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Seasons Distinctive Catering
146 Allen St, nr. Rivington St.
212-420-6045
seasonsnyc.com
Chef-owners Marc Tessitore and Robert Zimmerman pride themselves on their attention to detail. They guarantee that one or both of them will attend every event to ensure a restaurant-quality food experience—no matter the venue. They supply everything from food and liquor to rentals and wait staff. Menu items change seasonally, but standouts include grilled swordfish steak with black-eyed peas in a cilantro vinaigrette with chervil potatoes and sautéed greens. Prices range from $12–$18 for passed hors d’oeuvre to $50–$90 for buffet and plated dinner.
Serena
Bass, Inc.
404 W. 13th St., nr. Ninth Ave.
212-727-2257
serenabass.com
There's no cuisine this downtown doyenne won't tackle. Bass has worked with nearly every boldface couple imaginable as well as the companies that employ them. For a chic Russian couple, Bass created a five-course feast including roasted-red-and-yellow-beet napoleon, wild-mushroom tarts with rye pastry, ratatouille, and poached sturgeon with coriander seed. The venue was swathed with dried hops, green apples, and variegated ivy re-creating the bride’s childhood home. Prices start at $175.
Shiraz
NYC, Inc.
161 W. 22nd St., nr. Seventh Ave., second fl.
212-255-7001
shiraznyc.com
If your tastes are all over the map, Shiraz has the perfect fusion menu for you: Appetizers include seared foie gras with fig jus on gingerbread, and there are entrées like pan-seared halibut with fava-bean-and-baby-artichoke succotash. If you’re bored with wedding cake, skip it and try Shiraz’s Godiva-white-chocolate "soup," served in stemless martini glasses ($100–$300).
Sonnier
& Castle
532 W. 46th St., nr. Tenth Ave.
212-957-6481
sonnier-castle.com
At a wedding at the New York Public Library, onetime Vong and Jean Georges chef Robb Garceau indulged guests with squash ravioli with sweet peas and baby carrots in a truffled cream sauce ($250–$350). Special
Attention-Ellen Gelb
325 E. Houston St., nr. Attorney St.
212-477-4805
special-attention.com
Ellen Gelb is best known for her Asian-inspired concoctions: steamed lobster dumplings and Vietnamese summer rolls. But she's up for other cuisines, too: A recent feast included a vegetable tagine with Israeli couscous (from $185).
Spoonbread,
Inc.
364 Cathedral Pkwy., nr. Columbus Ave.
212-865-0700
spoonbreadinc.com
Norma Jean Darden is a whiz at melding different cuisines—Asian-Quaker, say, or Japanese-Jewish. For TV newsman Maurice DuBois, who met his wife in Africa, she made Nigerian chicken in peanut sauce (from $32.50). Susan
Holland & Company, Inc.
142 Fifth Ave., nr. 19th St.
212-807-8892
susanholland.com
Susan Holland juxtaposes modern and ancient styles to create just the right mood. At a wedding at the Brooklyn Museum, guests were surrounded by tall vases made of twisted ice cylinders and feasted on wild striped bass in bouillabaisse broth and pistachio popovers with balsamic strawberries ($220–$300).
Suvir
Saran
15 Park Row, nr. Broadway
917-859-7160
suvir.com
Tired of crab cakes? Indian culinary connoisseur Saran seduces with baby eggplant cooked in sesame-peanut sauce, servers draped in paisley shawls, and tables dressed with eighteenth-century textiles ($60–$300). Sylvia's
Catering
328 Lenox Ave., nr. 126th St.
212-996-0660
sylviassoulfood.com
Since 1962, South Carolina–born Sylvia Woods, a celebrity soul-food chef if ever there was one, has served her many fans pan-fried salmon croquettes over collard greens, filet mignon with Krug champagne, southern gravy, and chocolate red-velvet cake. Catering prices from $75 to $150; includes beverages.
Taste
Caterers, Inc.
113 Horatio St., nr. Washington St.
212-255-8571
tastecaterers.com
Taste Caterers' seasonal menus emphasize fresh local ingredients ( Hudson Valley, Long Island, and Greenmarket). Choices include a wild-mushroom tasting plate, horseradish-crusted wild salmon, star-anise fillet of beef, artisanal cheeses, and custom-designed cakes ($225–$250).
Tastings
by Payard
530 E. 76th St., nr. York Ave.
212-744-4422
payard.com
Payard's sweet-and-savory cocktail parties make for chic, fuss-free receptions. They include hors d’oeuvre like wild-mushroom risotto cake with white-truffle oil and terrific mini-pastries (from $50).
Tentation
Potel & Chabot
524 W. 34th St., nr. Tenth Ave.
212-564-7530
Tentation has built a reputation on visually stunning presentations. Try the grilled African tiger-shrimp peri peri or white-chocolate cones with lemon crème fraîche and red berries (from $250). Tom
Orlando
212 W. 22nd St., nr. Seventh Ave.
212-255-2846
Known for combining elegance and comfort, Orlando and his staff offer clever fare such as roasted Maine lobster with fresh figs and sautéed foie gras, duck à l’orange, and a veal chop stuffed with spinach and leeks ($95–$225).
91/The
Upper Crust
91 Horatio St., nr. Washington St.
212-691-4570
tucnyc.com
This West Village outfit, which also has its own event space, serves up grilled Atlantic salmon with roasted fennel and orange relish, lobster Napoleon, and pan-seared tournedos of beef ($100–$250, including alcohol). Zarela
Catering
953 Second Ave., nr. 50th St.
212-663-7004
zarela.com
Couples who have enjoyed romantic dinners at Zarela Martinez’s Mexican restaurant in midtown will appreciate the huitlacoche-crêpe casseroles, crab tostadas, and mango-mousse-filled cake she serves at weddings and other events. Prices are $100 and up.
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