Gerard's catering services--food and staff--were a perfect 10 for our wedding! We gave Gerard a budget and asked for a fun, somewhat non-traditional wedding dinner and he delivered perfectly. We had stations with brisket, amazing mac & cheese, and green beans plus another station with tacos and other Mexican dishes. Our guests loved the fun approach to the food and Gerard nailed the balance of making it delicious but still wedding appropriate. The guests also RAVED about the appetizers during the cocktail hour. The buffalo chicken meatball (with celery stick), mini quesadillas, and Asian beef shortrib were an ideal mix of easy to eat plus delicious and substantive (our dinner wasn't until 8p, so guests were hungry). A special and well deserved shoutout to Gerard's wait staff that worked our wedding. They. Were. Amazing. They read us as a couple and the crowd, and could tell everyone was ready to have fun, so they made sure we did--all while providing excellent and professional service. There wasn't an ounce of stuffiness to them and they made us feel like they were really having fun serving the crowd, as opposed to watching the clock waiting for the night to be over. For weeks after the wedding people were raving about the food--and staff!--provided by Gerard and his team. read more

Occasions catered my wedding about a month ago and we are still receiving compliments on the food. Initially, I wanted to go the traditional chicken and fish route but when I let them know that we wanted to switch to a more unique menu, they were totally on board. Gerard and his team are able to offer whatever you may desire! We had a mix of cultures at the wedding and Occassion did a fantastic job of representing that in the food. We had cuban/ dominican food and Indian food. All the flavors were wonderful and we toned down the spices so even those who do not typically eat these kinds of foods enjoyed it! Gerard is great and he is clearly a wedding pro. It was nice knowing that working with Occasions, the same chef who prepared our tasting was going to prepare the meal at the wedding. When you go to some of the larger catering companies, you end up with different chefs the day of and you get tossed around. Thank you Occasions! read more

Occasions Chicago - Our full menu - Caterers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I recently got married at Morgan MFG and Gerard/Occasions catered the meal. Everyone from our wedding has commented on our food and how fresh and amazing it was. The food came out hot (which RARELY happens at a wedding with 200+ guests). The service was phenomenal and I couldn't speak more highly of Gerard and all of the staff. If you are between a few options - choose occasions. read more

I know I am the hardest person to please and all I can say is WOW. Occasions Chicago has to be the best caterer in Chicago. I told my husband if I didn't love him so much I would have married Marshelle who will coordinate and run your event. Our wedding menu included bacon wrapped dates, baby lamb chops, sirloin asparagus maki, strawberry mixed green salad, chicken wellington and Chilean sea bass. My foodie in-laws loved everything!!! My jaw dropped when I saw very sophisticated guests double fisting baby lamb chops. The comment I heard most often was, "I can't believe this is wedding food. This is better than any restaurant I have been to." The Chilean sea bass was the biggest hit though. It was far better than any sea bass my guests had tried EVER! The location we choose has NO Kitchen so I still don't know how they did it. While the food was a showstopper, it was everything else they did that made the event so successful. As a graphic designer, I am meticulous about every detail. I had a million different little items, custom linens, chairs, and multiple table configurations throughout the night to set-up. It was done smooth and seamlessly. Even while staff was doing room changes the service remained impeccable. There was always a staff member ready to hold my glass for pictures, refill my guests' glasses, or remove a crumb from the table you hadn't even noticed was there. They were so polite and seemed to anticipate the needs of my guests. I felt with the quality of food and service we received they were more than reasonable too. Gerard and Marshelle were constantly looking for ways to save us money, which was really appreciated as well. I can't express how highly I recommend their services!!! I would give them ten stars if Yelp would let me. read more

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Occasions Chicago catered our wedding just about a year ago. We were special needs clients -- we wanted a reception menu that was entirely vegetarian and mostly vegan. Occasions created a wonderful menu for us that was far and above the usual vegetarian fare served at large functions. The food was inventive (indonedian curried tempeh, coconut tofu with mango & macadamia nut salsa, just to name a few items) delicious, and piping hot. The vegetarians and meat eaters alike complimented us for weeks afterward. There truly was something for everyone to enjoy. Beyond the food, the service we received from the owners and their staff was unbeatable. They did a wonderful job of coordinating the evening, paid lots of attention to us and our guests, and provided a lot of guidance on things like linen choices, etc. We tried very hard to support smaller businesses when plunking down so much money on just one day. We are SO glad that we chose Occasions over some of the larger catering companies out there. We felt like our business and our wedding really mattered to Occasions. It was great to feel like we weren't just one of 50 clients they had that weekend. read more

