Believe it or not, you don’t have to plan a fancy, sit down dinner every time you host a special event. Sometimes, a cocktail party is the perfect solution for when you want to bring together good company, treat them to good food and drinks and enjoy a few hours of socializing without the pressure of planning a three-course meal. Cocktail parties are easy to plan, they’re glamorous and low stress and you can experiment with different flavors since you’ll be serving a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Whether you are planning a cocktail party for a corporate event or a special milestone, we have compiled our top five tips for catering a cocktail party to make it even easier for you!

The Invitations

Before the party begins, you have to invite your guests. Depending on the type of event you’re hosting and the level of elegance you are trying to achieve you can send printed invitations in an envelope via the postal office, or you can send an informal, but elegant email invitation. 

The Drinks

If you are catering a cocktail party, you need to offer a full bar with a variety of liquor and mixers, and also come up with some signature drinks that feature a unique and delicious combination. The most important thing is to make sure you have enough alcohol for the number of guests in attendance. A 750-ml bottle of wine is enough for four generous glasses, so if you have 30 guests you will want to have at least ten bottles – remembering that white wine tends to be more popular. When stocking a full bar, keep in mind that each adult will consume an average of two drinks during the first hour and at least one drink for every hour thereafter. A one-liter bottle of alcohol will typically be enough for 22 mixed drinks, but it’s always a good idea to get extra. Also, make sure to offer plenty of water, both flat and sparkling. You can make it special by serving it in a nice drink dispenser with fresh slices of lemon or a handful of colorful berries. 

The Food

The best part about a cocktail party is planning out the delicious hors d’oeuvres and little bites to serve. You are not obligated to serve a full meal, but a variety in flavor, texture and presentation is a must. When it comes to catering a cocktail party, here are some guidelines we like to follow:

• Use seasonal flavors – explore local farmer’s markets and design your menu to be in line with the best tasting options. 
• Mix it up – your food options don’t have to match in any way. It’s ok to have five different flavors and textures, your guests will appreciate the variety. 
• Offer traditional favorites – people love bite size appetizers like mac and cheese balls, soup shooters, ahi tuna on a chip, skewers, caprese bites and others!
• Think of the vegetarians – always offer meatless options for guests who have dietary restrictions. This also includes Kosher, gluten free or vegan guests. Make sure to have dietary information ahead of time. 
• Keep fillers like nuts, olives and cheese on hand for guests to snack on before the food is served. 
• Consider offering a specialty station, like crudité, charcuterie, or a pizza. This way guests can nibble without waiting for the tray passed food to come around. 
  

The Décor

You don’t need to provide full size tables and chairs for a cocktail party, but you will want to have bar height tables and maybe a lounge area where guests can sit and chat. Keep the décor simple – think black or white tablecloths, simple florals and tasteful tealights. You can add cute décor like custom bar napkins and monogrammed drink stirrers at the bar. You also want to make sure you have enough rentals for your guests – plate ware and glassware specifically. 

The Staff

When catering a cocktail party, you will want to hire a bartender and service staff. Based on the size of your event, it’s typical to have one server per 10-15 guests, depending on the level of service you are looking to offer.  

Hosting a cocktail party is a fun and low-stress way of bringing people together for a good time. When you work with our team, you can leave the planning and execution to us! We’ll come up with a unique menu to wow your guests and we’ll ensure your event is professional, elegant and goes off without a hitch! Contact us to inquire about our availability and service options!

Planning a wedding is an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. Finding the perfect venue is the first step in the process, and while there are many outstanding options to choose from – we’ve compiled a list of the top ten Los Angeles wedding venues to consider in 2023. 

La Venta Inn

La Venta is an all-season, full-service venue for the ultimate ocean view wedding. Nestled in the hills of Palos Verdes Estates, La Venta is famous for being the first structure built on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. La Venta overlooks the Pacific Ocean with an incomparable panoramic view. With its picturesque Spanish villa architecture and gardens filled with lush flowers, succulents rose bushes, and palm trees, La Venta creates the perfect backdrop for your historic private estate wedding.

