Arriving at Dooky Chase’s and Who’s Your People?
I walked in the door to be greeted by a small man in a baseball cap and slightly rumpled shirt grinning toothlessly at me and family friend Lloyd Gonzalez. Lloyd introduced me to him. "Perez- I know some Perez's" he said. I would never have dreamed that this was Dooky Chase, owner and namesake of this well known restaurant.- a porter maybe, or a dishwasher. Hey, but that's how the Chase's are, so humble, approachable and accesible to everyone. "Emmanuel Perez" Dooky continued. I demurred, not connecting the name to myself. "Yeah- that's your uncle" LLoyd piped in. "Manuel". Oh Manuel, I thought. Now where in the world could you walk in a door, and have someone connect you to, and accept you as one of their own through your father's uncle who has been dead for over 60 years? Emmanuel- until my brother Eric recently sent me biographical material he had unearthed on Uncle Manuel, I had not even known his naem was Emmanuel. Uncle Manuel-Manuel Perez – the legendary New Orleans trumpet player, who I had once heard Louis Armstrong say he followed around as a child. Lloyd dropped another name or two as the conversation continued- Ann DuPlessis (Du PLessis is my mother's maiden name)- currently a New Orleans councilwoman, who I know nothing about. Just a name I'd come across in newspaper articles after Katrina, along with Llopeis, another of my ancestral names. All these " perhaps" relatives I've never met. Even Leah Chase is related to my mother somehow we figured out afer my last visit. As we left Dooky we were still discussing origins, and Dooky was still calling off family names and their connections to each other. That's New Orleans- who's your mama? Ciao,...
read moreDoes Planning a Wedding Really Take a Year?
Here's another one of those "everyone says" things I hear about planning weddings. I once had a bride- to-be call me in January to plan her wedding which was going to be held in January of the following year. She was only having about 15 guests at her wedding. I asked her why she was calling so far ahead. She responded, "well, everyone says you have to plan a wedding a year ahead of time." Oy! Unless you want the hottest new venue in town for hundreds of people, there is no reason a wonderful wedding cannot be put together in a few months. I catered a wedding a few years back for 100 guests. Betty, the bride, called me in January, for her wedding that June- and we all know June is prime wedding season. She had one of the most wonderful weddings I've ever seen, in a lovely venue, with great catering (of course!). She told me 5 years later that people were still talking about how great everything was. And here's another tip- a bride recently told me that when she moved her wedding from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, she was able to have a wedding with the best of everything, in the New York City area, with only a couple of months planning. And here's the flip side. On more than one occasion I have had brides call me a few weeks before their wedding with tales of some mishap with their caterer whom they had booked months and months in advance, and at the last minute they were looking for a new one. There are just too many things that can happen over the course of a year. Tastes change, budgets change (look what's happened in this last year), people change. So relax. Yes, putting together a wedding does take a certain amount of pre-planning, but it doesn't have to take over a year of your life. Here are some pictures of Betty's wonderful wedding. Bon Appetit!, Gisele P.S. If you are plannign a wedding-or any other special event- pick up a copy of my E-book :Help I Need a Caterer– available at www.helpineedacaterer.com. It's full of great tips on the process of hiring and workign with the perfect caterer to create the wedding you've dreamed...
read moreVisiting with Leah Chase
On the last day of my visit a couple of weeks ago, I stopped in to visit with Mrs. Leah Chase of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. I had visited with Mrs. Chase, in her FEMA trailer, on my last visit, but hadn’t been smart enough to tape it then. This time I wised up and video taped our chat.
read moreBuffet vs. Sit Down Dinner- Which Way to Go if You’re on a Budget?
