Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 11, 2009
Catering for the holidays can reduce stress, impress party guests
David Laprad
When it comes to house parties during the holidays, there are two kinds: stressful and non-stressful.
In the first scenario, the host is involved in every facet of the event. From inviting guests, to planning the menu, to buying the food, to decorating the venue, to choosing the dinnerware, to cooking the cuisine, to welcoming visitors, it’s a hands-on, stress-filled affair.
The second option requires a phone call. There are still choices to make, but a professional caterer is involved in every step of the process and can handle most of the logistics. All the host has to do is invite guests.
That puts Ron Crawford, owner of Goetz Catering in Chattanooga, in the business of reducing stress. “People who hire us to do house parties usually ask me what I need them to do,” says Crawford, who purchased the 24-year-old catering business five years ago. “I tell them to show up. We’ll take care of everything else.”
When Crawford says everything, he means just that. Whereas most people think of caterers as the food and drink people, Goetz Catering can also handle decorations, lighting, flowers — the works.
“The first thing I’ll require is a visit to your house because I’ll want to see the layout and take a look at the colors I’ll be incorporating into the linens,” he says. “This also gives me a chance to learn more about your expectations.
Goetz also takes care of every detail related to the meal. While Crawford says his staff can put together a traditional feast, complete with carving stations and a bar, his executive chef, William Wright, can also create new dishes and menus from the ground up.
“Everyone has a different ethnic background and therefore different expectations when it comes to food,” says Crawford. “Our chef will do anything. He has a diverse culinary background and can create whatever you need.”
Although Wright has been with Crawford for about three years, Crawford says his executive chef still consistently surprises him. At one event, Wright created an entirely organic menu, complete with buffalo and free-range chicken; for another occasion, Crawford created 12 vegetarian dishes.
“When you tell a caterer you want a vegetarian meal, he’ll usually tell you he can do lasagna. Not William,” says Crawford. “He likes challenges. He’ll even take a recipe your grandmother made and recreate it.”
To let clients know Wright can handle special requests, Goetz does advance tastings. Crawford attends these as well, and always looks forward to testing what Wright produces. “You’d think after three years, I’d be tired of eating his food every day, but when I’m going to a tasting, I’m always anxious to find out what the food is going to taste like,” Crawford says.
Catering entails more than food and ambience; it also involves help during the event. Crawford says there are a number of quality caterers in Chattanooga, and counts his among those with a reputation for not only great cuisine but also excellent service.
“If your party is at 6, we’ll show up at 3, set up your house the way you want it, and when we leave, it’ll be as clean as when we came in,” he says. “We’re like the background music at your party. We’re there, but you don’t know we’re there. We don’t mingle with the guests; we feed them and offer them drinks.”
While the cost of catering an event can add up, Goetz has been making concessions to meet the demand for lower prices during the economic recession. Whereas he usually charges for such amenities as tables, linens and chairs, for example, Crawford has been including these items for free.
“I have a name, and that name has value, but in times like these, the things for which people are willing to pay changes,” he says.
In addition to house parties, Goetz caters corporate events and gatherings at other venues. All cooking is done off site, so the only thing Crawford’s staff needs at the location of an affair is running water.
Goetz also does holiday events for businesses, which Crawford says can be enjoyable, as they usually involve coordinating everything around a specific theme. The caterer has seen a drop in corporate holiday events, however, since the economy dipped.
This is good news for individuals who still need to plan a gathering for the holidays, though, as it frees up Goetz and other caterers in Chattanooga to do more house events.
For more information about catering during the holidays, Google “Chattanooga catering” for a list of local companies. Or visit www.goetzcateringinc.com for menus, a photo gallery, testimonials and contact information.
Oh, and stop stressing. Crawford says Goetz can handle everything.
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