CATERING TRENDS 2012-2013

The following is an interview of Jim Hagy, owner of Chef’s Market with the Nashville Event Planner Group where he discusses catering trends.

Vendor Spotlight-Chef’s Market

September 13, 2012 Posted in Vendor Spotlight

We had the honor of talking with Jim the owner at Chef’s Market. They offer such a wide variety of foods and catering options for today’s brides. Check out more info about Chef’s Market below.

How did you get into catering?

Growing up in a restaurant, I developed a real love for the business and naturally pursued this profession. While in college studying hospitality management, a pastime of mine was designing restaurants around buildings or locations that caught my eye. For fun I would write menus, layout the building, and imagine the décor down to the staff uniforms. Later, after leaving a career in restaurant concept research and development, opening an out of the box restaurant and catering company was naturally the next step. The catering biz is similar with each new event an opportunity to create and design a new look and menu. For me, and like every wedding planner I have the pleasure of knowing, making people happy is very gratifying.

What are some different options for catering that you offer brides?

At Chef’s Market, we offer an endless number of options. After a consultation with the bride and planner, we take pride in designing a customized menu and service plan. The personal taste of the bride and groom, the season (which dictates what foods the freshest and best), the style and logistic specific of the venue, the décor and the budget are all considered by our sales staff.

What are some new things you are working on for 2012?

In the last quarter of 2012 there will be several exciting new venues opening and Chef’s Market will be the exclusive catering company for a couple of them. Look for announcements soon.

What are you’ll seeing popular in catering in 2012?

Couples today have more sophisticated palettes, yet still desire a causal comfortable environment for their guests. This trend mirrors the gastro-pub explosion in the restaurant business and dovetails perfectly with what we have been doing at Chef’s Market for years- providing affordable, chef quality, re-engineered classics presented with flair. Bold flavors will continue to be a trend with brides bravely going more and more out on the limb. To continue pushing the envelope, we will see an almost retro like return by chefs to fusion offerings. … a move not to the over-worked, mixed up fusion mess of the 90s, but to a simpler more thoughtful approach to bumping up and re-inventing dishes by mixing cooking methods and cuisines.

Other miscellaneous trends: Food presented on kraft paper lined wooden boards

Warm presentation, baked plates

Lush colors in linen and lighting.

Dessert carts instead of dessert tables

Fun mini desserts offering guests more variety and fun interaction with a smaller cake for the bride & groom to cut.

Artisan cocktails service: Hand-crafted cocktails trumping cutesy mixed drinks for signature drinks.

Classic seated dinners coupled with a modern spin on classic design but more contemporary menus

Grooms more centrally involved in the planning.

What catering trends do you wish would die?

It’s sure to outlive me, but I wish for the demise of fruit and cheese tray.

Tell me why brides should choose Chef’s Market.

At Chef’s Market our food is amazing, our service fine tuned, and our tablescaping and food presentation are second to none, but our best attribute is that we really LISTEN to what our planners and brides want. Although it is more work for me and my team, we try to never use cookie cutter packages, are constantly searching for new approach in food and presentation and sincerely enjoy helping planners create the perfect custom event plan. After many years, this is still my dream job.

Some personal questions about Jim:

Mac or PC PC at work, Mac at home

Tea or Coffee  Coffee

iPhone or Blackberry  iPhone

Favorite Song Right Now Alabama Shakes “Hold On”

Happy 100th Birthday, Goo Goo Clusters! Chef’s Market goes Goo Goo in Goodlettsville.

                 Happy 100th Birthday,

 Goo Goo Clusters!

             Chef’s Market goes

Goo Goo in Goodlettsville.

Wow, am I stoked!  My favorite candy bar of all time, the delicious Goo Goo Cluster, is celebrating their 100^th anniversary and the good folks at the Standard Candy Company have asked Chef’s Market to develop and feature a recipe through October showcasing their world famous treat.

            My love for the Goo Goo began around the time I was six, around the same time the Standard Candy Company was celebrating its 50^th anniversary.   Everyday during the school year, near the end of our long bus ride home from my elementary school in rural West Tennessee, our bus driver Mr. Cotner would circle around the headquarters of the Shiloh National Park.

Because our house was his last stop, he occasionally would take a break and let my sisters and I off at the Post Office next door where they sold candy, chips and soda.  I would make a beeline to the snack counter and order a Goo Goo.

I’ll never forget how good they tasted. From its milk chocolate coating to its sweet and salty combination to its chewy and crunchy texture– it was perfection all wrapped into a unique shape.

  Shiloh Park Headquarters.