If I could give 5 more stars I would. Got married on October 2nd at the Newberry Library, and Gerard and his team at Occasions made it FLAWLESS. The food was amazing, the set up was perfect, and their "captain" Marshelle is their BEST kept secret! It's like having my own personal wedding coordinator without paying for it. We talked it over and went with a buffet style meal. We wanted pretty classic food without paying an insane amount of money for it. I can tell you that their food is fantastic. We had the basics: pasta, vegetables, mac & cheese, "smashed potatoes", chicken, and pork. Now my husbands side of the family is pretty particular when it comes to food so I was nervous with my "simplistic" choices. But they LOVED it. I got rave reviews across the board on the food. On top of it, when you book Occasions they give you the best gift of all....Marshelle. I can't say enough great things about her. She meets with you well before the date and helps you figure it all out; from the floor plan, to the linens, the place settings, to the time line of the evening. She was on top of EVERYTHING. She was amazing amazing amazing. I didn't have to worry about a single thing the day of the wedding, as she took care of it ALL. She made sure we had food/champagne in our bridal suite and that everything ran on time. I love her to pieces and can't thank her enough. She even helped my dad load up his truck with our gifts at the end of the night, and she certainly didn't have to. To put it simply, you would be crazy not to book them. Gerard is SO easy to work with, has a huge menu to choose from, does a free tasting, is super nice, and creates fantastic dishes. I promise you would be 110% happy with their service. read more

Gerard, Marshelle, and the entire crew at Occasions were absolutely instrumental in making my wedding a huge success. How's that, you ask? Four words, my friends: macaroni and cheese bar. I'm a sucker for macaroni and cheese, and it was Gerard's brilliant idea to have a macaroni and cheese station at the wedding - they provided pans of gooey, delicious macaroni and cheese, along with a bar of toppings you could add. Veggies? Bacon? French fried onions? Extra cheese? It could all be yours. The rest of the food was equally wonderful - we also had mixed greens, mashed potatoes (and I'm pretty sure more than one person turned the mac and cheese bar into a mashed potato bar), strip steaks, chicken stuffed with spinach and provolone, and green beans. We also did passed apps that included mini crab cakes, bacon wrapped dates (LOVE), parmesan puffs, and little herbed grilled cheese sandwiches. The staff was wonderful, and Marshelle is the best kept secret in Chicago. (OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but she's awesome.) From start to finish, she took care of the front of the house stuff and even provided suggestions when I looked clueless (which I tend to do a lot). The room ended up being totally beautiful, and everything ran so smoothly. I really, really lucked out with wedding vendors, and I can't recommend Occasions Chicago enough. And the biggest bonus? They were easily the most reasonably priced caterer I spoke with, and they let me supply my own booze, easily saving me a couple thousand dollars. Big score. read more

Occasions catered my wedding at Salvage One, and the event went wonderfully. I am so pleased. Gerard made an instant good impression at the tasting, and promised that things would be "drama free" and the food would be awesome, and he was so right on both counts. We had a buffet with two stations -- Indian food, and meat and potatoes. Both got great reviews from our guests throughout the night. The beef brisket was especially delicious! We also had wonderful and plentiful appetizers -- bacon wrapped dates, sage grilled cheese, crab cakes, and spanakopita. But even better than the food, was the service. Before the wedding even started, one of the staff, Scott, was on hand to assure us that they would take care of packing up our decorations at the end of the night, and that all of the candles would be lit for dinner. He even brought me and my bridesmaids a pre-wedding drink. During cocktail hour, he made sure that my husband and I got plenty to eat and drink. Gerard checked in with us at dinner too. The bartenders and waitstaff were friendly and professional. Thank you Gerard, Scott and the rest of the Occasions staff for helping make my wedding wonderful and stress-free! Would highly recommend. read more

