We had a wonderful experience preparing for an off-site catering event for one of our sister accounts.
The event was effectively a reception/dinner. So we worked out some imaginative food selections to fill in as a tapas buffet.
Several stations were simply designed as a pick up & go as you stroll. We had no seating. We made available high-boys for standing and freely networking as the attendees casually moved around a fairly large open area outside. The weather was perfect for this afternoon-evening event. Kudos to our entire extended team! From idea to execution, we hit all are marks. Thank you to Scott and his staff at Zurich. Thank you to Megan and Karen. And Thank you to my guys and gals at our home. Big props to the guys that made all this happen…..Derrick, Rich and James.

We had much work to prep all the components and then deliver as an outside catered event. Many moving parts. And to throw an additional degree of difficulty, we had to manage other catered events as well as Pinnacle. At this level, scripting out when, what and how became essential for not losing sight of all that was in front of us, as well as making sure we dotted “i”s and crossed “t”s. Going on the road as a roadshow, and missing big or small was not an option.

PEAK event’s menu follows:

Ramen Noodle Bowl

• Fresh Japanese Vegetables, Ramen Noodles, Coconut Miso Broth and Sesame Chili Oil
• Seafood Ramen Noodle Bowl with Shrimp, Scallops and Salmon in Spicy Curry Miso Broth
• Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen with Chicken, Pork and BBQ Shortrib

Tapas Station

Cold
• Spanish Chicken Taco with Fresh Herb and Cojita Cheese
• Gazpacho Shooters
• Escalivada Catalana on Walnut, Thyme and Olive Bread, Balsamic Syrup
• Crab Cannoli with Chevre Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
Hot
• Sea Bass with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, Arugula Pesto, Saffron Risotto with Bacon and Morels
• Lamb Shawarma with Falafel, Mint Yogurt, Medjool Dates and Roasted Almonds
• Short Rib, Chive Potato Cake, Manchego Cheese and Fresh Horseradish
• Crisp Eggplant with Honey, Spinach, Chick Peas and Patatas Bravas

Slider Bar

• Smoked Brisket with Southwestern Corn Relish, Caramelized Onions, Avocado and Smoked Gouda
• Crab Cake Slider with Arugula and Spicy Sriracha Sauce
• Smoked Turkey and Bacon, Creamy Gorgonzola and Chili Garlic Slaw
• Portobello Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper and Rocket Slider with Tarragon Dijon Dressing

Sides: Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese

To speed up service, we offered three different Ramen Noodle Bowls. Each was pre-assembled with noodles, vegetables and protein. As our guests arrived it was simply a matter of spooning extremely hot broth in the ramen bowl, guaranteeing instant steeping to heat up the bowl’s contents. We settled on the Ramen Bowl station, to bring attention to our use of this module in our daily operations. The only difference here, was the upscaling of fish and meat selections with a more imaginative offering.

Everything here was exceptional. Much to speak of. You just can’t go wrong with Chilean Sea Bass or a really well prepared ShortRib. Or for that matter, the impeccable fresh crabmeat cannoli or crab cake slider.

But one of last minute changes/add ins to the line-up was one our biggest hits. The Smoked Turkey Slider. It was a show stopper to be sure! So many of our guests kept talking up the Smoked Turkey Slider. So just to give anyone reading this a glimpse on what we did or how we did this. Here’s the skinny. We basically stripped down smoked turkey legs carefully removing all that wonderful smoked meat from the bones. There is much cartilage to run thru to get to all that goodness. Once we broke down the legs, we used a food processor to pulse chop the meat to a rough texture consistency forming patties. Sautéing Applewood smoked bacon, onions and garlic together, we combined the above with a bit of Japanese bread crumbs, mayo, fresh chopped rosemary and salt & pepper. That’s it. Nothing else. A gentle mix by hand, and using circle cutters to hold the shape until the patty was pressed well enough to hold itself together in a delicate matrix of flavor and texture did the trick. We carefully cooked these patties and held until service. To assemble, we baked off fresh rolls, slathered with a creamy gorgonzola mayo based dressing and topped with a spicy slaw made with mayo, lime, fresh cilantro and sriracha sauce.
This interplay between the smoky turkey, blue cheese and spicy slaw fell along the lines of buffalo wings with blue cheese dipping sauce with a twist. Smoked turkey! All I can say is WOW! Many happy faces. And calls for seconds! Luckily we had plenty.

We captured some of the work with our trusted resident photographer, Derrick. Thanx Derrick, Scott and Rich for the pics!

Categories: Dinner, Receptions