Coastal Cooking with Chef Michael Hutchings

Wedding Venue Selection

Garden Wedding

Congratulations!  Now that you are engaged, you need to set the date and secure a venue for your wedding celebration.  This is one of the more challenging tasks when you look for a location you love plus will accommodate all the guests and activities you are planning.

Santa Barbara has a wide variety of wedding locations including luxury estates, parks, beaches, wineries, museums, parks and more. Fees are from modest to six figures. The look, feel, amenities and of course budget and availability will all come to play in your selection. There are a number of other planning considerations in making your choice.

Call to see if your date is available first, then visit the site and do a walk through. Be sure and check  the venue and city regulations that relate to having an event. If you like it, it's the right size for your reception and the price is acceptable - book it right away!  Prime spaces and times book quickly during the preferred wedding dates.

Check with the venue to see what equipment they might have as part of the site rental. Some venues provide tables and chairs. If you need to rent them, it can easily add $10 or more per person in equipment rentals.  If the venue does provide tables and chairs ask who sets them up and takes them down?  Some venues provide that service as part of their rental and others charge extra for set up.  You might ask if you could do the set up and save the costs. Your caterer will often provide this service. Be sure and ask about parking. Some venues charge or you need valet service due to regulations. Be sure and plan and budget for parking.

Check if there is enough room for all the activities you are planning? Rental companies, familiar with the venue, are very helpful in planning layouts. Some venues have a number of floor plans that will guide you in laying out the tables, dance floors, buffet, beverage stations and the like. Be sure that you comply with fire regulations.

If you are planning an outdoor wedding,  you need to rent a tent if the weather is poor?  What is the plan for rain? Some rental companies will have a plan B and not charge for a back-up tent.

If you need help finding a location, go to the venue section of our web site. Venue Links

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

  Estate Wedding

Canapés and Butler Passed Hors d'Oeuvres

Canapes Ready to Present

We have a passion for little bites for cocktail receptions and "standing dinners." Canapés have come a long ways since the 50s when such "delights" as pigs in a blanket, chicken liver rumaki and cheese straws were the standard. Often we do a whole dinner a bite at a time. The art is both in the selection of the items and in the presentation. Call us today for a complimentary menu consultation. Click on this link for sample menus. Link to menus  Click here for a slide show.

Enjoy the slide show.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael

Michael's Catering

 

 

Wedding Fair at Rockwood

Please join us at Simply the Best Wedding Showcase on February 26. I will be there from Michael's Catering  with Christine Dahl of Christine Dahl Pastries. This showcase is a great one stop event for planning a wedding, rehearsal dinner or engagement party. We will be serving taste of delicious foods and would love to talk about your wedding plans. Make an appointment for a consultation and we have a gift to help you plan your wedding.

Tastefully

Michael Hutchings

Chef/Owner

Michael's Catering

 

Tangerine Tarts

Tangerine Tarts

Chef Christine Dahl is a magician with sugar, eggs, chocolate, flour and fruit. She pulled these gems out of her "toque" for a local country club. Pate sucrée is a butter rich pastry dough with a crumbly texture well suited for fruit tarts.

Stats:

Crust, pate sucree

Filling, Tangerine curd

Garnish, white chocolate sticks and tangerine sections

Topping, whipped cream

Flavor, delicious.

Compliments to the Chef

 

Holiday Buffet

We were delighted to cater the annual holiday reception for the Music Academy of the West this past December. The MAOW is a sixty year old plus organization that fosters the careers of young musicians. In fact my sculpting muse Dominick Laruccia Jr. attended in the summer of 1951 (estimated).

The folks were delighted and we received a delightful compliment from our contact, Marilyn Zellet.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

"Hi Michael, This is long overdue: But I wanted to thank you for a superb performance by you and your team for the MAW Auxiliary Party on December 9th at Scott Reed's.

I have heard nothing but RAVE reviews by all who were there, even Marilyn Horne commented very favorably. So thank you. The presentation was beautiful, food delicious as expected and the service impeccable.

Thanks for making me look good too. We have already decided to hold  the next Holiday party at the Music Academy so that will make logistics easier for all. I will contact you but it will probably be on Friday, December 7th. " 
Marilyn Zellet for the Music Academy of the West

Dessert Station with Musical Theme