Occasions catered our wedding and oh my gosh, if you are looking for a caterer pick Occasions!!! We got SO many compliments on the food from our guests saying it was the best wedding food they have ever had (we even asked for all 4 meal options at our sweetheart table because we couldn't pick just 2!!) Not only was the food to die for, but Gerard and his team are simply the best. Gerard was very easy to communicate with and really took the time to build our menu and make sure every detail was set for the big day. Not only was he extremely helpful leading up to the big day, but on the big day everything was covered. He and his team truly went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly and all of our friends and family were taken care of. We will 1,000% hire Occasions Chicago in the future and also tell others to! read more

Although they were way above my price point Gerard was really up front and honest with me. I really appreciate the fact that he didn't waste my time or try to sell me a service that was beyond my budget. Bravo! I emailed for a proposal and told him exactly what my budget was. Unfortunately after a few days Gerard got back to me and explained very nicely that with my budget he wouldn't be able to provide the services i wanted. I truly appreciated the time he spent on it and wish i had a bigger budget just so I could work with someone like him. Thanks Gerard! read more

Occasions just catered my wedding, and we were very happy with them! We met with them over a year ago to plan the menu, and everything at the ceremony tasted just as good as the tasting! We were getting raves about the food all night. They are extremely flexible with the menu as far as types of food. We knew we wanted some Indian options ('cause it's delicious - duh!). At first we were recommended a Mexican station, but we swapped it out for a brisket and potatoes station. I've read many reviews about Marshelle - we actually didn't get her services, but Gerard took care of us from beginning to end. He handled our tasting and was there at our event. His waitstaff was efficient, the bartenders were friendly, and one of their staff (Scott) was especially helpful in making sure my wife and I got plenty to eat and drink and that everything we needed was taken care of. Gerard also worked with Sara (our venue manager at Salvage One) during our walkthrough to make sure everything was coordinated well. There was absolutely no fuss between caterer, venue, baker, and liquor delivery. O.C. was also very helpful in gathering and cleaning our decorations after the event. I happily recommend them. read more

I am so honored to write this review. Occasions Chicago catered my May 2012 wedding at The (gorgeous) Newberry Library. Food - delicious! Drinks - amazing! Service - impeccable! Gerard responded quickly to every email and worked hard to reach my budget goals. Marshelle went above and beyond her duties as the catering captain to make sure our vision came to life. She was always calm, incredibly thorough, and made sure everything was executed to perfection! I can honestly say I didn't worry on my wedding day because I knew we were in great hands. Planning a major event? Look no further. Occasions Chicago is the absolute BEST! read more

I was a guest at a memorial in June, 2018 that used Occasions Chicago. I have never been at a memorial before where I thought "wow, this food is amazing" - even one a restaurant meal after the service - have you? (the memorial was amazing too, but that review went to the family). The staff was helpful before, during and after the service. When I wandered into the kitchen before the memorial began, a smiling face asked if I would like a drink. It was a buffet, but staff went to people with mobility difficulties and offered to bring them plates. Clean up was discrete and quick. Looking at their website, I see my hosts chose the "Mid-Summer Buffet" with green salad (fantastic, especially the dressing) orzo and wild rice salad (uhm, could I buy quart of this?) chicken skewers and grilled salmon, both delicious and again, the mango salsa you could add to them, wowza. Four types of rolls were on offer, the one I had was delicious. Based on my experience, I highly recommend Occasions Chicago. My only complaint is that I did not go back for a third helping, which, as any reader of Calvin Trillin knows, should be the ultimate compliment to any chef. read more

Occasions Chicago catered our wedding on March 1st 2014 at Salvage One and it was AWESOME! The entire process was pleasant and very easy. From quoting to menu finalization Gerard was great to deal with. He was very professional and prompt. We wanted a more casual "cocktail party" style wedding with open bar and food stations with small plates. And did they deliver! Marshelle was our point person for the event. She met with us before the wedding and walked us through everything. She was very thorough and it paid off. Every thing was perfect! The food was delicious and plentiful and the staff were very professional. I would highly recommend Occasions to everyone and anyone who asked me. read more

