If you’ve considered Thanksgiving catering, chances are you abandoned the notion as quickly as it occurred to you. After all, isn’t spending days prepping and cooking for this important holiday meal an age-old tradition?

However, as strange as it might sound, you could have a more enjoyable and authentic Thanksgiving dinner when you use the services of a catering company. In fact, you can enjoy a traditional holiday dinner with your guests even if you don’t slave over the stove all day yourself.

Maybe you’re hesitant to consider the idea of serving your holiday guests a feast that someone else prepared. But what if they never had to know you didn’t do all the work yourself? Covert catering can make your Thanksgiving meal a breeze and your guests never need to know it wasn’t you who pulled it all together.

How Does Covert Catering Work?

Caterers often have clients who want to take advantage of their services, but they don’t necessarily want their guests to know they had help in creating the perfect holiday meal.

Enter covert catering.

Your caterer can prepare all the basics of your meal and deliver the food to you, ready to heat and serve. All you have to do is add some finishing touches and serve up your movable feast. You can reheat your side dishes and place them in a serving bowl, as though you handled the entire process yourself.

Likewise, you can reheat the turkey and keep it warm in a low oven. Then, when the time comes, pull the bird out, carve it up and serve.

Will Covert Thanksgiving Catering Work for You?

Many would-be customers shy away from working with a catering company for their holiday meals, fearing that a professionally prepared feast might exceed their budget.

You might be surprised to discover just how cost-effective Thanksgiving catering can be, especially when you consider the time and effort you invest in shopping and prepping the food.

But what about those leftovers your family looks forward to after the main event? You can have those too. Simply tell your caterer that you’d like a little extra of everything and they will make sure to work that into your menu.

Of course, you don’t have to keep it a secret if you don’t want to. Your family and guests will appreciate the extra time they have to spend with you, since you won’t be holed away in the kitchen, slaving over the stove.

You can even skip the bulk of the cleanup if you prefer. Your caterer can provide disposable plates, flatware and everything you need for an elegant feast without any of the cleanup. And, best of all, no crusty pots and pans to deal with.

Talking to Your Caterer About Holiday Menu Options

Whether you prefer a traditional menu, or if you want to change things up a bit this year, your local catering company can help you design the perfect menu. You can determine the best time to pick up the food or have it delivered, and discuss ideas for plating and serving that will make your holiday table special.

Brown Brothers Catering specializes in taking the stress out of special events and family gatherings. We help our Salt Lake City area clients with everything from large weddings, receptions and corporate events to intimate family gatherings. We can help you make your holiday dinners easy and delicious this year without all the time, effort and mess. Contact us today to learn more, or discuss possible menu options for your Thanksgiving catering – it can be our little secret.

Although catering may not be the first thing that comes to mind in times of sorrow, a trusted local catering company can be invaluable for a funeral or memorial service.

When family and friends come together to mourn the passing of a loved one, they often mark this solemn occasion by sharing a meal. However, the last thing anyone wants to deal with is preparing, cooking and cleaning up after a meal.

A local catering company can help, easing the burden while providing a wholesome and flavorful selection of food items.

Celebrate a Loved One’s Life Over a Good Meal

Nothing brings us together like sharing a meal, no matter what the occasion.

In times of grief and pain, food can sustain us and provide a momentary respite. Honoring a lost loved one’s life can become easier and less stressful with food. Whether you prefer a full buffet meal or simple appetizers to sustain those present, you can achieve this basic goal quickly and easily with the help of your local catering company.

You can host friends and family members at your home or another location related to the memorial service. Wherever you choose to host a memorial event, funeral catering can provide everything you need to accomplish your objectives.

Match Memorial or Funeral Catering to Your Traditions

Think for a moment about what you might prepare yourself for a memorial or funeral, then trust your catering company to make your wishes to a reality.

Whatever your culture or traditions, your caterer can take the burden off your shoulders. No, your catering company may not have the ability to reproduce your exact recipe for funeral potatoes but, given the chance, they can offer a flavorful option that will honor your traditions.

