Packing tons of flavor in perfectly presented packages, caterers are revving up the creativity in their appetizers and small bites.

Good things come in small packages—especially when it comes to the starters creative caterers are serving up. Packed with flavor and thoughtfully presented, these appetizers and small bites give catering companies the chance to show off their culinary philosophies, one beautiful bite at a time.

When Deborah Miller Catering rebranded during the COVID-19 pandemic—a top-to-bottom repositioning that included a new executive team, menu, website, marketing strategy, business plan and more—the company emphasized small plates.

The idea was to “design dishes meant to create a shared dining experience by giving people the opportunity to dine like food critics and sample more of our menu,” says Justin LaCoursiere, Deborah Miller Catering’s marketing director. “Small plates give the utmost customization and diversification to a menu, combining culinary creativity and trendy ingredients for the ultimate social dining experience.”

The small plates menu reflects four main concepts, notes LaCoursiere:

1. Instagram-Worthy Plating

“More plates of food means more opportunities for guests to snap photos and share said photos on social media,” says LaCoursiere. “The goal is to make dishes that are visually appealing, artisanal and super delicious!”

2. Diverse Menu Options

Deborah Miller Catering’s goal is to reflect “the culinary diversity clients crave,” says LaCoursiere. “Commitment issues? Not a problem. Small plates allow for varying flavors, textures, tastes and styles.”

3. Tapas Catering

“Appetizers are where culinary experts can be more innovative with chosen ingredients, cooking style and presentation,” says LaCoursiere. “Let loose and show people your creative side; encourage guests to mix, match, nibble and socialize. After all, the dining experience is better when enjoyed with others.”

4. Trendy ‘New York’ Catering

“Our small plates are local, organic, seasonal and sustainable,” says LaCoursiere “Pro tip: When designing small plates, stay hyper-focused on building sharable dishes that are as trendy and sustainable as possible.”

Sara Perez Webber is Editor at Catering, Foodservice & Events / International Media Group, Inc.
A version of this article appears in print in the Feature section of Catering, Foodservice & Events magazine — February 2022.

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Last year, most company holiday parties took place virtually. This year, with vaccinations more widely available and remote work shifting into hybrid work, companies are taking a chance on the end-of-year romp. We spoke with Deborah Miller, 60, and Lauren McGeough, 48, co-owners of Deborah Miller Catering, about holiday parties 2021-style.

Lauren McGeough:

“A lot of people are using holiday parties as the pre-welcome to get people excited to come back into the office. They’re saying, ‘You’re coming back in January, let’s make it really exciting, let’s make this over the top.’ They’re using the holiday party as a kickoff.

I think they really want to encourage people to think that returning to the office is a celebration of sorts. They’re having oyster shuckers walking around, big fondue stations, smoking cocktails – things that are a little more theatrical. They’re bringing in games and roving tables.”

Deborah Miller:

“The bigness and the over-the-topness – the more food, more stations – it’s new. The parties are geared more towards the younger employees. Trying to get them to come back.”

LM:

“It’s the first time that companies are asking, ‘What are other companies doing?’ They’re asking for reassurance. They’re asking what the protocol is across the industry in terms of hosting holiday parties.”

DM:

“In the corporate world, people are having parties in their offices. I guess they feel safer there.”

LM:

“Depending on the size of their company, a 200-person company is considering doing two separate events for 100 people and 100 people over two nights.”

DM:

“People don’t know whether they want buffets or everything to be prepackaged. So we offer both.”

LM:

“Also new this year: We can’t get help. Staffing up is a significant problem. Pre-COVID, we were staffed with actors and writers and all sorts of creative people, and a lot of them seem to have left the city. It’s not the same pool of part-time freelance help out there that we used to use to staff our events.

We’re getting a lot of inquiries at the last minute. We’ve never historically had people calling the week before Thanksgiving to book for the first week of December. In the last few weeks, heads of companies are saying, ‘Let’s go for it.’ The last-minute aspect of it is incredibly new.”

DM:

“What a difference a year makes. We had no incoming calls. I couldn’t see the future. And now I can see a future.

We’re like everyone else, we’re going to plan our own company holiday party very last minute We always take it offsite.”

LM:

“Nobody in the service industry wants to be cooking for themselves.”

DM:

“Lauren loves karaoke, so we do karaoke a lot.”

Julia Rothman is an illustrator. Shaina Feinberg is a writer and filmmaker. Both live in Brooklyn.
A version of this article appears in print on Nov. 28, 2021, Section BU, Page 5 of the New York edition.

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When the world shut down and business became scarce during the pandemic, Deborah Miller Catering & Events reflected on what mattered most, ultimately choosing to see the situation as an opportunity to engage in a full rebrand. After starting and stopping many programs and initiatives in an effort to stay afloat during the height of Covid, ownership decided to use the downtime provided by a lack of business to reimagine the company and build a new company from within.

Owners Deborah Miller and Lauren McGeough hired Managing Director David Woods at the start of 2021 and tasked him with putting together a new executive team. David then led the newly formed team through the reimagining and repositioning process. With a great deal of institutional knowledge, the new team built a better, more sustainable, and profitable business during a time when the entire hospitality industry was paralyzed.

Working collaboratively to create a new company under the same name, the team started with updated vision and mission statements, a new company motto and tagline, and redefined market segments and buyer personas.

“For the first time in Deborah Miller Catering & Events’ history, which dates back to 1995, we have someone dedicated to overseeing marketing in-house,” said Justin LaCoursiere, Marketing Director at Deborah Miller Catering & Events. “I was hired to oversee our rebrand, inclusive of a new logo, brand guidelines, updated photography, a full-funnel customer relationship management system, redeveloped website, and social media strategy.”

