Savory Cuisines Catering: The Mind Behind The Food

Savory Cuisines is very quickly becoming the second most popular catering company Boulder Colorado. Our company stands out from the rest simple because of our attention to details and of course our delicious food. We consistently receive rave reviews regarding our world class cuisines and service. Although it usually takes a small army to pull of each event, our company’s owner, Bob Sargent, is the mind behind the food.

Bob started Savory Cuisines back in 2003 as single father raising a 6 year old daughter. He found that his love for food and events was something that he could excel in as an entrepreneur. At the time when Savory Cuisines emerged, it was a simple private chef entity. Now the company consists of more than 20 regular employees, 30 plus seasonal service staff members, 1 fulltime event planner, 4 delivery vans, and 2 fully functional commercial kitchens.

The truth is, Boulder Colorado’s catering and food scene has not been the same since Savory Cuisines arrival. For those of you who know Bob Sargent, you know that he is passionate about everything he does! Whether we are talking about food, soccer, cycling, running, or making tee-shirts; Bob is an enthusiastic go-getter. Where some people merely dream, Bob can create. He has dedicated his time to learning many different cooking styles and culinary skills over his 20 plus years as a chef. He has taught cooking in Buton and Thailand and has received a variety of training all over the world including a pastry apprenticeship in Switzerland and Germany. He has also been an active participant in the Initiatives for Change World Peace Conference. Since Savory Cuisines start, Bob Sargent has also been a private food consultant for several major organizations, opened two corporate cafeterias and a take-out window, and partnered with Avery Brewery in their restaurant. Savory Cuisines is also a current sponsor the Savory Avery Hop Freaks United Soccer Team, who just won their Division II championships and is now moving up to Division I.

Of course the success of Savory Cuisines is largely due to the efforts of Bob Saregent, but more so, we would not be who we are today as a company without our trusted and loyal clients. A special thank you to the Colorado University of Boulder, CableLabs, and the Sterling Rice Group for your business!

Savory Venues

Savory Cuisines works very hard to make sure that the venues in which we have preferred status receive our full recommendation when ever possible. Working with preferred venues and vendors helps event planners have confidence that their event will go off without a hitch. This is because of the frequency in which the different entities work together will, in most cases, make for a streamlined event with less unforeseen issues. The following is a brief description of Savory Cuisines’ top four venues.

Rembrandt Yard is one of our favorite venues to work at purely because of its premium location and the sheer beauty of the event center. They are located at 1301 Spruce Street right in the heart of downtown Boulder. This venue is bright, airy, and adorned with positively gorgeous art. The floor to ceiling windows not only let in a tremendous amount of light but it also provides an amazing backdrop for any event. This venue can accommodate guests on two different floors which each hold up to 150 people for sit-down dinners and 300 people for stand-up events.

The Boulder Theater is also located in the heart of downtown Boulder and is available for private event rentals. This historical art deco building offers event planners with a vast array of options as it is a multi-use facility. Since this venue is still a fully functional theater, it is great for events like meetings, conferences, concerts, movie screenings, weddings, and family reunions. The Boulder Theater can comfortably hold anywhere from 100 to 700 people for private events and up to 1000 people for concerts.

The Koenig Alumni Center located on the CU campus and is also an historical building. This beautiful building was constructed in 1884 and was originally used as the university president’s place of residence. Over the last 128 years the building has gone through many renovations which have made it one of the most sought after venues in Boulder. The first floor, including the backyard, is available for rent for private events typically from May through mid-August. They do also have some availability during the holidays for those kinds of events as well.

The Stone Mountain Lodge is located in Lyons Colorado which is just north of Boulder. This venue offers the best of what Colorado has in terms of outdoor events even in the rain! Their unique location makes them a convenient choice for those who want a somewhat rustic feel without traveling too far. This venue can easily accommodate 150-200 people per reception tent.