A local caterer will understand the nuances of your culture and help you achieve the menu that you would serve attendees yourself, given the time and resources.

Trust Your Local Catering Company in Times of Need

At Brown Brothers Catering, we rejoice with our clients during times of celebration and stand with them during times of sorrow.

We have been part of our northern Utah community for more than a decade and we know that community members come together to help each other, no matter what. We have designed our services to provide a stress-free experience for our customers, no matter what the occasion.

We will set up your food, serve your guests and package the leftovers for you. We will tear down and clean up, leaving you with nothing at all to worry about. Our menus include all the service items necessary, including plates, cups and heavy-duty disposable flatware.

We can customize a menu to meet your needs and we will work with you achieve your goals at a cost that fits your budget.

Contact Brown Brothers today for caring and compassionate catering for funerals and memorial services.

For any party, catering services can help make your event a smashing success – even if you’re just having a few friends and family members over to celebrate getting through another summer.

If you’re planning a fall party, hiring a local catering company can take a substantial part of the stress off your shoulders. And, you might be surprised to learn that the cost could be about the same as if you do the food yourself.

Fall Party Catering Themes

Fall parties are a perennial favorite in northern Utah. For many people, the end of summer signals the beginning of the holiday season. From Labor Day through the New Year, you’ll get to see loved ones, spend time with family, and celebrate a series of beloved holidays.

Popular fall party themes include Labor Day barbecues, college football tailgate parties, harvest celebrations and Halloween costume parties. You can choose any theme you like – or no particular theme at all – as long as you have plenty of food and drink for your guests to enjoy.

What Will Your Party Catering Services Include?

When you choose Brown Brothers Catering for your fall party, you’ll get the freshest, high-quality food, delivered and set up at your location. You’ll also get all the service items you need, from disposable plates and flatware to serving vessels and utensils.

We will also break down your food service and clean up the mess, so you can concentrate on spending time with your guests and enjoying your party.

The best part? We can work with you to provide your fall party catering for little more than you might spend yourself, once you consider the time and money required to buy the ingredients and serving items, prep, cook, serve, break down and clean up all the mess.

And you even get to keep the leftovers!

Choosing a Local Caterer for Your Event

Here at Brown Brothers Catering, we take immense pride in our exceptional food and customer service. For more than ten years, we’ve been helping individuals and businesses throughout northern Utah with all their event catering needs. We do hundreds of wedding and receptions every year, along with corporate events, banquets, and parties.

You may not ever have considered hiring a local catering company to provide the food for your personal celebrations and holiday events, but maybe it’s time you did.

You can check out our diverse selection of catering menus for inspiration or, if you prefer, we can work with you to design a custom menu of all your favorite fall-inspired dishes. Whatever you choose, you have our guarantee that your party guests will remember your event for years to come. In fact, you might even start a new tradition.

Contact Brown Brothers Catering today to learn more about our services, or to request a customized price quote for your fall party catering services.

For corporate events, catering with buffet food is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to feed your guests. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get bogged down in the same old buffet spread of rubbery chicken, dry mashed potatoes, and overcooked green beans.

Buffet food doesn’t have to be boring or poorly executed. To the contrary, you can make your next corporate function memorable and delicious with one of our buffet style catering menu themes.

Hawaiian Island Style Buffet Food

Imagine your guests’ delight when they lay eyes on a buffet spread that includes kalua pork, pineapple chicken with teriyaki glaze, Polynesian rice, and steamed veggies.

They’ll get a real island flavor with the seasonal island fruits that are included in this buffet food menu, which might include pineapple, guava, mango, papaya or watermelon, along with mango salsa and tri-colored chips.

If you’d like to up the ante on island-style flavor, we can also give you a price to add haupia, taro and other authentic Pacific Island dishes upon request.

Pasta Napoli Buffet for Lunch or Dinner

The Pasta Napoli buffet menu puts your guests in charge of their dining experience. They will have their choice of pasta – including fettuccine, spaghetti, penne, linguini, rotini and more – and sauce. Some of our most popular sauce choices include cream tomato, marinara, pesto, mushroom marsala and garlic butter.