My husband and I just got married at the Newberry Library and had Gerard and his team cater our event. We knew that Occasions would be the best fit for us because the food was absolutely delicious and Gerard was very personable! Gerard and Marshelle were constantly helping us throughout our planning and always answered our questions with a speedy response. We couldn't have imagined working with anyone else because they were so attentive, understanding, and helpful! We will never forget our wedding day, it was perfect! The food was phenomenal and we are still receiving compliments from our guests about how excellent the food was! Everything ran so smooth and we cannot thank Gerard, Marshelle, and the rest of the team enough! We would highly recommend Occasions to anyone who is seeking delicious food, but more importantly staff members who are personable, attentive, and caring. read more

We entered the search for a caterer with reservations, as we were having a mixed Hindu/Christian wedding, and the food was a huge concern. Who could we find that could cook both Indian food and American food and (more importantly) do it well? Well, we found our answer, and then some - Occasions fit the bill perfectly, and were a major part of making our day so wonderful! From the very start, Gerard was very receptive and communicative to us, and patiently answered all our questions. Pricing was much better than Blue Plate, Entertaining company and other catering companies around Chicago, and (based on our tastings) the quality of food was top notch (even satisfying my Indian husband who compares everything to his mom's cooking). The chef (I am blanking on her name) did a great job with both the Beef and the Chicken Tikka we asked for. The Bacon wrapped dates were also delicious. Marshelle, the day-of planner, was also wonderful to work with - meeting with us several times, and giving us some great ideas to help with the flow of the event. I know other, larger caterers market their specialty in mixed, south asian weddings, but (even not considering the price difference, which was substantial) Occasions truly had the best food, and made us feel the most comfortable (not just like a transaction). My husband and I had a wonderful experience working with the Occasions team, and we HIGHLY recommend them. read more

We used Occasions for our April wedding at the Newberry Library and they were absolutely fantastic! Seriously, get them to cater your event and you will not be disappointed. We found Occasions after getting proposals from several caterers. We were unimpressed with the quality of the customer service at the proposal stage with these vendors (e.g., typos/mistakes in the budget, not directly responding to simple pricing questions we asked). We eventually contacted Occasions and were so happy with them from the beginning. Gerard is super responsive and organized and answers every question in a straightforward manner. We got to try a ton of food at our tasting, and it was all completely delicious. They even made us a "spring risotto" for our vegetarian entree that was not on their standard menu and it was delicious as well. We worked with Marshelle to plan the logistics for the reception and she thought of everything! She is a total pro, and I was so glad to have her in charge that night. The cocktail hour was flawless as our guests enjoyed passed appetizers and a signature cocktail. Our guests raved about the food at the reception as well, especially the incredible dessert spread Occasions put together (including Buckeyes, prepared from my mom's recipe). The service was absolutely impeccable and Marshelle made sure that our plates and glasses were full at just the right times. We HIGHLY recommend Occasions to anyone planning a wedding reception or other event. Their prices are better than a lot of the other well known Chicago caterers and the service is topnotch. We loved working with them and you will too! read more

Gerard & Marshelle were absolutely wonderful to work with and every single person at my wedding is absolutely raving about the food (Sea Bass & Beef Tenderloin)! We had a winter wedding at Salvage One and The Occasions team was hospitable, attentive and amazing. They made my husband and I feel extra special by allowing us some private time right after the reception with appetizers and champagne in the bridal suite. They helped us with the leftover alcohol going back to Binny's and they responded to every inquiry and email almost immediately. The food was AMAZING. For almost 200 people. Seriously, this team is so easy going and professional, I wouldn't suggest you look any further. read more

I was married just over a year ago and Gerard catered our wedding. This review should really highlight how amazing he was. I have been wanting to write a review all of this time, and it has taken me a year but I have not forgotten! Not only is his cuisine superb, he is absolutely wonderful to work with! The options are endless and he accommodates all of your needs. Everyone raved about the food at the wedding. He really made our day special. We will definitely hire Occasions Chicago for future catering needs! read more

