Food For Thought

Chicken breast cacciatore, Great Lakes whitefish, barbecued beef brisket, fire-roasted pork loin or four-cheese layered pasta.
It’s not tough to say “I do” to selections like those.
They’re created in the kitchen of chef Rich Travis at Latitude, the upscale Bay Harbor restaurant that also caters special events including weddings.
“We say ‘yes,’” said Dave Waskiewicz, Latitude regional manager, when asked what makes the restaurant’s catering stand out. “There isn’t anything we won’t do.”
Whether the event is held in the Latitude restaurant itself or at another location, the bride and groom can be certain the food will be gourmet and guest-pleasing. In-house, the restaurant can seat about 80 people on the main floor, and additional guests if the hosts don’t mind using other floors inside the restaurant.
Rehearsal dinners are well-suited for the restaurant, Waskiewicz said, and post-wedding brunches the next morning are a popular trend catching on, with brides and grooms reserving space and breakfast food at Latitude.
“It’s a nice touch to a wedding, to have all the guests back the next day for brunch,” he said.
Depending on the bride and groom’s tastes, the food presentation can be handled in whichever manner they prefer, from a sit-down meal to a buffet style or heavy appetizers.
Waskiewicz recalled examples of clam bake, surf-and-turf plated meals and an event that included food stations — sweets, salads, seafood and carving station — that turned out unique and fun.
Handling catering at the restaurant are dining room manager Gerda McGuire and assistant manager Christina Labadie. The staff prefers at least a month’s notice for providing food service for a wedding, but they will accommodate any requests with shorter notice if possible. Eight months ahead of a summer wedding is typical, Waskiewicz noted.
Besides the delicious and varied menu options, Latitude is also unique in that there is no charge for rehearsal dinners inside the restaurant for renting the space. Instead, couples are given a minimum spending amount to take the room for the evening, which Waskiewicz said they and their guests will get back by way of delicious food and attentive service.
“When we do an event, we approach it as if someone were just coming in for dinner,” he said. “We  really want to stress our service.”
 
Here comes the food 
Most people look forward to the point in the wedding day when the ceremony is over and it’s time to dig in and drink up. Sweetwater Catering staff looks forward to that point too, when guests dine on their scrumptious creations.
The Petoskey company has been catering events for 24 years, said Matthew Waterman, who runs the operation with wife Linda.
“We prepare all our items ourselves. We do not buy pre-made items and serve them to our guests,” said Matthew. “We take a lot of pride in our quality of food, the presentation and our professional staff.”
When it comes to weddings, the Watermans pull out all the stops and can serve parties with as many as 400. (They prefer nine months to one year’s booking notice.) The couple will meet with the bride and groom to prepare a unique menu based on their tastes, from a selection sheet that lists items made from scratch by Sweetwater staff.
“Our motto is hot food hot, cold food cold,” Waterman said. “If what you’re serving your guests is of great importance to you, we’re the caterer you need.”
Specialties of Sweetwater include beef tenderloin with morel sauce or a gorgonzola crumble, breast of chicken with apple and cranberry sauce and veal. An outdoor barbecue is a popular option with brides and grooms, especially when it includes the honey barbecued pork ribs and tenderloin tip kabobs. Potato, fruit and pasta salads are made fresh for each event, and the Watermans will provide either buffet or sit-down meal service. Appetizer stations are another option.
“This is where it gets important when we meet with the clients, to find out what they want,” Waterman said.

Numerous local restaurants and delis offer their delicious menu options for catered events. Some favorites include:
City Park Grill
Crow’s Nest
Galley Gourmet
Hidden River Rainbow Room
Julienne Tomatoes
Lorenzo’s
Mahogany’s
Mancino’s
Northwood
Stafford’s Hospitality

Expect to spend $50-100 per guest on food, drinks and tips.
Source: www.weddinghowto.com

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