I can't say enough good things about Eventfull.nyc (aka Brooklyn Caterers). Our event was a party for 150 guests in a glamorous but bare Manhattan loft space, so we had to bring in absolutely everything except some sofas and chandeliers.
Manager Nigel Teare, who worked with us for nearly a year under challenging and complicated circumstances, is just incredible. He was unfailingly understanding, accommodating, and creative in e-mails, phone calls, and meetings, which took place just about daily, and often involved dozens of communications back and forth in a single day. No detail was too trivial for Nigel's full attention, and he never lost his cool with our endless questions. Even though he was working on a full slate of other events, it felt like he was entirely focused on ours. He made proposals, we made modifications, he gave us great advice, and ultimately we came out with a beautiful party where everything Eventfull.nyc was in charge of went off flawlessly. Nigel even kept an eye on things that weren't his responsibility, such as coordinating with the entertainers.
In addition to Nigel, the staff was unbelievable. When a guest dropped a plate of food, Eventfull.nyc's waiters scooped up every particle instantly--no chance of anyone slipping and falling. We could ask any member of the staff anything and get a response in a flash--never "I don't know" or "You'll have to go ask someone else." Every single person working the event (and it was very generously staffed) was polite, friendly, attractive and professional yet totally unobtrusive. Every used plate, glass and napkin disappeared in a wink so the room always looked impeccable. The hors d'oevres kept coming no matter where a guest was standing (at many events, if you don't position yourself near the kitchen, you don't get anything but empty platters).
We knew about Eventfull.nyc because the co-owner and chef, Melody Ozdenak, has for years donated their catering services to school fundraising events we've attended. So when we needed a caterer for our party, we thought of Eventfull.nyc as a way of thanking them for all they had done--and, of course, because the food was always fabulous. We needed a customized menu: no meat (which was really a pity, because Melody does wonderful meat dishes), no shellfish, and no sit-down serving. So they had to come up with vegetarian, dairy, and fish items that could be served elegant buffet-style over four hours, and satisfy people ages 5 to 90 with every imaginable dietary restriction (nut allergies, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, vegetarian, vegan, kosher, etc.). Melody and Nigel came up with a menu that had something for everyone, representing Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisines and ranging from classic pizza for the kids to sophisticated fare that would impress the bi-coastal guest list. They produced a gorgeous cake with colors to match the centerpieces and adorned with a sparkler that shot a couple feet into the air, an array of mini-desserts so everyone could try everything, and a cotton candy machine that was a hit with all ages.
Eventfull.nyc also provided adult and children's bars. The kids' choices included virgin pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris that were so good many adults were getting them, and the liquor service did not charge for any unopened bottles, so we would never run short but also did not have to pay for more than we needed.
Which brings us to the issue of money. Eventfull.nyc was wonderful about the fact that, while we didn't want to cheap out, we also weren't offering carte blanche to just spend away. With every decision, Nigel would note the associated costs of each option. For instance, when at the last minute we requested their wonderful dumplings, Nigel told us we could include them with the passed hors d'oevres without increasing the total bill, but it would cost extra if they were added to the stationery service.
And I never saw a company so cool about getting paid! I've encountered suppliers who demanded a non-refundable deposit during the first exploratory phone conversation, and many don't want to really talk to you until you've committed (but how do you know if you want to commit before you've talked?). Eventfull.nyc never pressured us to sign a contract or put money down. And when the bills came in, there were no surprises. Despite scores of modifications from the initial proposal nearly a year before the event, everything was right in line with the original estimates.
We just wish we had another event coming up so we could use Eventfull.nyc again! read more
