New Orleans Catering

Vendor Spotlight: Mrs. Vintage

2013-03-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

One of our very favorite new event trends has finally made it to New Orleans. Vintage rentals! This type of service is invaluable for the busy bride who doesn't have time to troll the thrift shops and antique stores daily.

Mrs. Vintage is an elegant rental boutique offering styling packages and quality vintage rental pieces for weddings, events, and styled photoshoots. Each piece has been hand-selected and embodies traditional New Orleans charm. Specializing in vintage-inspired weddings, Mrs. Vintage offers a variety of services including day-of styling and a custom search to help you find the perfect rental piece for your special day.

We just partnered with this lovely new member of the event industry for a can't miss bridal shower event! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the photos! Coming soon!

Meet Our Sales Director

2013-02-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

Meet Sabine Bellew, (say it like sah-bee-nah) who joined the New Orleans Catering team in 2011 after a long and reputable career at some of the city's most established venues. Originally from England, Sabine fell in love with New Orleans when she moved here in 1994. With more than fifteen years of experience planning events for groups ranging from 25 people to 6,000, Sabine makes every event a personal and unique occasion.

What is your favorite part about planning events?
Every client has different needs and visions. I enjoy fulfilling their expectations and feel great satisfaction when receiving their feedback after the event.

When you’re not busy working, what are your favorite things to do in New Orleans?
I love being outside and the climate here enables outdoor activity - bike riding in the park, hanging out with my 8 year-old son at the Zoo and attending the many outdoor concerts and festivals that our City hosts.

What is your favorite food?
Seafood and comfort food. New Orleans and our Southern regional cuisine offers the best of both worlds.

What is the most memorable event you’ve planned?
There have been quite a few! Our company has catered events to former presidents and many important clients but the Superbowl events we catered this year were very special. To see so many of Hollywood's finest actors, celebrities and sports heroes enjoying our food was amazing!

Call Sabine now at 504-837-1075 to plan your next successful event!

Venue Spotlight: New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

2012-12-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic building within the Vieux Carre Historic District, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum showcases its extensive collection and provides interpretive educational programs to present and preserve the rich history of pharmacy and healthcare in Louisiana; past and present.

The museum is the first registered apothecary in the United States.

The Museum also highlights the role of Louis Joseph Dufilho, Jr. whose work symbolizes the beginning of a system of certifying the professional competence of pharmacists, and recognizing the vital significance of that competence for the public health.

Located just a mile from the Morial Convention Center, the museum's 19th Century courtyard is the ideal setting for your special event.

The tropical courtyard provides an opulent "New Orleans" party ambiance heavy with fragrant jasmine, twinkling lights, a wrought iron balcony and bubbling fountain.

Receptions for up to 150 Guests, Seated Dinners for up to 70.

Small Plate Duets

2012-11-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

We are more than proud to announce our brand new line of small plate duets for your enjoyment! Just in time for the holidays! Most of these can be passed by our butlers or uniquely displayed for your guests visual and culinary delight.

Thin Fried Catfish, Creole Coleslaw

Marinated Duck Breast, Black Peppercorn Sauce, Wild Rice

Fruit and Cheese
Smoked Gouda, Havarti, Cheddar

Beef Grillades, Creamy Corn Grits

Ahi Tuna, Wasabi Cream, Asian Slaw

Cajun Gulf Shrimp, Herbed Pasta Alfredo

Marinated Petit Rib Eye, Garlic Mashed Potato

Sushi Trio
Crunchy Roll, Philadelphia Roll, California Roll

Call us now to add these lil beauties to your menu!

A Retro Audiophile Wedding in the Courtyard

2012-11-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

We are more than pleased to present the union of Blake & Amanda on October 27th at The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. We helped these two weave their love of music into a truly unique event that told their story.

Congratulations Blake & Amanda!

Meet Our New Chef!

2012-10-29T08:06:00.001-07:00

Please join us in welcoming our new Executive Chef, Russell Battley to our family.

Hailing from Cajun Country (New Roads, Louisiana), Chef Russell worked as Sous Chef for various restaurants, country clubs, and hospitals in both Louisiana and Texas. As the head chef for a locally owned gourmet fresh market grocery store, he expanded his repertoire until he came to us in 2011. Russell's goal is simple: " To ensure that our many clients and their guests are wowed by the quality and consistency of the food and service we provide. My goal is achieved and I feel fulfilled from such positive feedback that we receive."

Get to know Chef Russell with a little Q&A.

