Rituals, Weapons, and Challenges

From mudslide events to shots of tequila, these ICA chefs have encountered a lot! Beyond bringing expertise and personality to the table, however, along with mouthwatering cuisine, chefs do have their little tricks and rituals. Let’s have a look at a few of them.

Joanne Purnell, Chef de Cuisine at Good Gracious! Events in Los Angeles, CA

Post-service ritual: Other than mandatory participation in celebrating with a bottle of tequila? We confirm what went well and determine why something may have gone wrong (if it did) so we can learn from that and address it next time around.

Kitchen secret weapon: Honestly? My entire team. They are my secret weapon. They work so hard and always make us look good.

Toughest event challenge: If you can believe it, we were in Monte Carlo catering a party including a limitless supply of caviar. Well, we began to run low on our limitless supply. We quickly approached the liaison who was helping us and followed him to a hotel, where we waited in this opulent lobby. Eventually, we notice this tuxedoed waiter walking toward us with a silver tray and a huge can of caviar. He stopped and said, “Your caviar, ma’am.”

Angela Callos, Chef de Cuisine at Catering By Design & Four Five One Events in Denver, CO

Post-service ritual: Let the event chef and staff know it was a job well done and how much they are appreciated, then grab something from Sonic on the way home!

Kitchen secret weapon: Our kitchen itself is a secret weapon: 8,000 square feet of kitchen and cooler space, which allows us to handle anything of any size.

Toughest event challenge: We had an event in Dallas, so our trucks left Denver two days before the event. On the way, the drivers hit a wind storm in Amarillo that turned the truck on its side. In a few short hours, we had to open an account, place an order, and set up a will-call. This all had to happen by 5:00 p.m.—and it all happened! The client and guests never knew what kind of hurdles we had to go through.

Rachanee Keovorabouth, Executive Chef at Thomas Caterers of Distinction in Indianapolis, IN

Post-service ritual: I meet with the supervisor and talk about the event so I can see what we did well on or what we need to improve on for the next event. Then, I usually go home and eat a bowl of cereal for dinner—because it’s easy—and [I] pass out!

Kitchen secret weapon: We love our kitchen emergency kits! We send one to each event, and they include a first aid kit, extra skewers, sugar, oils, gloves, etc.

Toughest event challenge: We had an event a couple of years back where we had to feed 6,500 guests. We had never done an event with that many people before, but because of all the planning we did months ahead of time, we were able to execute the event flawlessly.

Adam Gooch, Corporate Executive Chef at Common Plea Catering in Pittsburgh, PA

Post-service event rituals: Love to walk out to see the event. It just makes it all worthwhile seeing everyone enjoying the team's hard work.

Kitchen secret weapon: I would have to say my tool kit is my biggest weapon. I have everything from salt to a can opener in it. My kit—no matter where or what I am serving—can do a plated party for 250!

Toughest event challenge: Toughest event was in a field on top of a hill. It rained four days straight before the event and all during it. We buried a truck up to its axle and had to work in a river of water right through the middle of the catering tent. We had to catch the double stack oven from falling over. Everything by the end of the event was just mud. Needless to say, we threw our shoes away and carry boots in our cars now as back-up.

These chefs also gave us their perspective on the upcoming Art of Catering Food conference, which Callos, Keovorabouth, and Gooch are attending. Purnell shared that, though she cannot attend this year, she believes the conference "broadens our own experience and heightens the tools we can draw upon for the future.”

"We all share similar passions," Purnell said, "and encounter similar challenges in our industry, but it’s learning how others handle the same situation that make it interesting."

For more information on The Art of Catering Food, visit internationalcaterers.org. ICA is a global organization of caterers who come together for education and inspiration.