THE BEST CATERERS IN CHICAGO... PERIOD. We used Occasions on our January 17th, 2014 wedding and could not have been happier! We visited 3 caterers, one big shop, one smaller (Occasions) and one trendy. Of the 3 Gerard and his team just blew us away. Aside from being the most competitive in price, Gerard was the first to respond to any inquiry I had, and the food at our tasting was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. My husband actually whispered to me at one point "Am I just starving or is this food REALLY GOOD?" It was that good. I can't say enough of this group. Even after upgrading the linens, plates and adding on a number of 'must haves" (think brandy snifters, champagne flutes for all night drinking, not just a toast" they still came in under budget. We had a 4 passed appetizers: Artichoke in puff pastry, Thai shrimp, Asian shortrib in bib lettuce cup, and a buffalo chicken meatball that was to die for. I'd order all 3 of those items in a heartbeat. Our main was choice of beef tenderloin or sea bass in lemon wine... which I had and it was over the top delicious. I was surprised I would eat anything but I couldn't resist. I can't believe the number of people who came up to me that night and commented on both the appetizers and the dinner. We had 3 people ask for the name of the caterer. A few people told me that it was the best wedding food they've ever had (now that is sometimes a weak compliment, but I can't remember the last wedding I went to that I actually thought to compliment the food, I'm a total foodie!!!). Hands down - go with Occasions. Marshelle, Gerard and the team are amazing, from beginning to end. We'll hire them again for our next party for sure. read more

We recently selected Occasions for my daughter's wedding after evaluating quite a few options. We wanted a VERY unique menu: Indian and Spanish food. This is not an easy request, but after tasting their food we were sold! The plus is that this caterer doesn't try and do several weddings on the same evening; we were indeed "it". And, ultimately, that paid off. We had not only GREAT food, coconut fish and chicken tikka masala, that our guests, many who are foodies, raved about, but we had personal attention throughout the night. And the appetizers for the cocktail reception were every bit as good. Gerard and Marshelle were awesome! Everything was done to perfection with personal attention throughout the evening. read more

We got married August 7, 2014 and chose Occasions Catering for our caterer. I could not have been happier with them. Everything was absolutely perfect. They arrived exactly on time, the food tasted exactly as it did at the tasting, the servers were outstanding during the cocktail hour, and the dinner was excellent. Gerard is so great to work with. He makes the entire process easy and relaxed. I was not stressed about the reception because I knew he would take care of the whole thing and had an issue arisen, he would have taken care of that as well. You cannot go wrong by going with Occasions for your event. read more

Gerard and Marshelle did an excellent job catering our wedding last week. Many moving parts but they were certainly able to pull it all together and make the night move seamlessly. From the planning ahead of time to clean-up, they were on under control and on time throughout. This is particularly impressive due to the following: Guests: 450 (Morgan only had chairs and tables for 380 and OCC brought in the rest) Venue: Morgan Manufacturing Cakes and sweets: Combo of 2 different cake vendors and family baking Bar: Combination wine from Greece, bar and bartenders from Morgan, all glassware from OCC Food: 4 different passed hors, surf and turf combo, wine service, coffee service. Pricing was very competitive (especially in comparison to the large hotels in Chicago that can accommodate 400+ people. We were on schedule all night. This is also due to Lindsay Flasch our coordinator, but we we even wanted to get a little ahead of schedule at one point and Marschelle and Gerard made it happen without difficulty. Food quality was excellent. 450 plates served hot, meat was tender, fish was buttery and flaky, hors d'oevres wowed everyone. We are a restaurant family, exacting with our criticism of food and were quite impressed. My wife, family, and I recommend this team without reservation. If there are any questions please have them contact me and I would be happy to answer questions. It was a flawless job well done and we will be contacting OCC for any catering needs in the future. read more

Amazing food and great friendly service staff! My wedding was a "small bite" only reception with an open bar and my guests were full, tipsy, and satisfied! Gerard was awesome and really worked with us to keep us on budget and every time I had a question or concern he was EXTREMELY quick to respond to my emails! Marshelle was our coordinator and she really focused on the details and made sure to check in with us throughout the night but without "bugging" us. Our wedding was awesome and our guest were happy, much thanks to Occasions Chicago! read more