1. What made you get into the food industry?
Preparing and cooking food is a creative art form which I enjoy exploring

2. Do you have a signature dish?
Pasta dishes using local seafood and spices to create dishes that identify our culture in New Orleans and the South

3. What’s your first or favorite food memory?
Always watching my Grandmother prepare and cook her homemade specialties from the kitchen table, at nine years old she allowed me to help her make biscuits from scratch because according to her true wisdom, breakfast is the most important meal of the day

4. When you’re home with family or friends, what do you like to make?
Smothered pork chops and steamed rice with homemade potato salad is a surefire favorite my with friends and family - and my co-workers!

5. What advice would you give to young chefs looking to make it in the culinary world?

Creativity and imagination combined with a flair for presentation and a knowledge of flavor

Welcome to the New Orleans Catering family, Chef Russell! We're proud to have you on board!

A Sweet Fall Ceremony & Reception in the Garden

2012-10-22T13:29:00.001-07:00

This lovely wedding consisted of both a ceremony in The New Orleans Museum of Art's Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden and a reception in the gallery on a perfect fall day late last month.

We're Taking Over Social Media!

2012-10-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

We're making our mark in 2012! Visit us all over the web. Just click on the screenshots!

Of course you've already visited our Blogger site. You're on it now!!

A Candlelit Southern Wedding | September 15th | New Orleans Wax Museum

2012-09-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Free Download: End of Summer Party Invitation

2012-09-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost gone! Let us help you usher out the season with your own

End of Summer Barbeque Bash!
We've made it so easy for you, just follow these three easy steps:

1.Check out our End of Summer Barbeque pintrest board for inspiration!

2. View our Summer Outdoor Extravaganza menu items.

Then call and reserve your date with us!
We'll help you select your menu.

3. Download our own customizable invite!

We've designed it especially for your end of summer party.
All you have to do is download, fill in the blanks, print and send.

It really is that easy. Call us today!
504.837.1075

A Vintage New Orleans Wedding

2012-09-06T07:01:00.000-07:00

This wedding is very near and dear to our hearts. Our own team member Greta, made a lovely bride as she married Jason at Mardi Gras World's Grand Oaks Mansion. Greta combined her southern heritage with her love for DIY and added a touch of our beloved New Orleans to create this

Vintage Southern DIY Wedding!

Hand Passed Hors D'Oeuvres

Passed By Butlers In Traditional French Waiter Uniforms

Grilled Fillet of Tuna
Fresh gulf yellow fin tuna, marinated in fresh squeezed fruit juices and char-grilled medium rare on site

Petite Crab Cakes Bearnaise

Local crab and aromatic vegetables, fried in a crunchy breadcrumb coating, and served with our savory Béarnaise sauce for dipping

Marinated Petite Rib Eyes

Bite size tender rib eye steaks, marinated in oils and spices and sauteed on site in a hot buttered iron skillet

Sesame Green Beans Tempura

Fresh green beans, in a sesame and beer tempura, served with soy sauce for dipping

Pita Toast with Wild Mushrooms

Wild mushrooms, shallots, and fresh thyme in a wine and cream reduction, served on toasted pita wedges topped with fresh grated Parmesan and Manchego cheeses.

Cocktail Buffet Presentation

Artfully Arranged

Crawfish Ravigote with Mushrooms En Croustade

Earthy Shitake &white mushrooms with fresh crawfish tails in a velvety brandy cream sauce. Served with Gorgonzola encrusted french bread rounds for spooning.

Baked Brie with Apple Pecan Sauce

Creamy Brie cheese wrapped in pastry and baked to a golden brown, smothered with apples and pecans in a brown sugar sauce.

Chilled Asparagus with Champagne Vinaigrette

Fresh bright asparagus steamed tender crisp, drizzled with a luscious and tangy champagne vinaigrette

Assorted Olive Display

A variety of assorted olives including Grabers, Black, Stuffed Green & Kalamatta

Raw Oyster Bar

Raw oysters, freshly shucked and presented in a pirogue of ice. With cocktail sauce, lemons, and the traditional condiments.

Soup & Salad Station

Served at the station by a uniformed chef

Isidore Salad

Ice cold iceberg, romaine and green leaf lettuces, with apples, pecans, Gorgonzola crumbles, toasted pine nuts, and red grapes. Tossed with a traditional French Vinaigrette

Duck & Andouille Gumbo

Succulent duck breast and Louisiana smoked Andouille sausage simmered with duck stock, vegetables, and aromatics into a unique and rich local flavor. Served in a Brulot cup for sipping.

Chef Station

Served at the station by a uniformed chef

Shrimp Napoleon with Fried Eggplant & Grits

Buttery gulf shrimp in a luxurious cream sauce with mushrooms, garlic and artichoke hearts, served over your choice of thinly sliced fried eggplant rounds or creamy southern grits.