New Standard Operating Procedures & Updated Menus

All new standard operating procedures are being put in place to streamline work in an efficient, ecological, and scalable manner. Leading this charge is Alexandra Trogisch, Operations Director at Deborah Miller Catering & Events. Menus have been completely reimaged and rewritten by Chef Justin Schwartz, Culinary Director at Deborah Miller Catering & Events.

The updated menus are driven by seasonality, locality, and sustainability, bringing together a plethora of fresh, organic ingredients and flavors. The recently launched new brand, Deeply Rooted in Experience, promises to be sophisticated yet playful, luxurious yet approachable, and elevated yet down-to-earth.

Deborah Miller Catering & Events has always been involved in both corporate and social functions, though it has historically leaned towards corporate catering and events with a focus in drop-off catering to office locations. Since Covid-19 closed most office spaces for over a year, corporate business was virtually nonexistent. In completing a rebrand, the company redefined dining services for its corporate clientele and expanded its wedding, mitzvah, and social event offerings for partygoers and party planners.

Deborah Miller Catering & Events is a full-service, fully licensed catering and events company with event planners, a production team, and full bar capabilities. The new brand seeks to capitalize on this, with more thoughtful and robust services built specifically around special occasions.

Building a Better Company by Learning Through Experience

“We count every effort we made to survive before and during the pandemic as a learning experience,” said Deborah Miller, Founder & Principal at Deborah Miller Catering & Events. “The pandemic exposed many issues that every industry needed to confront, from how companies care for their people – both employees and clients – to addressing social unrest and environmental awareness.”

Prior to completely committing to a rebrand, Deborah Miller Catering & Events focused on keeping its doors open throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. “We continued to exist, whereas so many restaurants, eateries, and catering companies shut their doors completely,” said Lauren McGeough, Principal at Deborah Miller Catering & Events. “We had to make some tough decisions, but we managed to stay open and offer our products and services throughout the entire pandemic. The city was decimated, nearly everything closed, no one knew how long it would last, and every day it seemed like different and contradictory information was being circulated.”

By continuing to exist, Deborah Miller Catering & Events proved to be a reliable option for clients, customers, and the community at large.

When the pandemic hit, Deborah Miller Catering & Events was coming out of its most successful year-to-date, with goals and projections of the next year being an even better year financially. Surviving the Covid-19 pandemic and completing a full rebrand would not have been possible without some financial government assistance.

“We have been very fortunate to have qualified for, received, and been able to take advantage of both rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program, as well as the American Rescue Plan Act’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund,” said Betty Lee, Finance Director at Deborah Miller Catering & Events. These funds, mixed with the experienced new executive team and the full rebrand, place the company in a very competitive space in the New York City food and beverage, party, and event scenes.

The pandemic taught the Deborah Miller Catering & Events team the importance of strategically diversifying its portfolio to be able to maintain business even through uncontrollable outside threats.

The new Deborah Miller Catering & Events brings great diversification of thought, clientele, service offerings, menus, and experiences. The company is therefore perfectly positioned for a bright future with its new brand, and the team cannot wait for you to personally ‘Meet the New Deborah Miller’ as they continue to share the new brand with the world.

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There is a quote coined by Albert Einstein which states “the measure of intelligence is the ability to change,” and it has never rung more true than today. The DMC team knew that in order to survive these tumultuous times, there would have to be some drastic changes made and new lessons to be learned in order to survive. The first started with Cater Because We Care, a donation initiative we launched in early April in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in NYC. Hospital workers and first responders were overwhelmed with infected coronavirus patients and many were working double shifts to handle the volume that was coming their way. These healthcare heroes were also seeing so much loss of life around them, and had no mental capacity to worry about where their next meal was coming from. We created this initiative to get healthy, wholesome, and individually-packaged meals to these first responders in a quick and safe way, and donations poured in from all corners. 

NYC Covid Safe Food Deliveries

Meals were prepared on a five-day rotation in our kitchen in Lower Manhattan. They consist of one protein, one side, and either a fruit salad cup or dessert bar served in individual takeout containers to provide a complete and nutritious meal to those receiving them. Deliveries were made daily by the DMC team throughout the city based on hospital locations and workers’ corresponding shifts.

Once we fine-tuned the hospital meals and how to present and label them in the best way, we began to think about what comes next. The DMC team took the same concept for their hospital meals and thought about what their clients would want as they returned to the office. “We wanted to take it up a notch from the usual sandwich box,” Deborah Miller says. “People might be ordering catering differently, but they still want delicious food that looks good and feels upscale.” With that idea in mind, the team came up with menus for breakfast, lunch/dinner, and afternoon snacks, served in individual bento boxes or clear plastic containers. Smoked salmon croissant sandwiches for breakfast, delicious proteins and sides for lunch, and an antipasti snack takes conventional boxed catering and totally re-energizes the concept! There are vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free versions of all meals as well to ensure anyone with dietary preferences still has options.

NYC Boxed Lunch Catering

The next point we wanted to tackle was making sure we had the right packaging. Being eco-friendly is still a global priority, and with so much extra product needed for boxed lunch catering and contactless catering now, we wanted to ensure we were still cognizant of the environment while adjusting to this new normal! We sampled various products that were compostable and biodegradable and our food would look the most presentable in. The end result consisted of several different types of packaging, some made from fiber, some from eco-friendly plastic, which are sturdy and shows off our food in the best way.

