RAISING THE BAR for Wedding Cuisine

Blackstone Caterers creates highly customized menus and delivers exceptional service.

by COLBY RADOMSKI

The food you serve at your wedding reception ranks as a major detail guests care about and one they’ll remember most about your big day. Now more than ever, couples understand the importance of making their reception menu a top priority when planning their wedding. They want to wow their crowd with food that’s not only delicious but that also expresses their personal style and enhances the overall experience.

As one of New England’s premier catering companies, Blackstone Caterers is expert at pushing the culinary envelope, delivering not only exceptional cuisine but also service that is detail-oriented and goes above and beyond. We asked their team to zero in on some of the top trends they’re seeing in wedding catering and how they’re providing couples and their guests a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

Back To Basics

Farm-to-table and locally sourced cuisine isn’t a new concept to caterers, but caterers are now embracing a simpler, back-to-basics approach when it comes to cooking. “We’re shifting towards menus that feature more fresh food—letting the food speak more for itself rather than using heavy sauces and starches,” says Karen Tungett, general manager at Blackstone Caterers. Focusing on refined, minimalist-style meals, Blackstone’s 2019 menu includes a variety of colorful, highquality and limited-ingredient dishes. A featured seafood plate, for example, includes seared Georges Bank scallops with smoked oyster mushrooms, pea purée, Thumbelina carrots and parsley chive oil.

Elevated Experience

“We’ve noticed with our clientele that people want more elegance—a little more service and sophistication, that includes personal touches and an overall [elevated] experience,” says sales manager Shannon Driscoll. Many Blackstone clients opt for the “white-glove” service, which includes a more personalized, detail-oriented experience featuring waitstaff clad in white gloves and white dinner jackets, and servicing each guest individually.

Many couples desire a dining experience that’s unique and reflective of their personal style. Often, Blackstone Caterers will curate custom menus tailored to their clients’ preferences, while also weaving in personal touches. “Whatever is going to make [the food] special to that couple,” says Driscoll. “[We have] a couple that got engaged in Paris, so we’re [serving] macarons for dessert.” A couple that travels to Mexico each year on vacation might enjoy tacos and quesadillas for a late-night snack, while a couple of German descent might like a make-your-own pretzel bar. “It’s little touches where we can weave in [a couple’s] personality and moments in their life that were special to them.”

All About Wine

Clients have become more discerning of the varietals they choose to serve throughout their wedding day, especially what’s poured with dinner. “We’re seeing people that really want nice wines,” says Tungett. “We’ve revamped our wine list as well as one of our high-end bar packages because people care more.” Tungett adds that a number of clients have recently started requesting California wines to support vineyards affected by the recent wildfires.