Food for Thought; Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts

Every Friday, we have decided to post a "Food for Thought' segment, where we introduce a local caterer or baker asking them to share their story and some wedding insights to our readers. Today we’re focusing on Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts, an off-sit catering business which encourages you to “live, love, and eat well.”

Chef Renee Schuler, Founder of Eat Well, gave us the inside scoop on what makes this catering company so well off. Instead of just providing the food and helping each bride create her own customized menu, Eat Well also assigns one of their servers to be the “Bridal Party Concierge” for the night of the reception. “This server spends the entire evening making sure the bridal party, and the bridal couple’s parents have everything they could need or want at their fingertips. In this way, we ensure that the experience of the bridal party is the very best that it can be,” Renee explained. Talk about a catering service!

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Renee dedicated her time and hard work to make sure this business was well on its way to success!  Renee started off as a trained chef in NYC, working in both the restaurant and catering business. While working in both industries, Renee soon discovered her heart belonged to catering.

“I love the excitement and drama of catered events, and so when I was thinking about the kind of business I wanted to have, I stayed with catering.” That is why when Renee catered for her sister’s art opening about nine years ago, she decided to pass out business cards and thus, Eat Well was born!

Now this growing biz can help a bride plan different parts of her wedding. From handling all rentals, making referrals for the right florists and lighting service, and providing tenting and draping ideas, this catering company can well… do it all.

“We mostly know, though, that brides want us to focus on making the very best food for their reception,” Renee added. “So we work closely with them to create a custom menu, help design menu cards, and help with ideas for favors, desserts and cake that complement the menu and make for a picture perfect reception."

Renee has a unique approach when coming up with these different ideas for a menu. She told us that she likes focusing on developing menus seasonally, allowing her to continuously incorporate new food ideas into their menus. Along with this, she remains open to suggestions and bases her customized menus on the bridal couple’s tastes and what foods they would be excited to eat for their first meal as husband and wife.

This is Eat Well's "lift" salad, consisting of layers of greens, tomatoes, gold beets and oranges. "When guests lift the clear tube, the salad falls onto the plate and into the [balsamic vinaigrette with basil] salad dressing. It's a fun and whimsical way to serve salad," Chef Renee Schuler said.

“That may mean something classic and plated, a beautiful Tuscan buffet or a favorite family recipe, re-interpreted for a wedding reception. We love wowing all of our guests and ensuring everyone loves the flavors and tastes presented, but most importantly I want the bride and groom to sit (even if it’s just for a few minutes) and say ‘wow this reflects us, our taste and style and we’re so excited for this meal,'” Renee exclaimed!

You hear that? Continue to stay true to your own, personal taste, brides; even if that means serving steak and chicken if several of your guests are vegetarians! “While it’s important to be conscious of those special needs, don’t plan your event around those four people,” Renee said. “A good caterer will gladly handle your aunt’s dietary needs and your three vegan friends with ease and grace.” 

 Not only will a good caterer gladly fix meals for those guests who have dietary restrictions, but they will do so with a smile on their face! After all, Renee told us that it’s an honor to be a part of one of the biggest days of a couple’s life. “It is a big, life changing moment for these two people and their families, and the fact that we can be there, behind and in front of the scenes, providing a delicious meal, making sure everything looks beautiful, and that everyone is having a good time, it never ceases to amaze me how important our job is.”

“The best part about it is being involved in something that is all done in love and for the love of two people, and after the last piece of cake has been served and enjoyed and everyone is having a ball on the dance floor, it is really a great sense of accomplishment and happiness. My favorite, even though it is never expected or anticipated, is when the bride and/or groom takes a moment to come and find me in the kitchen to give me a big hug and thank me. I know that they will cherish these memories for the rest of their lives, and there is nothing better than being a part of that,” Renee said.

Now, this is a catering business that loves its job! Being part of the wedding world, we truly understand what Renee means when she says it is an honor to be a part of such an important day. Working with the bride and groom, the families and all the vendors, such as Eat Well, we couldn’t think of a better job out there!

Learn more about Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts and Renee’s amazing work ethic by calling them at 859-291-9355, emailing Renee at events@eatwellonline.com, or visit their website at www.eatwellonline.com.

 

Pictures provided by Eat Well Celebrations and Feasts.