Another aspect the team had to consider was the pricing of these new grab-and-go individual meals. “We know times are tough financially right now, and we wanted to make our offering affordable for individuals and companies placing orders,” says Lauren McGeough, VP. “Adapting to the current economic landscape is so important to staying afloat, and we want our clients to know that we are mindful of this fact as we charge forward.”

Even with these three main factors – menu, packaging, and price – in place for our new post-covid catering offering, there were still additional things to consider to truly bring the idea full circle. “We will be asking clients if they’d like pre-wrapped utensils and a hand sanitizing gel packet delivered with their meals,” McGeough states. “Again, we don’t want to be wasteful, and some companies have these things in their office already, so we will be sure to ask first before sending them. However, we think this will be one less thing for clients ordering catering for the first time in months to worry about as they adjust back to the office.” We also want to offer the idea of a “bento box cart,” where a server can be onsite pushing a cart full of individual boxed meals in eco-friendly packaging, and employees can grab a box just a few feet away from their desk instead of having to walk to a common area, where other staff members might be and overcrowding might be taking place.

Finally, the only way to be contactless is to truly execute contactless drop off catering. We are so used to setting up beautiful presentations for meetings or events prior to their start, but things need to be different for now, and we understand that. Our delivery team can simply drop off all grab-and-go boxed meals in the lobby or on the floor of a client’s office, and will not stay to interact with the recipient. This way there is safety practiced throughout the process!

Find Out More About Our NYC Contactless Catering

We are learning each day as we power through this new normal and continue to cater to the needs of our clients. Click here to read about our latest best practices and safety guidelines, and make sure to visit our Contactless Grab and Go Catering Menu tab to see our current offerings. We will be updating these pages constantly as new developments come to light, so stay tuned and check back to see how our future is unfolding! 

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Whether you are planning a daytime soiree or a chic nighttime rooftop party in New York City, Deborah Miller Catering is happy to help. Whatever the occasion, whether it’s just a get together with friends or a special celebration, we can make your rooftop party memorable. Check out our rooftop party ideas for planning the perfect rooftop party.

Planning a Rooftop Party: Finding the Perfect Rooftop Event Space

Finding the perfect rooftop event space will set the entire foundation for your rooftop party. New York City has plenty of unique rooftop event spaces that are perfect for luncheons, cocktail receptions, birthday parties, weddings, holiday parties, and other social gatherings. If you need assistance finding the perfect rooftop event space, the event planning team at Deborah Miller Catering would love to help. We have a number of strong partnerships with vendors across New York City that provide the perfect backdrop for your party.

Decorations: Rooftop Party Ideas

A rooftop party can be a standalone theme or have an accompanying theme, but it’s important to have decorations that complement your space. Nighttime events can gather some glow from twinkling lights, Tiki torches, and candles, while lanterns can be placed strategically around the rooftop to bring magic to any roof. You could set up a fire pit with glass stones, which is incredibly chic for an NYC rooftop party.
Liven up daytime events with a few potted plants, which will make the venue look homier and more put together. It’s the perfect way to amp up the wow factor while bringing natural elements to a concrete jungle. IF you are planning a daytime rooftop party event, set up some umbrellas so guests can get relief from the bright sunshine. If temperatures are super sweltering, consider laying out some folding fans to cool down guests. Likewise, if your rooftop party event takes place during the fall, invite guests to cozy up by the fireplace with a blanket or rent some patio heaters to keep your guests warm.

Getting Creative with Rooftop Party Cocktails

While cold beer and chilled wine are no-brainers for a rooftop bash, no rooftop party is complete without some boozy cocktails. For summer rooftop parties, think light and fruity drinks like Moscow mules, margaritas, and cucumber infused vodka with a beautiful garnish. Rooftop parties in the fall can serve up warmer drinks like hot toddies, baileys and coffee, apple cider mimosas, and whiskey sours.
What sets Deborah Miller Catering apart from other NYC caterers is our full liquor license. This allows us to offer bar catering as one of our premier services. In addition to serving classic and hand-crafted beers and an extensive list of wines, our experienced bartenders will serve perfectly paired cocktails to complement your menu and event.

Looking to put a special twist on your next event? Our specialty is creating signature drink for your guests to sip on. Some of our specialty cocktails include honey-fig refreshers, rhubarb-fennel gin cocktails, and cranberry-lime margaritas! Allow us to plan the perfect signature seasonal cocktail to make your rooftop party extra memorable.

Rooftop Party Food Ideas

Once your party is underway, the last thing you want to be stressing about is feeding everyone. If you are planning on cooking for your guests, make things in large batches ahead of time to save time and energy.

Bite-sized finger food is ideal for rooftop parties as guests can grab it with their drink and get back to mingling. We love homemade pizzas, plenty of chips and dips, and sliders for the perfect buffet.
Worried about coming up with your own rooftop party food ideas? Want to save time and energy?

Deborah Miller Catering can provide full-service catering for your rooftop party in NYC. Whether you are planning a happy hour with small bites or a full sit-down meal, we can create a custom menu that is sure to delight your guests!

Laid back rooftop parties in NYC can have a spread of delectable finger foods, while formal events can create a beautiful sit-down menu complete with customized printed menus. For relaxed rooftop parties in NYC, we love small plates like our citrus-herb chicken and grilled shrimp skewers or mini cocktail sandwiches. For a traditional backyard barbecue feel, serve up cheeseburgers, pigs in a blanket with soft-baker pretzels and tater tots! If you want your guests to socialize, eat, and drink, finger foods are the perfect grab and go option.

