Countless elements make weddings memorable, but great food usually takes the cake.
The team from Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events creates a range of confections.
We recently sat down with Nancy Parrague Barclay, partner and vice president of client relations at the legendary Bay Area catering company Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events (paulaleduc.com).
How does your team plan the big day with a couple?
The beauty lies in tailoring the celebration to your unique vision and preferences. Every event we create—a wedding, corporate retreat, social occasion or nonprofit function—is custom. We initiate the process for weddings by discussing a fine-tuned set of menu questions. These serve as a foundation for crafting a personalized proposal, which is the starting point for our planning process.
For passed hors d’oeuvres, Barclay says to ensure they are small enough for a single bite.
What are the three biggest catering trends you’re seeing for weddings?
While some still prefer the classic plated dinner, others seek experiential dining moments. Interactive food stations that playfully embrace scale are a hit. Open-fire or rotisserie cooking is one example of turning these stations and buffets into more of an experience. Cooking with natural elements and bringing the kitchen’s heat to center stage adds to the overall sensory experience of an event.
Over the last decade, we’ve nurtured a stunning culinary garden at our exclusive property in Rutherford, Beaulieu Garden, producing a variety of fresh ingredients, vibrant flowers and honey.
Another trend includes mocktails
What about cocktails?
We’re still seeing the trend of highly curated cocktail lists. We’re also getting requests for nonalcoholic options or low-ABV choices such as amaros and spritzes. We approach our cocktail program the same way we approach our menus, looking at seasonality and local purveyors whenever possible.
What trend do you love?
There’s a noticeable trend toward multiday functions, particularly for weddings, where everyone is included, and every detail is curated throughout the weekend. Couples want to create moments of surprise and delight throughout their events. We relish participating in these extended celebrations because they allow us to expand our creativity in different food, beverage and service styles.
Nancy Parrague Barclay says interactive food stations are trending.
What are essential pieces of advice you would give couples in the planning stage?
Identify the most critical aspects of your food and beverage programs and clearly express them. Your caterer wants to create something for you that exceeds your expectations. So, expressing those expectations on the front end and doing the work to outline them sets everyone up for success. This is why the list of questions we review with our clients while planning their events is so important.
For menu planning, try to avoid dishes that are challenging to enjoy. Ease of consumption should be at the top of your mind when you’re planning your menu and tasting. For example, passed hors d’oeuvres, are they truly one bite? No one wants to fear something falling apart as they stand in their black-tie attire with a glass in hand.
The lesson for food stations is clear: If there isn’t a seat for every guest, all offerings should be truly fork-friendly and not require a knife. This ensures everyone, whether seated or perched at a cocktail table, feels comfortable and included in the dining experience.
Where should a couple never skimp on catering?
Service is paramount. Even the most delicious cocktail is a little less refreshing if it takes you 10 minutes standing in line to obtain it. Our food and beverage offerings are delicious, but getting them to your guests is equally as important to us. If your caterer requests to add staff or advises on a service that is more successful than another, that’s an area where you shouldn’t skimp.
Photography by: COCKTAIL PHOTO BY CHRISTINA MCNEILL; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF BRAND