Winter Weather Party Planning Tips

During the winter months there are many opportunities to host events for friends and families. In fact a winter wonderland is a very popular wedding theme in addition to a holiday party theme. While the snow is a beautiful backdrop, especially in Boulder Colorado, it can also present some challenges as well. For this reason it is important to have some sort of back plan in action just incase of sever or bad weather. Some event centers actually provide event insurance that will help recoup the costs of an event that has to be cancelled due to things that are out of the control of the planner. This kind of insurance is not always necessary of course, but it is a good idea to be informed of your options when planning a winter event.

One of the most important things you can do as an event planner or host is to prepare your guests for what they can expect in term of the weather. This means staying on top of weather forecasts and relaying updated information prior to the event. Most of the time even if a sort ceremony is going to be held outdoors the main event is usually not. If you plan to have more than just a short or simple outdoor activity you need to inform your guest of this during the invitation process. Likewise reminding your guests to bring things with them to help keep warm will also be a good idea if it is applicable.

Furthermore accepting the fact that the weather is out of your control will allow you better cope if you encounter changes in your event timeline. Although timelines are important to the success of more formal type events they must also allow for some wiggle room. In cases where roads are closed or extremely backed up, staying in contact with your vendors can help to reduce your stress.

Lastly, it is important to make sure that the venue you are hosting your event at is properly dealing with the weather by shoveling, plowing, and salting icy areas. A weather related accident such as a slip and fall can turn an otherwise wonderful event into a not so great night for a guest. If you have any question on how to plan a winter weather party consulting with a professional Boulder catering company, like Savory Cuisines, is your best bet. Happy safe planning!

Attention Corporate Holiday Party Planners!

Being festive during the holidays is what the season is all about. The typical scenes, here in Boulder Colorado, involve holiday decorations, twinkling lights, powdery white snow, and decadent cuisine as far as the eye can see. Family celebrations, special events, and corporate holiday parties fill our calendars during this time of year and provide many opportunities for us to be thankful and celebrate. With that being said, if you are a corporate party planner, than you know these kinds of events can take months of planning. So this means you should already be working out the details! Being that party planning is what we do, here at Savory Cuisines Catering, we thought we would inspire you to get the ball rolling with some exciting party ideas.

The holidays are the perfect time to go the formal route and plan a grand Victorian gala or a black and white (or silver and gold) ball that is decked out with all the trimmings. Your guests will truly feel pampered enjoying a full 5 course sit down dinner accompanied by classic holiday music and bubbling champagne. These kinds of event are not for the budget conscious organization but do leave a lasting impression on all that attend. Other traditional and more economical ideas include such themes as Santa’s workshop, the Nutcracker, Santa’s elves, or a Charlie Brown Christmas. Other fun ideas involve putting a twist on the traditional, like a Vacation Santa theme, where everyone dresses in Hawaiian shirts and sandals, or the Nightmare Before Christmas, where everyone dresses like a Tim Burrton character. Another really cool idea is to bring in a professional well-known local band to help pull off a Rocking Around The Christmas Tree theme. Also very fun and festive are casino night themed parties. These kinds of event always to have some sort of extra draw that helps to ensure the majority of your guests will attend.

For a lot of corporations the holidays are about giving back to their communities and favorite charities. Because of this, holiday charity events, where entire corporations come together and make a significant difference are very rewarding. These events go above and beyond many employees’ expectations and help to give them the sense that they are part of something bigger.

No matter what you do as far themes, decorations, and gift givings are concerned, one thing is certain, the food is always the star of the party! Sorry Santa. In the realm of party planning details there is nothing that stands out more to the guests than the food and beverages that are being serves. Everybody loves food, and bad food or not enough food, can ruin a party very quickly. For this reason if you are planning a corporate holiday party in Boulder you should seriously consider hiring a professional catering company, like Savory Cuisines, to handle the details.

Catering Cares!

With the approach of the holiday season and the change in weather, many of our thoughts turn to those folks who are less fortunate and in need. The most recent polls conducted in the 7-county Denver metro area back in 2009 has shed some much needed light on the continually growing problem of the homeless population in our state. When the statistics were collected regarding this poll, there was a reported total of 11,061 people that were considered homeless living in our area on one single day. Out of this total, 5,145 people are persons in families that included children and spouses. Again 2, 965 people counted, were children and teens under the age of 18.