            After we got our treat, our basset hound Sebastian, who camped out at the park during the day, joined us for the rest of the bus ride home. He was always so excited to see us that Mr. Cotner couldn’t resist our pleas to let him aboard. Once on the bus he would go into a crazy frenzy, running up and down the aisle, barking and hopping over seats. The only way to get him to calm down was to give him a little bite of my Goo Goo Cluster. Sebastian had great taste.    Jim

  Over the years we have baked Goo Goo cheesecakes,   Goo Goo cakes and  Goo Goo pies,  so to be different because we are known for our salad, we’re mixed it up making a Goo Goo Caramel Apple Salad.   Perfect for the holidays,  the apples in the salad are tart and balance the rich caramel and chocolate in the Goo Goo.   We will feature in our salad case next to our popular Ambrosia and White Chocolate Banana Pudding.   Here’s our recipe.

  Goo Goo Caramel Apple Salad

12 servings

Ingredients:

6 apples (4 red 4 green)

8 Original Goo Goo Clusters (frozen)

5oz of Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 ½ cups of milk

16 oz of whipped topping

2 oz. of  quality caramel sauce

3 oz of shelled roasted peanuts

Save a few apple sliced from above to garnish.

Core and dice apples. 

Diced frozen Goo Goo Cluster

 

In a large mixing bowl add the milk to the pudding mix.  Whisk by hand for 3 minutes. 

 Fold  puddling mix into  the whipped topping

Fold in the apples and chopped Goo Goo Clusters

Garnish with apples, caramel sauce and peanuts.

 

Not Your Boxed Lunch Corporate Affair

We love food.

We love beautiful presentation.

We love using great food and beautiful presentation to create an experience.

A few months ago, I received an email from a company wanting catering information.  I initially ran through the email to gain all of the pertinent information and sent them a proposal. It was a lot of items from our basic corporate drop-off menu.  Great food, we will do killer presentation, and everything will be great.  But at second glance, I saw a few “buzz words” that triggered me to believe I had missed the mark.  ”Over-the-top, unique, high-end.”  How did I miss these words the first time?! I immediately went back to the drawing board and come up with some exciting new products to match with a few of our “classics”. Their response to the first proposal – nothing. Their response to the second proposal – elation!

The A Group is in Brentwood, TN and they needed a modern menu, presented in a way to compliment their own creativity. They were moving into new offices and throwing a party to host all of their past, current and hopefully future clients.  It was a great event and we couldn’t be happier to have had the chance to help them show off.

Check out the Menu and some pictures below:

Mini Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese Cupcakettes

Sesame Seared Tuna on a edible spoon with Asian Bok Choy

Wild Rice Orzo in an edible Green Tea Cone

Caprese Salad Skewers

Jerusalem Chicken Satay

Beef Tenderloin served on an edible spoon with Horseradish Creme Fraiche

Mini Cornbread Muffins stuffed with Goat Cheese & Raspberry Coulis

Club Med Salad Served in a stemless martini glass

Pistachio Panna Cotta

Goat Cheese Cheesecake Bite with Cherry Caramel topped with granola

Cake Bite Truffle Lollipop

Tango Mint Fruit Tea
Iced Cucumber Water
Strawberry Lemonade with Rosemary

It was a lot of fun turning this gorgeous new conference room into a food display. We’d love to work with you in creating a custom experience for your next corporate event!

Football is almost here!

One thing you are indoctrinated with in the South is that the calendar is here just to tell us how close we are to football.  From Florida to Texas, up to Oklahoma and over to the Virginias, they eat/breath/sleep Football.  Here, in Nashville, we are lucky enough to have great High School, College and Professional football.  Its everywhere!

And we, at Chef’s Market, are not complaining, at all.  We love football.  Especially when it comes to tailgating on Saturdays and Sundays – it always comes down to something cold to drink and something good to eat.  Not only do we have amazing food, but we love to have fun with creative concepts and presentation.  We recently served food at a 90th birthday party for one of University of Tennessee’s biggest fans. We even re-created the field in Neyland Stadium, orange and white checkerboard and all!

As the summer heat beats you down and you wander inside to see when Fall is coming, here are a few ideas for your tailgating parties this upcoming Football season:

1. Don’t out punt your coverage. In food terms, that means don’t try and grill burgers and brats for 30 people if you only have a personal camper grill.  Even better, don’t bring ice cream sandwiches when its still 95 degrees outside. Whatever the case, know your limitations and stay inside them.  Better to do something simple, well, than something impossible and your guests get sick…or worse go hungry!

