By: Heidi Bouchard
~ Head of Style and Design ~

As Head of Style and Design at Peppers Fine Catering much of my time is spent helping couples bring the vision they have for their wedding day to fruition. Sometimes it’s helping them hone in all of their ideas and other times it’s making suggestions to help them expand on them.

Susan Lawrence, owner of Peppers, came to me to help with the June wedding of a friend and longtime business colleague. After meeting the bride I saw that she dressed in a style that was modern, feminine and sophisticated. For her wedding dress she chose a very elegant all lace dress. Her invitations, which she designed and made herself, were a soft shade of purple, shimmery, with a lace embellishment. I listened intently to her ideas for some of the DIY things she was planning. I had a much clearer picture of what she was hoping for. I built a design board for her with some of my ideas. She loved it and at the end of that final meeting I asked her to trust me and let me run with the feel of what I had outlined. She gave me 2 thumbs up and creative freedom.

The setting was magical; the reception for 160 guests was outside under a canopy of branches from huge old trees that were lit up with soft white lighting. Along with passed hors d’oeuvres, guests were welcomed to a beautiful cheese and crudité table which I designed to be a major focal point for the cocktail hour. Instead of the typical flowers most often used to embellish a stationary hors d’oeuvre table,  I used only fruits and vegetables to build arrangements, old Iron Gate pieces added to the natural rustic charm I was trying to achieve. I decided on slate and stone to serve the cheeses, all locally crafted from here in Massachusetts. As I was putting the final touches on the display, I overheard a couple who arrived early, comment that it was “way too pretty to eat.”

 

 

 

When the bride and groom visited Peppers for a cake tasting, they immediately decided on the Lemonade Cake, a new flavor for the 2013 season. After an exchange of pictures and sketches it was decided that the cake would be 4 tiers, covered with a soft pink fondant and would have lace trim. When I created her design board I included a vintage rhinestone brooch which we decided to use on her cake along with several others she collected and borrowed from family and friends. There was an adorable new gazebo on the property that sat up on a hill overlooking the patio where the guest tables were, the perfect setting for the cake.      A beautiful tone-on-tone pink patterned table cloth was chosen and the cake was set on top of a huge mirror and rhinestone covered riser I had built for another event.

 

 

 

 

In contrast to the soft pinks and whites that were featured on guest tables and the cake table, for the bar, a bit of juxtaposition was in order. I went with purples and used large single bloom flowers anchored to the bottom of tall, varying size, glass column vases that were filled with water and lit with submersible LED lights. The groupings were displayed on mirrored risers covered in twinkling candles. The look was clean, contemporary and visually striking. 

There is no greater reward than to be part of a couple's special day and help them to create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

 

 

 

By Lindsey M. Dugan ~ Event Manager 

Rocheleau Tool & Die is a family owned and operated company since 1938, specializing in blow molding machinery and automation equipment for the plastic and packaging industry. Located in Fitchburg, MA, the company decided to have a party in celebration of their 75th Anniversary on August 3rd, 2013 at the Fitchburg Art Museum. Pepper’s, with years of experience working at the museum, was thrilled to be asked to cater this event and really wanted to help Rocheleau Tool & Die make their event extra special.

Playing off of the company colors, Pepper’s brought in beautiful linens in Orange, Yellow, Silver and Royal Blue in various patterns and textures. With added décor and florals created in-house, Pepper’s worked closely with Rocheleau Tool & Die to enhance the “feel” of the event and take it to the next level of spectacular!       

The event took place in three different locations of the museum, in a sense, creating 3 different smaller events in one. As guests entered the event, they walked through the entrance of the “Old Building” and were offered a glass of Champagne as well as a few passed appetizers. Two stationary food displays of cheese, savory cheesecakes and a Mediterranean table full of various vegetables, dips and spreads were available for guests as well.    

After sampling the food in the 1st room, guests were welcomed down a long hallway lined with art into the second room-the upstairs galleries of the Simmonds Building. This room featured a beer & wine bar, a pasta station, a “Having a Ball” meatball station and a larger selection of passed Hors D’Oeuvres.  