For formal rooftop parties in NYC, we’ll help you create the perfect three-course menu. Our dinner catering menus offer seasonally inspired entrees, sides, and handmade desserts that will tantalize your taste buds. Allow our event planning team to work with you to create the perfect customized menu for your rooftop party in NYC!

Ending on a Sweet Note with Desserts

No rooftop party is complete without dessert! Those with a sweet tooth will love our carefully constructed desserts. Some of our most popular dessert bites include s’mores on a stick, cookie and milk shots, chocolate covered strawberries and mini ice cream sandwiches! Allow the team at Deborah Miller Catering to create the perfect dessert table filled with goodies our guests will love.

Start Planning your Rooftop Party in NYC with Deborah Miller Catering

Rooftop parties in New York City are the perfect way to take advantage of the bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures! Planning the perfect rooftop party in NYC is possible with the help from Deborah Miller Catering. For over 2 decades, Deborah Miller Catering has been feeding New York City with the unique eats. Our social event planners will help mark your rooftop party in NYC, making it extra special with delicious food & drink, personal service and creative touches. Whether you are planning a rooftop party that’s laid back or formal, we can come up with creative rooftop party ideas that will leave your guests talking.

To start planning a rooftop party in NYC, get in touch with the team at Deborah Miller Catering. We look forward to sharing our rooftop party ideas with you!

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Planning a memorable bridal shower is no ordinary feat. There are a lot of moving parts to organizing and executing this special celebration. Fortunately, if you are planning a bridal shower brunch, there are plenty of ways to customize your party to exceed your guests’ expectations.

Whether you are the mother of the bride, a bridesmaid, or close family member or friend in charge of planning a bridal shower, Deborah Miller Catering can help you plan the perfect bridal shower brunch. Check out our bridal shower brunch ideas and bridal shower brunch menu items to start planning the perfect fête!

Pick a Location for your Bridal Shower Brunch

Before you start planning your bridal shower brunch menu items, you will need to choose a location. A bridal shower brunch can be formal, laid-back and casual, or anything in between! Whether you want to set up a tent on a beautiful day in your backyard or pick a swanky New York City spot like one of Deborah Miller Catering’s preferred venues, you can tailor your bridal shower brunch menu items and decorations to fit your theme.

Planning out your space is key to a successful bridal brunch. Remember to include a sign-in station, gift station, buffet line, and formal seating area and pick out some bridal shower brunch decorations to add some flair to each station.

Choose Bridal Shower Brunch Decorations

Choose bridal shower brunch decorations that match your theme. If your bride has picked out wedding colors, try coordinating these colors into the bridal shower brunch decorations. You can start with the essentials like flowers and candles, and add on unexpected items like lantern décor, signage, and more. Some of our favorite bridal shower brunch themes are rustic chic, travel-inspired, elegant, nautical, preppy, and bohemian! Don’t forget to include a few personalized touches like pictures of the bride and groom at each of the bridal shower brunch stations.

Bridal Shower Finger Food & Cocktails

Keep the mimosas flowing to keep everyone happy! You can forego the full-fledged breakfast at the bridal shower and opt for finger foods or pair your cocktails and mimosas with some small plates before the main course to keep guests satiated. Finger foods are a staple at bridal shower brunches because they are easy to eat while mingling with guests. There are tons of small, simple, and creative options that are sure to impress guests.

If you’d like to serve appetizers prior to your main meal, opt for lighter fare. The great thing about a bridal shower brunch is that you can have a mix of both breakfast and lunch foods. Pair special bridal shower cocktails with a special charcuterie board with an assortment of cured meats and cheese like salami, prosciutto, French double cream brie, and gorgonzola. Serve alongside other bridal shower finger foods like a hummus trio with soft pita and seasonal crudités and Deborah Miller Catering’s skewer sample with delicious lemon herb chicken, coconut shrimp, brussel sprouts, and butternut squash. If the bride-to-be loves a Mexican themed fiesta, bring out the guac and pico with tortilla chips!

Those who want a finger-food only bridal shower brunch will want to opt for heartier options. Serve up a breakfast-oriented spread with mini bagels, muffins, danishes, and fruit. Some of our favorite a la carte options are parfaits in mason jars and mini eff sandwiches with egg, gruyere, and truffle mushrooms.

Top off your bridal shower brunch menu items with festive bridal shower cocktails like a coffee cocktail with Baileys, mimosa – or celebrate with just straight champagne!

Bridal Shower Brunch Menu Items

We love mixing and matching breakfast and lunch foods to create the perfect bridal shower brunch menu items. If you need some bridal shower catering ideas and inspiration, our team is here to help!

Casual bridal shower brunches can opt for sandwich catering with an assortment or fresh meats, toppings, and a green salad.

For elegant affairs, opt for bridal shower menu items with options like herb-grilled chicken breast, grilled salmon, blackened shrimp, or lump crab cake. Accompanied with a big green salad, pasta or your choice of potato for the perfect bridal shower brunch menu!

If you are planning a very specific bridal shower brunch theme, why not create the perfect bridal shower brunch menu to complete your theme? From build your own tacos to our Little Italy menu items, we have it all! Allow us to design the bridal shower brunch menu of your dreams.

At Deborah Miller Catering, we can accommodate any requests and dietary restrictions. We have an assortment or vegetarian and vegan entrees like Quinoa-Stuffed peppers, Cauliflower Steaks, Heirloom Eggplant and Chickpea Curry.

Bridal Shower Catering Ideas: Desserts & Treats

If you have a sweet tooth like us, there are lots of cute sweets and treats to serve at your bridal shower brunch! From themed cakes to beautiful wedding dress shaped cut out cookies, setting out a dessert table at your bridal shower brunch is the perfect ending to a successful celebration.