You will enjoy fresh Caesar salad, Italian vegetables and, of course, toasted garlic bread.

For your corporate event catering buffet menu, you can choose two types of pasta and three sauces. For a heartier spread (and a nominal upcharge) you can add chicken alfredo, meat sauce, sausage, and peppers or chicken breast to your menu.

Southern Table Dinner Buffet Menu

Give your guests a taste of hospitality in the deep south with our Southern Table Dinner. This corporate event buffet food menu is a crowd-pleaser, featuring cornbread stuffed quail and grits with prosciutto, mushrooms, and shallots.

This menu raises the bar for buffet food with arugula salad, orange rosemary pan-braised carrots, cornbread and scones with honey butter. Your guests will finish their meal with a delightful apple charlotte topped with fresh whipped cream.

We can customize any of our buffet food menus at your request or, if you prefer, create a menu from scratch, to your specification.

At Brown Brothers Catering, all of our buffet menus include heated transport and delivery, setup, chafing dishes, servers, linens, trays, bowls, serving utensils and crystal plastic flatware. We also include tear down and clean up. We even include citrus water and flavored lemonade in our prices!

You can’t beat the quality and service you’ll get when you choose Brown Brothers for your next event. There’s a reason we’ve been northern Utah’s preferred caterer for more than a decade. Contact us today to learn more, or to request pricing for your next corporate event catering.

The catering tasting is an important aspect of planning a reception or large event – and one of the more enjoyable aspects of the planning process.

If you haven’t attended a tasting before, you may not know what to expect. Although every catering company has slightly different tasting policies, it’s customary to observe some basic rules of etiquette. These tips will also help ensure that you get the most out of your sampling experience, so you can make your final menu selections more easily.

Limit the Number in Your Catering Tasting Party

Don’t try to take too many people with you to your tasting appointment. This is more for your benefit than anything, but it’s also the polite thing to do for your caterer.

If you’re tasting in advance of your wedding reception, for example, the ideal party might include the happy couple, your wedding planner (if you have one) and one or two friends or family members whose opinions you trust.

If your or your fiancé’s parents or family members are footing the bill, you should probably also invite them along to make sure they are on board with your choices.

Don’t Try to Sample Too Many Dishes at Your Catering Tasting

This can be a challenge, especially if the caterer has an extensive menu, every item of which sounds delicious.

Some companies limit the number of items you can try during your catering tasting. Others allow you to sample only those items they choose to present. Either way, you can easily become confused and overwhelmed if you try to sample everything under the sun. Limiting the number of dishes you try will better allow you to make good decisions that you’ll be comfortable with.

Do take photos of each item and make notes about the flavor, texture, presentation, etc. This will give you a handy reference when you need to revisit the experience.

Plan Your Catering Tasting Well in Advance (& Be Flexible)

Catering companies have to schedule tastings around their schedule of events. This may mean that you have to be amenable to a weekday tasting. Some caterers will allow you to drop by one of their events but, in that case, you may not get to ask questions or choose any items to taste.

Some catering companies hold periodic tasting events and invite potential clients to attend. This is an ideal scenario because the staff won’t be busy trying to make someone else’s event a success, so you will have the opportunity to interact, ask questions and chat leisurely with your group and other attendees.

In the Salt Lake City area, Brown Brothers Catering tried to offer our clients and potential clients the greatest flexibility possible for their tasting experience. We regularly host tasting events at some of northern Utah’s most sought-after reception venues, so you can see our work in action. Although you must RSVP to attend, we never charge our potential clients for these events. Contact us today to find out where and when our next catering tasting event will be held, and to put your name on the list to attend.

When choosing a caterer for a reception, corporate event or party, you can’t be too careful.

The catering company you select for your event will prepare and serve a variety of food and beverages for your guests. Although it doesn’t happen often, the careless handling of food during preparation and storage could make your guests sick. Likewise, purchasing ingredients from questionable sources can also result in substandard fare or, worse, food-borne illness.