2. Check the line of scrimmage and call an audible.  Those ribeyes you have been marinating for two days will not be enjoyable when the winds are blowing 60 mph or El Nino happens again.  Save them for the next day and go get some sandwich platters (or make them yourself).  Don’t be stubborn.  Its ok to go to a Plan B.

3. Test the Free Agency market.  When putting together a tailgate party, you can go a couple of different routes when it comes to getting a leg up on the tailgating competition.
Dallas Cowboys – You can hire the big guns (like Chef’s Market) to come and do everything for you with the goal of hiring the best to win.  Unlike Dallas (lately), Chef’s can deliver the “championship” you are looking for.
New England Patriots – You take what you do well, and supplement it with a few key fixtures to help maintain your budget while giving you the best chance to win.  Maybe its coming by and picking up several bowls of our “sides” to accompany the steaks or burgers you will be grilling out.  You, and just a little bit of outside help, will field you a great “team”.
Cleveland Browns – No hired guns on this one.  Its all about what they can do internally.   They don’t want to spend the money on “outside” help…of any kind.

No matter which route you go, never turn a blind eye to the “Free Agency Market.”  You never know what some outside help can do to boost your team.

4. The best defense is a good offense.  Don’t just react the day of and try and throw some things together. Plan out your menu (even if it is just cold cuts and chips), set a budget, shop around so that when gameday does arrive, you can just execute and enjoy your time near the gridiron.

5. Excessive celebration is allowed!  Tailgating is not ruled by the NFL.  So pull your best T.O. and Chad Ochocinco moves and have some fun at your party. Don’t get overwhelmed by the details.  Plan it out in advance and allow yourself to relax.  Ask others to help.  Don’t try and take on everything on your own.  Things like getting ice, picking up hamburger buns, setting up the pop-up tent, etc are all simple things that anyone can do.  In the end – its supposed to be fun!

Hope these few tips help as you get ready for this fall.  We would love to help you make your tailgating party a great one!

Bo Jennings
Catering Sales Managers
615.851.2433
bo@chefsmarket.com

Chef’s Market: Your Mother’s Day Gift Stop!

With Mother’s Day less than a week away, we thought it was the perfect time to talk about our Mother’s Day gift ideas! Our gift shop has plenty of  sweet finds that your mom will absolutely love, from our cakes, to our gift cards and unique collectibles, you won’t have to go far to put together the perfect present! So, what’s in our store this month? Check out some of our new merchandise below!

We love these cute yellow cake stands! So perfect for summer entertaining!

The beachy tones of our blue glass bottles and other summer inspired merchandise are perfect for creating a relaxing vibe in any home.

The perfect gift for Mother’s Day? A framed photo of  you and mom! Our sweet, colorful frames are the perfect size for displaying on a desk, small shelf, or counter top.

There’s something about mercury glass that just can’t get enough of! Stop by and check out our new selection and other unique collectibles.

Don’t Forget we also offer gift cards so that your mom can purchase the perfect gift for herself! We hope to you see you soon!

Genna

The Smart Bride: Workshop Your Way to Your Wedding with Ashley’s Bride Guide & Chef’s Market!

For any bride who has “pinterested” her dream wedding to death but doesn’t have a clue how to make it a reality The Smart Bride Workshop this coming March is a MUST attend! The fabulous ladies over at Ashley’s Bride Guide have but together a bridal bootcamp that will kick your wedding planning into serious shape and we couldn’t be more excited to announce that Chef’s Market will be apart of it!

We’ve been asked to be an expert speaker at the workshop, which will give engaged couples all of the education needed to effectively plan the wedding of their dreams and avoid common mistakes and pitfalls. As Nashville’s only wedding planning workshop this is something couples will not want to miss out on. Another huge plus? The workshop will be full of talented Nashville wedding pros offering much sought after advice!

Did I mention registration for the three week workshop which takes place March 13th, 20th and 27th is FREE for brides & grooms who register here before February 25th?! Cost for registration after the 25th is $25 for all 3 weeks or $10 per session. So click on over and let go of all your wedding planning stress!!

Photo Courtesy of SB Childs Photography

The Smart Bride is a once a year workshop and we’re hoping this year’s brides will take advantage of this incredible opportunity. You’ll have the chance to meet other engaged couples, hear from Nashville’s finest wedding vendors and learn how to enjoy the entire planning process not to mention the big day.

For any of Chef’s Market’s current brides, we’ll be more than happy to provide you with complimentary tickets to the workshop! Email your Catering Sales Manager and they’ll get those to you right away.

