Entertaining Made Easy With Caterers
"Busy” doesn’t even begin to describe the schedules of most women today, and timesaving services and devices have become mandatory. But there’s still one service many women shy away from: hiring a caterer. Whether because of fears about cost or antiquated notions about having to do it all, it’s an often-overlooked alternative to stressed out party preparations. Once they’ve tried it, many clients are hooked on the ease and, in many cases, the affordability.
Catering to Central Illinois
The Home Plate, owned by Jennifer Hoppe, is a relatively new addition to the catering scene in Peoria, though Hoppe has been a caterer for years. “After graduating from Bradley University, I moved to the Chicago area and pursued a career in corporate marketing. Along the way, I discovered my passion was creating and serving food. A friend of mine began asking me to cater some of his law firm’s summer events. I did that for a few years, and then in 1993 I left the corporate marketing arena to start The Home Plate. Although I loved being in the Chicago area, I missed the sense of community a place like Peoria offers. So in 2001 I moved back and started The Home Plate here in Peoria,” she said.
Jennifer Hoppe
The Home Plate
Hoppe said she refers to herself as a “personal service caterer” because that’s what The Home Plate provides. “I made the decision long ago to limit my expansion so I would never get away from the part I love—working with clients to create and implement the vision they have for their event, as well as the hands-on preparing. Taking the raw ingredients—almost everything on the menu is from scratch—preparing memorable food, and being involved with the serving. Clients know I’ll be involved with each step of the process.”
Creating memorable events is top priority, as well, for Barrack’s Cater Inn, a name that’s been well known in Peoria for decades. President James Barrack is the latest in the Barrack family to take up the reins of food service, joining his father’s catering company in 1982. Barrack’s Cater Inn Banquet Center and Catering now offers full-service on- and off-premise catering anywhere in central Illinois and can accommodate up to 400 guests at its Pioneer Parkway location.
James Barrack
Barrack’s Cater Inn
Barrack’s Cater Inn is versatile enough to cater events ranging in size from two people to more than 6,500 guests, Barrack said, and has experience in corporate catering, social catering, contract catering (being the preferred caterer for businesses such as Stoney Creek Inn and AmeriSuites), and contract feeding (schools and rehabilitation centers).
He said the business offers a variety of menus to suit any occasion, and prides itself on being able to customize menus to meet clients’ needs—anything from dinners to box lunches to desserts to bar service to theme menus. They also have extensive experience in station cooking, which is cooking in view of the guests. “When we receive a call, we first determine if the event will take place at our facility or at an off-premise site, check availability, and ask questions about the type of event, number of guests, serving time, whether it’s formal or casual, etc. We’ll suggest menu options over the phone and/or send menus via fax, e-mail, or mail.”
Hoppe said she works with her clients to get a sense of what they’re picturing for their event, be it a business luncheon for 50, a cocktail reception for 300, or a wedding shower brunch for 12. “Let’s say a client named Carol calls to discuss a surprise birthday party she’s planning for her husband. Some key pieces of information are the date, guest estimate, and event location. We’ll then talk about menu ideas. Is she envisioning a casual buffet or something more formal? Hors d’oeuvres only, or maybe a seated dinner? Are there certain food items to steer clear of? For example, ‘My husband is allergic to shell fish’ or ‘We’re not really mushroom people.’ Another key piece of information is the guest list. Will there be a significant number of kids? If the guests will be primarily women or men, this also is key in choosing appropriate menu items.”
Different types of events require different levels of service from Hoppe, she said. “A client may want all food prepared and delivered to her door, and she’ll handle it from there. Or she may want everything to be set up and ready for her guests. Or she may decide she wants to enjoy her own party and not be bogged down with serving and cleaning up. In that case, on-site services will be provided, from set-up to maintaining/refreshing the food buffet and keeping things cleaned up throughout the event.”
Hoppe said sometimes a client just wants part of a meal catered, such as a dessert or entree. “I think it’s important to find a caterer who will meet you at your own individual level of need—whatever that may be.”
For some women, cost may be a significant issue, and Hoppe said she welcomes a frank discussion about budgets. “Sometimes clients are reluctant. I understand from a consumer perspective that it may be viewed as tipping their hand—if they give a budget figure, the caterer will estimate at least that much. I wish we could change that paradigm. It’s actually beneficial for all sides if there’s a budget figure established up front. It saves time on both ends. If a budget figure is far below what the caterer can deliver, it can be acknowledged right away. Then the client can go on to pursue other options.”
Hoppe said she caters to both corporate and private clients, but one usually leads to the other. “One of my best Chicago area clients was a brokerage firm where I catered bi-weekly lunch meetings. Employees there began hiring me for their own private events. What I’ve found is by targeting the corporate side for business functions, the referral process begins to build, which opens doors for the private clients.”
With its 35 full- and part-time employees—and the reputation it’s gained over the years—Barrack said his company often caters multiple events in one day. “In 2002, we catered 1,878 events, feeding 125,000 people. We’re available to cater any time of the day, seven days a week.”
