The North Shore Dish Call a Caterer By Virginia George
Back in April, my 5-year-old and I were walking through Target and he asked me, “Mom, when is it going to be summer?” It was a particularly foggy, rainy and windy day, and I, myself, was wishing for just a little bit of sunshine, but knowing the unpredictability of Minnesota springtime, especially this one, I told him “Two months.” Well, we made it. Is it summer yet? Summers mean a lot of things to a lot of people: weddings, family reunions, fishing trips and graduation parties, to name a few. And what would a get-together be without food? The late travel documentarian and chef Anthony Bourdain once said, “I think food, culture, people and landscape are all absolutely inseparable.” I agree. If you’re the ambitious type, you may cater your own event, but sometimes it’s nice to sit back and “be a guest at your own party,” like Molly Dollar, owner of Red Swan Catering likes to say. In that case, I have a couple of North Shore businesses to share with you that can ease the pressure to dish up a perfect spread for your event this year.
Red Swan Catering, Duluth Red Swan Catering is located between Duluth and Two Harbors at the McQuade Harbor. Owner Molly Dollar sat down with me and that inquisitive 5-year-old one morning, and shared her passion for the business she has run for more than 40 years. Dollar’s experience in catering and large-scale cooking goes back to her teenage years, working with 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair, but she has been operating Red Swan Catering since the 1980s. Dollar likes to think of Red Swan Catering as a “one stop shop” for whatever party you have in mind. When I asked her what she wanted the world to know about her business, Dollar shared how important it is to her to provide a stress-free environment for her customers. She values open communication, and works to understand the vision of any potential customer so she can provide them with the best service. Red Swan provides both on-site and offsite catering services for a host of events, from business in-service trainings to annual fundraiser, banquets, weddings, celebrations of life, birthday parties and more. They have lovely spaces for small groups, as well as more open and formal spaces for larger gatherings.
Deb Campbell in Ely operates Dinners by Deb, a personal chef service. This means you provide the kitchen and Campbell provides the dinner. | DEB CAMPBELL NORTHERN WILDS
JUNE 2022
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