Cheese Stuffed Ravioli with Sun Dried Tomato, Mushroom & Tasso Cream

Fresh cheese ravioli cradled in a cream reduction with smoky Tasso, earthy mushrooms, tangy sun dried tomatoes, and soft Marscapone cheese

Southern Dessert Buffet

Assorted pies, pralines, cakes, cookies, & other little yummies

Congratulations Greta & Jason!
Photography by Elizabeth Ray

Florals by Perfect Presentations
Makeup & Hair by Get Polished
Some event deco by CHL Linens
Music by A DJ For You
Second Line Band: The Pinstripe Brass Band
and of course
Catering by New Orleans Catering, Inc.

An Eclectic Wedding

2012-08-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of catering a beautiful and eclectic wedding at The Cabildo.

After the ceremony, the bride and groom led their guests downstairs and around the square in a traditional New Orleans second line parade!

And it was time for us to get to work flipping the room for the reception.

It was a flawless transition.

Time to eat!!!

View their delectable menu below.

Beautiful wedding, lovely couple, amazing party. Congratulations to our bride and groom and all their families and friends. Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day!!!

Business After Hours

2012-07-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we had the honor of catering for The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau's Business After Hours. The Presbytere graciously hosted fellow Bureau members for our quarterly networking event.

We were proud to serve these jewels from our mouthwatering menu

Thanks to the many members and vendors who made the night a success!
We're looking forward to seeing you at the next event in November.

Original Recipe: Roasted Corn & Avocado Salsa

2012-06-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

These long hot days of summer call for an afternoon off. Call your girlfriend over, whip up a batch of this fresh summer salsa, open a bag of tortilla chips, and sit down with a glass or two of your favorite summer Chardonnay. We like La Crema.
Because sometimes it's just too hot to work.

1 can Rotel tomatoes

3 TBL apple cider vinegar

1 tsp garlic salt

1 cup chopped green onions

1 TBL fresh chopped green pepper

1/4 cup veg. oil

1 sm ear of corn roasted and cut off husk

2 med ripe avocados chopped

1/3 c. canned black beans rinsed and drained (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Enjoy!

What Are Your Best Strategies for Throwing a Party on a Budget?

2012-05-29T05:42:00.001-07:00

(Image: Bethany Nauert: Chef Brandon Boudet's Charming Cottage Kitchen)

Party season is coming up — weddings, graduations, Mother's Day brunch, picnics in the park, and just good old-fashioned dinner parties seem to enjoy their full glory in the springtime. We love having people over to dinner, but the costs can rack up. How do you keep budgetary concerns from blowing your party spirit? Come see some of our favorite posts on the topic, and please — share your own tips and good ideas!

A Few Budget Party Tips • Ten Ways to Feed Ten People for Less Than $20 • 5 Ways To Throw a Party Without Blowing Your Budget • How To Throw a Holiday Party on a Budget • Throw a Fancy Brunch on a Budget • Inexpensive (and Impressive!) Main Dishes for Parties • 6 Impressive Yet Budget-Friendly Dinner Party Wines

Now, your turn. When you want to throw a birthday party, a baby shower, or just host some friends for dinner, what's your approach? Do you go potluck so the costs are split up between everyone? Do you skip the alcohol? Do just desserts, no main dish? Do you have specific menus or recipes you return to over and over?

Tell us your best budget tips, menus, and good ideas for having a good time with friends without blowing your budget. We'll round up our favorites later this week!

Event Spotlight: Private Wedding

2012-04-28T17:07:00.000-07:00

It was our pleasure to cater a beautiful garden wedding at a private residence this month. It was:

Venue Spotlight: Stella Plantation

2012-03-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

Less than twenty miles south from downtown, along a winding river road you'll find New Orleans newest romantic wedding venue, Stella Plantation. This idyllic rural setting built a barn upon the foundation of the old sugar mill and antique bricks salvaged from neighboring plantations sheath the house and form the paths that meander through the grounds.

Stella is a working plantation situated at the lowermost part of the Mississippi River. Stella’s fields are used to grow satsuma and navel oranges, kumquats, lemons, grapefruit and pecans. The diverse 1500 acres that make up the plantation feature lush marshes, cypress trees, crawfish ponds and forests home to diverse wildlife.

Stella’s vast size and varied venues makes it ideal for a wide range of events, from a breathtaking background for bridal portraits to an informal barbecue where the kids can run free. Events at Stella are as unique as the plantation itself. The meticulous attention to detail will make your guests feel welcome in an elegant but relaxed atmosphere.

