New York-based The Catering Company aims to provide event planning and catering that meets the needs and expectations of each client.

For 18 years, co-owner Suzanne Kallick Gilliam says The Catering Company has nurtured a culture where quality is of the highest importance. “It has to be [done] the right way, or we’re not going to do it,” Gilliam says, noting that the company provides top performance, no matter the parameters, budget or constraints.

Based in New York City, the event planning and catering company specializes in creating high-end, high-profile special events for the entertainment, publishing, fashion, marketing and financial industries. “We do [more than 100] events [a year],” Gilliam says, adding that the company also caters nonprofit galas and fundraisers.

Creative Satisfaction
Gilliam earned her bachelor’s degree in fashion and textile design, but began working in catering when she wanted a break from the garment business, which had not been as satisfying creatively as she had envisioned.

While working for another caterer, Gilliam met her future husband and decided to stay in the industry. Together, they founded The Catering Company. Like her, co-owner Jim Gilliam had come to foodservice from another industry. He had majored in business at Arizona State University, but developed a love for the industry after working for other caterers.

“His expertise with the food is without compare,” she says. “He can understand every single ingredient. He tastes something and knows everything about it.”

A ‘Go-To Company’
Like many start-ups, Gilliam says, The Catering Company had a modest start, and was initially willing to take on all jobs offered by its clients. “We did at least five times the numbers of events [we do now],” she remembers. “As we grew, we were able to become more selective, and as we became a known resource for larger events, it made more sense to focus our energies in that direction.”

The Catering Company later decided to focus on corporate and non-social events to develop long-lasting relationships with clients. Through these jobs, the company developed a reputation for reliability and accountability, Gilliam says. “Once that happens, you become a go-to company for a certain type of event,” she says. “There’s not a lot of caterers that can produce restaurant-quality food for a few thousand people."

A ‘Boutique’ Sensibility
Today, The Catering Company operates from a 3,000-square-foot office and planning facility and a 5,000-square-foot kitchen and production facility it has used for the past 15 years. The company, according to Gilliam, is located in the northwest section of New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood – at the edge of the intersection of the floral, fashion and fur districts.

Virtually all of the company’s work is earned through repeat business and referrals, as opposed to advertising, she says.

She adds that this has helped the company retain a boutique sensibility.

“Anyone who entertains a lot and uses caterers knows us, yet we have never saturated the market,” she says.

Recognizable Meals
Although many years have passed since The Catering Company’s inception, the main types of food people order have not changed, Gilliam says.

“People still want beef and fish and chicken,” she says. “They want things that they recognize, but are willing to try a different version, have them prepared in a different way or served with a new condiment or pairing.”

'It' Flavors
The flavors and enhancements of The Catering Company’s items are updated regularly, Gilliam says.

Two years ago, Gilliam says, the “it” flavor for its customers was pomegrante, then it was cucumber, and now it is tart cherry.

“If there’s something in the news, people want that infused into their food and the flavors,” Gilliam says.

A lot of it has to do with what is perceived as healthy or functional, she says.

“[For instance], now instead of the grilled salmon with the mango chutney, we might be doing a green-tea-marinated seared salmon with micro greens,” Gilliam explains.

The amount of fish and the varieties its customers are willing to try has also increased, Gilliam says. “People have really opened up to fish,” she states. “They know it’s healthy; they know it’s good for you and if it’s prepared well, they are really onboard with it.”

Although Gilliam and her husband were not married when they first started The Catering Company, she says the two were able to successfully continue the business after they married in 1994. In addition to a high level of trust, “We can really bounce off each other, as far as ideas,” she says.

The two also have managed to find a balance between raising their two children and managing the company. “It might not work for some people, but I think what does work is we feel we can be very involved in our family and still be very involved in our business,” she says.

“Rather than having two people with completely separate [businesses], ours is just all mixed together and our kids sometimes integrate into our business and our business integrates into our family.”

Open to Ideas
The Catering Company has stayed creative in its event planning and catering services. “We don’t sit at our desks,” Gilliam says, adding that New York City is a constant source of inspiration for the company.

“We live here, play here and work here,” Gilliam says. “We adapt to a changing market and find inspiration in the world everyday when we open our door.”

Gilliam also encourages her employees to scan the Internet, frequently dine out and just walk around New York. “You [have to] keep abreast of what is out there,” she says.

“The smallest thing can spark a new idea that goes a long way,” Gilliam states.

“People in general are more sophisticated, knowledgeable and looking for the next new thing to eat or drink.”

Fashionable Proposal
Most recently, the company completed a proposal for an event for a fashion company. The Catering Company sent gift bags, just as attendees would receive at their seat at a fashion show.

The bag featured fine chocolates, a menu designed after a producer’s “Run of Show” sheet and mini champagne bottles with a straw, which models like to drink behind the scenes.

“They loved that we knew enough about their industry to infuse that knowledge even into the proposal itself,” she says.

Creativity has become even more imperative with the increased customer awareness of the catering industry due to the Internet, the Food Network and celebrity chefs, Gilliam says.

“There’s a much more savvy client base,” she adds. “There’s almost too much information out there.

“Food and ‘special events’ are hot topics right now,” she states, noting that they share the appeal and glamour of fashion. “The Food Network, reality TV and the concept of celebrity chefs has greatly impacted our clients.”

Trickling Down
These shows have also impacted guest planners and events attending the parties. “Whether they realize it or not, they are being influenced,” she says. “They want to be turned on by the food ... their expectations are higher.”

This has made food the driving force for events, instead of an afterthought, Gilliam says, although budgets have not necessarily followed this line of thinking.

“Our challenge and reputation rides on being able to bridge the gap between concept and food with out sacrificing quality or detail,” she states.

Making It Work
The Catering Company tailors its service to each client. A chief complaint Gilliam has heard from customers is that its competitors do not offer menus that meet their specific needs. “You really have to listen to what the client wants,” she says.

The company focuses on learning the details of the events it caters for, such as the people being served and the reason why they are at the event.

“You have to take all these [complete facts] and merge that back in with creativity and what works best in the environment,” she explains.

“If it’s just one without the other, it doesn’t work,” she adds.

Consulting Caterer
The Catering Company is open to exploring new, though connected, possibilities and business opportunities. These include expanding on the frequent consulting and referrals that they often do, Gilliam says.

These might include giving advice on food style, logistics, presentation, venue- or menu-related consultation of an event, as opposed to providing the food itself.

These services would allow The Catering Company to grow its client base, without impacting its ability to produce quality food, Gilliam says. In addition, “It keeps us in those long-term relationships, which are such an important core of our business,” she says.

'Forever Changing'
Gilliam adds she wants The Catering Company to remain fluid and flexible, and adapt to new industry trends and changes. “We need to move with the mood, the vision [and] the economy,” she says.

“The food and beverage business market is forever changing,” she continues. “The key to longevity in this business or any business is to remain fluid in your attitude, open to what your client is hoping to accomplish and good enough to deliver a strong, memorable product.”