Malibu Rocky Oaks

This private vineyard has 360-degree views of the Santa Monica Mountains and rolling hillsides. Throw a gathering here and you will be enveloped in cool night breezes from the Pacific Ocean while basking in the most glorious sunset you have ever seen. Ceremonies on the Helipad make for truly iconic wedding photos! Founded and family owned since 2003, Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards consists of 10 planted acres on a 37-acre plot. Hand-picked and meticulously maintained by the same team of professionals since conception, the vineyard has become one of the most recognized and awarded in the region.

Greystone Mansion & Gardens

Located in Beverly Hills, Greystone Mansion is a historic building available for special events and weddings. It offers exclusivity, old Hollywood glamour and a charm that will make your wedding ceremony and reception truly unforgettable. You can host your ceremony in the luscious outdoor gardens and then dance the night away in the courtyard. The mansion’s grand staircase is also a wonderful place to take pictures.

SmogShoppe

The perfect setting for an intimate wedding with your closest family and friends. With all of the beautiful lush greenery, you don’t even feel like you’re in Los Angeles. Once a 1980s smog-check center, Smog Shoppe is now a 100% solar-powered, private 6,500 square foot indoor/outdoor haven for desert plants, vertical gardens and chic vintage furnishings. The combined interior and exterior areas allow for quintessential California entertaining, making an ideal vintage wedding venue.

Hummingbird Nest Ranch

Hummingbird Nest Ranch is located far from the hustle and bustle of the city and offers an oasis of tranquility and beauty. The location extends over 140 acres and has much to offer for special events. This venue allows couples to embrace the a-la-carte way of planning a wedding, which means you have complete control over your event! 

Smashbox Studios 

Smashbox Studios is spectacular for your one-of-a-kind wedding. The clean lines, modern spaces and fully functional kitchen make this a very popular venue. Founded in 1991 by Dean and Davis Factor, great grandsons of acclaimed Hollywood makeup artist Max Factor, Smashbox is known throughout the industry as a hub for world-class photographers and directors to shoot important content for major magazines, ad campaigns, music & entertainment projects and brand visuals. In 1996 Dean and Davis launched Smashbox Cosmetics that has become the leading trend-setting global brand.

Saddlerock Ranch

This location is truly one in a million! The 1,000-acre estate is hidden in the hills of Malibu and is a highly sought-after film location. Couples will find there are numerous ceremony options to choose from with stunning backdrops, like a 250-year-old oak tree. Perhaps the most incredible part of this wedding venue is that you will find pastures inhabited by herds of horses, cattle and llamas along the way – you may even see a gorgeous peacock or a zebra!

Vibiana 

This 35,000-square-foot cathedral is over 130 years old! It was also LA’s first Archdiocese Catholic cathedral before it was transformed into a beautiful wedding and event space. The Baroque-inspired interior is incredibly grand and offers enough space for a wedding party of 400-550 guests! The outdoor lush garden is stunning and secluded – you wouldn’t even know that you were located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. 

The Lombardi House

Clean lines, open air spaces, manicured lawns, and twinkling lights. Nothing says Hollywood style more than the Lombardi House. Cultivate the wedding of your dreams, using their indoor outdoor space to create a day that is all your own. Built in 1904, Lombardi House is a fully restored Victorian-style farmhouse in the heart of Hollywood. Surrounded by mature fruit trees and gardens, this 7,000 square foot historic home sits within walking distance to the charming restaurants of Franklin Village, as well as Hollywood studios, theaters, shopping and dining.

Wayfarers Chapel

For those of you who are looking to get married in a church, but not interested in the traditional church setting – Wayfarers Chapel is the place for you. Located in Rancho Palos Verdes, this church is entirely made out of glass and offers breathtaking ocean views. There are already white flowers adorning the church as well, so you won’t have to splurge too much on florals and décor. Wayfarers chapel speaks for itself, once you see it, you’re sure to fall in love. 

Whether your preference is traditional, rustic or ocean view, you are sure to find the perfect place to say “I do” in Los Angeles. Check out our preferred venues for additional inspiration, and keep us in mind when selecting the ultimate caterer for your special day! 

