In May 2025, the team at Houston-based A Fare Extraordinaire took their talents on the road to cater this 471-guest wedding for Paige Drummond and David Andersen. The celebration took place against the sweeping backdrop of the bride’s family ranch—recognizable to fans of the Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman, hosted by Paige’s mom, Ree.
By Sara Perez Webber ’Tis almost the season—will your stockings be stuffed with holiday bookings? In what may be a
In October 2024, Constellation Culinary Group catered a Día de los Muertos–themed Halloween celebration at Miami Beach’s Temple House.
The client, a financial services company, wanted the event to encourage cross-team mingling, build informal connections and integrate culturally diverse teams into Miami’s community—while educating guests on Mexican traditions, which are a vital part of the city’s identity.
Today, wedding celebrations are no longer just one day. Newlyweds are reimagining tradition—swapping single-day timelines for full wedding weekends that invite guests to connect, explore, and celebrate in a way that feels both elevated and deeply personal.
As a luxury resort with a rich history and endless opportunities for personalization, Arizona Biltmore has become a natural canvas for these experiences—where every gathering, toast and detail is thoughtfully designed to reflect both the couple and the destination.
The allure of the great outdoors is proving irresistible to a growing number of catering clients.
“At Constellation Culinary Group, we’ve seen a continued and growing preference for outdoor events across a wide variety of occasions,” says Katia Ponomareva, director of catering for off-premise events. “The pandemic certainly reshaped how people think about gathering spaces, elevating the appeal of fresh air and natural surroundings.”
To meet the rising demand for outdoor affairs, caterers and venues across the country are creating events that are a breath of fresh air.
Caviar carts, sensorial cocktails and corporate events that emphasize flexibility.
Those are just a few of the 2025 industry trends identified by Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP), a collaborative network of leaders from the world’s top catering and hospitality organizations. The organization released the ECEP 2025 Trends Report, compiled during this year’s ECEP Symposium in Napa, California.
From large festivals to intricate and intimate gatherings, we who work in the events space generate our fair share of waste and carbon emissions. Single-use décor, mass-produced materials and short-lived installations all contribute to a cycle of consumption that can strain our planet’s resources.
But what if we could shift this narrative—not by compromising creativity or experience, but by rethinking the way events are designed and executed?
A growing movement within the industry is proving that it’s possible. And at the heart of that movement is a concept that’s known to us all: rentals.
Have you tapped into the brewing demand for specialty coffee?
If not, the robust revenue stream may be just the jolt your menu needs. As of 2024, 45% of American adults reported consuming specialty coffee in the past day—an 80% increase since 2011, according to a report from the National Coffee Association. In fact, for the first time, specialty coffee consumption surpassed that of traditional coffee.
When the leaders of Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP) chose the location of the group’s recent annual meeting, they knew what would appeal to their audience. After all, what better place for a group of foodies to come together than a stunningly beautiful locale known for its fine wines and innovative culinary scene?
More attendees than ever convened at ECEP’s fifth annual Symposium, which took place March 9-13 at the Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley, California. And while the picturesque surroundings and world-class dining added to the appeal, the 76 ECEP members and sponsors who attended also found sustenance in interesting discussions, dynamic speakers and plenty of bonding opportunities in the heart of wine country.
A senior event designer at Ridgewells Catering in the Washington, D.C., area, Mary Margaret Hart follows a general rule of thumb when creating a food station or buffet. “You never put anything directly on the table,” she says. “It’s got to be lifted up and not just sitting on a table, because that looks like what we do in our own homes.”
That same guiding principle could apply to what successful caterers do every day—elevate how food looks, tastes and engages the imagination, so the dining experience transcends the quotidian. Food stations, with their thoughtfully composed small plates and inspired themes, are often the perfect vehicles for caterers to show off both culinary and design expertise.