There are many ways to make your dessert table stand out. From cupcakes with colored frosting that match your theme to individual goodies like strawberry shortcake, tiramisu, macarons, and mini cannoli’s, Deborah Miller Catering has plenty of colorful and delicious treats.

Another great bridal shower catering idea is to set out a candy bar with bags for guests to fill. This serves a dual purpose as your dessert table and guest favors. Include bright colored candies that coordinating wedding colors in tall vases, jars, and small bowls. Some of our favorite candy for candy buffets are mints, hard candies, M&Ms, and Hershey Kisses! If you have chocolate on your candy buffet, be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent the candy from melting.

Sit Back, Relax, and Let Deborah Miller Catering Plan your Bridal Shower Brunch

Instead of stressing about your bridal shower brunch menu and cocktails, why not leave it up to the experts at Deborah Miller Catering in NYC? With the help from Deborah Miller Catering, you can organize the perfect bridal shower brunch whether you want to plan a casual finger-food oriented party or an elaborate bridal shower brunch buffet. Allow our executive chef and culinary team to design the perfect bridal shower brunch catering menu that is sure to impress guests and create lasting memories. Best of all, you can sit back, relax, and let Deborah Miller Catering handle the heavy lifting.

To start planning your bridal shower brunch menu, browse our breakfast and lunch catering menus to search finger foods and buffet items. Contact our team in NYC to create the perfect bridal shower brunch menu!

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Finding a balance between creating a vegan wedding menu that both vegans and non-vegans will enjoy doesn’t need to be intimidating. Fortunately, there is a way to stay true to your beliefs and make sure your guests feel happy and satisfied.

At Deborah Miller Catering, we have experience creating full vegan wedding menus that are tailored to the bride and groom’s unique tastes while appeasing the masses. Take a look at our best vegan wedding menu ideas to create a vegan wedding menu options that your guest will love.

Vegan Wedding Ideas & Planning

We know that you really want to knock the socks off your non-vegan guests. When designing your vegan wedding menu, here are some of our best tips to follow:

1. When planning your vegan wedding, you might skip telling your guests in advance that your wedding menu will be plant-based. A lot of guests may have pre-conceived notions about what vegan food tastes like, which can keep them from truly savoring the menu!

2. Bring a non-vegan friend or family member to your vegan wedding menu tasting to ensure it will appeal to all.

3. Trust the experts! When designing your menu, ask your caterer to help you plan your vegan wedding food. These experts are deeply rooted in the food industry and can make vegan wedding catering recommendations to create a delicious, plant-based menu.

Vegan Wedding Catering: Ideas for Vegan Appetizers

Planning vegan wedding food and appetizers for your guests to munch on during cocktail hour doesn’t need to be difficult. There are a ton of vegan finger food and small plate options to choose from. Here are some of our favorite vegan wedding ideas for appetizers!

Crackers and cheese are a traditional wedding appetizer option. If you still want to keep the cheese and crackers, but make it vegan, you can opt for nut-based cheeses served on seeded crackers. We bet your guests won’t even notice the difference!

Crudites and seasonal vegetables are the perfect munchy to snack on during cocktail hour if you are planning a vegan wedding menu. Serve together with some vegan-friendly homemade hummus.

One of our favorite vegan wedding ideas for appetizers is stuffed mushrooms and stuffed tomatoes. Instead of the cheese-laden stuffed mushrooms, fill your mushroom caps with pesto, mixed veggies, tomatoes and maybe even some tofu! Stuffed tomatoes can be filled with vegan goat cheese and pesto with a balsamic glaze drizzled on top. Once heated, these vegan stuffed mushrooms and tomatoes will just melt in your mouth.

Finally, another favorite vegan-friendly wedding appetizer is a fresh spring roll. Lots of spring rolls are fried and battered, served alongside heavy soy sauce and sweet chili sauce. For a lighter, vegan option, spring rolls can be stuffed with various vegetables like carrots, romaine, and yellow peppers. Yum!

Planning Vegan Wedding Food

Many non-vegans will be quick to judge when they hear that you are planning a vegan wedding menu. But, with nutrient-rich, vegetable-focused options, we’re sure you’ll leave them all in awe!

Start by serving up a seasonal salad. Fall and winter weddings can choose a heartier option with apples and cranberries, while spring and summer weddings can serve up something light and refreshing like grapes, arugula, red onion, and avocado!

You’ll have options when it comes to serving vegan wedding food for the main course. We love polenta dishes with roasted brussel sprouts, red onion, and cauliflower, and pasta dishes with lots of vegetables. Other favorite pasta dishes include vegan gnocchi with a wild mushroom sauce, eggplant cannelloni and creamy vegan butternut squash linguine. With options this filling, and satisfying, everyone will be blown away!

Vegan wedding food options can be vegetable focused, too. One of our favorite vegan wedding catering options is ratatouie with squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. It’s also seasonally on point for summer weddings! Other vegan-centric dinner options include cauliflower piccata, risotto with roasted vegetables, and creamy portobello stroganoff.

Meat lovers won’t complain when they get an amazing, hearty seitan dinner like seitan steak in beurre blanc sauce.

Looking for vegan side dishes? Serve your pasta dishes with veggies like lemon tarragon asparagus or broccolini. Vegetable-centric dishes can be served with a choice of starch like roasted potatoes, rice pilaf, or quinoa with toasted almonds, cranberries, orange zest and mint.

