Brian Palazzolo

Each event is unique; make sure your service, food and design reflect that notion.

The catering market has boomed and each day new catering and event production companies are established, hoping to capitalize on their share of the market. The only way to succeed is to provide your clients with truly personalized and memorable experiences. Do this by taking a classic idea and expanding on it. Planning a corporate picnic? Go beyond the traditional favorites and develop the menu to make it reflective of geographic location and season. Today, offering a clam bake isn’t nearly enough to generate business. Offer instead packages that embody East coast or West coast personas to reflect the lifestyle your clients lead (or wish to lead) to impress them with your knowledge of the industry.

Incorporate these ideas into your design to unify cuisine and event production. Be conceptual with what you present clients in the early stages of design. While you never want to be “kitschy,” you always want to demonstrate to your clients that, indeed, you are attentive to their goals and purpose of the party. The same goes if catering a wedding. Each couple you encounter will want their wedding to be unique when compared to others and an experience no guest will forget. If a couple tells you the want a “big-city” feel for their wedding, it doesn’t always mean that they want you to design a 40-foot long replica of the Manhattan skyline. Instead, be extremely selective over linens, place settings, and lighting. Directing your clients on color and style choices and how the budget is spent will help bring a metropolitan flair to the event without being obvious in what you are presenting. What your clients say and what they mean can be two different ideas. Offer your clients hosting tips and present activities guests can participate in to make each event unforgettable for all. Don’t just provide unique events; create sensory experiences that entice all senses. I guarantee your clients will be impressed with your ingenuity and creative abilities.

Know your market, but diversify. Having a specialty is great, but being able to accommodate any request is better. Are you known only for wedding receptions? Try to incorporate self-service brunch initiatives for your client to help build your corporate and drop-off business. You are then expanding on a market you already know while branching out to new opportunities. If you are known for only working with certain venues, choose an opposite location to form a partnership with to demonstrate your abilities to adapt to any condition or environment. Offer a variety of price points so the public feels it can at least approach you for an estimate. Regardless of the service or price point for the package that is employed, be sure your staff treats each client as if they are receiving white glove amenities and attention.

Remember that it isn’t only the food you provide, it is also the service and accessibility you present. If you “wow” the guests at each event, the client will surely refer you and return for their next event.

PROFILE

Company Name: Classé Catering

City/State: Albany, New York

Owner(s): Brian Palazzolo

Type of Company: Off-premises catering, corporate/drop-off, picnics, event production and design consultation

Years in Business: 15

Facility Description: Catering and design warehouse and kitchen, holds exclusive catering rights to several facilities across upstate New York

Annual Sales: $3 Million

Number of Full Time Employees: 35

Awards and Recognition: Gold Medal Salon Award, Culinary Cornucopia, 2008;  Gold Medal Salon Award, Culinary Cornucopia, 2007; 40 Under 40, The Business Review; Excellence in Small Business Award, New York State Business Development Corporation, 2006; Flavor and Flair Award, Wildwood Programs, 2006; Bronze Medal Salon Award, Culinary Cornucopia, 2005; Dedication Award, Schenectady County Community College, 2005; Greatest Place to Work, The Business Review, 2004; Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, Small Business Council, 2004; 4th Place, National Buffet Design Championship, 2001; Top Capital Region Caterers, The Business Review, five consecutive years; Certified Master of Service; Catering Design Instructor, Culinary Institute of America; Director of Service Training/Image Consultant,  Catersource and Catersource magazine; Founder, Academy of Service Arts; Author, “Masterful Banquet Service,” “Buffet and Station Service, Vol. I” and “Buffet and Station Service, Vol. II” (DVD training series); Founder and Developer, GEM (Guest Experience Management) Model.

Website: www.classecatering.com, www.11northpearlevents.com

Company Description: Classé Catering has made its mark in the Northeast as an exquisite, full service event production and catering company. Classé Catering employs a staff of world-class chefs and service people, many of which have achieved top honors in their respected fields. Classé Catering provides turn-key solutions for any catering or event need and provides all rental amenities. Classé Catering has followed a unique path to success, teaming with elite venues throughout New York as an exclusive caterer for all events held at those locations. Instead of choosing a venue and then a caterer, clients begin with Classé Catering and chose from its broad listing of venues when planning an event.