Every once in a while I browse the Web on the topic of wedding catering to see what people are saying out there. Today I came across a site which reminded me of how many misconceptions there are being tossed around. Here's an old bromide I ran across this morning on a site offering advice on trimming the cost of a wedding reception: "…consider going with a buffet instead of a traditional sit-down dinner. While every catering price list is different, buffet dinners are traditionally cheaper than plated dinners." The common wisdom is that buffet events require less service staff- which admittedly can be expensive- so therefore are less expensive. I've always been suspicious of this bit of "common wisdom", so while I was writing Help I Need a Caterer, I decided to run the question by a couple other caterers and event planners. My suspicions were confirmed, as they agreed with me. While there is a need for more service staff with a formal sit down dinner, a caterer is able to control food portions in a way that is impossible on a buffet. We've all seen guests whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs, and pile their plates with food that ends up getting tossed. While the quantity of each dish needs to be increased on a buffet, I also feel the number of selections need to be increased. For example, clients usually want two main course selections, i.e.like chicken and fish or beef on a buffet, as well as a two or three vegetable selections. As a caterer, I don't know which item will appeal to guests more, so I have to make sure there is enough of each. The fact of the matter is, most people will want to taste both. But here's the real kicker that a colleague pointed out to me. Since guests will undoubtedly return to the buffet more than once, there's a need to rent additional plates and flatware etc., and rentals really do add up. When I'm a guest, I personally favor buffets- I'm more of a casual gal, I like choices, and I like to move around. But which is more economical? I think it's a toss up. The important thing is deciding what's your style, and most important to you. Tune in over the next few days as I look at more of those "common wisdom" assumptions. Bon Appetit, Gisele P.S. If you're planning a wedding, but have question about how to go about putting together your reception,watch for the relaunch of my E-book Help! I Need a Caterer. It 's full of practical tips on planning and hiring a caterer who'll help you create the perfect wedding reception- or any other special party. BTW, the E-book was recently featured in the L.A. Bride section of Valley Magazine....
read moreNew Orleans- Coming Up on the Fourth Anniversary of Katrina
New Orleans is still a city very much in the process of rebuilding itself. My trip to Jazz Fest was the third time I’ve visited since the Flood. They’re coming up on the fourth anniversary this summer. There’s definitely been progress, but I also felt a real heaviness across the city this time around. The people who had quick insurance payments have rebuilt, their houses are beautiful-freshly painted, new tile floors, granite counters, new furniture, carpeting, big flat screen T.V.’s. Those without the quick insurance payments, or any insurance at all, are still in limbo – at best. The Road Home program has been dissolved, and many neighborhoods, including the one where I was born and spent my early childhood, are still fairly deserted. And everyone is anxious about the hurricane season which begins in just a couple of weeks. “It snowed in December” my cousin Linda said. “ It snowed in December the year of Katrina, too.” Monique called on one of my last days in New Orleans. I told her that this had not been a particularly comfortable trip for me. “I gathered that” she said. There’s been personal stuff, but it hasn’t been just that. There was a negative vibe across the city, and it seem to have settled in. I picked it up in those I visited with – Raoul, Uncle Roy, Marlene. I said to Monique that my first visit after Katrina had felt celebratory. It was the first post – Katrina Mardi Gras. People were beginning to return, there was a sense of homecoming, and everyone was upbeat. When I visited a year later, reality had settled in, people had hit the hard task of rebuilding, and all the problems that came with it. I could feel it everywhere. I remember saying that to Deb Cotton at the time. She responded, “Yes, I just have to take frequent trips out of the city.” “Yeah, it just goes that way here”, Monique said. “I remember it being that way in 1989, too, with the oil bust.” She laid blame on the mayor currently, though, “A mayor is supposed to reassure the city. It’s his job.” “One more year” Lloyd said. But the day after my conversation with Monique was Cinco de Mayo, and even though it has nothing to do with New Orleans, the city is working itself up to celebrate it. “Any excuse for a party” Marlene...
read moreA Perfect Menu for an Outdoor Summer Wedding
A room temperature menu of sun-kissed foods is perfect for a wedding in the heat of summer.