By asking potential catering companies just a few basic questions, you can make an informed decision that will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises.

No. 1: Where Will the Caterer Prepare the Food?

Catering companies must prepare their food in a commercial kitchen facility that has been inspected and certified by the county. They cannot prep in a residential kitchen or anywhere that doubles as sleeping quarters.

This helps ensure that the company complies with all governing safety standards and regulations.

Unfortunately, there are many would-be caterers out there who operate outside the guidelines, potentially putting you and your guests at risk. As for a tour of their commercial kitchen if you suspect this may be the case.

No. 2: How Does the Company Hold Food at the Proper Temperature?

Transporting food from the prep kitchen to your event venue requires the caterer to hold the dishes at the proper temperature for safety. They must also use containers and implements certified by NSF or ANSI.

Most important, however, all food must be stored and held at the proper temperature (hot or cold) based on health department regulations. Be sure to ask any potential caterer how they will ensure your food is never subjected to potentially risky conditions.

No. 3: Does the Caterer Have a County Health Permit & Safety Certification?

The Utah Department of Health enforces food safety regulations for caterers as well as restaurants and other venues that serve food to the public.

Catering companies must have a Certified Food Protection Manager and all staff must have food safety training and a valid food handler’s card. The company must also have a county health permit for the facility in which they prepare their food.

No. 4: Does the Company Carry Catering Insurance?

No matter how competent and careful a cater may be, sometimes things happen that are beyond anyone’s control. If that occurs, you want to be sure your caterer has insurance that will cover the damages.

When you ask a potential caterer about their insurance coverage, specifically inquire about their liability and E&O (errors and omissions) policies.

Catering liability will cover injury accidents that may occur during your event and that are the catering company’s fault. This is the policy that insurance you and your guests if, for example, one of the servers drops a knife and it accidentally stabs someone in the leg.

Errors and omissions coverage is typically the policy that will apply to incidents of food contamination for which the catering company has fault.

Brown Brothers Catering has been serving clients in Utah for almost a decade, for weddings, receptions, corporate events and parties. We have established a reputation for excellence and we are licensed, bonded, insured and certified, to give you the peace of mind you deserve for your event. Contact us today to see why we are the Salt Lake City area’s preferred cater.

DIY catering – also known as self-catering – is a popular topic in bridal and wedding forums, as couples look for ways to stretch their budget.

Although you might think this is a great way to save money, it’s important that you understand all the factors involved before making this decision. Once you take an earnest look at all the cost and time requirements – not to mention the risks – you may want to reconsider the do-it-yourself wedding catering idea.

What Is DIY Wedding Catering?

Essentially, a self-catered wedding is exactly what it sounds like – the bride, groom, families and friends handle every aspect of the food.

This typically includes all of the following tasks:

• Planning the menu
• Purchasing ingredients
• Preparing the dishes
• Transporting
• Setting up
• Serving
• Tearing down
• Cleaning up

Some couples even take things a step further, including the wedding cake in their DIY catering efforts.

Factors to Consider when Self-Catering a Wedding

Self-catering involves more than just preparing food – much more.

You’ll have to purchase and provide all the service items necessary for your guests to eat. This includes various sized plates, napkins, cups and flatware. You’ll also need the supplies for setting up the food, such as chafing dishes, serving bowls and plates, tongs, serving spoons and display stands.

Don’t forget serving tables, tablecloths, décor and – here’s a big one – people to staff the serving tables, replenish food and clean up spills and messes. Someone will also have to handle teardown and cleanup, along with disposing of or packing up the leftovers.

Where will the food be prepared and stored? Do you and your family and friends have the food safety knowledge necessary to ensure no one gets food poisoning? Do you have a way to transport the food to your reception venue while keeping it within a safe temperature range?

Should You Try DIY Wedding Catering?

Before you decide to try catering your own wedding, ask yourself these questions.