The most common reason for homelessness in today’s day and age has been attributed to job loss at 34.7%. The inability to pay mortgages and rents come in at the number two reason with 31.2%. Unfortunately alcoholism, drug addiction and violence are also common contributing factors to the growing homeless in our state as well. Many of these homeless people find themselves at the mercy of strangers and charitable faculties to provide them with the most basic of needs. Many groups like the Boulder Homeless Shelter and the Bridge House offer these individuals with a warm safe place to sleep, facilities to shower and bath in, and food to ease their hungry bellies. Many of these programs also provide treatment and counseling for alcohol and drug dependant individual in an effort to teach them how to lead sober productive lives.

Because of our industry, we here at Savory Cuisines Catering have a unique opportunity to help out non-profit organizations like this during their biggest time of need by donating food. For this reason the fight against homelessness has become our biggest cause at Savory Cuisines Catering. We are proud to be sponsoring a plated Thanksgiving dinner on November 22nd at the First Presbyterian Church located on the corner of 14th and Spruce in Boulder Colorado for the Boulder Homeless Shelter. Another contribution made by Savory Cuisines has been to help fundraising efforts for the Bridge House by donating a $5000 dinner for one their annuals events. Fundraising events like the one we participated in, account for this charity’s largest source of revenue. For more information on how to help stop homelessness, fight alcohol and drug addiction, and end family violence in Boulder please visit http://boulderbridgehouse.org and http://www.bouldershelter.org.

Savory Cuisines Catering: The Complete Package

Savory Cuisines Catering has been serving the Boulder/Denver area for over 10 years and is recognized as the caterer of choice for exceptional food, quality in service, and innovative party designs. It is our goal to make sure our guests expectations are surpassed by delivering services that go above and beyond other caterer’s typical practices. We have a large dedicated staff of chefs, servers, and event planners who are there to ensure our clients have the opportunity to enjoy every aspect of their event just as their guests would. When we come into someone’s home or a venue every single part of the event setup and breakdown is handled and executed by professionals with years of experience.

We are a unique company in the fact that we offer customizable catering services to every client. We do have several standard catering packages that our clients can choose from however the majority of folk who choose Savory Cuisines usually take advantage of creating a unique menu that showcases who they are. Our talented chefs have worldly experience and specialize in Southwest, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Irish, and Traditional American style cuisines. We have also grown into and adapted our fusion style of cooking that really allows our enthusiastic clients to be adventurous. Our services are also just as customizable as our menus. We can provide our clients with the full shebang or just a selection of services depending on their needs. We do this because there are many different groups of people who organize caterings everyday for an assortment of reasons. This means that sometimes a simple buffet style continental breakfast is all that is needed; while other times a plated formal sit-down style of service is called for.

The best way to determine exactly what you need for an event is to have a one on one consolation with one of our amazing event planners. These professionals are the best people to direct you in your planning process. Not only can they help with the visual appeal of the event in terms of tablescaping, floor planning, decorations, and design but they are also have extensive knowledge regarding vendor pricing and budgets which are oftentimes huge contributor factors during the planning process. Day-of planner services are also available and help eliminate stress of the party coordinator who wears too many hats. So whether you are planning a large corporate function, a small intimate home gathering, or the biggest day of your life, your wedding; Savory Cuisines Catering is there for you every step of the way. When you hire Savory Cuisines you are hiring the complete catering package!

Party Planner Do’s and Don’ts For This Holiday Season

With the holiday season quickly approaching many people are already thinking about planning holiday parties and events. It is never too early to get organized for an event especially if it’s large and formal. Many corporations work several months in advance in an effort to secure the best services for their events since this is a very busy time of the year for catering companies, rental companies, and venues. With that being said, it is best to contact local companies now to prevent scrambling for vendors the minute. Savory Cuisines Catering is one of the premier catering companies in Boulder Colorado and provides everything needed to pull of an amazing event under one roof. This article will go over several general do’s and don’ts that are helpful to keep in mind while planning a holiday event.