Build your company's team spirit and reward them for their hard work! Enhance your event by adding one of the plantation's indoor and outdoor activities like Hayrides, Orange Harvesting, Bonfires, Horseshoes / Bocce, or Swimming.

Visit the Plantation's Website!
or call Krystle Abalos at (504) 682-2491

Join Us At Taste At The Lake!

2012-03-10T14:28:00.003-08:00

Come support the recovery and beautification of our community.

Click here to buy tickets or for more information.

We'll be serving our infamous melt-in-your-mouth Grilled Filet of Tuna, savory Marinated Petit Ribeyes,

and our succulent Cajun Duck Breast.

Can't wait to see you there!

Valentine's Day - New Orleans Style

2012-02-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

New Orleans isn't big on Valentine's Day. This is because normally, the holiday falls somewhere in between our beloved Carnival season and ends up being neglected for parades and festivities. Maybe New Orleanians treat ourselves to dinner at one of our world famous restaurants; maybe we catch some red, heart shaped beads. It's not usually a big affair. And even though Valentines Day is on a Tuesday this year, and there are no parades on Tuesday, it does happen to be exactly one week before Fat Tuesday and consequently right in the swing of our carnival things. Even so, this year the city is offering some exciting new opportunities for the hopeless romantics, those looking for something new to do this Tuesday.

NOCCA is presenting "Valentine's For Singles". A fun, romantic concert by top classical and jazz musicians. A performance by the Institute's classical music students will precede the concert and the audience is invited to stick around after the show to sample sweet treats by Chef Dana D’Anzi Tuohy and the culinary students.

There are always classics like a sunset stroll along the moonwalk, a carriage ride through the French Quarter, a culinary treat at a renowned restaurant, or a corner booth at a dimly lit jazz club. And for the homebodies, who prefer to stay in, here's our favorite romantic menu:

Course One:

P&J Louisiana Oysters on the half-shell.
Serve them on ice, with lemon. That's it. They are that good.

Course Two:

Savory Foie Gras Creme Brulee.
The intense flavor of the foie gras combined with the smooth richness of the custard will have your mouth melting.

Course Three:

John Besh's Louisiana Blackfish with Sweet Corn and Caviar

Here's the recipe:

amazon.com

From My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh, (Andrews McMeel, 2009)Serves 6
Blackfish is a wonderful delicacy, white and flaky, a fish that doesn't need much coaxing. (Striped bass or snapper is a good substitute.) I like to combine blackfish with my friend John Burke's Louisiana caviar roe from local paddlefish and bowfin, or choupiquet, from the Atchafalaya River.

For the corn pudding:
Cooking spray
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups (from 7-8 ears) Silver Queen corn kernels
1-2 pinches cayenne pepper
Salt
8 eggs

For the sauce:
2 cups Basic Fish Pan Sauce
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped
1 cup (from 3-4 ears) Silver Queen corn kernels
1 tablespoon butter
Salt

For the fish:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 4-ounce blackfish filets
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt

For the corn and crab sauté:
6 ears baby corn, blanched and sliced into rounds
1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
2 tablespoons butter
1 dash Tabasco
Salt
2 tablespoons (or more) Louisiana Caviar
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh dill
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh chervil

For the corn pudding, preheat the oven to 275°. Spray six 2-3-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and set aside.
Put the cream and corn into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the corn and cream into a blender and purée until smooth. Add the cayenne and salt. With the motor running, add the eggs through the feed hole in the blender lid, blending the purée until the eggs are completely incorporated.
Divide the corn purée between the prepared ramekins. Set the ramekins in a pan large enough to hold them and fill the pan with enough hot water so that it comes halfway up the side of each. Bake the corn puddings until they are set, about 20 minutes. Remove the puddings from the hot water bath and set aside.
For the sauce, put the Fish Pan Sauce, lemongrass, and corn into a medium saucepan and simmer over moderate heat for 15 minutes. Add the butter and season with salt. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, discarding the solids. Keep the sauce warm in a warm spot on the stove.
For the fish, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over moderate heat. Score the skin of each blackfish filet in several places, then season the filets with lemon juice and salt.
Cook the fish in the skillet, skin side down, until it is not quite cooked through, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook on the flesh side for about 2 minutes more. (The cooking times depend on the desired level of doneness; I'm always wary of overcooking.) Transfer the fish to paper towels to drain.
For the corn and crab sauté, return the skillet used for frying the fish to medium-high heat. Add the corn, crab, and butter and sauté until hot. Add the Tabasco and season with salt. Set aside.
Unmold the corn puddings into each of 6 wide warmed soup bowls. Place a fish filet over each pudding. Put a heaping spoonful of the corn and crab sauté over each piece of fish.
To froth the warm sauce, use an electric hand mixer and half-submerge the beaters in the sauce. Beat on high speed until a froth forms. Ladle the froth around the fish in each bowl.
Top each dish with a small dollop of Louisiana Caviar and sprigs of chervil and dill and chive blossoms if you like.