read moreVaucresson Sausage at Jazz Fest
On my first day at Jazz Fest, I had the privilege to follow and interview Vance Vaucresson, owner of Vaucresson Sausage. My mother's family lived on the same street as the Vaucressons when they were children. My mother and uncle are life long friends of the Vaucressons, as was my grandmother with the Vaucressons of her generation. Vance's grandfather, Robert, was a butcher in the 7th Ward (click on the link and scroll down to Day One of this blog at its former location for background on the 7th Ward), and made sausage in that capacity. One of my uncles still speaks lovingly of Mrs. Vaucresson, Julia, Robert's wife, who during the Depression would often send over bits of leftover meat for their family. Their son, Robert Jr., aka Sonny, took over the business, eventually transforming it into a sausage company, in addition to being the first Creole of color to open a café on Bourbon Street, and becoming one of the original Jazz Fest food vendors. Vance is Sonny's son, and in spite of their facility being devastated in the flood following Hurricane Katrina, continues the tradition of selling sausage po' boys at Jazz Fest. Here's a clip of my time with him. Laissez le Bon Temps Roulez ! Gisele And please visit my other blog...
read moreThe Caterer’s Garden- The End Product
Well, the L.A. Garden Show went off extremely well. I hope some of you were able to catch it. Paul’s exhibit was so successful, he sold one of his installations right on the spot. No wonder, as they were the perfect compact garden, even for those with only a small (10′ by 5′) patio or balcony space for a garden. Paul recycled wooden pallets, and as he writes it’s a “garden space that is completely moveable, even the bins allow for replanting when the plant has been exhausted of its bounty”. And there are some great ingredients to create some really wonderful meals, right outside your kitchen door. Hey- why not? Even the Obamas have planted their own kitchen garden. That’s Paul in his funky gardener’s cap. And notice the wild peacocks wandering around. They enjoyed a bit of the garden, too, unfortunately. Paul says they nibbled on the back sections overnight. He covered the front section with netting. Hopefully something you won’t have to be concerned about in your home garden. Ciao Bella,...
read moreNeed to Trim Your Event Budget? Planners Weigh in on What’s Worth Keeping and What’s Not
Yesterday I catered a Mother's Day dinner for a new client who had never hired a caterer before. She walked into the kitchen as we finished up serving dinner and had started in on the clean up. " Wow- you even do the dishes" she said, "this is great". Of course, we left her kitchen completely clean, as we had found it. She commented that she had always handled all the cooking, cleaning, setting up, etc, of her past parties herself, but that she was always so tired she couldn't really enjoy the party. "That's exactly the reason to hire a caterer," I responded. The truth is that no one person can handle all the aspects of a successful event by themselves. A good service team is crucial to the success of a party. Biz Bash Magazine, a publication catering to the event planning industry, recently surveyed event planners across the country on the subject of where to spend and where to save in today's budgets. It's no surprise to me that over and over again, professional party staff landed in the "worth keeping" category. I find it frustrating that service staff is so often one of the first areas where clients look, when trying to cut costs. It's a recurring theme of mine, that catering is more than just great food. Here are some of the comments of top event planners across the country that landed in the "worth spending on" column: "Working with a fine caterer that has exceptional service is always a must, but absolutely in this environment. You can always work to pare down a menu, perhaps serve something simple yet elegant, rather than fussy… Having a great catering staff that allows your guests to have a wonderful and carefree time is always worth the money."- Kara Minogue, President, Kara Minogue and Company, New York "It's a mistake to cut service or staff. People don't remember if the steak was outstanding at an event. They remember if it was cold, or took a half hour to get a drink."- Kristy Pozulp, Events and Communications Manager, Diamond Management and Technology Consultants, Chicago "Your staff is a reflection of your company and provides one on one contact with your clients… When times are tough, well trained service staff is one of the best assets you have."- Hillary Harris, Director of Special Events, Warner Brothers, Los Angeles "Second only to food, drinks are one of the most important elements of a great event… and having capable bartenders is extremely important to the flow of the event. Guests don't like to wait around with an empty glass." -Lauren Farruggio, Events and Meetings Coordinator, The Boston Consulting Group, New York Bon Appetit! Gisele...
read moreMore Sights and Sounds of Jazz Fest
Here's a look at a really hot ensemble I heard my second day at Jazz Fest, Ensemble Fatien featuring Seguenon Kone, Dr. Michael White and Jason Marsalis (hiding behind the saxophonist on the vibes), with Margie Perez (no relationship to yours truly) adding the vocals. Dr. Michael White is on the faculty of Xavier University in NOLA, and was the owner of a substantial collection of New Orleans history and jazz memorabilia, but lost it all in the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina. There's nothing to say… ciao,...
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