Do: Contact Savory Cuisines Catering today for a quote and to schedule a tasting if you are in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado.

Don’t: Leave planning an important event to the last minute as this can oftentimes result in having to be more flexible with details than you would otherwise have to be.

Do: If you are planning on having an event in your home or at your place of business, it is important to make sure there is ample space for caterers to come and set up.

Don’t: Expect the vendors you hire to work around a mess as it will hinder there ability to be efficient.

Do: If you are planning on having volunteers from your organization or family help with party set up and clean up, make sure you inform the companies you hire so that they know what tasks they are responsible for and which ones that are not.

Don’t: Assign volunteers jobs or tasks that they are not prepared to handle especially if the companies you hire provide staff.

Do: Regardless the size of the event or location, it is always a good idea to make a rough timeline and turn that in to the catering company so that the event will run according to plan.

Don’t: Get too involved with planning every single minute of the timeline, as it is important to be flexible the day of the event.

Do: Make sure you have provided all the decorations and instructions to the caterers prior to or at the very beginning of an event so important aspects such as the CEO’s special toast is not forgotten.

Don’t: Leave details like deciding on centerpieces or seating arrangements to the last minute.

Do: Turn all final guest counts, deposits and other important details in on time to your vendors in an effort to make the transition from planning to execution.

Don’t: Try to do everything yourself especially if you are not experienced in planning a holiday event.

Do: Consider your guests taste preferences and work with a professional to plan a menu that will be well received by all.

Savory Cuisines Catering is full service catering company with talented event planners on staff. Although planning ahead of time is best Savory Cuisines does honor last minute orders as well. Be sure to call today to get a quote for your next event.

Halloween And Fall Inspired Catering

Halloween and fall are very popular times of the year to host a party. Costume parties, fall celebrations, corporate events, and even weddings can all be played up using fun freaky Halloween or rich fall accents throughout your tablescapes, decorations and menus. Of course with that being said, a party is often hard work and requires a lot of time and planning. This is where Savory Cuisines Catering comes in for those folks in our area. The following article explores some of the fun ideas we’ve been playing around with for this 2011 fall catering season. For more information regarding menus, pricing, and available dates please contact Savory Cuisines.

For more formal sit-down events where tables are fully set with centerpieces, try incorporating some ghoulish Halloween or fun fall flare to your arrangement. For example classic white roses can be adorned with black snakes, centipedes, and spiders to create a creepy yet elegant arrangement. If ghoul is not your thing than adding colorful leaves, fruit or vegetables like gourds and apples to your arrangement, or cornucopias, is a great way to create a festive punch of color. Autumn napkin rings and place card holders are also a neat way to set the mood at the table. Small pumpkins, nuts, leaves, sticks, and fresh herb bundles can be fasten together using pipe cleaners and hot glue to create a truly unique design for each setting. Using small bones (i.e. dog treats), plastic severed hands, mini broomsticks or witches hats to fashion a napkin holder or place card from is another idea to spook things up a bit.

One of the most popular fall decorations to use for any kind party are pumpkins. However pumpkin decorations these days are not limited to jack lanterns or traditional orange pumpkins. Green and white pumpkins have recently been engineered and make for non traditional but classic decor when coupled or arranged in groups. Spray painting pumpkins solid or metallic colors is also very popular and presents a new chic way of displaying pumpkins and gourds that most people have not yet seen. Another timeless Halloween and fall decorative idea that is sure to create atmosphere is the use of simple candle arrangements. Adorn regular candles with spider webs, ravens, and skulls for an Edgar Allen Poe look or perhaps try bleeding candles for an added effect.

The fun to be had with food during this time of year is endless. Serving thing like severed fingers (pigs in a blanket), stuffed eyeballs (deviled eggs), cockroaches (stuffed dates), or bat-winged cheese balls are just a few ways to bring the Halloween theme across in your food. Otherwise delicious savory dishes made from classical fall harvests are a sure fire way to go as well. Experimenting with your beverages like using black lights, neon labels, and dry ice to recreate a mad scientist’s lab instead of a traditional bar is also another fun way to show your guests that you know how to throw a spirited event.

