ceiling, incredible crystal chandelier, 18-foot bar, and natural parquet flooring, one might think that food would take second place to the venue. Not so! Venue and cuisine went toe-to-toe, sparring for attention and in the end, it was declared a “no contest” match—or should we say it was a double knockout? Here’s a look at this tremendous evening and its matching menu from DelightMore.

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

Larry Frank is the Partner and Executive Vice President of Business Development for The Classic Catering People. Larry seeks out ways to maintain and strengthen relationships with the company's core legacy clients, event planners, venues and developing new market opportunities. Larry has his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in Institutional Administration and is an Accelerent Baltimore Business Partner.

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

In 2007, Jolie decided it was time to use the cooking techniques learned from her grandparents and follow her heart’s passion which was cooking and sharing the style of food that is associated with the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina also known as The Low Country. Low Country Quisine has become an industry-leading catering company and is now celebrating 14 years in business, with growth year over year, recently doubling the size of their commercial kitchen, adding eight new full-time employees. The company has had the honor of serving many celebrities and influencers including nationally known radio personalities.

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

Chris Sanchez has been in the event and hospitality industry since the age of 15. Chris is extremely passionate about every aspect of LUX and has a high standard of excellence, he thrives on creative challenges of all types. His drive for innovation have led to him winning multiple awards and recognition, including Utah Business 40 Under Forty twice.

Dianna Chamberlin has brought her enthusiasm and expertise to LUX in the peak time, while they continue to build on their history of innovation and excellence.

On a Sunday evening in early November, a pre-conference cocktail party found the Leading Caterers of America atop the Russell Investments Center SkyGarden in downtown Seattle, with a panoramic view of the waterfront and Mount Rainier like a ghost in distant view.

Hosted by DSquared Hospitality/Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Lisa Dupar Catering, it was a drink and a delicious bite or three, a chance to catch up, and then many were off with dinner plans before the start of a two-day executive summit.

Seattle-based DSquared Hospitality Company rolled out their new spring menu in March, leaning into the local produce of the Pacific Northwest.

The menu embraces popular spring ingredients, like sweet peas, radishes, lamb, ham, a variety of leafy greens, spring mushrooms, lemon, and lavender, and these ingredients show up in a variety of ways, from classics like risotto and roasted vegetables to unique starters such as Scallion Artichoke Fritters with lemon tahini sauce and Cucumber Gazpacho with almond dill gremolata.

Two Seattle catering and event companies were tasked with bringing the vibe of their city to attendees from across the U.S. and abroad at an annual executive summit. But not any attendee: these are the crème de la crème of catering and events companies, a consortium of the most successful hospitality companies from each region of the U.S. Let’s just say that “one-upmanship” is a hallmark of the Leading Caterers of America executive summits each year, so throwing parties for peers can be intimidating (but fun).

Seattle grunge was the inspiration, with attendees garbed in all iterations of ratty band t-shirts, flannel shirts, ripped jeans, boots, and Converse tennies.

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

Syd Sexton brings an extensive background in catering management. Syd's wealth of business acumen, along with her people management expertise, made her the perfect fit to guide the team at Catering by Design, Colorado where she has been the CEO since 2016.

Borja Rosales is the General Manager of Operations for Catering By Design. He has over ten years of proven track record in managing hospitality operations, maximizing profits, service quality, and ensuring guests experiences are exceptional in leading companies such as Hyatt, Kempinski, and Marriott.

Meet the speakers of Catersource + The Special Event!

David moved to Portland, Oregon and enrolled in the Culinary Art program at Le Cordon Bleu. David's paths lead him to Executive Chef at some of Portland's best restaurants and hotels. In 2014, David moved to Denver to take on the Executive Chef position at the JW Marriot and has since opened and lead several hotels and restaurants in Colorado. In 2022, David made the move to off-site catering as the Executive Chef at Catering By Design.

Allie Piazza has more than 13 years of hospitality sales experience, beginning her career in the fine dining restaurant industry before moving to the catering and events world. In 2019, Allie and joined Catering by Design where she is the Director of Sales & Marketing serving the Denver/Aspen market.

The JDK Group is more than just a catering and event production company.

This internationally-recognized team is built of passionate people who are powered bypurpose. A purpose that recognizes how they are not in the business of food and decor,but rather that JDK is in the business of transforming people’s lives for the better.