Jeff and Jennifer Snow purchased Catering Creations as a small company in August of 2002. Jeff spent the previous 13 years working as the Executive Chef at The French Cafe after earning his culinary degree from The Culinary Institute of America. During his time at The French Cafe, Jeff met Jennifer, who worked part-time at the restaurant.
The transition for each of them from restaurants to catering came with some hurdles. Jennifer said, “I worked in restaurants before, so we honestly thought it was going to be super easy. But this was so much harder as it is all logistics. We really ate a piece of humble pie that first year.”
Catering Creations has now grown to catering a weekly average of 25 events consisting of corporate and social gatherings. Being a full-service caterer with a reception center on site, their teams not only work to provide restaurant quality food, but they can also book entertainment, rentals, floor plans, decorations, and even valet if needed. They also have the capability to plan events outside of the Omaha area. The farthest events included two events in Los Angeles and one event in New Orleans for 1,100 people.
What distinguishes their events from the rest is their trustworthy staff and attention to detail. “We take the event and look at it as a whole, and as how the guest of the customer would walk in. We think about the first time they open the door and walk through the event, and how it flows. It’s not just the food but everything that goes along with it, such as service, traffic flow, food, decorations, and music,” explained Jeff. “People eat with their eyes way before they get to taste it or smell it, which was hard for me coming from a restaurant where the palette was just the plate. Now it is the front door, walkway to the pool—everything.”
Encouraging everyone to work as a whole has been key to their business. They send a culinary person to each event to make sure the food is always cared for by someone with knowledge of food. Everyone in the kitchen has a culinary degree, and their kitchen turnover has been very low with tenure ranging from 3 to 16 years. “We can sell chicken, beef, and mashed potatoes all day long, but we really do try to push the envelope with what can be prepared for tents in a field in Iowa and still have the food hot,” said Jeff.
Often a customer favorite is their signature salad consisting of dried cranberries, feta cheese, candied walnuts, red onion, baby greens, and a raisin port wine vinaigrette. All sauces and dressings are made in house, which helps control food allergens to be able to meet allergy needs. Jeff shared, “To be a part of their celebration is really cool. It is like an honor. There is so much laughter, and to be part of their event makes us happy.”
Catering Creations
1915 Jackson St.
(402) 558-3202
www.cateringcreations.com
