Faith in Action Awards Luncheon

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Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company was the exclusive caterer for this year’s Faith in Action Awards Luncheon sponsored by the Virginia Council of Churches.  Our team served 125 guests in attendance to honor The Brandermill Church, The Rev. Dr. Joseph M. Vought and Richmond Hill.  At the event, the Lifetime Ecumenist Award was presented to Bishop Charlene P. Kammerer.

The Keynote Speaker for the event was former WRIC TV-8 anchor Lisa Schaffner who currently serves as PR and Marketing Director for UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing).

Guests dined on a three-course lunch including our summer salad Strawberry, Walnut and Gorgonzola, our delicious Chicken Marsala with Portabella Mushroom Sauce, Wild Rice and Seasoned Carrots along with a dessert course of Cheesecake with Fresh Mixed Berries.  Vegetarian and Gluten-Free options were also served for guests with special dietary restrictions.

GGCC is honored to serve such exceptional members of our community and we would love to be a part of your special events as well.  Are you planning an awards luncheon soon and need a full service caterer for your event?  Contact Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company by sending us an e-mail at info@goodrichgourmet.com for more information!

Engineering events at the Science Museum of VA

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Last week we had the opportunity to cater at the Science Museum of VA. The staff of the Science Museum was a pleasure to work with. Everyone from the event managers to the security guards was friendly and helpful.

The food had to remain covered until the event began.

The first event was a reception for 350 exhibitors and guests of the VCU School of Engineering Senior Design show. This is an opportunity for the graduating class to show off their Senior projects. My favorite was either the robot, or the Theatre Stage Manager software.

We were able to begin setting up in the rotunda before the museum had closed to the public, so all of the food platters were kept covered with plastic wrap until the event actually began.

 

Light hors d'oeuvres - for students

The menu was light hors d’oeuvres. But at 5:30pm, that means dinner for college students.  In addition to the fruit, fresh vegetables, and cheese and crackers, we served brie and raspberry in phyllo, vegetable spring rolls with Chef Mike’s homemade duck sauce, and plenty of cookies, brownies, and cheesecake bites.

The next morning we were at the kitchen early, assembling 350 bag lunches.

 

350 student bag lunches

The Seniors participating in the Senior Design show presented their projects to visitors to the Science Museum from 10:00am to 3:00pm. For a lunch break, we brought in bag lunches with a variety of sandwiches. The students could sit down in the Thalhimer Pavilion and choose their lunch from turkey, roast beef, ham & swiss, or the vegetarian option of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. All served on bread baked by Chef Mike the evening before. Using brown bags instead of boxes made good sense for transportation – and for the environment.

Story and photos by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

Burlap and ice cream at a Portsmouth wedding

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Woman's Club of Portsmouth

Brittany and Bryan’s April 14, 2012 wedding reception was a fun, relaxed event at the Woman’s Club of Portsmouth. The beautiful weather and the large front porch were a perfect combination.

Brittany chose a rustic theme and calm, natural colors for the reception. The tables were a combination of rounds and rectangles, with  ivory linens and burlap runners. Centerpieces were made of candles in various sized mason jars.

Guest seating tables with burlap runners and candle centerpieces.

The theme was also featured in the buffet details: food signs for the buffet were written on little chalk board picks, standing in made of mason jars, half-filled with black-eyed peas; the flatware was made of natural bamboo and tied with raffia.

Circular buffet in dining room

Some specialties from Goodrich Gourmet were featured at the reception. In addition to the fruit and cheese, the appetizers included Shrimp & Grits, Build-Your-Own BBQ Sliders, and Kickin’ Ham Biscuits. For dinner, a guest favorite was the Citrus Peppercorn Tilapia. The dining room and table for the dinner buffet were small and presented our one logistical challenge. To speed the flow of guest traffic, the buffet was set up as a round-about.

"Love is Sweet" Ice Cream Bar

The real treat came after dinner, when Doumar’s began making and serving their famous waffle cones and ice cram. Doumar’s, located in Norfolk VA was founded in 1907 by the Abe Doumar, who created the first waffle cone at the 1904 World Fair in St. Louis. The “Love Is Sweet” ice cream bar included sprinkles, Oreo pieces, M&M’s and cookies.

From valet parking to ice cream sprinkles, not a detail was overlooked by this bride and groom who designed a fun, relaxed, and memorable evening for their guests to enjoy.

Story and photos by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company.

A Taste of Springtime: our Strawberry Salad returns!