Summer weddings can be a lot of fun, but lately many couples are opting for fall weddings. Fall weddings are the coziest and the warmest ones, and let’s be honest, in Southern California you may just get better weather during fall than over summer. Fall flowers, vegetables and fruits are different from those that are in season the rest of the year, which opens up so many new possibilities for food, drinks and décor. 

When it comes to putting together your wedding menu, keep in mind that most guests appreciate when there are a few options to choose from. Traditionally, this means offering a meat, chicken, fish and a vegetarian option for the main course. Modern brides have embraced the idea of food stations and unique food bars that provide a wide range of appetizers, munchies and main courses for guests to enjoy. It’s not uncommon to see a sushi bar at a Los Angeles wedding regardless of the season! Additionally, you may see a raw bar, salad stations, soup bars, desert tables and more! Are you looking for a unique fall wedding food bar for your dream fall wedding? Here are a few inspired options that you may enjoy!

Charcuterie Station

A classic charcuterie station will never fail at a wedding reception. Guests can graze on a selection of cheeses paired with fruits, jams, veggies, cold cuts and more. An impressive charcuterie board is a true form of art, so it’s extremely important that the station is arranged to look beautiful. Guests will also surely appreciate if there is a suggested wine pairing offered with the charcuterie. 

Taco Bar

There’s nothing better than a delicious taco bar featured at a SoCal wedding. Guests can enjoy freshly prepared carne asada, chicken and steak served with guacamole, chips, cilantro and spicy salsas. 

Mac & Cheese Bar

Macaroni and cheese is no longer just a favorite childhood meal – it has become a staple at dinner tables across the United States! If you and your beau are fans of delicious, gooey mac and cheese then consider including a mac and cheese bar at your fall wedding. Guests can snack on an upgraded version of this nostalgic childhood favorite and enjoy elevated toppings like garlic and herb bread crumbs, Applewood smoked bacon, sautéed mushrooms, toasted walnuts, shaved truffle and more!

Fondue Station

Is there anything better than melted cheese? Probably not! A unique and elevated fondue station is sure to be a crowd pleaser at any event. You can serve various flavor combinations like spinach and artichoke, crab and artichoke and more. Pair the station with a selection of crudité, crostini, fresh baked bread and more. 

Chili Bar

If your wedding is taking place towards the end of the fall season and you expect chilly weather, think about offering guests the option of a warm chili bar. The chili can be prepared ahead of time and kept warm, but guests will be able to choose their toppings, like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, scallions, red onions, etc. 

Donut Station

Who doesn’t love donuts?! You don’t have to offer fancy, artistic donuts to your guests, but it will definitely be a fun experience to allow them to choose their favorite donut and add sprinkles to it. Allow guests to choose from multiple flavors like cinnamon and sugar, sugar glaze, powdered sugar, chocolate glaze or maple glaze. Toppings can include chocolate sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles or any other fun twists you can come up with.

S’mores Bar

Organize a gorgeous s’mores bar to encourage people to socialize and enjoy a delicious sweet treat that everybody loves. Hide the hot fuel cans in a wooden box with pebbles so it looks pretty, but is also safe for use. Set up the graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and sticks separately so people can build their own s’mores sandwiches. You can even pair this with a hot chocolate station, include a selection of cookies and other sweet treats to make it the highlight of the evening!

Pie Bar

Consider a pie bar instead of a traditional wedding cake for desert! Give your guests the option to choose from a few different flavors like apple pie, blueberry crumble, pumpkin pie, key lime or peach crumble. Remember that a warm pie is best served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Everyone appreciates a cocktail bar at a wedding, but some of our new favorite bars actually serve food. If you’re looking for more inspiration or ideas for your fall wedding contact our team – we’d love to brainstorm with you. We would love to bring your concept to life and put together an exceptional and unique fall wedding food bar for your special event. Follow us on Instagram for even more inspiration!

Temperatures are dropping and wedding bells are ringing! Summer tends to be a more popular time of year for weddings, but living in Southern California, we get incredible weather for the majority of the year! In fact, a summer wedding may not be the best option for some couples since temperatures tend to run high. Spring, fall and especially the winter season are beginning to gain popularity, and couples have more options to be creative as they plan their big day. Making cocktails for Winter are great for that!