Occasions Chicago catered our May 2008 wedding and were absolutely fantastic. We were sold when we had the tasting with Gerard, but, since he was the first, we tried a couple of other places just to shop around. While others had great food, too, they were not nearly as personable as Occasions, nor could they beat the reasonable price. Another plus is that Occasions only caters one event per day, and the owners are always at the event. Marshelle was the captain for our wedding and did a wonderful job. She listened to all our suggestions, put them into a great floor plan, and directed an amazing set up on the day of. The food was fantastic! We got so many compliments, including one from our friend who is executive chef at a Chicago restaurant. All in all, we had a wonderful experience. read more

We used Occasions Catering for our recent wedding at the Newberry Library, and the food was delicious. Overall our experience was excellent--there were a few stumbles along the way, but in the end we were incredibly pleased with the result and did not regret selecting Occasions. They were very accommodating to our vegan guests as well as some other allergies--no questions asked, they were able to accommodate anyone! They came highly recommended by our venue, their prices were competitive, and the food was excellent. Marshelle (our event manager) was simply fabulous--responsive, organized, and professional. She was always on top of things and we had full trust in her! Our only complaint is that in a few instances when we had questions or requests, Occasions wasn't as collaborative as we would have liked. We were made to feel like we were imposing by asking some clarifying questions about the charges on our final bill (perhaps most couples write $16,000 checks with no questions asked, but not us!) and encountered the same when we asked for some flexibility with the alcohol that was provided. Everything worked out fine--once explained, the charges on the bill made sense, and we reached a great compromise regarding the alcohol, but getting to this result could have been smoother had our questions been welcomed with more openness. To reiterate, the food was great and Marshelle was fantastic. We would certainly recommend Occasions. read more

I just wanted to take a moment to highlight the professional service and quality dishes we were fortunate enough to have experienced with Occasions Chicago. Occasions was one of two finalists we decided upon for catering our wedding. Although we eventually ended up going with the other group (I wish we could've hired them both!) Gerard was a constant professional, and the food we experienced at our tasting was beyond reproach. Definitely 5 stars for our experiences with these guys. read more

The food and the service were outstanding! HIGHLY recommended! We had a 3 hour cocktail party with passed foods and stations: excellent all around! And VERY accommodating of changes to the menu in advance. read more

I was just recently married this past summer at Salvage One and we had Occasions Chicago as our caterer. From the beginning, Gerard and Marshelle were very responsive to our emails and were extremely helpful at making great suggestions to make the night go smoothly. At the final walk through, Marshelle was very helpful and I could tell I trusted her right away. The day of, I didn't notice any issues at all and Marshelle made sure to have a drink in my had right away so I didn't have to go to the bar. They helped me put together a specialty cocktail and accommodated all special requests for little details. The set up was beautiful! We had nothing but positive feedback from guests on the food, and my husband and I also thought it was delicious. The only complaint which I won't even take any stars off for, because I don't think it's a true reflection of their service, is that there was a sort of crabby bartender. The female was very friendly, but the older gentleman was not very nice. I heard this from just a few guests and when I went to the bar as the bride and the only person standing there at the time, he didn't even offer me a drink! I was a bit shocked by that...but I still highly recommend Occasions! read more

Occasions did such an awesome job catering our wedding on October 12th! Gerard was so quick to respond to our initial emails and was very pleasant at the tasting. Everything was great!! We had Indian and American buffet stations at the wedding - they did an amazing job with both! We heard so many compliments throughout the night. The service was also really great. Marshelle was wonderful to work with! We liked her from the start and she was just awesome throughout the whole process. Stan was also a very attentive and personable staff member who made sure we had everything we needed throughout the night. Occasions did such an amazing job!! read more

Wow!..Incredible food and the most friendly staff! Gerard made a personal appearance before my daughter's ceremony & reception at Salvage One, to assure us things would go smoothly and they absolutely did! I had reservations of having 150+ guests serve themselves buffet style with stations...but it was seamless; food was replenished quickly. The staff so professional and friendly. Every guest I spoke with raved about the top-notch service, great appetizers, fresh wonderful American and Indian dishes. I would give Occasions 5+ stars and recommend to anyone with high expectations. read more