Vegan Wedding Cake & Desserts

No wedding is complete without a gorgeous wedding cake! With new vegan substitutions, there are plenty of vegan, dairy-free and egg-free vegan wedding cakes to choose from, so you can get the cake you’ve always dreamt of! From salted caramel and chocolate vegan wedding cake to a triple layer German chocolate vegan wedding cake to a simple vanilla vegan wedding cake with buttercream icing, the most difficult part will be choosing what to serve at your wedding! We recommend taste-testing them all to find the one you love.

Along with the perfect vegan wedding cake, be sure to set out vegan desserts for guests to munch on in between dancing and mingling. Create the perfect dessert table filled with vegan goods like shots of chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate covered strawberries, and shots of chocolate-covered pretzel bites. The team at Deborah Miller Catering can help you design the perfect vegan wedding cake and wedding dessert menu for a sweet treat at the end of the night!

Contact Deborah Miller Catering to Start Planning your Vegan Wedding Catering

We hope these vegan wedding menus and ideas have helped spark some creativity as your planning your vegan wedding menu! At Deborah Miller Catering, we believe that every wedding menu should reflect the unique preferences and tastes of the bride and groom! We encourage you to show your guests how tasty vegan food can be with a full-fledged vegan wedding menu.

Looking for vegan wedding catering in NYC? Deborah Miller Catering is here to help. We’ve helped vegan couples plan the perfect vegan wedding menu that is delicious and appeals to both vegans and non-vegans alike. Get in touch with us today to start planning your vegan wedding menu today.

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Let’s face it – the standard boxed sandwich and salad office catering options can get boring after a while. Why not spice things up with fun office lunch ideas that are unique and refreshing? Whether your office is tired of the same old office lunch catering or you have an important mid-day meeting with a client you want to impress, Deborah Miller Catering in New York City can help. Take a look at our catering lunch ideas for the office and contact us to plan your office lunch catering.

Lunch Catering Idea #1: Office Catering Taco Bar

When you want to please absolutely everyone in the office, it’s hard to go wrong with tacos. One of our favorite catering lunch ideas for the office is the make your own taco bar. With a make your own taco bar, your coworkers can customize their tacos to their liking and they can be made with almost any dietary restrictions in mind.

Deborah Miller Catering can help you create the perfect office lunch catering taco bar. Choose from two proteins like Pulled Pork and Blackened Salmon and add on fun toppings like smashed avocado, jalapenos, and pico de gallo. Serve alongside nachos with guacamole and salsa for the perfect Mexican fiesta! You can even consider getting celebratory with margarita mocktails (or real cocktails – hello new favorite boss!) for a fun midday treat.

Lunch Catering Idea #2: Serve Up International Cuisine

Taking your colleagues and clients around the world with an international cuisine tour is a fun and unexpected office catering idea! You can customize your menu to focus on a specific area of the world or give your guests a variety of options from Thailand, the Mediterranean, Mexico, the southern United States, and India. The possibilities are endless!

Having different food stations is key to serving up International cuisine at your next office party. Create a Far East station that draws in flavors of Asia with mini veggie spring rolls, fried dumplings, and steamed edamame. For those who want comfort food, create a southern comforts station with cheeseburger and BBQ pork sliders, chili and a custom mashed potato bar. Add in a fiesta station with mini tacos, burritos and a make your own nacho bar. Round out your International cuisine with a taste of Italy including farfalle, classic Caprese skewers, chicken marsala, and focaccia bread.

These different food stations are perfect for larger corporate gatherings and office lunches as it gives options for everyone. Self-serve stations are also perfect for mid-day lunches where you want people to socialize and mix with lots of different individuals. Have office locations or clients across the globe? How about featuring street food from each country where you have a presence. It’s a fun a delicious way to showcase your business accomplishments – no boring powerpoint and packet required!

Lunch Catering Idea #3: It’s Greek to Me

What’s not to like about delicately thin shavings of lamb, chicken, or beef served on pita? A spread of traditional Greek food is a great alternative to the default lunch sandwiches and side salads.

You can customize Deborah Miller Catering’s Greek Spread with options like chicken shawarma, lamb & beef gyros, and hand-rolled falafel. Toppings like sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and tahini make it easy for your coworkers to customize their Greek pitas. Serve up your gyros and Greek spread with hummus and vegetables and a large Greek salad to round out your lunch. For dessert, consider baklava, a rich dessert pastry with filo filled with chopped nuts, for a delicious after lunch treat.

Lunch Catering Idea #4: Big City BBQ Office Catering

There are lots of ways to spice up office lunch catering with BBQ inspired food! Bring the backyard BBQ to the office with options like BBQ brisket, herb-rubbed rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob and coleslaw. Serve alongside mouthwatering potato salad and corn bread for a fun office lunch idea. Some other great sides to include in your BBQ office lunch catering are roasted brussel sprouts, mac & cheese, and collard greens. BBQ can get a little messy, but it’s nothing that a few hand wipes and napkins can’t fix.

We love serving office lunch catering BBQ on a hot summer day in NYC. To stick with the BBQ theme, decorate your serving area with red and white plaid tablecloths and serve with a cold glass of lemonade.

Lunch Catering Idea #5: A Tour Around Little Italy

With Italian food specialists like eggplant parmesan and chicken marsala, you really can’t go wrong. Take your colleagues on a tour around Italy with specialty pastas like penne with roasted tomatoes, tortellini with nut-free pesto and grilled vegetables, penne a la vodka. We also love chicken alfredo and baked ziti, which are incredibly popular crowd pleasers.