As we enter the winter season and the SoCal weather finally starts to cool off, we’re excited for the holiday celebrations we’ve got coming up. As we put together creative finishes on our upcoming menus, we want to share some inspiration to show how fun a winter wedding could be! We all know that weddings are exciting, but they’re always more fun with an open bar and some creative signature cocktails. When planning a winter celebration your signature cocktails should include the flavors of the season! A traditional mojito or whiskey drink is satisfying, but it’s so much more fun to select creative and playful signature cocktails for a winter wedding! Whether you choose to plan a local wedding with mild weather, or you opt for a destination wedding with a dreamy snowy landscape, there’s much to love about winter weddings, and here are a few incredible signature cocktails we’re sure guests will enjoy!

Our Incredible Signature Cocktails Include:

Mulled White Wine

Sangria is for spring and summer; mulled wine is for fall and winter! This mulled white wine mixture is brewed with fruit, spices, herbs and a kick of brandy – making it a seriously delicious signature cocktail that can easily be made in big batches! Here’s what you need:

• 2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 2 tsp. whole cloves
• 1 (750-ml) bottle of white zinfandel
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 small bunch sage
• 1 small bunch thyme
• 2 tbsp. juice from one lemon, and the rind
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced

To put this recipe together you will want to stir the ingredients together and simmer over low heat in a medium pan for ten minutes. Strain out the peppercorns and cloves and return the mixture to the saucepan to stir in the pear slices and simmer for another eight to ten minutes. 

Irish Coffee

Is there anything better than hot coffee spiked with the nutty flavors of Irish whiskey? Serve this signature cocktail with desert to ensure your guests leave satisfied and happily buzzed (remind them to take a cab home if they’re drinking!). Here’s what you need for this delicious cocktail:

• Coffee
• 1 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• Whipped cream
• Cinnamon or chocolate powder for topping

To prepare, have the bartender brew hot coffee and pour it into mugs. Then simply add in the whiskey and brown sugar and decorate with a dollop of whipped cream and choice of powdered topping! 

Raspberry Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Champagne is a MUST at every wedding, and this fun cocktail is a sweet and festive way to add a twist to the traditional beverage. Here’s what you need:

• Pomegranate juice
• Raspberry sorbet
• Chilled champagne
• Pomegranate seeds

This deliciously dangerous cocktail is best served in frosty glasses, so tell your bartender to plan ahead! To put this together add 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to the bottom of the glass, add a few small scoops of raspberry sorbet and top with pomegranate seeds. Top each glass with chilled champagne and enjoy!

Rosemary Bourbon Fizz

This sparkling cocktail is refreshing and delicious! All you need is some rosemary, lemons, sugar, ginger ale and your favorite bourbon. To bring it all together use a twig of rosemary, a small squeeze of lemon and one teaspoon of sugar and muddle it well in a cocktail shaker. Once it’s done, add ice cubes and one ounce of bourbon and shake it up really well. Pour the mixture into old fashioned glasses prepared with extra ice and top it off with ginger ale. Garnish the cocktail with a sprig of rosemary and a lemon twist and say cheers!

As you can probably see – the options can be truly endless when picking out a signature cocktail for your winter wedding. Whether the beverage is hot or cold, sweet or sour, flat or fizzy – it’s sure to be a hit and will have your guests dancing all night long! If you’re looking for more menu inspiration check out our catering services for various options. We would also be happy to help you pick out the perfect southern California wedding venue for your big day. Contact us to learn more about our services or to request a quote – we look forward to helping you plan your big event! 

It’s officially pumpkin-spice season and as we impatiently wait for Southern California weather to finally turn to fall, we’re getting ready for the first of many fall entertaining festivities. No matter how old you are, Halloween is always a favorite, and regardless of how you like to celebrate there’s no limit to getting creative with snacks, drinks and décor at your Halloween Party! 

Decorating your home, picking a Halloween costume and getting in the Halloween spirit can be time-consuming, but we prefer spending our time planning unforgettable Halloween party events with mouthwatering appetizers, unique drinks and creatively plated dishes. Whether you are hosting an intimate get together with your closest friends and family, or throwing a big bash and in need of professional catering services, we’ve got you covered! Our team is eager to help bring your vision to life, and we can’t wait to start cooking with our favorite fall flavors now that the season is officially upon us!

