Let this list be your guide through the decision-making process and send you on your way to the execution of a successful event.

1. Do you have a health department permit and liability insurance? A health department permit is crucial because it ensures the caterer is working out of an approved facility, and meets specified health and safety requirement. Liability insurance protects the client against mishaps. If you are serving alcohol at your event, make sure that the caterer has adequate liquor liability insurance.

2. How long has your company been in business? Make sure your caterer has a history of success. Have they won any awards that highlight their capabilities?

3. Can you share your client reviews with me? What better way to gauge the service level and food quality than from previous clients. Ask the caterer for reviews, but also do your own research—the internet is a great tool!

4. What venues do you cater at? If a caterer appears on multiple major venues’ preferred lists, you can assume this caterer has consistently done a great job.

5. Who will be my point-of-contact during the planning process and on the day of my event? The service provided during the planning process is crucial. You will want to make sure you’re working with someone who is responsive and knowledgeable. Be sure to also ask who will be in charge on the Wedding day to make sure every detail is perfect. Will it be an experienced banquet manager to coordinate meal service or an on-site coordinator who will run the entire event?

6. What is the experience level/training of the service staff and the uniform requirements? Does your caterer employ trained and experienced servers? The level of service provided by your caterer’s service staff will have a big impact on your guests’ experiences and enjoyment of the event.

7. Are you a “green” caterer? What environmentally-friendly practices do you have at your facility and on-site at events? As many of us are living more environmentally-friendly, we should expect this from our vendors as well. Will your caterer collect and recycle cans, bottles, and packaging materials? What other “green” services can they provide?

8. Will the meal be prepared on site or arrive at the venue already prepared? Believe it or not some caterers prep and cook your meal hours before the event, and then re-heat before serving to your guests. Make sure the food served at your wedding will be fresh and delicious.

9. How accommodating can the chef be for my guests’ special dietary needs? Professional chefs are generally able to accommodate special dietary needs. Find out if your caterer can accommodate these, and what the additional cost is.

10. What is the quality of ingredients used in the kitchen? Does your caterer use fresh vs. frozen and prepared foods? Flavorful foods are ones made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and prepared on-site at your event.

Test us with these questions when you book your appointment, and we’re sure you’ll see why we’re Arizona’s top caterer.

The Boulder House, located in North Scottsdale in the landscape of the Sonoran Desert, is considered by many to be a cultural and architectural masterpiece. The house sits in, around, over and under 38,000 square feet of granite boulders and is very appropriately listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We were honored to cater a reception at the Boulder House, with the menu featuring an elegant twist on Southwest cuisine.

While many Southwest menus include traditional nachos and tamales, the fare created for the event incorporated our modern perspective on the recipes. Our nachos were served with smoked duck and goat cheese paired with sweet potato and green chili tamales and blue point oysters served in a martini glass under a delicate Bloody Mary sauce and cracked pepper.

The appetizers went on to include crab cakes topped with smoked paprika and stone ground mustard aioli, as well as sweet Mexican shrimp sautéed with white wine and cilantro atop grilled rustic bread.

For dinner, guests had the option of toasted cumin beef tenderloin and sea bass served with green chili-cilantro mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus drizzled in a poblano red wine sauce or goat cheese and chive enchiladas.

The night finished with a Mexican chocolate cinnamon tart, a warm ancho-infused ganache, drizzled with cajeta and a goat cheese pound cake topped with fresh blackberries and jalapeno ice cream.

The Boulder House was the perfect venue to host this beautiful Santa Barbara Southwest menu.

Tempe Center for the Arts recently hosted “A Supreme Evening of Jazz,” for the O’Connor House Project, a community effort to relocate the original adobe house of Sandra Day O’Connor to Papago Park. The O’Connor house is not only recognized as her first home in Arizona,  but also for being a witness to her remarkable accomplishments and a testament for much of Arizona’s state history in O’Connor’s early career as a self-employed lawyer.

Through donations it is hoped that the house will once again be a gathering place where people find the level of compromise and consensus needed to move society forward.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was in attendance to thank guests for their support and to talk about her love of jazz. The event featured performances by Ivory and Gold; jazz music by pianist Jeff Barnhart, flutist Anne Barnhart and percussionist Danny Coots

“Santa Barbara Catering prepared and served the food. You can’t go wrong with them. Truly the best in Arizona,” said event photographer, Scott Foust.

The menu planned for the event included:

Chipotle Braised Beef Short Rib Empanada with Caramelized Onion, Queso Fresco and Cilantro. Served with a Poblano Crème Fraîche

Blue Corn Pancake Topped with Tequila Smoked Salmon, Caviar, Capers

Red Onion and Cilantro Crème

Stuffed Date Filled with Boursin Cheese and Topped with a Marcona Almond

Foust’s images can be viewed here.  Flowers and décor design was provided by Avante Garde. 

