Home Grown and Perfect for a Chefs Daughter

I think we have a caterer! No paperwork has been signed just yet...but I think we'll go with them.  As some may know, my father used to be a chef (currently a culinary arts instructor) and my mother used to be a food and beverage manager...or for all intents and purposes, the event planner.  So I have a pretty handy set of resources at my disposal! When my dad was at his last job, his sous chef was Greg Kilpatrick, who now owns Home Grown and Saffron Fine Foods Catering with his wife Miki in Asheville. They have wonderful southern yet sophisticated food and it's exactly what we're looking for.

For the past few weeks we've been trying to catch them and kept missing them for one reason or another, but just yesterday we finally connected!  They called my mom today and had a chat about our vision and we're right on par with what they do and they're happy to be flexible with us (because of dad). We meet with them this weekend.  So yay!!! It looks like we will have an amazing caterer and I cannot wait to work out the menu with them!

We've been envisioning something simple with a twist. We've been thinking family style rather than buffet but we may do a mix of both. The vision is a lovely fruit and arugula salad on the table with a delicious homemade vinaigrette.  Possibly a soup for all of the non-salad eaters.  For dinner we're thinking options of pork and fish...possibly trout since it's NC :) For sides we want my dad's infamous butternut squash pudding...the best ever....and some veggies and maybe a starch.  Keep it simple...but delicious. I'm so lucky to have my family helping me through this...they used to (and still do) make menus all the time so they know exactly what will hold well, taste amazing, and what will wow our guests who have traveled so far to be with us.

The dessert is going to be the real fun...I don't want to give too much away but we're thinking lots of New Zealand favorites...southern pies...and some delicious homemade ice cream.  I'm also blessed in that my mom is currently working as a gluten free baker, and my future mother-in-law is a pastry chef! Talk about luck! So the dessert will be their area to play with...lots of cute happy pie crusts and delicious varieties. Lot's of berries and apples (it's apple season in the high country!) so that will add some fun color as well.  And a favor that's edible and hopefully a huge hit...And the cake, we're thinking we'll have a (lovely) friend make it and we'll do the decorating...I'm thinking chocolate bark and berries and flowers. We'll see how it turns out but get ready to taste the best cake...my most favorite cake in the world since I've been a child.

Oh and for the rehearsal dinner? FOOD TRUCK! Don't tell anyone. It's going to be awesome. We're having the rehearsal dinner on sight at the Dairy Barn that I mentioned in my venue post.  The goal is to have everyone gather to do the ceremony run-through then hang out for some fun food, beer, and laughs. We may even throw in a few games...think wedding olympics ;) So the food should be amazing...just like everyone is expecting from a chef's daughter and pastry chef's son. Yay!!