Nail the Décor

Decorating for any holiday can be a big undertaking, but luckily for Halloween there are so many different ways you can decorate. Whether you choose to be spooky, haunting, classy and elegant or silly, all you have to do is spend a little time on Pinterest for ideas and head to your local party supply store to pick up the essentials. You can never go wrong with some dark table runners, mini pumpkins as place cards, sticky spiderwebs, twinkly lights in festive Halloween colors and drippy candles. Depending on how big your event is, you could select elegant tale settings for a more intimate gathering, or pick out themed disposables that make cleanup a breeze. 

Boo-tiful Appetizers

You can have so much fun with appetizers when curating the perfect Halloween party menu. There are so many fun and delicious appetizers to try out that perfectly blend the flavors of our favorite crowd pleasers with a creative execution that is sure to wow your guests. Some popular appetizers to try out include double-decker taco dip with little graveyard crackers, avocado sriracha deviled eggs, bite-size meatballs made to look like pumpkins, cheesy breadsticks in the shapes of bones, jalapeno popper mummies and more!

Pumpkin Everything

You can’t have Halloween without carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spiced lattes and pretty much pumpkin all over the place. So obviously, you need to incorporate at least a little bit of pumpkin into your Halloween party menu. Some seasonal favorites include pumpkin bread rolls, butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sage sauce, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, coconut curry butternut squash soup and so much more. You would think we would be sick of the color orange by the time October is over, but nope – we’re just getting started, don’t forget that Thanksgiving is right around the corner with more delicious pumpkin and squash recipes to look forward to.

Spooky Cocktails

If you are hosting an adult Halloween get together, consider making a large bowl of festive punch that can serve many people at once. A blood orange blackberry cocktail made with fresh fruit, rum and flavored soda is a flavorful and refreshing option to get the party started. You can also serve blood orange martinis, spiced rum, pomegranate and tequila cocktails, hard cider with cranberries and Bloody Mary’s. Truth be told, as long as the color is dark or red, any traditional cocktail can easily be transformed into a spooky Halloween delight. 

You should also consider serving some warm cocktails since the weather tends to cool off towards the end of October. Some yummy options include spiked apple cider, pumpkin spice coffee with Baileys pumpkin spice Irish liqueur or a spooky twist on a hot toddy with a shot of dark rum and cinnamon sticks!

Delicious Treats

We all know that everybody always leaves just a little extra room for dessert, and treats on Halloween are so much fun! You can easily decorate cookies, cupcakes and cake to match your Halloween theme and decorate with your favorite Halloween candy. There are also other fun ideas to try out like festive caramel popcorn, candy dipped apples, pumpkin pie cheesecake dip and so much more!

Take a look at some of our previous events so you can get a better idea of how we work on special events. We would love to work with you to help you plan and execute the ultimate Halloween party, complete with incredible décor, delicious food and professional staff to help keep the night running smoothly. Contact us to learn more and to inquire about our availability, or request a quote online now!

There are numerous traits that make every chef unique, but some of the best chefs and culinary experts in the world will share similar qualities. The title of “chef” holds an honor that is achieved by spending countless hours of learning, honing and refining cooking skills day in and day out. The main thing that differentiates a chef from a cook is that a chef typically runs the kitchen and the menu at all times. A chef is the ultimate boss in the kitchen and sets the tone and mood. While not all chefs will have the same personality, and some may be bolder than others, you will find that the best of the best share specific characteristics that contribute to their success.

Whether you are an inspiring culinary enthusiast, or you’re looking to hire an incredible chef for your next event in Southern California, what do you look for?

These are 10 of the top traits that contribute to making a Great Chef in the culinary world.

• #1 – Commitment

Being a chef is more than just a desire to cook and create – it’s a commitment to the kitchen staff, to the success and growth of the restaurant or business, and a commitment to continue to be the best they can be. A committed chef is more than just a creative cook, it’s someone who is also business savvy, who is committed to continuously learning, challenging their skills and techniques, and earning the respect of their team. A great chef is one that finishes a product to its conclusion – cleaning every piece of equipment and putting everything away in the right place so you can begin again with a fresh place to make more culinary magic. A lot of people are too lazy to clean everything and it shows.

