We are so proud to have received the Brides Choice award from Wedding Wire again this year. Thanks to all the couples that made this possible. Also thanks to our tremendous staff who works tirelessly to make these couples dream weddings come to life.

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The owners of many companies have gone to great lengths over the past month to provide their employees with an enjoyable afternoon, evening or even a simple bonus to show their appreciation for the past years hard work.  It is a tough decision for those in charge, it has been a rough couple of years financially, and the choice between a holiday party and watching the bottom line is cause for many a headache.  To those companies who chose J. Scott Catering to take part in their holiday party plans, we would like to extend a big thank you.

At the end of December we worked with a client who decided to choose a new venue and caterer for this year’s holiday party. There is a lot of planning that goes into changing what you do every year and putting your trust in someone new to make it happen is always a source of anxiety.  But this client put their faith in us to pull off a successful event for their staff, and so we went to work to do just that.  And as many other clients would agree, change is often good.

The event was held at the Phoenixville Foundry in Phoenixville, PA.  With over 300 guests the layout and timeline were key to making this event a success. As people arrived they were escorted to the Mezzanine for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre.  Stationary hors d’oeuvre included a classic crudite with a variety of florets and julienned vegetables accompanied by red pepper and spinach dips.  A cheese display was also offered with a sampling of mustards to try with gruyere, smoked gouda and gorgonzola cheeses just to name a few.  Passed hors d’oeuvre selections included traditional Bruschetta, bacon wrapped scallops with horseradish dipping sauce, shrimp cocktail served with spicy cocktail sauce and lemon wedges and finally pecan crusted chicken with orange tarragon dipping sauce.

After cocktail hour guests took their seats, first come first served, and were greeted by the owner of the company.  He remarked on how nice it was to have everyone all together and thanked all in attendance for their hard work over the past year. And that despite the still struggling economy that he was immensely proud of his employees for pulling through with great accomplishments throughout the year.  Anyone in the room could feel the pride he feels for his company and the sense of family that everyone at the company enjoys.  It reminded me why I am so proud to be the owner of J. Scott and the hopes I have that all my employees feel a sense of pride for their work and that they are included in the J. Scott family.

The dinner was served, beginning with a Caesar salad.  The dual entrée featured beef tenderloin au poivre and Maryland lump crab cake accompanied by green beans almondine and roasted red bliss potatoes. After dinner the dessert station was opened.  This holiday season our cheesecake station has been a very popular dessert option and was served at this event as well.  Coffee and tea were also served.

Along with all the culinary festivities guests also enjoyed the musical talents of Chico’s Vibe, the popular tri-state area band covering pop music from every era.  Big thanks must go out to all our friends at the Foundry and our staff who made this event possible.  Thank you to Christina Livingston for the photos.  I wish everyone all the best in the New Year and here’s to keeping at least one resolution past January!

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This weekend we had the great pleasure of aiding in the celebration of a retirement party for one of our dearest clients. There is for sure no better way to praise a lifetime of work than ample guests, good food and plentiful spirits. All of the aforementioned were on hand for this most joyous occasion.

The evening was draped in lovely shades of orange and red. Under heated tents guests mingled about congratulating the retiree in candlelight.

At the start guests enjoyed an hour of hors d’oeuvre and drinks. Warm brie and pear in phyllo as well as a delightful prosciutto and lobster taco in a petite taco shell were served. Guests also tasted grilled lamb lollipops, seared kobe beef rolls on wild mushroom bread pudding, blackened chicken skewers with grapes rolled in blue cheese and pistachios and lastly herb roasted shrimp.

Dinner stations were the affair of the evening. A short rib station with a wide variety of accompaniments including cheesy polenta, caramelized onions, flavored chips, smoked bacon, grilled baguette rounds, golden scallops, mini flour tortillas and garlic puree, indulged many savory palettes in attendance.

The slider station boasted three different styles of sandwich; vegetarian, beef and seafood. The vegetarian slider was served complete with grilled Portobello mushroom, roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, provolone cheese and pesto mayonnaise. The beef slider was served simply with cheese, lettuce and tomato; however, it was accompanied by ketchup, blue cheese and Russian dressing for the guests to use as they pleased. Last by certainly not least the crab cake slider was served with tomato, lettuce and old bay remoulade, a sure fire crowd pleaser as always.

And to finish off the dinner portion of the evening was the sushi station manned by our favorite sushi chef Akio. He rolled a variety of classics including tuna, California and cucumber rolls. He also served tuna, shrimp and salmon nigiri as well as futomaki. Served alongside of course was soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger, for what would sushi be without its accoutrement.

Dessert left nothing to be desired as it offered many selections served in our new blossom cups. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream, apple pie a la mode, chocolate mousse with whipped cream and chocolate chips and finally key lime mousse with graham cracker crumbs satiated each guests sweet tooth. For those not quite so keen on full fledged sweets, a fruit platter was laid out with cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and grapes.

What a wonderful opportunity it was to celebrate such a momentous occasion in someone’s life. To bid adieu to their years of service to a company and welcome the new chapter of their life with open arms. We are so grateful to have been invited to cater and thank our client for entrusting the task to J. Scott Catering.

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This weekend’s wedding caused me to stop a moment and consider what it is we do as caterers and what impact our role plays in this momentous occasion. The journey of planning a wedding is a long and arduous one, made slightly easier with the help of an event planner, but the pay off on the day is indescribable. At J. Scott Catering we build lasting relationships with couples over the months before the vows, cake cutting and dancing. As event planners we see them throughout the process often after hair and makeup trials or to pick up linen samples for color matching at the bridal salon. We guide them on tips about seating arrangements and help plan the timeline for day’s events. J. Scott planners can be found mending dresses in the middle of the reception, organizing bridal parties for introductions and making sure that each and every detail down to the pen for the guest book, is exactly as the bride requested.
When the big day finally arrives, while we watch as they enjoy the splendors of their love, there is a sigh of sadness that can be heard from every J. Scott Catering planner. As the night comes to a close, we realize there won’t be any more once a week chats about china, and the sleepless nights and anticipation of pulling off their dream quickly dissipates. Alas, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
The end of the wedding doesn’t mean the relationship is over. Often times we work with couples through the years, catering baby showers and christenings, communions and close friends weddings too. In reality we aren’t just planning or catering a wedding, we are building a lasting relationship with a couple, one that is only just beginning with I do.

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