The last location, the downstairs level of the Simmonds building, created the largest impact as far as the décor and food, featuring a chef-active carving station of tenderloin and potatoes, a large beer & wine bar, a coffee station and a large dessert display. Again, a variety of hot passed appetizers were offered here as well. Desserts were created with the company colors in mind, including yellow and blue Whoopie Pies, chocolate dipped marshmallows and mini cheesecake pops! 

Overall, the event was a definite success! The guests left very happy and Pepper’s received many compliments, including follow-up phone calls and emails, from both employees and family members of Rocheleau Tool & Die. One guest even called to say that “this was the most spectacular event (he’s) ever been to” and that he was “blown away” by how wonderful the staff, food and décor were! The ambiance was unique and inviting and the location of food and drinks enticed the guests to mingle throughout the museum.  The added attention to detail and the wide variety of food options really helped to showcase what Pepper’s can do when given the opportunity to shine!  

Last weekend we catered and designed the biannual spring gala event, “Above and Beyond” for 250 of Worcester Academy’s parents, faculty, alumni and friends.  It was held at a new venue of ours– the Cotsidas Hall at St. Spyridon’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Although the event was inside, we couldn’t have been luckier with the weather, it was a beautiful spring day for an auction! In a nod to spring and the freshness it brings, Pepper’s created a beautiful and happy atmosphere using décor of yellow and white monochromatic linens, white whimsical chair covers, and tables adorned with mercury glass vases.  The vases held springtime flowers, designed and prepared by volunteers from Worcester Academy.  The bars announced springtime with huge bouquets of forsythia, a popular early spring bloom.

The décor was enhanced by the tactful lighting. White draping on the walls set the backdrop for the audio visual projection of the live auction items provided by Shoreline AV.

The evening began with guests being invited into the cocktail hour to view and bid on silent auction items, while enjoying the event’s signature drink—a lemon drop martini, as well as an array of passed hors d’oeuvres.

Guests were then invited into the dining room, which comfortably accommodated all 250 attendees, to enjoy a delicious first course of baby spinach, frisee and endiga salad.  The salad was topped with a goat cheese croustade with red cranberries, spiced walnuts, shaved asiago cheese.  It was served with lemon herb vinaigrette accompanied by a basket of artisan rolls and sliced bread with infused oil for dipping.  (Is your mouth watering yet?)

Following the excitement of the live auction led by the Zekos Group, Pepper’s Catering served an entrée of rosemary crusted beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce served over roasted vegetable couscous, or a roasted vegetable stuffed zucchini and tomato herb ragout.

During dinner, the cocktail and silent auction area received a transformation from Pepper’s pastry chefs and design specialists.  A bevy of desserts, enticing to every sweet tooth, were displayed alongside a collection of whimsical, covered books (used as risers) that showcased the meaning of “Above and Beyond.”

After dinner, doors opened and guests were welcomed to the grand finale.  They were overwhelmed!  The added bonus was the to-go offering of any dessert that had not been eaten.

What a night! It was the perfect celebration from beginning to end—a financial success for Worcester Academy, a culinary delight for guests, and a great experience for Pepper’s to work at a new venue.

If you’re considering an event that requires a venue, either large or small, the Cotsidas Hall could be the place.  Contact Pepper’s for more details.

 

 

Bar and Bat Mitzvah Planning

 

 

Most children want their party to say something about who they are. In fact, many will already have ideas about what they want their celebration to look like—either according to color schemes or elements of design, such as adding movie memorabilia as table centerpieces for a child who loves films, or introducing a color palate to the table linens and decorations reflective of a child’s favorite sports team or school colors.

 

 When choosing a venue, be sure to factor in the number of people invited and their average age. Will a celebration that skews younger warrant space for a dance floor?—something you may not need if your child is having an adults-only party. There are other considerations for space, too. A kid’s party may not need much in terms of lighting, but if many older adults will be in attendance (grandparents, great aunts, etc.) then a well-lit banquet hall may be best to avoid potential hazards.  