• Do you really want to be spending time messing with and worrying about your food the week (and day) of your wedding?
• Do you really want to put that pressure on your friends and family?
• Are you willing to take a chance that you can successfully make that much food?
• Are you willing to risk giving your guests food poisoning?
• Do you know exactly how much it will cost you cater your own wedding?

Before making a final decision, talk to a Utah catering company that specializes in weddings and receptions. Find out what items the caterer includes in their price, and ask what services are included.

You might be surprised to learn how little you’ll actually save by trying to do it all yourself. When you factor in the time and risk involved, you could even end up ahead.

Brown Brothers Catering provides an exceptional catering experience to couples throughout northern Utah, taking the stress and pressure out of their special day. Before you decide to try DIY catering for your wedding, contact our Provo office today to request a price quote and learn more about our services.

When you start shopping for caterers for weddings, you may quickly find yourself overwhelmed with choices.

In Salt Lake City and throughout northern Utah, hundreds of catering companies offer their services for weddings and receptions. So how do you possibly narrow down your options to ensure you make the right choice?

Before You Decide Which Utah Wedding Caterers to Interview

Before searching for caterers for your wedding, you must make a few critical decisions about what you want – otherwise you can’t accurately identify which caterers are a good fit. The most important choices you need to make are as follows.

• Budget – Your budget will drive literally every other decision about your wedding catering, including headcount, menu and format
• Headcount – You don’t need to know exactly how many guests you’ll have in attendance but you’ll need a range that’s accurate within 10 percent or so +/-
• Format – Consider whether you want buffet-style food, passed appetizers, a plated dinner or some combination of these

Once you identify this information, you can start identifying those caterers for weddings that can handle your event.

Creating a Shortlist of Utah Caterers for Weddings

As you identify caterers who are qualified to handle your event, look for companies that meet a minimum level of qualification, including the following factors.

• Availability – If the company isn’t available on the date of your event, cross them off as an option and move on
• Direct experience – Don’t even consider talking to companies that aren’t doing weddings and receptions regularly – even if it’s a friend or referral
• Legitimacy – Is the company a legitimate (licensed, insured) business or is someone running it from their home kitchen?
• Taste Test – Can you schedule a tasting and demo, either by attending another of the company’s events or in a private setting?

You can quickly eliminate many caterers based on these four basic standards. And that means you can start the interview process.

If your list is still too long, delve into each company’s customer reviews and testimonials. That will help you eliminate a few more names, if necessary.

What to Ask Potential Wedding Catering Companies

Set up appointments to interview the companies on your shortlist but be sure you prepare a list of standard questions or topics to cover with each one – otherwise, you might not be comparing them on an accurate basis.

You can ask whether the company has experience working with the type of food you’re interested in serving, and how they might approach setup and service for your event. But, most important, ask what is included in their pricing. Get specific answers because what appears to be budget-friendly pricing might not be, if the company will be tacking on a variety of extra charges.

In the Salt Lake City area and throughout northern Utah, Brown Brothers Catering specializes in catering for weddings and receptions. We have served clients in Provo and the surrounding communities for almost a decade and we cater hundreds of weddings every year. We are a full-service catering company with affordable and transparent pricing – no unpleasant surprises. Contact us today to see why we are northern Utah’s premier caterer for weddings and receptions.

A good catering company can elevate your corporate team building event from ordinary to extraordinary without stretching your budget beyond its limits.

Using a caterer to provide meals and snacks for your attendees frees you to focus on the important things and keeps your guests sated and comfortable. Adding a theme to your food can add even more texture and dimension to the experience.

Wherever your event takes you, you can always take along catering services from Brown Brothers.

Catering Makes Your Team Building Event a Success

No one can focus on anything – let alone team building – when they’re hungry. And, depending on how many attendees you have, you can expect that people will get hungry at different times. If your event will last most or all of the day, your catering company can come to the rescue.

Whether you envision serving a themed buffet, a plated, sit-down dinner, snacks, appetizers or dessert – or some combination of these – having an event catering company to handle the food will free you up to focus on your event.

And, with plenty of tasty, nutritious snacks on-hand, you can keep your attendees focused and on-point throughout the day.

