When choosing Catering Made Simple, I'll admit I was a little nervous at first after hearing about another bride's experience months before at the same venue. But from the moment we started working with Greg, all of those worries disappeared! Our experience was the complete opposite -- everything was absolutely fantastic. The food was amazing, our guests loved it, and the staff was kind, friendly, and professional throughout the entire day. Greg exceeded every expectation I had. He stayed in constant communication, answered all of my questions, reassured me every step of the way, and truly delivered on everything he promised. Thank you so much, Greg, for making our day so special and stress-free. You did an incredible job, and we are so grateful! Highly recommend Catering Made Simple! read more

Catering Made Simple Full Transparent Review - BRIDE BEWARE: How This Vendor Nearly Ruined My Wedding (With Proof) LONGER AND FULL REVIEW IS ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE FROM ME and also in video format @blurrybutblooming on TikTok: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BLwhwhgft/?mibextid=wwXIfr If I could give zero stars, I would. Catering Made Simple was, without question, the most stressful, unprofessional, and disappointing vendor of my entire wedding. What makes it worse is that the owner chose coercion over accountability -- attempting to pressure me into deleting my review before even agreeing to speak with me. That alone should tell you how they handle their mistakes. I posted multiple public notices tagging them and gave them a deadline -- Friday, September 26 at 12:00 PM -- to reach out and make things right. Despite several attempts, they ignored every one. Planning Failures: Our contract clearly stated a plated dinner, and I provided a detailed color-coded diagram with guest names, allergies, and meal choices weeks in advance. Despite this, staff insisted it was a buffet while we were lined up for our ceremony. I had to walk into the reception in my gown minutes before walking down the aisle to correct them. Because of their confusion and refusal to listen, our ceremony was delayed -- critical time lost as we were already working around rain. Execution Failures: We paid for full cake service, but utensils were missing, and flimsy tools from a décor box labeled "Do not use" were handed to us. Our cake, made by a close friend, was ruined when staff shoved a fragile custom topper -- still in its frame -- into the cake, splitting the top tier. One staff member even called it "cheap." They also failed to provide the highboy table we paid for and placed our cake awkwardly in the back of the dessert table. Guest Service Failures: Staff hovered over tables and repeatedly asked guests if they were finished. My own half-eaten meal was cleared while I was in the restroom, leaving me hungry at my own wedding. When I asked for water, I was escorted to the bar instead of being served. Professionalism & Accountability: My coordinator was harassed to the point of tears, and staff even threatened to pull me aside during the reception to complain about her. The owner, Greg, was present all night, saw me address problems directly, and never once spoke to me or apologized. Instead, he posted defensive public comments and tried to coerce me into removing my review. The only positive: the food was warm, tasty, and as expected from the tasting -- but that's where the good ends. The impact on our wedding was significant: * Our ceremony was delayed. * My coordinator was harassed. * Our cake -- lovingly made by a friend -- was ruined. * Guests felt uncomfortable. * I was left hungry. * The owner refused to take responsibility. To top it all off, I have since been blocked from a major Chicago wedding vendor group -- likely due to a complaint from Catering Made Simple -- instead of them engaging in constructive dialogue. Catering Made Simple failed in planning, execution, professionalism, and accountability. They caused unnecessary stress and ruined key moments of a once-in-a-lifetime day -- and then tried to silence me. Brides and grooms: do not risk your wedding on this company. read more

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If you are looking for a caterer in Chicago, look no further than Greg and his team at Catering Made Simple. I've trusted Greg with everything from professional meetings to one of the most important family events of my life, and he has exceeded expectations every single time. For business, he makes it easy. Whether it's a quick breakfast meeting or a client lunch, he works with your budget and still delivers food that has people asking, "Who catered this?" His talent shows in the details, and I've even had friends in fine dining call his dishes "delicious" and "well executed." For personal occasions, there is no one I would trust more. Greg helped make our family gathering not only beautiful but meaningful. He created one of my dad's favorite recipes, elevating it into something that honored him perfectly. The food was outstanding, the presentation gorgeous, and his staff were warm, professional, and genuinely caring. They went above and beyond to make the night unforgettable--we didn't want the evening to end. Greg can do it all: an intimate dinner at home, a business lunch that leaves an impression, or a white-glove wedding that feels like a dream. He's incredibly talented, endlessly creative, and completely reliable. If you can dream it, he can make it happen. I can say with full sincerity that Catering Made Simple is the only caterer I'll ever recommend to call. Once you work with Greg, you'll understand why. read more