Menu choices are important, too. It’s your child’s party, but that doesn’t mean the menu has to be full of French fries and chicken fingers. You can satisfy both kids and adults with menu options geared towards both. Consider two separate menus and go for finger foods so that children can try more adult fare without committing to a full entrée.

There are many ways to celebrate and lots of food to choose from! Pepper’s offers diverse Bar and Bat Mitzvah Catering Menus to include plated, buffet or stations, depending on which serving method you prefer.  All of our menus include both kosher and non-kosher items as well as classic Jewish dishes everyone will love. 

Learn more about our Bar and Bat Mitzvah Services.  

Photo Credits:
Barry Alley Photography 
Le Petite Studio 
Allergro Photography

By Heidi Bouchard
Head of Style and Design

In the wedding design industry, vintage China has become all the rage. From the bride who wants a “full-fledged vintage look,” complete with vintage glass ware, linen and chairs, to the bridal or baby shower hostess who wants to add just a touch of nostalgia to her party.  More and more customers are asking for us to source vintage pieces for their catered event.

Our collection took shape slowly at first—a few pieces from gatherings at antique shops, some beautiful thrift store finds, one or two pieces discovered on EBay. As we began to build our collection, it was clear we were onto something—each piece of china we added was in high demand with many of our clients. As Head of Style and Design, it became my responsibility to make sure we had enough inventory so that we could tell our salespeople to present vintage china as a viable option to clients.  Although off to a great start, we still needed more and better quality pieces….

Brimfield Here We Come!

Over the course of two days and with the assistance of two “pickers,” I scoured field after field at Brimfield, Massachusetts’ famous outdoor Antique Show and Flea Market last September.  We came home with almost everything we needed, completing the 1^st phase of our project: 125 complete place settings made up of vintage china.

The appeal of these pieces is that every dish, every cup and saucer, has a story.   It’s safe to say that every piece belonged to someone’s Grandmother.  One dealer, whom we purchased a complete service of 8 from, told us he had bought it at an auction in Philadelphia, out of a stately old brick house that had been empty for years.  He broke the original 48 place settings into 6 sets of 8 each.  We imagined the grand parties these plates had witnessed.

Midway through our 2^nd day of foraging, we stopped for lunch to have our traditional Pilgrim Sandwich (Fresh roasted turkey, stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce on a fresh bakery roll). Deciding to divide and conquer I waited in line for lemonade.  I was the last to return to our table.  There were our three Pilgrim Sandwiches served on three late 19^th century green and gold Limoges plates.  The sandwiches were of course delicious, and yes, I think the plate was partly responsible for that. What fun to sit and pause a moment and enjoy the antique china ourselves!

 

By Linda Shack

There are many reasons to plan a corporate event: perhaps your company is celebrating an important milestone, launching a new product or service, honoring important clients and employees, or hosting an annual holiday celebration.  Whatever the reason, as full service event planners, we always try to make every event fun and memorable.

The key to that experience lies in adding a twist. At Pepper’s, we try to infuse many corporate events with a unique element that makes each event unique to your company and your cause for celebration. We think creatively about all the key elements that make events special, from the menu to the design elements—linens, flowers and even the attire of our staff.                                                              

Last fall, we were asked to plan a Halloween party for 300 employees of a technology company. The theme was “old Hollywood horror films.” Our team of planners, chefs, and style and design experts immediately went to work thinking of creative ways to execute this theme. Our collaboration resulted in several very unique twists. These came through in the presentation of the food stations, which were inspired by a classic horror movie, the design of the guest tables, and even the staff’s costumes.

One of my favorite elements was our “Frankenstein Autopsy.” Playing off the classic movie Frankenstein, we presented his body on a gurney. In the center, we offered meatloaf with “terror” mashed potatoes that were infused into his body. The chef who was serving the delicious combination “performed” the autopsy. It was quite the conversation piece as well as a culinary delight!