Barrack said he enjoys the catering business so much because of the positive impact he has on people’s lives. “The best part is creating memorable events for our clients and knowing our patrons are very satisfied with our food, service, and presentations.”
Hoppe said customer satisfaction is the high point for her, as well. “A car dealership hosted an invitation-only hors d’oeuvres reception a few years back. It was a pretty large-scale event, and numbers kept climbing in the days leading up to it, which meant last-minute re-configuring and revising food, staff, tables, linens—you name it. The event went off so smoothly—better than I ever would have anticipated given all of the 11th hour shuffling. At the party’s end, the owner came up, thanked me, and said, ‘You and your staff made me look good tonight.’ That’s the best part—the reward that comes from a client’s pleasure and satisfaction with their event.”
Pulling everything off to a client’s satisfaction can sometimes be an adventure, but Hoppe said that’s part of the fun, too. “I had a client who was planning a special ceremony, and immediately following the ceremony, she wanted a saboyon sauce over raspberry sherbet served to all 70 of her guests. Saboyon was something she had enjoyed years ago while living in California. I had no idea what it was and ‘fessed up to her right away. I started researching, found it—thanks to Joy of Cooking—and began testing it in preparation for her event.”
The most difficult aspect of his job, Barrack said, is keeping up with the many engagements his company is booked for—and not knowing what to expect from day to day. “The level of business is very inconsistent from week to week and month to month. Just last month we catered 60 events one week and 30 events the next. Catering, as well as other food businesses, is a very labor-intensive business that sometimes demands long hours and hard work.”
Yes, caterers are indeed a hot commodity these days. Hoppe said even she was surprised at the popularity of her services when she started her business. “I think with today’s busy lifestyles and workplace demands, it’s now viewed as more of a necessity for those who entertain than it once was. I’ve also found people sometimes hire caterers in less traditional ways than the established catering-an-entire-event. The caterer may not do the whole enchilada, but fill in where needed. Another non-traditional look at catering is gift certificates. Instead of a wrapped gift, loved ones choose the services of a caterer as a gift to a senior, someone moving into a new home, or new parents.”
In addition to busy schedules, Hoppe said she and her colleagues are hired for many other reasons. “Some of the most gracious hostesses I know have a gift for creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in their homes and making their guests feel special, but the cooking part stresses them out. There are others who do enjoy the cooking but simply don’t have time to do it all. It seems in today’s society, we strive to simplify. Sometimes entertaining can seem daunting—getting the house cleaned, lawn mowed, flowers looking pretty, etc. Hiring a caterer is a way to make it easier and simpler for you.” TPW
Catering to Central Illinois
The Home Plate, owned by Jennifer Hoppe, is a relatively new addition to the catering scene in Peoria, though Hoppe has been a caterer for years. “After graduating from Bradley University, I moved to the Chicago area and pursued a career in corporate marketing. Along the way, I discovered my passion was creating and serving food. A friend of mine began asking me to cater some of his law firm’s summer events. I did that for a few years, and then in 1993 I left the corporate marketing arena to start The Home Plate. Although I loved being in the Chicago area, I missed the sense of community a place like Peoria offers. So in 2001 I moved back and started The Home Plate here in Peoria,” she said.
Jennifer Hoppe
The Home Plate
Hoppe said she refers to herself as a “personal service caterer” because that’s what The Home Plate provides. “I made the decision long ago to limit my expansion so I would never get away from the part I love—working with clients to create and implement the vision they have for their event, as well as the hands-on preparing. Taking the raw ingredients—almost everything on the menu is from scratch—preparing memorable food, and being involved with the serving. Clients know I’ll be involved with each step of the process.”
Creating memorable events is top priority, as well, for Barrack’s Cater Inn, a name that’s been well known in Peoria for decades. President James Barrack is the latest in the Barrack family to take up the reins of food service, joining his father’s catering company in 1982. Barrack’s Cater Inn Banquet Center and Catering now offers full-service on- and off-premise catering anywhere in central Illinois and can accommodate up to 400 guests at its Pioneer Parkway location.
James Barrack
Barrack’s Cater Inn
Barrack’s Cater Inn is versatile enough to cater events ranging in size from two people to more than 6,500 guests, Barrack said, and has experience in corporate catering, social catering, contract catering (being the preferred caterer for businesses such as Stoney Creek Inn and AmeriSuites), and contract feeding (schools and rehabilitation centers).
He said the business offers a variety of menus to suit any occasion, and prides itself on being able to customize menus to meet clients’ needs—anything from dinners to box lunches to desserts to bar service to theme menus. They also have extensive experience in station cooking, which is cooking in view of the guests. “When we receive a call, we first determine if the event will take place at our facility or at an off-premise site, check availability, and ask questions about the type of event, number of guests, serving time, whether it’s formal or casual, etc. We’ll suggest menu options over the phone and/or send menus via fax, e-mail, or mail.”