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Demanding someone be professional with the owners unprofessionalism makes ZERO sense! Demanding videos be taken down and then blocking someone whose wedding was ruined by your shoddy catering service and horrid staff! I truly hope the owner is sued. read more

Cari, Leah, Greg and rest of Catering Made Simple team not only made my wedding day the most beautiful, seamless, and memorable day. They went above and beyond to make sure that my husband and I were accommodated the whole time. My guests have been RAVING about the quality of food, service and hospitality they received. My experience has been nothing short of excellent with CMS. Cari has been commutative since beginning of time, explained the process to me over and over without getting upset and calmed my nerves down when things got closer to our day. Her professionalism, responsiveness and compassion is beyond me. With all the negativity around her and the company both Cari and her team have been nothing short of incredible. Everything that was communicated to CMS was not only done the way I imagined but way way way better. Their attention to detail is something beyond what I could imagine. I can tell they genuinely care about their customers and will go above and beyond. If you want a wedding or any event where you want your guests to remember your day forever, Catering Made Simple will make a long and lasting impression not only with their delicious food, but great service, passion and quality. read more

Just had a tasting here on Wednesday looking for a caterer for my wedding. My fiancée arrive at the tasting and were provided 3 courses. First course of appetizers included Crab Ragoons, Pulled Pork Sandwiches (2 with coleslaw, 2 w/onions), Mozzarella balls and Beef Wellington. To keep it short, the only thing that was good were the ragoons, which we learned from the Chef weren't even made by the chef herself! Pulled pork was flavorless and dry, wellington again had no taste except for a bitter aftertaste, Mozz Balls per fiancée were good but I did not touch due to an allergy. Second Course was the salad. We were given 2 Caesar salads so how bad could it have been. IT WAS BAD! Whatever glaze/dressing they used they overused making the salad obscenely sweet and to me inedible. Third Course were the meats. We were given Sesame Salmon, Ribs, Diced Sweet Potatoes, Lemon Chicken and Vodka Sauce Pasta with 3 pieces of asparagus dividing the place. Long story short, the only thing off that plate that was eaten to completion was the asparagus. Lemon chicken was WARM (thank god) with the slightest taste of lemon, Potatoes were hard and not great, Salmon was COLD and had no flavor outside of the fish flavor itself with no hint of sesame, Ribs were prepared beyond well done and was dry and rubbery. When asked if we wanted any of our "leftover" food packed up to go, I was quick to say no thank you. I would be ashamed to provide this kind of food for my wedding. Big waste of time! Do yourself a favor and find somewhere else to cater your special day. read more

We hired Catering Made Simple for our wedding, and they completely exceeded every expectation. From the very first conversation, their professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail stood out. The team went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect -- from the beautifully presented dishes to the flawless service. The food was incredible -- fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Every guest raved about it and still do to this very day! They perfectly balanced creativity and crowd-pleasing flavors, and the presentation was restaurant-quality. The staff were warm, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about making our day special. It's rare to find a company that combines this level of quality, service, and passion. Catering Made Simple truly elevated our event and made it unforgettable. I can't recommend them highly enough -- if you're looking for catering that impresses on every level, this is the team to call! read more

Greg, I hope this message finds you well! I just wanted to take a moment to share my wonderful experience with your catering service. From start to finish, everything was absolutely top-notch! First and foremost, the food was simply delicious. Every dish was prepared to perfection. Additionally, the service provided by your team was exceptional. They were professional, friendly, and attentive, ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. Thank you for making our event a memorable one. I will definitely be recommending your catering service to others and look forward to working with you again in the future! read more

Cari and team catered our daughters wedding in October. Rather than going with a traditional "chicken/fish/beef" menu, they wanted to do a mexican influence. CMS did not disappoint. A slow roasted pork and a creamy poblano chicken along with the appropriate sides had all the guests asking for more. the staff was very accomodating and made sure we we had all we needed. Definitely recommend CMS for you catering needs. read more