The staff costumes were another favorite element. We encouraged everyone representing Pepper’s at the event – from the planners to the bartenders and wait staff – to dress as their favorite Hollywood horror character and offered prizes to the top three costumes. The staff enjoyed this, and so did all the event guests!

Each station and guest table was designed to evoke a different horror movie. We used black table linens and our artistic staff used chalk to write the titles and quotes from movies, and even drew a few scenes and characters from the classics. We purposely left the chalk on the tables so guests could add their own creative touch, which many did, while others opted to write messages thanking the company for a truly special evening, one like no other.

While events like this can be challenging to execute, with careful planning and the collaboration of a creative team working together, they are fun for all involved, but especially for the guests.

The Pepper’s team prides itself on always exceeding our clients’ expectations with memorable and unique events. Please feel free to Contact Us with your idea for an event with a twist. We look forward to collaborating with you and turning your vision into a reality. 

Casual Warm Weather Menus

Here in New England we don't have the longest summers, so we have to enjoy it while we can! Nothing says summer food quite like a barbecue - especially if your planning an outdoor wedding or special event. 

I know some of you may be thinking, “barbecue and my white dress?” But trust us. Barbecue wedding catering is making a big splash on the wedding scene. Whether couples are aiming for low-key, small celebrations or a big affair with all of your family and friends, our barbecue wedding menu is specially designed to please every palate and mark a very special occasion in scrumptious style.

When we say barbecue at Peppers,  we’re talking real barbecue—cooked low and slow to produce meats that are tender, succulent and bursting with flavor. And don’t forget the options for grilled seafood—all cooked using local and fresh ingredients. Do you envision the traditional New England clambake for over 200 of your closest friends? We can make it happen! Whether it’s buffet or sit-down, we ensure that each plate is carefully thought out and constructed to please the eye as much as the palate

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Our Pepper’s Event Designers are as much a part of the menu as the food itself, looking for ways to tie your wedding day inspirations into the presentation, with special touches like the addition of bales of hay around the buffet table at your barn wedding, or beautiful plaster starfish dispersed amongst the dishes at your seaside wedding.

The options for barbecue catering stretch as long as our imaginations (which at Pepper’s is pretty long!). If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, we encourage you to take contact us to see how we can help turn your special day into something truly extraordinary.

Reach out to Pepper’s to schedule a consultation with our Senior Event Designers. We would love to sit with you and discuss your special day. 

A catering company is a bit like a mobile 4-star restaurant, so you can imagine the amount of moving parts involved. From our clients to the wait staff, wedding planners and chefs, it takes a lot of planning to sync these parts properly, and orchestrate memorable, inspiring events—the kind of planning that makes up the Pepper’s difference and sets us apart from the rest.

Clients return to us time and time again, knowing that we can deliver an effortless (for them), stress-free event that incorporates their vision. So how do we do it? What’s our secret? Collaboration is the key! Everyone must be working together to achieve a shared goal. In Pepper’s case that goal is an amazing catering event.

Collaboration is much more than simply communicating. To us, it means everyone gets involved. It’s a volley of ideas going back and forth, adding and taking things away, until everyone is satisfied with the end result.

Collaboration is all about asking questions and getting answers. When we brainstorm as a team, it creates a sort of synergy, where the result is often greater than the sum of the individual parts. Everyone on the Pepper’s team is extremely talented—whether it is event design or culinary arts, and when the collaboration begins, truly amazing things happen!

Collaboration is crucial to making any business work, but it is especially true of the catering industry. With so many different parts to our business, it would be impossible to get anything done without knowing exactly where everyone else involved stands.

At Pepper’s, we are open, curious, engaged, and questioning about all aspects of an event. Our event designer will often work in tandem with our chefs to ensure there is an element of cohesion between food and design, our sales reps will need to collaborate with our designers regarding the tastes and visions of potential clients, so that we can better suit your needs when you walk through our doors for the first time. It never lets up at Pepper’s, constant flow of communication is needed to make it all work.

