A Convenient Way To Cater

Introducing a caterer’s dream- a mobile kitchen as presented by our friends at New England Country Rentals. The team over at NECR is a group of incredibly impressive event professionals who we continuously welcome the chance to work with. They have a beautiful collection of vintage and modern rentals alike to dress up any occasion. Their newest (and coolest, as far as we’re concerned) rental item is their mobile kitchen.

The mobile kitchen is ideal for event venues that have a difficult time accommodating a full catering staff. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t your average food truck.  Here is a complete list of what the mobile kitchen is equipped with:

• 2 Convection Ovens
• 6 Burner Stove
• Griddle 
• Fryer
• 2 Warming Towers
• Commercial Microwave
• Commercial Coffee Maker
• 3 Bay Sink
• Hand Sink
• Hood with Fire Compression Unit

Floor Plan

With almost every appliance your catering team could ever need, it seems that NECR has thought of everything. Its functionality may not even be its best feature, however. One of the best parts about the mobile kitchen is its unique exterior. It’s wrapped in full shingles so that it can blend in with its surroundings at your otherwise stunning event. The Chef’s Table had the wonderful opportunity to work in the mobile kitchen at a recent wedding in collaboration with NECR. The kitchen proved versatile and it was a much appreciated convenience at the outdoor summer reception. The kitchen is ideal for smaller venues, outdoor events, and locations with no on-site kitchen.

The Exterior of the Mobile Kitchen

We highly recommend the mobile kitchen for your next event- the added bonus of this awesome rental? You’ll be working with NECR and have the opportunity to hand select other unique items from their vast inventory. Visit their website at http://newenglandcountryrentals.com/ to contact this talented group of event professionals and make sure that your next event goes off without a hitch! 

The 5 Best Food Bars Worth Trying

Looking for a non-traditional fun way to feed your guests at your event? Consider one of the most popular food trends of the year- stationed food bars. Food bars can be a great way to feed your guests while also incorporating some of your own unique tastes and personality. From the more common cupcake and dessert bars to the more unusual (but just as fun), mashed potato or popcorn bars, food bars are taking the catering world by storm. The strength of this growing trend lies in its versatility: a food bar can be created for virtually any theme and are ideal for cocktail hours, main courses, desserts or late-night snacking. Additionally, they will be appreciated by kids and adults, alike. Interestingly enough, many food bars go after "kid foods" which also happen to be adult favorites.

This brings us to our Favorite Food Bar # 1: Gourmet Grilled Cheese Bar

I have yet to meet someone who doesn't enjoy grilled cheese. The foundation itself nears sheer perfection with the combination of perfectly melted ooey gooey cheese sandwiched between two slices of butter-slathered white bread grilled to perfection. So in all of its perfect simplicity, how do we make this classic "gourmet"? Allow guests to create a custom version of the old favorite by choosing from a selection of artisan breads and then adding in a few extras. Tossing in  ingredients such as avocados, tomatoes, bacon, prosciutto, grilled eggplant and caramelized onions instantly transform a simple grilled cheese into a delicious grilled cheese panini. 

Our Favorite Food Bar # 2: The Bruschetta Bar

A little less kid friendly but a crowd-pleaser none the less. A bruschetta bar is ideal for a cocktail hour and in lieu of passed h'ordeouvres. Offer up a spread of olive-oil drizzled toasts and an assortment of toppings to choose from. Keep it traditional with diced tomatoes and basil or make it a bit more modern with roasted figs and goat cheese (Recipe here) . 

Favorite Food Bar # 3: Candy & Dessert Buffet Bar

 Okay, admit it. You were pretty thrilled when the last wedding you attended didn't feature a three tiered plain Jane vanilla wedding cake wrapped in fondant as the couple's dessert of choice. Instead, they opted for an awesome dessert bar complete with a cupcake "cake", cookies, chocolate candies, and the most sweets you've seen since Valentine's Day in elementary school. Candy and dessert bars are a whimsical way to serve dessert to the guests and is often chosen by a host who's young at heart. Glass jars are a cute and inexpensive way to serve truffles, cookies and candies on a buffet table. The dessert bar is a nice departure from traditional wedding cake and your guests will appreciate the change.