Lunch Catering Idea #6: Finger Food Catering Lunch Ideas for the Office

If you are planning an office lunch where you want every to mingle and socialize, having a finger food lunch is a great idea. There are a lot of different finger foods that colleagues can grab and go, which make it perfect for a meeting or social hour. From sliders to spring rolls, tacos, and mini lobster rolls, Deborah Miller Catering has an expansive finger food lunch catering menu. Whether you want to stick to a special theme, like Mediterranean eats or southern comfort food, we can tailor a special menu that meets your vision – all in fun, bite-sized servings.

Lunch Catering Idea #7: An Upscale Lunch Sure to Impress

Do you have a client you really want to impress? Instead of opting for a typical lunch buffet, create a completely custom office catering menu with white-glove service.

Deborah Miller Catering in NYC will listen to your catering lunch ideas for the office and develop a custom menu that’s sure to wow your clients. We offer sit-down office lunch catering options like pepper-crusted flank steak, grilled salmon, and grilled shrimp. Pair with one of our popular side dishes such as garlic mashed potatoes, freshly grilled seasonal vegetables, quinoa salad, and fusilli pasta with pesto. We can accommodate any allergies and dietary restrictions with our vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free office lunch catering options.

Contact Deborah Miller Catering for Unique Catering Fun Office Lunch Ideas

Think outside of the box when it comes to planning your next office lunch catering. Deborah Miller Catering specializes in creating unique catering menus that meet your needs and exceed your expectations. Whether you are planning a more casual office lunch in New York City or are planning a large-scale company wide event, we will provide delicious event lunch ideas with a personalized touch. We can walk you through the process of planning a unique event with office lunch ideas that impresses colleagues and clients.

To get started planning your office catering, get in touch with the team at Deborah Miller Catering in New York City. We look forward to hearing your catering lunch ideas for the office!

The post Our Favorite Catering Lunch Ideas For The Office appeared first on Deborah Miller Catering & Events.

We’re coming to the close of another school year, which means it is time for a new class of graduates to walk across the stage and celebrate their graduation with friends and family. Graduation, whether it is for high school or college, is a momentous event in your son or daughter’s life. However, the graduation party can come with a lot of pressure. If you are trying to plan the perfect graduation party, you’ll have a lot to consider. From decorations to venues, guest lists, and catering ideas – there are many things to check off your list!

We know that the true way to win your guests is to have the very best graduation party catering. Fortunately, the team at Deborah Miller Catering is here to help when it comes to designing the perfect graduation party food menu with our graduation party catering services. Check out our best graduation party catering ideas to create a menu that’s truly irresistible!

Crowd-Pleasing Graduation Party Finger Food Ideas

The food table is often the first pit-stop at a graduation party. Kick your graduation party off with some crowd-pleasing graduation party finger food ideas!

Finger food stations are the perfect way to keep guests full and satisfied while they are munching and socializing with friends and family. At Deborah Miller Catering, we have a variety of graduation party finger food ideas – from passed hors d’oeuvres to stationary finger foods. Whether you are picking a theme or want an expansive spread with options, we can create the perfect appetizer menu for your graduation party.

There are plenty of options if you are planning a classic backyard BBQ for your graduation party. If you know your graduate loves hot dogs and burgers more than anything, this may be the perfect graduation party food theme! Some of our favorite backyard BBQ appetizers include pigs in a blanket with spicy brown mustard, Steak Frites with horseradish cream and chevil pluche, and mac & cheese mugs with our famous three-cheese blend. Our mini stuffed burgers with caramelized onion and gorgonzola are sure to please just about anyone and fit the BBQ theme perfectly!

Has your graduate requested a fun fiesta? There are plenty of graduation party finger food ideas to fit your Mexican food theme. Choose from a variety of tacos, like our chicken tacos with tequila cumin pulled chicken, or Korean chicken taco with a roasted garlic aioli. The mini beef burritos with avocado cream and cilantro chiffonade round out your finger food spread perfectly. Serve tiny burritos and tacos with a make-your own nacho bar with unique and fun toppings on the side!

Want more graduation party finger food ideas? Allow the team at Deborah Miller Catering to assist you! We can create a mix and match appetizer spread for your graduation party or cater to your specific needs. The possibilities are truly endless!

Planning your Graduation Party Buffet

When planning your party, a buffet is the most convenient option for your guests. This way, they can come and go as they please and snack as they like while socializing.

With the help from Deborah Miller Catering in NYC, you can choose from one of our graduation party buffet menus or work with our team to customize a menu based on your graduate’s requests! We can accommodate all dietary requests including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free needs.

Creating the perfect graduation party starts with picking a theme. Playing off that backyard BBQ theme? Check out our Big City Grill catering package which features tasty slider-sizer cheeseburgers with toppings like smashed avocado and chipotle aioli and classic chicken fingers with honey mustard. Served with new potato salad, a mixed green salad and fruit, the Big City Grill is perfect for graduation party food.

Want to pay homage to your Italian roots? Deborah Miller Catering’s Little Italy graduation party catering package features homemade Italian entrees like eggplant parmesan and chicken marsala served alongside penne a la vodka and a big caesar salad.

Another crowd pleaser for graduation parties is the build your own taco bar. Choose from two delicious proteins like pulled pork carnitas and blackened salmon with unique toppings like shaved jalapeno and pico de gallo to effortlessly complement your fiesta!

Graduation Party Catering Ideas: Desserts & Treats

Hopefully your guests have saved room for dessert! You can get creative with graduation themed treats for your dessert table like custom grad cap cookies displayed alongside cupcakes in your graduate’s school colors!