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Springtime! And Spring means strawberries. Beginning Monday, April 2, our Strawberry, Walnut and Gorgonzola salad will return as the seasonal salad selection. This salad is a customer favorite every year. The strawberries, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese crumbles and red onion are served on a bed of mixed greens, with homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. Call and place an order for your office lunch, and taste Springtime!

Strawberry, Walnut and Gorgonzola Salad

Meet Keli Keener, Creative Services and Marketing

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Keli

The creative talent behind our marketing

Keli is the woman behind the branding of Goodrich Gourmet Catering. She maintains the company’s marketing materials–everything from magnets for our vehicles to the company website. Basically, she makes us look good!

Keli earned her Bachelor’s degree in Advertising at Virginia Commonwealth University, and has acquired a diverse set of skills from working in advertising agencies, marketing departments and in the academic field as well. Currently, Keli is also working on a  side project: designing a website for the Women’s Ministry at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, where she and Dale are members.

Keli is  the proud mother of Adriana, and enjoys traveling with her family, home improvement projects and designing cards for Snapfish in her free time. Her favorite Goodrich Gourmet Catering food?  The Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Quiche from the breakfast menu, and the Carolina Style BBQ Chicken from the lunch menu. She couldn’t choose just one.

Carolina Style BBQ Chicken

 

 

 

 

Story by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

One space, three events

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Light hors d'oeuvres reception, the evening before the lunch

As Off-site caterers, we rarely get to be in the same location for three events in a row. We really enjoyed being able to cater three very different events for the VCU School of Engineering, all in the same space.  Since some guests were attending all three events, we wanted the events to be visually different from each other, as well as having different style menus.

The first event was a light hors d’oeuvres networking reception. This event had a very simple setup: just cocktail tables, two food displays and a self-serve beverage display.

 

Lunch setup

 

The room was not secure, so no equipment could be left overnight. We had the staff in early the next day to set up for the lunch. The delivery guys from  Classic Party Rentals of VA were right on time at 8am with the tables, chairs, linens, china, flatware, and glassware.

 

 

Lunch for 100 ready for guests

Since classes were going on in the building, including in a room that opened into the event space, rental trees and bushes were brought in to create a hallway that blended in with the room decor.

Lunch for 110 was setup and ready for guests right on time.

 

 

Passed appetizer event

The third event we catered was a reception with passed appetizers and bar service.The guests were able to mingle while the food was brought to them. The passed appetizer menu also allowed us to cater to the very diverse dietary preferences of the guests.

 

 

 

Bar Service

The Qimonda auditorium was a great space for an event – and for three events!

 

 

Story and photos by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

 

Meet Michael Owens, Chef for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

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Chef Mike plating hors d'oeuvres passing trays in a hallway. Off-site catering brings the chef out of the kitchen!

Chef Michael Owens grew up cooking in his grandparents’ restaurant. After graduating Winter Park High School in Orlando he went on to study Food Science at The University Of Johnson & Wales in North Miami. Mike then paired up with celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck at his Bar and Grill at Universal Studios. Mike was honored to help open Puck’s restaurant, Spago, at the Four Seasons in Maui, Hawaii. He was then offered a Corporate Chef Position for Puck, working at his multiple restaurants in Las Vegas. Mike finished his tenure after opening The Source by Wolfgang Puck in the Newseum, Washington D.C. Before joining Goodrich Gourmet, Chef Mike Owens worked for Executive Chef Art Smith, former personal chef for Oprah Winfrey.

Marinated and grilled Chipotle Chicken

Chef Mike’s favorite dish at Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company is the chipotle chicken. Marinated overnight and then grilled, the chipotle chicken is served with black bean and corn salsa, cilantro, sour cream and warm tortillas.

by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

Raise the bar with a signature cocktail

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As many couples embarking on wedding planning realize, the beverages you would like to serve at the engagement party or the wedding reception can become more expensive than the food. This is also true for businesses planning special events like holiday parties or client appreciation socials. One way event hosts can cut back on bar expenses is to provide the alcohol themselves, and hire the caterer to serve drinks to their guests. Buying for the bar can be made easier by serving just beer and wine, reducing the bar expense and eliminating the need for a variety of mixers. But, in an age of creativity and event personalization, some couples don’t find that solution satisfying.  The signature specialty cocktail can keep the bar supplies limited and costs down, while adding flair to the event.

Specialty cocktail served at the International Chef's Congress, October 2011, in New York. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Roy.)

Signature cocktails can be made in a rainbow of colors to coordinate with your event design palette. The flavored vodka options that are now available can satisfy your palate. Create a cocktail version of your favorite drink: root beer floats (root beer vodka, half and half and a little crème de cacao), iced tea (sweet tea vodka, lemon lime soda and a splash of lemon juice), raspberry soda (raspberry vodka, citrus vodka, and soda water).

