Right before Christmas I sat down with Eva Kilgore from Orange County Register and answered five (5) questions about my catering company, Suzanne’s Catering:
Q: How did I get involved in the catering business?
A: I started my business when I was pregnant with my son. I wanted to be present and involved in raising our children, so I figured having my own business would offer me that flexibility. My first major client was Apple Computer. Since then, we’ve done many corporate events, private gatherings and charitable events. I love them all. It’s a wonderful, satisfying career. I love making people happy and excited.
Q: Has it been a busy 2013 season?
A: This season has been crazy busy. We had 40 events all over Los Angeles and Orange County, mostly corporate events. Several of the events were for entire office buildings, from 300 to 1,000 tenants in each building. It takes a lot of planning, but I have an amazing staff from my kitchen crew to my catering managers. I am nothing without my hard-working and dedicated team. But it isn’t all work We are very close and laugh a lot together. I see this year’s trend as coming back to comfort food with a twist and also fusions of different cuisines like French/Asian. We keep up with trends and are constantly looking for new ways to make our guests happy – and full!
Q: What else keeps you busy besides my catering business?
A: I am currently a member of Les Dames D’Escoffier and Slow Food USA, a self-policing organization dedicated to using only eco-friendly products. I am also on the board of directors of the Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitor’s Bureau. I’ve done that for five years. I love to eat out and try new places with my family and friends. Some of my favorite haunts are Pizzeria Mozza and Eat Chow is another favorite – almost anything on their menus. And of course there’s Brasserie Pascal. Their Cabernet-braised short ribs are the best. I just got back from olive picking and watched olive oil being produced in Paso Robles. It was quite an education and I have a new appreciation for this fine oil.
Q: What do I love about Suzanne’s Catering?
A: I love making events extra special and memorable for our guests, whether it’s a Hello Kitty bridal shower or feeding guests at the Marconi Museum. I try to be present at most of my parties and sometimes I wish I could clone myself so I could be everywhere and oversee every little detail. I tend to be a micro-manager, but sometimes this is physically impossible. I love everything about what I do, from catering and event planning to helping in my community and beyond.
Q: If I could have any new food experience, what would it be?
A: My longtime, passionate goal is to go truffle hunting in the south of France.
Visit Orange County Register article to read full article.
Cheers,
Suzanne