We love setting out a candy bar with bags for guests to fill. Plus, the candy bar can act as an easy and consumable party favor that everyone can enjoy and customize to what they like. Include bright colored candies that coordinate with your graduate’s school colors in tall vessels, jars, and small bowls. Some of our favorite candy for candy buffets are mints, hard candies, M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, and Hershey Kisses! If you have chocolate on your candy buffet, be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent the candy from melting.

With Deborah Miller Catering’s dessert catering services, the possibilities are endless. Pick and choose your favorite desserts to match your event’s themes and your specific tastes and preferences. These graduation party desserts are sure to please an entire crowd!

Relax – Let Deborah Millar Catering Plan your Graduation Party Buffet!

Throwing a graduation party is much easier with a little bit of prior planning and some professional assistance. With the help from Deborah Miller Catering in NYC, you can organize the perfect graduation party buffet with tasty appetizers, entrees, and desserts – plus you can relax and enjoy before and during your party.  Our executive chef and culinary team stand behind strategically sourced local and seasonal ingredients and want to hear your graduation party catering ideas for your next event!

To start planning your graduation party food, look at our catering menu and search our hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, then contact our team to start planning your unique graduation party menu! We look forward to making your graduate’s special day memorable.

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If you are looking to make your own candy bar for parties, it’s a lot simpler than you might think! At Deborah Miller Catering, we have lots of candy buffet ideas and candy table decorations to help you make your own candy bar. Take a look at our candy buffet ideas to get started.

Make your Own Candy Bar: Calculating Candy for Candy Buffet

The first step in planning your candy buffet is picking out the candy for your candy buffet. You’ll want to figure out how much candy you really need for your event. We recommend calculating a ½ lbs. of candy per guest. Therefore, if you are expecting 50 people, you’ll want 25 pounds of candy. From here, you can start calculating how many types of candy you’ll need. For large events like weddings and black-tie galas, you’ll want to have about 10 different types of candy. For smaller events like baby showers and birthday parties, 5-8 types of candy should suffice.

What Type of Candy Should I Get For My Candy Buffet?

If you’re struggling to pick out the type of candy you should get for your candy buffet, we recommend putting your guests first and thinking about what they will like.

Parties with primarily adults in attendance like bridal showers and weddings can have more sophisticated choices that correlate with a specific color theme. For example, choose school colors for graduation parties or candies that match the bride and groom’s wedding colors for bridal showers and weddings. Baby showers can have fun pink or blue candies for whether it’s a girl or boy and holiday parties can have candy buffets with candy that are inspired by the holiday colors. Or, cheer for your favorite team by putting together a candy buffet in an array of your team’s colors. The possibilities are truly endless. If you are opting for a colorful theme, just be sure to vary the shapes, sizes, and flavors to add an interesting element. For seniors, you might want to opt for nostalgic candies like butterscotches and old-fashioned candy sticks.

For children’s parties, you can find fun lollipops or include fun character themed candies like princesses, superheroes, or cartoons. Children tend to love gummi bears, sour candies, candy necklaces, and jawbreakers, so you can get creative with candy buffets for kids. Plus, kid parties can generally be more colorful than adults only parties.

Some of our favorite candy for candy buffets are mints, sour candies, gummies, hard candies, taffies, Hershey’s Kisses, candy corn, jelly beans, junior mints, and Reese’s pieces. And, you don’t have to limit your candy buffet to just candy! Offer a variety of sweets like cupcakes, cookies, and cake pops. There truly are no rules when it comes to designing your custom candy bar for your next event!

How to Display Candy on your Candy Bar for Parties

One of the key factors to arranging a beautiful candy buffet is figuring out how you will display candies at your party. We recommend using tall vessels, jars, small bowls, and trays to arrange candy on many different levels. You can use a tiered stand like a cake or cupcake stand to arrange cake pops and larger candies, while tall vessels and jars hold smaller candies like M&M’s, Jordan almonds, and gum balls. For bulk candies without wrappers, you’ll want to make sure you have a large serving spoon or scooper to allow guests to get candies with ease.

Arranging your Candy Buffet Table

When it comes to arranging your candy on the buffet table, you’ll want to strategically place candy so that it is easy to reach. Before you begin to arrange the candy buffet jars on the table, lay down a beautiful table cloth that matches your theme.

Elevate the candy on the back of the table with cake stands or use taller containers. Don’t use bulk candy containers in the back of the table since it is difficult to scoop the candy in the back. Place apothecary jars, small baskets and candy dishes in the middle of the table and place bulk candies towards the front of the table so that they are easy for guests to access. The front of the table should be reserved for short containers, trays, and decorative boxes. Leave a spot for bags or boxes near the front of the table as well as a marker so guests can write their name!

Candy Buffet Ideas & Candy Table Decorations

Once your vessels, jars, and trays are placed on the table, you can start to fill in the details with candy table decorations. Add in decorations to blank spaces with framed pictures, printable signs, flowers, and garlands. You can create a backdrop for your candy buffet with ribbons, fabric, bows, and streamers. Try and match the rest of the event’s décor by pulling in some of the same pieces from the event’s centerpiece. Enhance your candy bar with other elements like balloons, flowers, signs, and labels for to make the table come to life.

Create a Beautiful Candy Buffet with Deborah Miller Catering

If you are looking to make a statement at your next event, allow Deborah Miller Catering to help. Our team can create a beautiful candy buffet that looks as good as its tastes! We can assist with your event’s catering menu, table decorations, and bring your vision to life. As a leader in the New York City catering industry, we will wow your guests and make your event sparkle. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our candy buffets and catering.

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