Catering made simple has outstanding food. I use them to cater my lunches on a weekly basis for doctor offices. A lot of them ask where the food is catered from. I love that there is always variety of choices to keep things new and fresh. Thank you for always providing delicious meals. read more

We have never had better food at any wedding. Our chef and the owner carefully guided us through the selection process of what foods combine well. They made special accommodations like less sugar in a particular sauce... All desserts were homemade with fresh eggs, butter and sugar. Guests called us days and weeks later, to tell us how good the food was. The waiters were so kind and competent. Food was the heart of a magical evening. read more

Catering Made Simple - Table settings - Caterers Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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The food was great and everyone on our crew was happy. Production was impressed with how easy everything came together. Will be using again in the future. read more

I called Greg, the owner, in a panic all the way from Los Angeles. My friend's father had passed away in Rochelle, IL and I yelped local catering companies and restaurants b/c I wanted to send them a catered dinner on the day of the funeral. I didn't want them to have to worry about anything that day. Greg was amazing. We picked the menu together on the phone and the food was delivered on the correct day at the correct time, and everything was absolutely delicious. My friend texted me photos and said that Heather was the employee that set it all up and she was amazing. They were so grateful for the meal. They couldn't stop raving about how delicious the food was. Thanks Yelp users for helping me find Greg and Catering Made Simple! read more

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I love catering from Catering Made Simple. The truth really is in the name. They are responsive, helpful and always on time for our catering needs. Food is delicious as well!!! 10/10 will keep using you guys!!! -Terri with Deljo. read more

I LOVE this company, Greg is AWESOME!! He is super easy to work with. I had my mother's celebration of life during covid and rented tents, tables, etc...great quality and everything looked beautiful. Everyone enjoyed the food as well, it was delicious. I am using their services again for my daughter's upcoming bridal shower and looking to do a brunch and I know the food is going to be amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this company! And turns out, I see the company is now listed on the site-the knot which is where everyone is looking at for planning their weddings! What a huge accomplishment! I will definitely continue to use their services when I need a caterer. read more

The food was great and everyone at our wedding was really impressed. Greg made it clear that he wanted our event to go smoothly and that was his main goal. He recommended a rental company that he worked with too and made it easy for us to trust them. He came out to our property to know what to expect in advance. We also received a complimentary tasting which was nice and although we only selected a few items to try, he prepared more so we could see other options. For our actual wedding, he accommodated our homemade desserts that we provided and brought special tiered trays to serve them. The waitstaff for our event was great and made sure everyone was taken care of. Everything went smoothly which was much appreciated! The only challenge we had was when we initially made contact we couldn't leave a voicemail bc it was full. After calling a few times, he did eventually call back and we communicated via text primarily after that. read more

You would never know how large the business is by the personal service they gave. we appreciated the quality and variety offered and will likely use them again. read more

Excellent people, excellent food, excellent service, hands down. Greg and his team know how it is done. He catered our backyard BBQ wedding reception and we also rented a large tent and chairs from him. Everything was delicious, on time, and done very professionally. As a former meeting and events planner, I appreciate people like Greg and his work ethic to make a big event go smoothly. Many of our guests asked for his business card and commented on the delicious the food! I will be recommending him and hiring him again. read more

Use Catering made simple for all my business luncheons. Always on time and my customers love the variety. Easy to order and great service highly recommend read more

food is always good- lots of compliments on the beef brisket! consistently provides great food and service

I have used Catering Made Simple for years and have always found them to be timely on deliveries regardless of parking availability in downtown Chicago , professional through and through and The food is always a hit ! Chris read more

We ordered from Catering Made Simple a couple of times before. First time we ordered, food was great and we even got some sweets and drinks ,even though we didn't order them. After that we would order gyro package, everyone always loved it. Their ribs are pretty good,too. This weekend's order was very different. We are so disappointed with what we got. First of all, the delivery person did not provide us ANY utensils: tongs, large spoons, etc. We had to improvise.. when we ordered in the past,all these as well as plates, forks,knives,napkins were always provided. Not this time! Then: chicken marsala arrived with NO pasta. I ordered 10 chicken marsalas and there was only meat in that pan. $100 for 10 thin pieces of chicken breast - that's overpriced.  Pitas for gyros were so dry that nobody was able to make a proper gyro. They would break in half.  I don't know if they don't care so much anymore or if this was an isolated incident. It's all so unfortunate,we really liked ordering from them. read more

