Meet Your Local Stationers

VIRGINIA & CO.

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Chef Natelege Bryant and her elevated soul food have taken the delicious Durham food scene by storm. Her name means “joy,” and that’s exactly what your wedding guests will feel when they take a bite of her cuisine. Chef Natelege founded Virginia & Co. in 2017, naming the company after her grandmother who let her play in the kitchen as a child. Choose from her many catering options, which include carving stations, grazing tables, plated dinners, family-style meals or a buffet.

What sets your team apart within the local catering industry? The experience, beauty and flavor of our food. When we see people pulling out phones to take photos of their food, we know that we’ve done a good job.

How do you help couples plan food for their reception in the middle of a pandemic? People are a little bit more budget-conscious right now. Chef Natelege Bryant. We’re trying to be artful in the ways that we can work within a couple’s budget. We’ve also reimagined our grazing tables by having more attendants serve and offering individual cups and mini charcuterie boards.

What is your signature dish? Grazing table covered with artisan cheeses, cured meats, handbaked bread, seasonal fruit and indulgent accompaniments.

Plated 1 Chickpea cakes with tomato jam 2 Braised short ribs with creamy mascarpone grits 3 Puff pastry with fresh blackberries and blackberry jam, rosé crystals, sliced almonds and ricotta spread

Photographer Heba Salama Photography

ROCKY TOP CATERING

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This “above and beyond” team is adored by vendors and couples alike. They have more than 20 years of experience catering events in the Raleigh area, and they believe that delicious, creative cuisine and exceptional service are essential ingredients in making an occasion memorable. Bottom line is that Rocky Top Catering presents restaurant-quality wedding food at an affordable price.

What can couples expect from a tasting and who should they bring? Once we get a client’s proposal perfect, both budget- and selection-wise, we offer a private tasting for the couple to sample the menu that has been selected. This is a great way for us to get to know everyone better and really get a feel for the priorities on your special day. We will make dietary notes and tweak items to suit taste through this process. If the couple has parents helping to fund the reception, they’re invited, too.

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What are your suggestions for serving styles when it comes to receptions? • Stations – free flow, guests eat at different times, no assigned seats or releasing of tables; • Buffet – most budget friendly, but still gives guests lots of options; • Plated – most elegant and formal

Plated 1 Late summer tomato and corn salad 2 Vegan seared sweet potato with black bean puree, pico de gallo, lime broccoli and chorizo walnuts 3 Roasted beet crostini with whipped goat cheese and grape jus; Buckwheat blini and salmon lox salad with dill cream cheese; Strawberry-basil tartlet with white balsamic syrup 4 Pecan, chocolate, blueberry, sour cherry and apple pies and tarts

Photographer Heba Salama Photography

CATERING WORKS

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This female-owned-and-operated family business has been a Raleigh mainstay for more than 30 years. Sisters and owners Jill Santa-Lucia and Lorin Laxton have a passion for the art of entertainment. Catering Works offers more than just food: They have a wedding dessert team called Pastry Works and a floral division called Bloom Works (see page 242). Catering Works has racked up many positive testimonials from its ability to serve events both on- and off-site.

Plated 1 Asian tuna with marinated vegetables 2 Tomato salad with chevre, green goddess and balsamic pearls 3 North Carolina catfish with collards, okra and field peas 4 Offerings from Catering Works plus flowers by Bloom Works

Photographer Heba Salama Photography

What sets your team apart within the local catering industry? The Catering Works chef and owners are dedicated to superior quality with food and service. Our core team is long-standing and dedicated to making sure every event goes off without a hitch while serving delicious food.

How can you upscale traditional, casual Southern faves such as barbecue? We focus on creating a twist on the classic. With our barbecue station, we feature smoked turkey, barbecue and brisket with a plethora of house-made barbecue sauces and sides. Chef Rich Carter likes to call himself the Bubba Gump of barbecue sauce!

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