Bringing the Catering to Your Corporate Team Building Venue

Whether you plan to hold your corporate team building event at a resort, event venue or a destination location (e.g., a mountaintop, rock climbing gym, dude ranch), you can almost always find a way to fit catering into the picture.

Otherwise, you’ll have no choice but to prepare and package up your food and schlep it along with you to the event. You’ll have to find a way to hold the food at a safe temperature and heat it for serving when the time comes.

You can make arrangements with your catering company to bring your food at the appointed time and location, so you don’t have to give it another thought.

Themed Catering Menus to Fit Your Team Building Event

If your event has a theme, work with your catering company to develop a menu based on that concept. Or create a theme for your food that will delight and inspire your attendees. Food is the universal ice-breaker, so take advantage of the synergy that develops with people share a meal.

Consider an ice cream social, a taco Tuesday buffet or a wild, wild West barbecue. Go regional with an Italian menu or a Parisian-inspired fruit and cheese station. If you’re stuck for a memorable theme for your event, let the experts at Brown Brothers Catering help inspire you.

The Brown Brothers team knows exactly how to make your corporate event as stress-free as possible. A locally owned and operated business, we are committed to providing exceptional food and service at a surprisingly affordable price. Whether you plan to hold your event in Provo, Salt Lake City or anywhere in northern Utah, why not let us put the depth of our experience to work for you? Contact us today to learn more about catering for your next corporate event.

You can keep your reception catering budget-friendly by sticking with a variety of creative – and delicious – hors d’oeuvres.

The literal French meaning of hors d’oeuvres is “outside the body of work,” interpreted loosely to mean “not the main course.” With a little creativity and careful planning, you can serve a dazzling variety of delicious small bites that your reception guests will love as much as your budget will.

An appetizers-only menu is as appropriate for a corporate event as it is for a wedding reception, and the sky’s the limit for your hors d’oeuvres reception catering menu options.

Why Hors d’Oeuvres Are Perfect for a Budget-Conscious Reception

As an alternative to a traditional buffet or plated meal, you can ensure your guests are delightfully sated by serving a series of one-bite appetizers.

Depending on the arrangement of your event, you can set up a single hors d’oeuvres station, multiple stations throughout the venue or have servers circulate through the room with trays.

Passed appetizers are ideal if you prefer to keep your guests fairly stationary, rather than have a constant flow of traffic throughout the venue. If you’d prefer to keep your guests moving and interacting, set up multiple stations throughout the space.

Cold Hors d’Oeuvres for Reception Catering Menus

Cold appetizers and small bites are ideal for passing as well as for inclusion on your hors d’oeuvres stations.

Consider starting with one of these delightful cold or room-temperature options.

• Three tomato salad with Drake goat cheese
• Hummus and pomegranate puree on a pita chip
• Avocado crostini with cream cheese and sweet chili peppers
• Grapefruit and scallop ceviche skewer
• Shrimp cocktail

Top off your reception catering mini menu with an assortment of mini desserts and a custom candy station.

Hot Hors d’Oeuvres for Reception Catering Menus

Although cold or room-temperature options are the most practical option for most reception catering menus, consider offering two or three hot hors d’oeuvres as a focal point. Hot options tend to be the more substantial, protein-heavy options

Because hot appetizers will cool quickly on trays, you may prefer to limit your warm options to appetizer stations.

Some excellent options to consider are:

• Sake-marinated chicken satay with tamarind glaze
• Mini crab cakes with lemon aioli
• Seared scallops with a wonton crisp
• Meatball and pecorino soup sip

For your vegetarian guests, consider herb-stuffed mushrooms and mini chive pancakes with crème fraiche and red onion confit.

Brown Brothers Catering offers a variety of delicious, high-quality catering hors d’oeuvres that look as good as they taste. We can also work with you to customize an appetizer menu to fit your budget and your event’s theme. We provide professional catering services in Provo and throughout northern Utah. Contact us today to learn more about our reception catering services, designed to make your event stress-free.