Epicures, casual eaters, and those simply looking for good food at decent prices to serve their guests have so many choices here in Grand Rapids. Whether you’re planning a wedding reception for 200, a business luncheon for 20, or a fund-raising banquet for 2,000 people, caterers are eager to create an event you and your guests will love.
Kevin Vander Meer, co-owner of Kj Catering, reports 25- to 30-percent growth over the last several years, including “so much business during COVID that it wasn’t even funny. A lot of packaged meals went out of here. There are a lot of opportunities within the city of Grand Rapids alone,” said Vander Meer, whose business partner is Kathie Rademacher.
Vander Meer says they do a lot of barbeque, but their menu (www.kjcatering.net) is wide-ranging with hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, sides, salads, vegetables, desserts, late-night snacks, and entrees ranging from beef to chicken, vegetarian options to jambalaya.
“We also will make Grandma’s special recipe and other things outside the box,” said Vander Meer.
Kangeroo Kitchen, owned by Australian native Roman Petrack, does not serve kangaroo, as he’s asked way too often, but does serve what he’s heard described as “non-traditional catering food.” There is traditional meat and potatoes, of course, but he and his staff use color as inspiration to create their elaborate culinary displays of fruits and vegetables, plus unique main dishes.
There is meatloaf with smoked gouda cheese sauce and pickled red cabbage on top, maple sweet potato mash, and pickled cherry and farro salad, among so many other things on their menu (www.kangarookitchengr.com). They work with most of the venues around town and have “grown to the point where we’re happy with the events we do.”
Petrack suggests doing lots of research, reading reviews, and attending a tasting before hiring a caterer. Kangaroo’s staff asks so many questions “there are no questions left for [clients] to answer,” and uses a systemized communication process to make sure there are no unanswered questions as the event approaches.
He says word of mouth is the biggest way Kangaroo Kitchen gets new clients. “We are very consistent, so clients trust us. And the way we season food is very well received,” Petrack says. “We’ve created a happy medium where people’s taste buds react favorably.”
For those looking for good, old-fashioned comfort food, City BBQ is the place to go. “Our food symbolized comfort, backyard hospitality, and community,” said Kerrin Kurzmann, catering sales manager for the Grand Rapids and Portage locations.
Beef brisket is the most popular, and award-winning, entrée along with baked beans and potato salad, banana pudding, pulled pork, chicken and ribs. City BBQ has been known to do 5-6 events on a weekend, from graduation parties to celebrations of life, sports team events to weddings. They also are happy to cater third-shift events, and have set up their tables on the manufacturing floor.
Kurzmann suggests knowing your budget before contacting a caterer. “I love when I know the budget because I love helping people work with their budget,” she said, also pointing out that all City BBQ food is made fresh and from scratch in the restaurant. The restaurant (www.citybbq.com) caters events from 10 people to more than 1,000, and offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free options.
For event planners looking for more formal catering services, Distinctive Catering (www.distinctivecatering.com) is an excellent choice. “Our owner values remaining affordable but not compromising on quality,” said Madeline Doyle, marketing and PR director for Distinctive. “From the feedback we receive, it seems like we’ve accomplished that.”
The caterer offers extensive menu and service level options, from disposable tableware to the real thing, bar services, lots of desserts, cake cutting services, and meals for those with dietary needs. Food ranges from Italian pasta to Polish entrees to usual American fare, plus “we’re willing to see what we can provide as long as it’s quality food,” said Doyle. Among the most popular is a taco and fajita bar.
Doyle suggests booking sooner rather than later, especially for summer events, and get locked in with a contract. Also, book a tasting to decide on the menu ahead of time. Distinctive Catering offers complementary group tastings three times a year, as well as private tastings as needed. It also offers a discount for fundraising and charity events, and will work with third-shift requests.
“The industry now is unsaturated, so we’ve all been able to remain busy,” said Doyle. “There is no shortage of businesses out there looking for catering.”
Beyond the food
There are times when a full meal isn’t on the menu when it comes to events. A couple of local catering companies focus on desserts, wine and beer, and coffee. Martha’s Catering (www.marthascatering), while also offering full-menu catering, features a wide range of desserts by Nantucket Baking Company. Cheesecake, pie, cupcakes, cookies, dessert bars, and mini desserts are available in individual or mini servings, as well as full-sized for the sweet tooth in all of us.
Connie’s Cakes, located in Eastown, can do up to eight wedding cakes in a weekend and has created an uncountable number of cakes, decorated cookies, bite-sized desserts, or cupcakes for graduations, corporate parties, wedding and baby showers, funerals or celebrations of life, and anything in between, according to owner Mary Scheidel, who bought the business from her Aunt Connie in 2010.
“Anytime someone is celebrating,” she said, Connie’s Cakes is ready. “I ask when the event will take place, number of people, the size of the cake, flavor, and about the decorations the person wants.”
Other dessert creators include Little Cake House in Caledonia and Sara’s Sweets Bakery on the East Beltline, and The CakaBakery, which offers the usual flavors and cakes, but also specialty flavors such as maple bacon and triple salted caramel and specialty desserts such as caramel corn and seasonal tarts. There is also a variety of vegan and gluten free desserts.
For those looking to add a little tipple to an event, The Crushed Grape in northeast Grand Rapids provides full-service bar catering for corporate and personal events, customizing each event to the client’s needs. A wide variety of wines, spirits, beers, and ciders at various price points will surely liven up the party.
If you just want to wake up or stay awake, Clique Coffee Catering Company on north Plainfield Avenue will caffeinate your corporate and personal events. The company does an espresso and coffee bar, batch brew coffee, and other specialty drinks such as hot tea, hot chocolate and chai lattes, and Italian sodas.
Relation Coffee Co. will bring a mobile expresso bar right to your event, and offers pour over, espresso and cold brew service.
Ready to step outside the boxed lunch or off the beaten meat-starch-veggie path? Check out these Grand Rapids-area catering operations:
Forty Acres Soul Kitchen—Soul food honoring the black community
Gettin’ Fresh—Food truck, buffet, appetizers with food sources as locally as possible
El Granjero Mexican Grill—Authentic Mexican dishes
YoChef’s Catering Company—Everything you could want and more
Pho 616 Catering—Vietnamese food
Lai Thai Kitchen—Thai food
Grand Indian Cuisine—South Indian and Briyani cuisine
Indian Masala—Traditional and continental Indian cuisine
Tropicala Taste—African/Caribbean cuisine
Famz Foods—Authentic Nigerian food
Searching for the perfect caterer for your event?
- Know your budget—many will work with you to get the best value
- Attend a tasting—some offer private tastings, some public tasting events
- Book early, especially for holiday and summer events
- Contact with date, time, size and food needs already in hand
- Don’t delay on signing the contract
- Read refund and cancellation policies carefully
- Ask about gluten free, dairy free, vegan, kosher, and vegetarian options
- Don’t be afraid to ask if you want something not on the menu or made from a special recipe.
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