In catering, growth can tempt operators to be everything to everyone. But Steve Short, COO and CCO of Steve Short Culinary Team, has found that growth often starts with the opposite approach: clearly defining who you are, what you do best and which customers you are built to serve.
In an exclusive interview with CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber, renowned chef José Andrés—author of the new book “Spain My Way”—shares his thoughts on how to add Spanish cuisine to a catering menu, the importance of giving guests context for what they are eating and the simple lesson about generosity that has stayed with him since childhood.
Clients increasingly want catering that does more than serve a meal. They are looking for food that encourages interaction, design that tells a story and an experience that feels personal from beginning to end.
At the 2026 New York Restaurant Show, a panel moderated by CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber explored the latest catering trends with top New York-area caterers: Robin Selden and Jeffrey Selden of Marcia Selden Catering, Carla Ruben of Creative Edge Parties and Danielle Shapiro of Elior North America. (This is part two of CFE News’ session recap. Click here for part one.)
Celebrity chef, restaurateur and Food Network veteran Tyler Florence spoke with CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber ahead of his appearance at the California Restaurant Show on Aug. 24. Florence—chef and owner of the Michelin-starred Miller & Lux steakhouse in San Francisco and host of The Great Food Truck Race for nearly two decades—shared his perspective on the challenges facing today’s operators. His message was clear: Restaurants that succeed in today’s market know exactly who they are, who they serve and what problem they solve.
Maneet Chauhan knows how to win a barbecue battle. The acclaimed chef and restaurateur coached her team of pitmasters to victory on last season’s BBQ Brawl on Food Network. Now she’s back as a coach on the current season, ready to defend her winning legacy.
In an exclusive interview with CFE News, Chauhan opens up about her love of live-fire cooking, the influence of Indian culinary tradition on her BBQ philosophy, and the advice she’d give to operators looking to tap into the soaring popularity of all things barbecue.
At F&B@Sea, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson emphasized a point that every chef, caterer and hospitality professional understands: food is never just food. It is memory, identity, discipline, discovery and connection.
Samuelsson spoke on the main stage in April at the annual Miami conference, which brings together the global cruise F&B community.
CFE News is pleased to announce the newest member of our Editorial Advisory Board: Robin Selden, executive chef and managing partner of Marcia Selden Catering and Naked Fig Catering, serving Connecticut, New York City and beyond.
The CFE News Editorial Advisory Board recently compared notes on one of the industry’s defining business challenges: how to protect profit in an environment where labor, food and operational costs remain stubbornly high. Their conclusion? The strongest operators aren’t relying on one fix.
To better understand how The Breakers creates an employee-centric culture for its culinary staff, CFE News recently sat down with Jeff Simms, The Breakers’ executive chef of banquet culinary. Simms oversees more than 100 banquet and pastry culinarians while helping to deliver cuisine for up to 25,000 guests each month.
At the 2026 New York Restaurant Show, CFE News Editor-in-Chief Sara Perez Webber moderated a candid catering panel featuring four of most respected names in New York catering: Robin Selden and Jeffrey Selden, managing partners of Marcia Selden Catering and Naked Fig Catering; Carla Ruben, founder and CEO of Creative Edge Parties; and Danielle Shapiro, regional director of sales for Elior North America.