• #2 – Leadership

A great chef is also a great leader. It takes a lot to build a thriving business in the hospitality industry, and it’s important to have a supportive team that is also dedicated to the company’s goals and vision. A true chef is a team builder with outstanding communication skills who delegates, inspires, and mentors his or her staff.

• #3 – Creativity

Cooking is the perfect blend of art and science. There are certain skills and techniques that need to be learned and perfected, but these are the tools that a great chef will use to create their own unique culinary masterpieces to impress even the most critical dinner guest. The best part about working in a kitchen is coming up with new ideas and taking risks – a great chef is always willing to be creative and try something new. Creativity is important because it inspires different flavor combinations as well as presentation, which is essential to any dining experience. When a chef is passionate and creative, and when they challenge themselves outside their comfort zone, is when they will truly come up with culinary greatness.

• #4 – Intuition

The food and beverage industry is incredibly fast paced, with trends constantly evolving and the need for efficiency with every action, so it’s important for a great chef to be a quick-thinker who can make good decisions as they go. It’s not uncommon for a tricky situation to arise, which is when it is most important for a chef’s intuition to kick in and confidently lead their team to success. 

• #5 – Excellent Palate

If it’s delicious to them, they’re saying it will be delicious to you. My favorite meals are sitting down in a chef’s restaurant that I trust and admire and know no matter what I order, it will be delicious, even things I won’t regularly eat. You know you’re in the presence of a great chef when you can trust and order according to people’s talents.

• #6 – Mentorship

A good chef will have had a good mentor, and a great chef will serve as an outstanding mentor to their staff to help them grow in their culinary career as well. A great chef is eager to pass down their knowledge to aspiring cooks and will enthusiastically educate their entire team. There have been many line cooks who have gone on to become executive chefs and award-winning Michelin-star chefs, who at one point learned from the chef(s) they had as their own mentor(s).

• #7 – Attention to Detail

Cooking in a fast-paced kitchen environment can be an intricate process, from selecting and measuring out the necessary ingredients to combining them in the best order to utilizing the perfect temperature-to-time, to then result in creating a flavorful and extraordinary culinary masterpiece. If a chef leaves a piece of steak to cook for a minute too long, forgets a garnish, or puts too much dressing on an otherwise perfect salad, it can ruin a perfect meal. There are many details that a chef needs to pay attention to during the cooking process in order to achieve a perfect meal.

• #8 – Efficiency

While the fastest chef is usually everyone’s preference, there is only so much multitasking that can be done before quality starts to suffer. It’s the mix of understanding efficiency and excellence, and a great chef can put together ingredients and it tastes like the perfect song, all the right notes are in it and it makes the perfect sound. Otherwise, with mediocre chefs, you just taste the ingredients and not why they work together. 

• #9 – Multitasking

In a busy kitchen, it is important for a great chef to be able to maintain control of the environment while also handling a myriad of tasks related to preparing a meal. All at once, a chef may be cutting up vegetables, sautéing chicken, grabbing additional ingredients and also making sure that everything else is running smoothly with all dishes. A great chef will remain calm under pressure while navigating these multiple tasks and managing the full kitchen staff.

• #10 – Humbleness & Honesty

A great chef is humble because the flavor and guest satisfaction come first, not their ego. It’s extremely important to always make good & honest choices, with everything from your product, food safety, and the kitchen team. If you start with the right building blocks of excellent technique and product, half of the work is done.

In closing, there is no one set definition of what makes the perfect chef, but ultimately it takes a balance of skills, qualities and characteristics to be a great chef in today’s culinary industry. If you’re looking for an extraordinary catering vendor for your next So Cal event, check out our team of chefs who have trained at Michelin star restaurants and Le Cordon Bleu to learn more about us. Our entire team is not only passionate about food, but we love bringing our client’s visions to life and seeing everyone fully enjoy their event.

Contact us to learn more about our services or to inquire about our variety of menus options!