Santa Barbara has teamed up with the Orpheum Lofts Penthouse, located in the historic District of Copper Square in Downtown Phoenix, to provide extraordinary downtown events that combine the character of a truly unique venue with that of Santa Barbara’s outstanding service and cutting edge cuisine and presentation. The combination of exquisite food and timeless elegance in this 1930’s brick high rise building will provide anyone a truly special and memorable event in an environment sure to exceed all expectations.

From start to finish, Santa Barbara and the Orpheum Lofts Penthouse will take care of everything. From lobster beignets to your very own “signature” cocktail – the possibilities are endless. Your guests will arrive at the penthouse via a private elevator and will receive a customized welcome announcement sure to impress.

Your guests will never forget the feeling of impact and style that they experience at The Orpheum Lofts Penthouse 11th floor rooftop patio, while sitting next to the fireplace or listening to the cascading rooftop fountains and taking in the striking view of downtown Phoenix. An in-house, state-of-the-art sound system, including rooftop audio and plasma TV’s, can be used to ensure additional sensory delight.

Whether you are interested in an elegant rooftop wedding ceremony at sunset, a company event or a private gathering, Santa Barbara and the Orpheum Lofts Penthouse will provide you with the perfect surrounding for an elegant and flawless event.

*Grand Opening Night of Orpheum Penthouse captured by Rhonda Lewis Photography who can photograph any event held at the Orpheum Lofts Penthouse.

Santa Barbara Catering Company was honored to have been a part of an amazing wedding reception at the Phoenix Art Museum recently. The beautiful day and remarkable venue allowed for some wonderful photo ops. Check out The Bride’s Café, one of the top wedding blogs, to see more pictures. Thank you Phoenix Art Museum for hosting another great event.

Santa Barbara Catering Company was recently featured on FOX 10 Arizona showcasing some delicious and creative ideas for your Super Bowl party this weekend.

Santa Barbara Pastry Chef Lynn Elston whipped up a few simple treats that you can easily recreate at home. “I Scream You Scream Ice Cream Sandwiches” were decorated with Super Bowl team logos making a mouth watering treat for Colts and Saints fans alike.

“Super Bowl Fruit Pizzas” made with caramel cream cheese and decorated with fruits according to team colors (blueberries for the Colts and blackberries and mango for the Saints), make for a delectable twist on pizza that is sure to impress.

To wash it all down, enjoy “Orange Cream Circle Pop Floats” made with fresh squeezed orange juice, vanilla ice cream and a splash of vodka.

Below are the recipes from Santa Barbara Pastry Chef Lynn Elston if you would like to make your own yummy Super Bowl themed desserts at home for your guests.

I Scream You Scream Ice Cream Sandwiches

You will need:
24 sugar cookies
½ gallon your favorite ice scream
Cellophane bags and ribbon
Sugar Cookie Dough
1-cup butter
1-cup sugar
2 large eggs
1-teaspoon vanilla
4-cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 325 degrees. Combine butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla. Next add dry ingredients in. Chill dough up to one hour. Roll dough on floured surface to about one quarter of an inch thick. Using a football cookie cutter, cut out 24 total. Place 12 cookies upside down; scoop ice cream onto bottoms of cookies and sandwich with remaining cookies rightside up. Place cookies in freezer for 20 min. Once firm, place in bags and tie with raffia. Place back in freezer and take out 10 minutes before serving.

Super Bowl Fruit Pizzas
Pizza Dough
2 cups water warm 109*-113* degrees
¼ cup plus tablespoon Olive Oil
1-tablespoon instant yeast
5 cups Bread Flour
1-tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Salt

In a mixing bowl with dough hooks, mix warm water and yeast. Let sit for about 5 min until yeast foams and dissolves to the top. Add sugar and oil, then flour and salt. Mix with dough hook for 5 min. Place dough in well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let double in size for 1 hour.

Once risen, punch dough with hand, and portion into 5 pieces. Roll into flat round pizzas with rolling pin on a floured surface. You can grill on outside grill or bake in oven at 400 degrees.

Melt some butter and have some cinnamon sugar on side and brush the fresh baked dough lightly with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Pizza Caramel Spread:

2 cups cream cheese
¼ cup brown sugar

Combine in a mixing bowl and beat until well combined.
Once the baked pizza has cooled,sSpread the cream cheese caramel mixture evenly on pizza leaving a 1-inch edge on crust.

Colts Pizza: Spread blueberries with whip cream.

Saints pizza: Arrange blackberries and mango with thinly sliced mint as a garnish.

You can also make any flavor pizza you want. Enjoy!

Orange Cream Circle Pop Floats

Plastic cup
1 cup Fresh squeezed Orange juice
¼ cup soda spritzer
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
Splash of Grand Marnier or Premium Vodka

Enjoy with a spoon and root for your team!

But the wedding is just the beginning…

We look forward to a lifetime of special events with our brides including anniversaries, family reunions, business events and more. Santa Barbara Catering Company can plan and cater any special event at the top venues in the Phoenix area.

View the Arizona Bride Magazine article >

Start planning your phoenix area wedding today!
Santa Barbara Catering Company

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