The end result of all of this planning and brainstorming is the creation of any event that engages all a client’s senses and provides lasting memories and endless delight.

If you have an upcoming event to plan and you’re interested in learning more about our approach, we invite you to reach out to a Pepper’s team member and schedule a consultation with our team. 

Corporate events are enormous morale boosters for companies. Whether for a specific holiday or as a fun team-building exercise, they can be held to show off a new office building, honor a client, or as an appreciative gesture towards hard-working employees, reminding them that even if they work in a small department, they’re still part of something bigger.

Planning a corporate party can be fairly complicated. There are so many factors to consider when planning. The first thing that must be done is to clearly define why the event is taking place. Whether for training, motivation, team building, networking, or just to give your employees something to look forward to, it is important to have a goal for the event.

Lay out a budget. Even if it isn’t exact, it will give you an idea of what the event will cost you. The cost of the venue is a large factor here. Some companies choose to use their own facilities, but outside venues can be a nice change of scenery for staff. By working closely with your caterer, you can come up with a price range that is comfortable and will fit the event.

For example, if you’re throwing a companywide family event with two thousand guests, you will want to keep the cost-per-person as low as possible. In that case, a cookout would be a fun, cost-effective solution. If you’re hosting a small dinner for a few big-wig executives, cost-per-plate will most likely not be as much of an issue. Regardless of the cost-per-plate, your catering will work with you to dazzle guests, whether it’s a room of two thousand employees or a select choice of clients, a good caterer will work with you to make it a memorable food experience for guest.

If a company morale boost is what you’re looking for, consider several smaller events throughout the year. This gives employees more to look forward to, instead of one big bash at the end of the year. Your employees are generally the ones that will be attending these events, so it is a good idea to keep them involved in the planning process.

Whatever you’re corporate event is for, by setting specific goals and working closely with those involved, such as the venue management and catering team, you can plan a great corporate party that works with your budget and satisfies your needs.

Temperatures are dropping, and the leaves will soon be changing from green in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. Halloween will be here before you know it. Halloween is a much loved holiday, by young and old alike. For the kids, it’s the one day every year when it’s okay to dress up like a superhero and make off with pillowcases full of candy, while for adults the end of October signals Halloween party season.

Make your Halloween party a hit by following these simple tips:

Plan ahead - Pick a date early and send out those invites! Parties just don’t happen, especially when they involve time-consuming costumes. You want to give your guests plenty of notice so they can prepare. The more time you allow for them to come up with costumes, the better those costumes will be, and your party will be more memorable.

Decorate! - When you walk into a Halloween party you should know it immediately. Halloween has got one of the most recognizable color schemes and décor—orange and black, dark and creepy. Your guests will likely be going the extra mile to be imaginative with their costumes, so should you with decoration. Go above and beyond the simple orange and black streamers and paper goods. One quick and extremely effective mood changer is a one night replacement of your regular light bulbs with red or green bulbs to give the party rooms an eerie glow. Put out creepy crawlies and Jack O’lanterns. Cob webs, fog machines, strobe lights and scary music are also great additions. It’s not just a party on Halloween, it’s a Halloween themed party! Your imagination is the only limit!

Make it fun - Halloween is a day to let your inner child free! Silly, cheesy games and art projects that would often be scoffed at on other days can be a lot of fun to play on Halloween. Plan some events throughout the night to keep things light and interesting. Crafts and games are always a good idea to keep people laughing and mingling all night.

No matter what the theme may be, Halloween or otherwise, theme parties work well because they wow guests and take them out of their usual ho-hum. Themes are a great way to get people to open up, and generate conversation between guests who may otherwise have little in common.

Halloween is the ultimate theme party, because it’s sort of a “pick your own theme” theme party. By planning ahead, making your place look the part, and mapping out a fun game plan for the night, you can make your Halloween party one to remember.

And if spooky foods are in the fortune tellers cards, dont hesitate to call Pepper's for a terrifyingly fun and delicious night!

 

Photo credit: wwarby@flickr