Genna

Recipe Recap: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

When it comes to baking there are some recipes that are so good they have to be shared, which is exactly what we thought the minute we made the first batch of White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. We found the recipe for these absolutely delicious cookies over at Taste of Home and believe us, the newest addition to our pastry case really is home baked goodness!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

24 servings – Prep: 20 min Bake: 10 min/batch

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white baking chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and chips.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Let us know how these turn out if you bake them at home…or stop by Chef’s Market and pick one up this afternoon!

Genna

Food Ideas for your Giants VS. Patriots Super Bowl Party

Okay I admit being a caterer isn’t the manliest of professions.  Event planning, tablescaping, menu development, and recipe tweaking are not topics guys sit around discussing.  With one exception…the Super Bowl!  This is the one time of year when guys are into party planning.  So here are a few tips for you on food from a pro who knows.

* First of all, keep it simple.  Select menu items you can prepare ahead of time.  You want to be in the game and not in the kitchen.

*  Mobile food.  Remember: nobody wants to miss any of the game or  commercials so design the menu so your guests can move between the kitchen and the TV quickly. That means saying no to a “build your own sandwich” buffet, yes to grab-and-go wraps or mini burgers.

Wraps make perfect easy snacks for the super bowl

Cheeseburger, Crab Cake & BBQ Sliders are perfect for a Super Bowl party!

*  Unhealthy is best for the Superbowl, dude!   If you must, add some crudite and hummus as a healthy token gesture.

*  Forego the china and glassware.  Go disposable  all the way!

This year’s match is going to be an exciting one between the Giants and Patriots.  Boston and New York are incredible food towns. For the Patriots, why not serve mini lobster rolls,  Boston baked beans, or mini turkey rolls with cranberry aioli?  For the Giants, feature mini New York Style Hot Dogs or New York Strip Steak Sliders.

For fun, have a Clam Chowder Showdown:  Manhattan VS New England. Or try a Dessert Dual between Boston Cream Pie and New York Cheese Cake.

Individual crudite cups w/ ranch or hummus make healthy eating at Super Bowl parties much easier!

Other than the game, the food is what your guests will remember most.  With a little planning you won’t miss a play and your friends will be asking for an invite in 2013.

Jim

Bridal Show Recaps!

Two weeks into the new year and wedding fever has officially set in! With so many newly engaged brides ready to begin the planning process and so many talented vendors ready to make it happen, we knew that both The Pink Bride Bridal Show & the Enchanted Brides Bridal Show would knock everyone’s socks off.

After catching our breaths from last week’s preparation and frenzy we can report that not only were they spectacular, but we had a blast being apart of them too!

Our booths for this year’s shows were glam, elegant, a little modern and a lot of pretty!! We served our delicious cake truffles and even made taco short plates with Mahi Mahi & Carne Asada for Sunday’s show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We think 2012 will be an incredible year for Nashville brides and if the turnout at the bridal shows is any indication we are right on point!! A HUGE thanks to the amazing team at Ace Photography and to Mary Hagy for the beautiful photos!

Genna

A Very Thankful Thursday at Chef’s Market

Whew. What. A. Whirlwind. To say our blog has been a little quiet over the past three months would be an understatement…dead silent is much more appropriate A summer that hummed with activity turned into a jam packed fall, something we are grateful for around here, the only downside being that we’ve had less time to share our news, photos and catering advice! As  we prepare for the upcoming holidays we’ll be working hard to keep our blog updated with our latest endeavors and adventures…starting today with a Thankful Thanksgiving List!

This past August marked Chef’s Market’s 14th anniversary and we feel so blessed to have been in such a fun and exciting industry for so long! We are thankful every day for the opportunity to make great food and present it in the most beautiful and creative way possible!

Our business would not be possible without all of our amazing staff and we are so thankful to have each and every one of them! From our Head Chef, Derek Fulton, to our restaurant staff, catering servers and everyone in between, we are beyond lucky to work with such enthusiastic and hardworking individuals!

We were thrilled to be named Nashville Scene’s ‘Best Caterer’ in their readers’ poll this year and it’s time we send out a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for us! Your support means the world to us and it’s customers and clients like you that allow us to keep growing and push us to be even better.

This past year has brought many changes to Chef’s Market and one that we’re really thankful for is our expansion. If you’ve had a chance to stop by the back offices lately you’ll have noticed that our kitchens and offices have undergone massive renovations. We’re loving all of the new space and are thankful for the possibilities a larger work area will provide for us!

We hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving this year, full of love, laughter, family and of course, great food!!

Genna