Hoppe said she works with her clients to get a sense of what they’re picturing for their event, be it a business luncheon for 50, a cocktail reception for 300, or a wedding shower brunch for 12. “Let’s say a client named Carol calls to discuss a surprise birthday party she’s planning for her husband. Some key pieces of information are the date, guest estimate, and event location. We’ll then talk about menu ideas. Is she envisioning a casual buffet or something more formal? Hors d’oeuvres only, or maybe a seated dinner? Are there certain food items to steer clear of? For example, ‘My husband is allergic to shell fish’ or ‘We’re not really mushroom people.’ Another key piece of information is the guest list. Will there be a significant number of kids? If the guests will be primarily women or men, this also is key in choosing appropriate menu items.”
Different types of events require different levels of service from Hoppe, she said. “A client may want all food prepared and delivered to her door, and she’ll handle it from there. Or she may want everything to be set up and ready for her guests. Or she may decide she wants to enjoy her own party and not be bogged down with serving and cleaning up. In that case, on-site services will be provided, from set-up to maintaining/refreshing the food buffet and keeping things cleaned up throughout the event.”
Hoppe said sometimes a client just wants part of a meal catered, such as a dessert or entree. “I think it’s important to find a caterer who will meet you at your own individual level of need—whatever that may be.”
For some women, cost may be a significant issue, and Hoppe said she welcomes a frank discussion about budgets. “Sometimes clients are reluctant. I understand from a consumer perspective that it may be viewed as tipping their hand—if they give a budget figure, the caterer will estimate at least that much. I wish we could change that paradigm. It’s actually beneficial for all sides if there’s a budget figure established up front. It saves time on both ends. If a budget figure is far below what the caterer can deliver, it can be acknowledged right away. Then the client can go on to pursue other options.”
Hoppe said she caters to both corporate and private clients, but one usually leads to the other. “One of my best Chicago area clients was a brokerage firm where I catered bi-weekly lunch meetings. Employees there began hiring me for their own private events. What I’ve found is by targeting the corporate side for business functions, the referral process begins to build, which opens doors for the private clients.”
With its 35 full- and part-time employees—and the reputation it’s gained over the years—Barrack said his company often caters multiple events in one day. “In 2002, we catered 1,878 events, feeding 125,000 people. We’re available to cater any time of the day, seven days a week.”
Barrack said he enjoys the catering business so much because of the positive impact he has on people’s lives. “The best part is creating memorable events for our clients and knowing our patrons are very satisfied with our food, service, and presentations.”
Hoppe said customer satisfaction is the high point for her, as well. “A car dealership hosted an invitation-only hors d’oeuvres reception a few years back. It was a pretty large-scale event, and numbers kept climbing in the days leading up to it, which meant last-minute re-configuring and revising food, staff, tables, linens—you name it. The event went off so smoothly—better than I ever would have anticipated given all of the 11th hour shuffling. At the party’s end, the owner came up, thanked me, and said, ‘You and your staff made me look good tonight.’ That’s the best part—the reward that comes from a client’s pleasure and satisfaction with their event.”
Pulling everything off to a client’s satisfaction can sometimes be an adventure, but Hoppe said that’s part of the fun, too. “I had a client who was planning a special ceremony, and immediately following the ceremony, she wanted a saboyon sauce over raspberry sherbet served to all 70 of her guests. Saboyon was something she had enjoyed years ago while living in California. I had no idea what it was and ‘fessed up to her right away. I started researching, found it—thanks to Joy of Cooking—and began testing it in preparation for her event.”
The most difficult aspect of his job, Barrack said, is keeping up with the many engagements his company is booked for—and not knowing what to expect from day to day. “The level of business is very inconsistent from week to week and month to month. Just last month we catered 60 events one week and 30 events the next. Catering, as well as other food businesses, is a very labor-intensive business that sometimes demands long hours and hard work.”
Yes, caterers are indeed a hot commodity these days. Hoppe said even she was surprised at the popularity of her services when she started her business. “I think with today’s busy lifestyles and workplace demands, it’s now viewed as more of a necessity for those who entertain than it once was. I’ve also found people sometimes hire caterers in less traditional ways than the established catering-an-entire-event. The caterer may not do the whole enchilada, but fill in where needed. Another non-traditional look at catering is gift certificates. Instead of a wrapped gift, loved ones choose the services of a caterer as a gift to a senior, someone moving into a new home, or new parents.”
In addition to busy schedules, Hoppe said she and her colleagues are hired for many other reasons. “Some of the most gracious hostesses I know have a gift for creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in their homes and making their guests feel special, but the cooking part stresses them out. There are others who do enjoy the cooking but simply don’t have time to do it all. It seems in today’s society, we strive to simplify. Sometimes entertaining can seem daunting—getting the house cleaned, lawn mowed, flowers looking pretty, etc. Hiring a caterer is a way to make it easier and simpler for you.” TPW