FAQs
It's best to read this like one document, from start to finish.

"I've never hired a caterer before. Can you help me understand the three main types of caterers?"

Catering is highly variable. What it is or is not has no set definition. There are three main types of caterers you should understand.

"What makes your Boutique Catering so special and what should I expect during a consultation?" 

Please see Our Boutique Catering. It is essential information.

"How much do couples routinely spend on wedding cuisine?"

"Where do you cook your cuisine and where are you based out of?"

Chef Stephen and his carefully selected staff disperse from across Wisconsin to all parts of the state, neighboring states, and nationally and internationally. We prepare your unique-to-you cuisine on-site utilizing all of your venue's amenities and a mobile kitchen we bring. The level of cuisine from our boutique catering is unapproachable by caterers who truck in already-cooked food from off site and truck it down the road.

"Why is Boutique Catering more expensive than going out to eat, ordering take-out, or caterers who prepare food off site and truck it in?"

The comparison is not even close. The level of dedication, labor, service, cuisine, flexibility, and other particulars that our Boutique Catering provides is similar only to dining in at very special restaurants. We are not "bargain-buy caterers." The two most important things about wedding memories are your love and the food. 

"Who is Chef Stephen?"

Please see About Chef Stephen.

"Who are Chef Stephen's team members?"

Chef Stephen has put together an extraordinarily talented and diverse team from across Wisconsin who earn every cent of their high pay. You can read some of their bios here. He maintains additional talent for out-of-state and overseas events

"How many events do you schedule per week? Can you service every request or are you selective

We take only one major event per week and take each extremely personally. Because of competing requests, we are selective about situations we enter, especially during the Wisconsin wedding season (mid-May to mid-October). Typically, we choose to cater events during that time at $75 to $150+ per person. 

Because of the demand on our services we may lack time to personally respond to lower cost requests; please, don't take any offense. During other times of the year, our catering schedule is less competitive so costs are lower. 

Reach out in all cases. 

"How are your ratings and reviews?"

Over many decades they are universally Five Stars and glowing among people who have eaten our cuisine and experienced our service. Yelp! is where people we declined to take as clients and who never experienced our cuisine tend to dump. Authentic customer reviews of our cuisine and service are at Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews, and in text messages.

"Do you have any wedding venue selection advice and do you have preferred venues?"

Your venue and its amenities will influence your menu and service style options. Venues with a usable commercial kitchen enable us to pull out all the stops, while venues with some sort of usable kitchen also expand your options. We also shine at entirely outdoor events but your menu options and service style options will have some limitations. 

Reach out to us if you wish assistance with selecting a venue that best meets your culinary vision and event location! 

"Can I see menus with predetermined prices?"

As boutique caterers, we craft each menu through close collaboration with you. This ensures a personalized and unforgettable dining experience. Prices are determined by your custom menu, your venue's amenities, event location, and desired service style(s). Our past custom menu examples offer only a small glimpse into our culinary range within varying contexts.

"Can you help me understand catering service styles?"

Our explainer gives guidance. We will discuss the best fits for your menu, venue, and event during our initial consultation

"Do you offer tastings?"

Many wedding writers hungry for internet clicks-and-eyes simply do not distinguish among the types of caterers in the market; so, they write with with only a partial frame of reference.

Boutique catering means not something ordered from a standardized menu. It is custom cuisine unique to you cooked on site for a large gathering. That is something that is impossible to represent by a few samples. Hence, we don't do the choreographed pageantry of a traditional "tasting." 

"Truck-the-food-in" caterers very much want you to do a "tasting" because what they will be arriving with at your event will not be, simply cannot be, as fresh or good. 

If you wish firsthand experience with our cuisine, we can often extend an invitation for you and several guests to watch us in action and dine for free at an event we are catering. Alternatively, you can hire us as private chefs for an intimate gathering. 

"How do I book you and how do retainers and payments work?"

"Once you receive our retainer, how does communication work?"

"Can I see your catering contract template?"

Our basic catering contract template is normal industry standard among boutique caterers

"Can you cater events that span more than one day?"

We love to do so and can offer package deals for multi-day events, such as a Friday dinner, Saturday brunch, dinner, and late-night refreshments, followed by Sunday brunch, or some combination thereof. 

For longer spans, we are available as private chefs or under an ongoing contract. 

"Do you cater on military bases?"

We have affinity for doing so! Col. E.H "Jim" Ammerman was a very important early life mentor to Chef Stephen. 

We require direct contact with a named officer from the start and don't normally go through bidding contractors. 

"How do I estimate the number of diners at my event?"

We suggest this formula:

(number of out-of-town invited guests x 75%) + (number of local invited guests x 90%) = estimated guest count

We approach guest count not as hitting the bullseye on a dart board but as ensuring we hit the board within a safe buffer. 

"Can you work with our event planner?"

We closely coordinate with all third parties as team members.

"What three comments do you most often hear at events you cater?"

"Are there any events/venues you won't cater to?"

"Are you certified in food safety and do you carry insurance?"

"Are you available as private chefs?"

We travel worldwide as private chefs. Hiring us as for such enables us to lavish attention on the smallest of details, whether for a day, a week, a month, or more. 

"What if I have to cancel or reschedule?"

Our cancellation and rescheduling policies are industry standard. The earlier you cancel or reschedule, the better for us both. If something horrible happens that upheaves your whole event, such as death or disaster, we both agree to walk away graciously and leave one another as whole as possible.

"Do you offer discounts?"

As much as we love cuisine, we love people much more. We listen closely to special circumstances. 

"Can you consult on my restaurant's menu?"

Chef Stephen's culinary expertise and cultural knowledge can help you create a perfect menu for your target clientele. He can also train kitchen staff on-site.

"Can you itemize items on the custom menu(s) you create for us?"

As is the normal practice among boutique caterers, we offer custom menus and service as whole packages, not as a la carte items to be ordered from a menu. If we published menus, they would take up multiple volumes on a bookshelf.