Course Four:

Salted Caramel & Chocolate Bread Pudding

Yum.

Bon Appetit!

& Happy Valentine's Day

Our Vision

2012-02-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Our Vision is to execute special events with the utmost in food quality, presentation, patron service and service to our client which will result in our client achieving their goals for the event.

Established in 1981, we have built a firm reputation based on a rich heritage of traditional New Orleans and Louisiana cuisine, innovative and unique menu offerings, consistent industry leading event service, coordinated table and event décor and impeccable attention to our clients, goals, challenges and expectations.

Serving clients in just about every imaginable sphere including the President of the United States, U.S. House Speakers, U.S. Senators, & U.S. Department of Defense; A number of National Pharmaceutical companies such as Allergen, Bausch & Lomb, Roche, & Parke Davis; A variety of National Associations- The Federal Bar, American Bar, National Association of Architects, National Conference of State Legislators, CTIA Association, National Association of Governing Boards, American Museum Association, American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Foundation of Infectious Diseases, National Auto Dealers-; National & International Companies such as Rolls Royce, Keebler Corporation, Transamerica, Monsanto Corporation, B.F. Goodrich, Sprint PCS, and Bellsouth; the global oil industry companies including Chevron, Chevron International, Texaco and Taylor Energy. We have worked with National Event Planning Companies from all over the United States.

Locally in New Orleans, we have catered and custom designed hundreds of weddings in nearly every venue in and around town. We have served every major law firm, hospital, bank, car dealership, and university, as well as, some of the most prominent New Orleans based companies such as Stewart Enterprises, Lykes Company, Lockheed Martin, Tidewater Marine, etc. Our history has been assisting clients such as these in achieving specific goals for their events and advancing their vision and mission on a consistent, repetitive basis.

One of the greatest advantages of partnering with New Orleans Catering is food quality. We are considered an industry leader in this area. A considerable portion of menus are finished or prepared on the event site. From our base kitchen facility, food is prepared fresh and production/prep begins 24 to 36 hours prior to your event with the freshest quality products available.

We are passionate about what we do, and take tremendous pride in who we are.

Terry Sistrunk
Owner

Sabine Bellew

Director of Sales & Marketing

Event: New Orleans Theme Station Style Reception

2011-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

New Year New Us!

2011-01-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

This is a special year for us. Not only is it our 30th year but we are currently implementing some major changes, the results of which you will be seeing in the next couple of months.

So stay with us and please pardon our dust as we "remodel".

We promise it will be worth the wait!

12th Night!

2011-01-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

Start Carnival season off the right way!
Thursday January 6th, 2011

Come celebrate with us and the industry's leading players at Mardi Gras World's Eastbank complex. We'll be passing three of our most famous Hot Hand Passed Hors D'oeuvres. Our Grilled Tuna, Marinated Petit Rib Eye Steak Bites and Sesame Green Beans Tempura. Each one is cooked on site and served hot and fresh by our friendly butlers in traditional french waiter uniforms.

So keep your eye out and be sure to grab one when they pass by!

You won't be disappointed.

Happy Carnival!

A Holiday Party!!

2010-12-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

So many holiday parties...so little time.

We used this client's dining room table to create a fabulous buffet spread. Here, you can see our famous Baked Brie en Croute with homemade Apple Pecan Caramel Sauce

Our caviar checkerboard is artfully crafted on top of cream cheese with boiled egg slices serving as whimsical playing pieces.

Melt in your mouth ham loin with a crunchy, sweet crust is always a holiday favorite.

Beautiful arrangements by Harkins, the Florist.

Juicy mandarin orange slices, creamy avocado cubes, crunchy pecans, and aromatic red onions accent this salad

Votive candles glimmer among the holiday berries and branches

Who's ready to go on their post-holiday diet?

Event: Station Reception

2010-12-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

The station reception works well for corporate events like this one we catered recently at the Grand Oaks Mansion inside the new Mardi Gras World on the Eastbank. It really is a magical venue and we'll be spotlighting it after the holidays. But for now, enjoy these pretty photos.

To us, catering is much more than just putting food on the table. And we think it shows.