Peter Callahan

Peter Callahan is the iconic owner and Creative Director of New York City-based Peter Callahan Catering.

Widely credited with having created the mega trend of miniaturized savory and dessert comfort food hors d’oeuvres, Peter has been a caterer, food stylist and culinary innovator for more than twenty-five years. According to Martha Stewart as listed in Peter's book and repeated in the The Wall Street Journal, Peter was the creator of the mini burger better known as the slider, in its miniature size.

Peter believes food and parties should be visual and conceptual entertainment unto themselves. Among the many things Peter pioneered is designing and manufacturing custom-designed acrylic and wood food display trays, plates and buffet and bar theatrical sets. These specially-designed serving elements showcase his hors d’oeuvres, beverages and buffet and dinner foods in new, unexpected, never-before seen methods.  

His clever creations have now, years later, become permanent fixtures in today’s culinary and entertaining culture. Yet, Peter is constantly dreaming up new, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, whimsical interpretations of our favorite foods and beverages. He combines new food and beverage ideas with set design, each item is envisioned how it should be presented to the client to showcase its unique attributes and he sketches a tray or tabletop prop that then gets brought to life and then manufactured by his in house fabrication team.

Relying on a large team of in-house artisans who work tirelessly to bring Peter’s ideas to life, what may seem simple actually can take many years to come to market from concept to execution. Peter operates from a 6,000 square foot headquarters on 25th street in chelsea nyc which he bought from jive records. His full floor kitchen, office, fabricating studio was the famous hit recording studios where Brittany and Justin recorded their greatest works. His events ship nationwide and overseas from this location.

Peter is a Contributing Editor for Martha Stewart Weddings and has twice been named "Most Innovative" by Modern Bride Magazine and listed as an industry ”Trendsetter.” Peter has created sensational events for Martha Stewart, Vera Wang, Kate Spade, JP Morgan, Tory Burch, Billy and Janice Crystal, Regis and Joy Philbin, Tony Bennett, Kelly Ripa, Google,  and Al Gore, among many other clients.

Long considered a well-kept secret by the event industry despite being the most publicized caterer in the country, Peter’s book “BITE by BITE: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party” by Clarkson-Potter brings to at-home chefs Peter’s unique creations and his playful methods to present them. It’s the first book in a new series illustrating Peter’s genius for re-creating foods in stylish new ways.

Peter lives in NYC and his wife, fashion designer Josephine Sasso, split there time between New York City, a country house in Pennsylvania, and a summer house on Nantucket.