Catering

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Don't hold back! We thrive on creativity and variety. The more ideas you have the better we can serve you. And remember, we serve at your pleasure.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. It isn't as easy as it looks. Celebrity chefs and TV shows make it look easy. They have decades of experience. Cooking is a labor of love, one that takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It is only really easy when you put that much passion and pride into your work.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Are you certified, if so when does it expire? What makes you brave the kitchen everyday? Did you work your way up through the kitchen or did you graduate from culinary school?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Have a few ideas before sitting down with the chef. Even if it isn't a complete idea we can help you finish it but we need someplace to start.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. Every chefs work is different. It isn't really fair to say one stands out more then anothers. It is dependent on the client and the style of the chef.

I try to add some fun in the food I cook and to keep a smile on the clients face any way I can. Be warned....punny jokes ahead

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Cooking a variety of food. It's fun having a client come to us with a cuisine we don't know and to learn about it properly.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. There is a difference between a cook and a chef. Anyone can become a cook. Some very professional people are cooks by choice, such as Paula Deen and Alton Brown. They choose to be called cooks.

Chef is French for chief. The chef is the person in charge of a kitchen and/or station generally. It takes a lot of hard work to become a chef.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. We had a job one time where we had to transport out own freezer to the job site. Once we arrived the oven and stove broke. That meant we had to send one person to his house to cook in his oven while the rest of us made cooking equipment from chaffing dishes. Getting a dozen people to work in a kitchen the size of a fairly small bathroom was interesting but fun.

We completely sympathize wiht Chef Robert Irvine on Dinner:Impossible. Our toques are off to you Chef!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. The most basic way of educating ourselves is from other chefs. Food Network and similiar channels provide good education not only to ourselves but to our clients. A well informed client is a wonderful treat and makes the work on us more enjoyable.

In addition, cookbooks written by fellow chefs, community forums, school alumni programs, etc...the list goes on. There is inspiration and education everywhere you look.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Be familair with the first aid kit! Going into a kitchen can be dangerous. Hot liquids, sharp knives, careless coworkers, etc....There is a large risk everytime you step inside a kitchen.

However, it can also be very rewarding. Seeing the joy on someones face when they eat a meal you labored over is worth more then the monetary gain.

Be prepared for long hours, low wages, lots of injuries, and be ready to see things you'd never dream of. And reading Kitchen Confidental or watching Kitchen Nightmares wouldn't hurt either.