When would you want to ask about a custom-created menu?
Themed Events
Fundraising galas often have an annual theme the event planning committee wants carried throughout the marketing, decor, entertainment, food and drinks. We’ve seen themes like the roaring 20s, the wild west and Caribbean getaways, all of which lend themselves to a custom menu. A roaring 20s themed event might call for a menu of Oysters Rockefeller, Lobster Newburg and Bananas Foster paired with Prohibition-era cocktails/mocktails. A wild west party could serve BBQ ribs with baked beans, cornbread and honey, and apple pie for dessert – most of which are already on our standard menus. Don’t forget the sarsaparilla!
Meaning to Guest/s of Honor
Retirement parties or wedding dinners might warrant a menu that reflects the particular tastes of the guest/s of honor. Perhaps a retiring employee may be well known for eating a food that has to be served at the retirement party or it would be incomplete. Marrying couples may want to serve the meal from their first date or a meal representative of their families’ culture. While our menu includes American, Italian and Asian fusion entrees, there are many cultures not represented on our menu simply because entrees from that culture may not have broad appeal or relevance to the range of events we cater. Chef Naj has traveled the world extensively, leading him to perfect the preparation of many international cuisines.
Seasonality
It’s not unusual for us to field requests for a custom menu tied to a holiday, such as Thanksgiving or St. Patrick’s Day. We have a turkey dinner special in our back pocket for Thanksgiving requests. Because turkey and stuffing are so closely tied to the month of gratitude, this item doesn’t appear on our standard menu year-round.
Desire for Novel Menu
Infrequently, Chef Naj works with clients who want a custom menu simply to create interest or surprise. He recently wrote a Texas BBQ/North African fusion menu combining smoked brisket and chicken thighs with MENA-inspired sides of baba ghanoush, cinnamon rice, pink potato salad (with color from roasted beets!), watermelon mint salad with feta, and a baladi salad of seedless cucumber, heirloom tomato, shaved onion, fresh mint, candied almonds and pistachios with a house-made tahini. For dessert, he included Basbousa, a lemon and rose-water cornbread, which now appears on our dessert menu.
If you have something special in mind for your event, submit an inquiry to get Chef Naj thinking. He needs at least 14 business days before your event to create a custom menu and procure the ingredients.