The internet is a treasure trove of drink recipe ideas. If you decide to create your own signature cocktail, here are a few tips to help your drink be a success:

  • Make the drink in advance with the same ingredients and proportions you are going to ask the bartender to use. Look at the color, and make sure you like the taste.
  • Have at least one ingredient that is nonalcoholic (such as soda or fruit juice). Serving a drink that is 100% alcohol can lead to overdrinking  by your unsuspecting guests. This also helps keep the costs lower.
  • Consider the season and event venue. If your event is outdoors in August, serve a tall iced drink. If the party is in February, a glass of ice might not be as appealing.
  • Consider having 2 signature drinks for a wedding: his & hers. One cocktail could be sweeter and more feminine, with a pretty color. The other could be geared more towards the male guests who don’t want to be seen carrying a pink drink.
  • Serve the cocktail in an appropriate glass. Martini glasses and small wine glasses are popular choices. Also consider stemless glasses such as rocks glasses or cosmopolitans. Mason jars are also a fun choice for iced summertime drinks.
  • Provide a garnish. The garnish on the drink is the little detail that makes sure the guests are saying “wow” even before they take a sip. Consider providing slices of lemons, limes, or oranges; maraschino cherries with stems and without pits; fresh berries; or colored sugar crystals to rim the glass.

Champagne cocktails can make your guests feel extra special.

My favorite specialty drink is one I created several years ago: The Blushing Bride:  cranberry juice, a splash of peach schnapps and chilled champagne, served in a champagne flute or small wine glass. Using champagne gives the drink – and the guests – a “special” feeling.

Story by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company.

Special thanks to Kevin Thomason of Rent-E-Quip, for sharing his inventory photos.

A Taste of BBQ

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We had a tasting this past weekend with a young bride who was planning an informal wedding in a local park. One of the items she wanted to taste was the pork BBQ. Although not a typical dinner entrée for a wedding reception, BBQ could be a great choice for some events. Following the casual, summery wedding ceremony, serve guests lemonade, iced tea and fresh fruit.  Then invite everyone to settle down at picnic tables in the shade as they enjoy their plates of BBQ.

VA style pulled pork BBQ

The pork BBQ at Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company is one of Chef Mike’s favorite dishes. He seasons  fresh pork butt with a dry rub of his own special blend of spices. The pork is then smoked for six hours, before it is ready to be pulled apart by hand. Chef Mike makes his own sauce in-house:  both zesty vinegar-based NC style, and sweet, spicy VA style.  The BBQ is served  on sandwich buns, accompanied by the traditional sides of creamy cole slaw and brown sugar baked beans.

Our cookies are freshly baked every morning.

Instead of a wedding cake, maybe our bride will pass around platters of chocolate chip cookies. Wouldn’t you love an invitation to that wedding?

 

story by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company

Historic Petersburg Wedding

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The signage at the Art Center entrance on Sycamore St reflects the building's history.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to work at an event venue where I had never been before.  Following the wedding ceremony in one of Petersburg VA’s historic downtown churches, Courtney and Joseph had their wedding reception at the Petersburg Regional Art  Center. Built in 1858, the brick building that houses the Art Center was built in 1858 and was formerly a furniture store and a department store.

The tables featured elegant black and white decor.

 

Round seating tables were dressed in floorlength black linens, with black and white damask table runners from Classic Party Rentals of VA. Centerpeices designed by the bride’s family featured whimsical feathers and white branches, with votive candles. Bright red zinnia bouquets carried by the bridal party added splashes of brilliant color to the head table centerpieces.

As the guests arrived at the reception, they were able to help themselves from an extensive appetizer display. At the bar, the guests had their choice from a variety of beer and wine, plus frozen cocktails. The dinner buffet was set up in front of a wall of original artwork.

A simple, contemporary dinner buffet, showcasing the original art pieces on the wall behind.

The buffet decor was simple, with contemporary style equipment and sparkling white linen overlays. Keeping the buffet height low kept the artwork as the  focus of the space. For dinner, guests enjoyed Brazilian Mustard Glazed Chicken, Braised Beef Brisket with chef-made gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Baby Carrots with sage butter.          

Following dinner and wedding cake, more snacks appeared on the appetizer table as the guests kicked up – and off – their heels and danced the night away.  

Leaving heels behind, the ladies took over the dance floor.

Photos and story by Anne Roy, Event Coordinator for Goodrich Gourmet Catering Company.