Colette’s Catering & Events Will Bring Your Vision to Life and Help You Nail Your Next Event
In today’s foodie culture, Colette’s Catering & Events recognizes the value of a chef-driven approach when it comes to hosting events in Orange County. Initially founded by Colette Coffman in 1992 as a one-woman operation in Fullerton, Duane Greenleaf soon joined her as co-owner. The team then found a gap in the catering market for fresh, upscale restaurant-quality menu options.
“We opened a restaurant about four years ago,” Greenleaf says. “What’s been nice is having that influence of a free-standing restaurant that’s super popular and how those flavor profiles have transferred over to the catering company.”
The company’s reputation for robust global ingredients curated by their executive chef has fostered word-of-mouth referrals and returning customers. The owners take pride in building a relationship with their clients to deliver an exceptional culinary experience. Here is your step-by-step guide to designing your own event in Orange County with the help of Colette’s Catering & Events.
Step One: Get in Touch
Whether you reach out by email or phone, Coffman and Greenleaf guarantee that you will receive a response from an actual person without the fuss of a voicemail tag. The company strives for clients to feel a personal touch every step of the way.
“When that call comes in, we’re the experts,” Greenleaf continues. “What that client is looking for is direction, and then it’s up to our staff to find out what that entails.”
During the consultation process, the Colette’s Catering team will delve into the client’s vision to understand the needs, wants and focus for their special occasion. The staff’s initial attention to detail and understanding of the client lends itself to in-depth planning and seamless execution of the event day.
Step Two: Craft a Road Map For Your Event
Colette’s Catering understands the value of pairing high-end cuisine with the right atmosphere, so they’ve sought out unique locations like the historic Muckenthaler Mansion in Fullerton or Balboa’s Edge in Newport Beach, which step outside the box of traditional hotel conference rooms.
“For example, for a buffet event or a dinner, we often suggest having more stations and small plates so their guests can interact with the chefs and keep experiencing new things throughout the evening,” Coffman shares.
After the team establishes the direction and tone for your event, they will guide you to a venue that fits your occasion. They have an extensive range of tailored venues to suit your needs, but can also accommodate a private house or space. From there, the team will solidify the details for your Orange County event—all while you sit at ease.
Step Three: The Food Tastings
The moment we’ve all been waiting for: the food! Coffman and Greenleaf express a climatic step when clients visit the Colette’s Catering corporate home for tastings. This process allows clients to taste various dishes and brings the consultations to fruition with a touch, feel and smell experience. Colette’s Catering acknowledges that in today’s age, clients are sophisticated in their food choices and tastes, so the staff takes extra care to curate a diverse menu that suits various dietary preferences.
Executive Chef Stefano Ciociola shares that while growing up in Italy, his family greatly emphasized the importance of vegetables, herbs and salads. Fresh and seasonal ingredients inspire his cuisine, which includes hints of Italian, Mediterranean and Asian flavors.
“We try to keep it simple enough to where it looks elegant,” Ciociola shares. “This distinguishes us from any other catering company in Orange County.”
Step Four: Backstage at Your Event
Behind the scenes, Colette’s Catering’s operations team will follow up with any loose ends to prepare for the event, from attending site visits to coordinating the dish presentation with the chef to organizing the last nitty-gritty details. Since their team has their finger on the pulse of the catering industry, they work harmoniously with other industry partners to satisfy any extra wants and needs.
“We work with a ton of really great coordinators, both on the corporate side and the wedding side, and that helps the fluidity between the client, us and them,” Greenleaf explains.
Before the big event, Coffman explains that the operations team will go to the location beforehand to ensure the site is ready. The co-founder found that finalizing the last steps gives the client one final assurance for a seamlessly run event.
Step Five: It’s Party Time!
It’s showtime, and it’s time to make a toast. For Colette’s Catering & Events, the fundamentals of a great party start in the kitchen, and if they don’t have one, they’ll build one out.
When hosting your most memorable moments, Colette’s wants to be there for you from start to finish. Building trust with clients and the community they work with is essential for them, and the evidence is shown with their repeat customers. “This isn’t just a meal,” Greenleaf notes. “This is an experience.”
Colette’s Catering & Events
1568 Kimberly Ave
Fullerton, CA 92831
714.447.9190
@colettescatering