Menu Planning With Fall Vegetables

Fall is an amazing time of the year to experiment with seasonal vegetables and fruits. The cooler months bring vibrant colors to the gardens and rich flavors to the table. Wonderful spiced beverages and pies, delicious soups, roast meats and comfort food come to mind most often when thinking of fall cuisines. With that being said, most people do not realize that almost all fall fruits and vegetables are considered healthy super foods. Menu planning for events and everyday meals can be fun and exciting when you incorporate fall flavors. The following is a brief description of some the fall’s most flavorful produce and their nutritional values.

Beets are readily known for their detoxifying and cancer fighting characteristics as well as being delicious. Beets have a wonderful earthy flavor and vibrant color. Most people recognize beets by their brilliant ruby or purple hue, however there are also golden and white beets. Beets contain vitamin c, folate, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus and fiber. Beet not only provide color and nutrition to your menus but also go well with robust fall cheeses, wines, and heart greens like kale and arugula.

Brussels sprouts are small in size but big in nutrient value. It is beneficial to add brussels sprouts to your diet during the colder months as they are jammed packed with immune boosters. Vitamin B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, beta carotene, folate, omega-3 oils, and protein work together to with disease-fighting phytochemicals like glucosinolates and antioxidant phenols to make them extremely good for you. These little baby cabbages are crunchy, hold up well all kinds of cooking methods, and are especially tasty when roasted with butter, nuts and bacon.

Sweet potatoes contain vitamin B6, C, beta carotene, copper, iron, potassium and lots of fiber. These potatoes are a much healthier alternative to starchy regular potatoes, Yukon’s, or even red potatoes, plus they taste better. They have a sweet node that can be played up for deserts or that can be rounded out for more savory preferences. These iron rich potatoes are especial good for women and have proven mood boosting qualities.

Roasted fall vegetable medleys are flavorful ways to serve a variety of different vegetables depending on what you or your dinner guests enjoy eating. Classic fall herbs and other seasonings coupled with nuts, bacon, and dried fruit are also a great way to enhance your meats, stuffings and pastries. As you can see there are many advantages of planning your fall event menus around seasonal vegetables. Not only will your be feeding your guest food that is bursting with flavor but it will also be good for them.

Back Yard Menus, Events And Birthday Parties

Your backyard can be the perfect venue or location for your upcoming event. The spring, summer and fall are perfect times for families to gather and celebrate with barbeques, picnics, and birthday parties. Depending on the size of your backyard will dictate how large of a party you can have.

Despite the guest count, your backyard event will be a hit and a huge success if are sure to serve good food and tasty beverages. Spring, summer and fall all have very different tastes that come to mind. By utilizing these flavors in your menu you will be able to bring a festive atmosphere to the event. From fresh berries and citrus to butternut squash and cranberries your choices are endless. Employing a professional caterer to help put together the perfect menu for your event is always a great idea. Catering companies can bring fun menus idea to the table such as serving fruit skewers with assorted dipping sauces and dry mixes as well as hosting a build your-own tacos, sliders or sundae bars. These simple guest friendly inspired menus are always a hit regardless the age of the guest. Of course chicken fingers with lots of sauces and macaroni and cheese go over very well for just about every kid party imaginable.

Kid’s birthday parties are a great opportunity for you show your loved ones you care by making their day extra special. Planning games and activities for guests to do is a great way to break the ice. Fun games like bobbing for apples or a bean bag toss will get all your guests participating and are simple enough for everyone to enjoy. Depending on the event you are hosting, you may even consider doing more challenging games or ones that are theme appropriate.

In today’s society some sweet sixteens, bat mitzvahs, quinceaneras and 1st birthdays are celebrated as if the child was royalty. With that being said, sometime the stress of hosting these events can over shadow the fun parts. Utilizing a catering company for your next backyard event is a way to take all the stress out of it and actually have a party that you can attend as a guest.