Had a great experience with thiS catering company. The food is excellent! Especially the pesto ravioli!! EVerytHing we had at our work party waS delicious! read more

Catering Made Simple is Catering Made EASY! Everyone that works for this company is SO polite! We had a corporate event - with a fairly large breakfast order - not only was the food delicious, hot and fresh, but also on time and set up quickly and without assistance from our staff. This company knows how to "cater" to your needs! We asked for a custom adjustment to a regular menu item and our expectations were exceeded. Catering Made Simple ROCKS! If you are looking for a personal or corporate caterer, please give them the opportunity to provide food for your event. We have received very positive feedback from our staff about the success of the breakfast. We will be repeat customers. Thank you Catering Made Simple! Our event was a complete success thanks to you! read more

Food was delivered on time, ordering was simple, guests raves about the food, and one guest even drove back the next day to pick up his leftover package because the food was so good. I highly recommend and will definitely use them again. read more

I wish I can do more than 5 starts, great customer service, great food, their prices are very reasonable. On June 1st, 2019 we ordered food for 60 guests, all our guests complement the kale salad, the chicken, the eggplant, the meatloaf, mushaded potato. Everything was delicious even two of our guests already asked for the informacion from where we ordered the food. We also know in September we'll order again from Catering Made Simple. Team of Catering Made Simple; thanks to your custumer service techniques, your experience, for the phone calls before our event for making sure about details. The resutl is 100% satisfaction and 100% recommendation. read more

Ordered catering for my daughters 1st birthday. I was fairly nervous as I've never used this company but i did taste their food at another friends birthday. I'm a research guru so i spoke to Greg (the owner) at great length as to what i was looking for. He helped me pick out a menu, narrow down choices and give suggestions. I also even got to do a tasting. On the day of the party, they came to set up and were kind, professional and It was so nice to have the food set up! Everyone raved about the food and said it was delicious! I had nothing but compliments and will not hesitate to use this company again. read more

LOVE THIS FOOD! Used them for multiple occasions including my daughters 1st birthday party and also ordered food for my internal staff and clients. The food is always phenomenal and arrives on time hot. Everyone at the birthday party said the food was great. We choose the Greek faire and really liked the gyros and rice. The humus is obviously home made as well and is just so fresh! I recommend them to all my friends and clients for any catering needs. They will also deliver to pretty much anywhere. 5 stars! read more

We live in California and were coming in to Elgin to spend Christmas eve with family. We wanted to do something special for our dinner without the normal fuss. I saw reviews on Yelp of Catering Made Simple and decided to give them a call. Greg was very helpful and we mutually decided to have an International Christmas for 25 people, including a Taco and Gyros Bar, along with food from other countries! The food arrived on time and was set up in a wonderful fashion! the food was hot, fresh, and delicious! The quantities were amazing and many people got an early present of leftovers! Thank you Greg for making our event wonderful! I wholeheartedly recommend CMS to everyone!!! read more

I have been using catering companies for over 5 years now and I have to say they are the best. Not only will they drive practically anywhere but they also have great quality food and verity! read more

Can't say enough good things about Catering Made Simple. Contacted Greg with questions about food for a baby shower. He got back to me immediately with answers to all of my questions. Greg helped me with the amount of food I needed. The food was delivered hot and on time. Everything was fantastic. I got so many compliments on the food. I would definitely use them again. Highly recommend. read more

We had looked far and wide for a catering company that was both delicious and affordable for our June wedding of around 130 guests in Chicago, and we got both with Greg and Myrna at Catering Made Simple. From the beginning of the process, they went above and beyond to help us put together a menu that reflected our taste. We had a buffet style, plated by Catering Made Simple employees. We had bruschetta, meatballs, and salmon/dill/cream cheese appetizers, a harvest salad, sliced BBQ beef brisket, herb grilled chicken, multiple types of lasagna, mixed veggies, and mashed potatoes for dinner, and, per my special request, a very special ice cream sundae bar for desert. All of which were delicious! Myrna was absolutely amazing - she went out of her way to make sure we felt comfortable with the process, and served as an event planner as well. She knew all the right questions to ask and truly helped make the wedding run smoothly. Overall, we were very pleased with the service from Catering Made Simple and highly recommend. read more