Lowcountry Cuisine Spring 2018

lowcountry cuisine LC 18 www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com “Letting someone else handle the prepping, cooking, packaging, delivering, serving and cleanup is well worth the expense,” she said. “It’s much more work than people can comprehend. Even if someone loves to cook and thinks they can do it all, it makes more sense to let someone else handle it, especially if it’s an emotional day like a wedding.” Making it so clients can relax and just enjoy their event without distractions is “what we do,” Herrick said. “If someone doesn’t want the aggravation of dealing with all the little details and prefers to not spend all of their time away from the event, it’s best to turn it over to a caterer and let them take care of it for you.” Jenna Locke, senior catering director of Cru Catering, said caterers are there to help make an event successful and to take pressure off the hosts. “Though it seems easy to pull some food together to entertain friends, you tend to find yourself in the kitchen longer than you planned, when you should be greeting your guests or getting yourself ready,” she said. “So many of our clients tell us after we’ve catered their event that it was so easy. They didn’t have to worry about a thing and were able to host their guests without a worry.” Locke said people underestimate the details of what it takes to put on an event. “When you’re hosting guests, you don’t want to find yourself in the kitchen or constantly worrying if food needs to be replenished or if it’s staying warm,” she explained. “A caterer will focus on the food quality and presentation throughout the event. And, of course, once all your guests have left, everything will be cleaned up and put away for you. For a do-it-yourself bride, you want your family to enjoy the day, and no one wants to worry about who is cleaning up at the end.” Using a caterer also makes a statement and reflects better on an event. “I think it allows you to pay more attention to your guests and be more relaxed from start to finish,” Locke added. “That’s what it’s all about. When the host comes across as cool, calm and collected, the guests are going to feel that immediately, and it will set the tone for the occasion.” To make your next party, gala or special celebration a success, consider hiring a caterer to handle the details. Whether planning an elegant soiree or an informal gathering, catering experts won’t leave anything to chance, ensuring an event you will look back on fondly for many years to come. el i ’ s t a ble CharlestonHospitalityGroup.com eli’s table