Favorite Food Bar #4: The Mimosa Bar

While this one isn't necessarily a "food" bar, it's still wildly popular, perfect for early events and showers, and deserves every right to be recognized just as much as the rest of them. The Mimosa Bar is ideal for your bridesmaids on the morning of the wedding, bridal showers, early receptions or post-wedding brunches. Instead of limiting your mimosa to the very traditional champagne and orange juice, try offering a few different types of fruit juices and a selection of fruits to garnish the cocktails such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. 

Favorite Food Bar # 5: Summer Salad Bar 

A salad bar is a refreshing change of pace from traditional food served at weddings and events and will also please your health- conscious guests. Offer a few varieties of lettuce, an assortment of toppings and possibly even proteins such as chicken, steak, or shrimp that guests can add to make their salad a bit heartier. A salad bar is perfect for those hot summer days when the last thing anyone is thinking about is a steaming hot entree. 

Sweet Georgia P's

If you have yet to hear about Sweet Georgia P’s and their inspiring story, we suggest you keep reading. Owners Rebecca and Joe Pimentel began this impressive business of theirs with the purchase of a humble farmhouse in Scituate, MA. They shared a vision to harvest fresh, healthy produce for their family. With the addition of several animals and a newborn baby girl to the family, The Pimentel’s realized that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from their fresh produce. They began partnering with several organic farms in Massachusetts and the Sweet Georgia P’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) was born.

Customers can purchase a 15 week share from Sweet Georgia P’s in which they will receive a weekly delivery of the freshest organic fruits and vegetables. Additionally, Sweet Georgia P’s is known for distributing its fresh farm eggs and local artisan cheeses. The reason we love Sweet Georgia P’s the most? They team up with local chefs to create delicious recipes featuring their seasonal produce- including yours truly!  

This summer, The Chef’s Table will be partnering with the CSA to bring our clients delicious new menu items featuring only the freshest ingredients from our friends at Sweet Georgia P’s. We’re incredibly excited to be able to have a chance to work with this unique family while also satisfying our customers with local, fresh, and healthy ingredients. If you would like more information on Sweet Georgia P’s you can visit their website, here: http://sweetgeorgiap.com/about.aspx for the full story behind their effort to live sustainably.  Please be sure to check our website for featured menu items using only the finest from Sweet Georgia P’s!

How To: Go Green At Your Wedding

These days everyone is all about going green. From your new hybrid car to your compost in the backyard, finding ways to be environmentally conscious in everyday life seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The hospitality industry, too, is on the “go green” bandwagon, constantly searching for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of numerous parties, events and weddings that take place annually. An article featured on thegreenbrideguide.com reads that among the 2.5 million weddings that will occur this year in the United States, 62 tons of Carbon Dioxide and about 400-600 pounds of waste will be generated. To put that into perspective, consider the average American family who generates 100 pounds of trash per week. This means that at minimum, a wedding produces a month’s worth of trash from a single American family in just one day! Fortunately, there are many choices you can make when planning your wedding that will help you to reduce the amount of waste that your wedding produces.

• One of the simplest ways to do this is in the creation of your wedding menu. Hint: you do not need to hire a 100% organic caterer in order to make this dream a reality. Start by requesting that your menu be designed using local, seasonal ingredients. By choosing local, in-season ingredients, you’re already reducing your carbon foot print as well as supporting the local economy. Wherever you can, ask that organic ingredients be used. These simple steps will all be influential in creating  a more ecologically friendly wedding day.

• Wedding leftovers contribute in a massive way to the waste generated by weddings. While your leftovers will be likely thrown away, request that they be composted instead in an effort to eliminate trash.

• Speaking of trash…RECYCLE! This is perhaps the single easiest thing you can do to go green at your wedding. If you have any plastic cups, plates or silverware- even glass bottles from the bar, beer cans or plastic juice bottles, set up different recycling bins beside trash cans and label them accordingly. Recycling takes almost no extra effort but is extremely successful in reducing waste.

• Finally, consider your glassware, flatware and utensils. If you can, avoid all plastic, cardboard and styrofoam. Instead, try and rent these items to avoid waste. Added benefits to rentals include making your wedding look slightly more formal without breaking your budget.