Gerard and Marshelle were a dream to work with!! My husband and I chose Occasions because they had great reviews, we enjoyed the tasting and they were well priced. We have never been impressed with the food at other weddings we have attended, cooking in large quantities can affect quality. This was not the case with Occasions! We had 250 guests at Morgan MFG and were blown away by their food and service. We have received so many compliments about the food, especially the beef short ribs! We also had the vegetarian phyllo purse as an option, which was delicious and very impressive. Gerard and Marshelle were flexible to all the inevitable last minute changes and worked with us to create any menu we wanted. They were timely with communication and always gave their honest opinion when ironing out details. The team helped us later in the evening to lay out our dessert table and pass late night pizza. We cannot recommend them enough! Thank you! read more

We didn't use Occasions Chicago for our wedding although they came highly recommended by our venue. The food looked nice & was warm (an issue with a different caterer) but rated about a B- or C+ on the flavor scale. Not bad but certainly not anything to write home about....just average. That was one of the major factors in deciding not to use Occasions - we love food and wanted to serve our guests a good meal. For a small incremental price increase, we went with a different caterer & the quality/flavor was unmatched. read more

Gerard was wonderful to work with and the food was amazing! They catered my future daughter-in-law's bridal shower yesterday and I couldn't be more pleased. The room temperature chicken and salmon menu worked out great, all my guests raved about the food!! I would highly recommend them and would definitely use them again! read more

I will echo the earlier reviews of Occasions, they are extremely consistent! Gerard and Marshelle catered our August wedding at the Newberry Library. Gerard provided super-competitive pricing and delicious food. Marshelle was the on-site leader and is incredibly thorough, thoughtful, and fun. The hors d'oeuvres, drinks, service, and dinner were all outstanding. I would highly recommend Occasions for your next big event, they are the best! read more

We worked with Occasions for our wedding reception at the Newberry Library. Simply said, what a memorable evening. I can't tally up how many unsolicited compliments we received about the food, both during the cocktail hour with the hors d'oeuvres and the dinner itself. We were also very appreciative of how seamlessly Gerard's team managed the evening's events. In particular, I want to point out Marshelle's efforts. She was on the ball from start to finish, helping smooth out issues even before anyone else could spot them. The evening was such a blast for me and my husband. In fact, it easily exceeded our high. Would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for great food and quality service, with extra attention to details. read more

I am SO GLAD we chose Occasions to cater our daughter's wedding reception at the Newberry Library July 16th. They did an AMAZING job! The food was absolutely delicious and the service was impeccable. I totally agree with the review that said working with Marshelle, their "captain," was like having your own personal wedding coordinator--she was AWESOME!! We met with three other big catering companies before choosing Occasions and I can definitely say we made the best choice. I cannot say enough great things about Occasions and i would highly recommend them to anyone looking to hire a top notch caterer for their special event. Gerard and his entire staff were a pleasure to work with. read more

We hired Occasions to cater our our gala fundraiser for Second City Canine Rescue on October 8th. Gerard was great to work with and so helpful with answering our many questions! The food received rave reviews, the bartenders were very quick and no one had to wait long for a drink (which is important when you want your guests to spend money!).All of the staff were professional and pleasant. We will use them again next year. We highly recommend Occasions! read more

occasions catered our wedding three weeks ago. the food was amazing and everybody commented to me about how good it was. i am a vegetarian and so one of the dishes was a curry with tofu and so many of the guests admitted they don't normally like tofu but loved the dish! also, the people that made our cupcakes said that the folks at occasions were the nicest caterers that they'd every worked with. our captain, marshelle, was super easy to work with and very helpful. she basically became our day-of wedding planner and was on top of everything. she went above and beyond our expectations. all of the staff were extremely professional and courteous. i will certainly use occasions in the future if i have anything i need catered. read more

Occasions Chicago catered our wedding at the Newberry Library & they did a phenomenal job. The appetizers, salad & main courses were all superb. People are still raving about the salad we had (spinach, goat cheese, strawberries & seared scallops)....some even said it was the best salad they have ever had! We also liked how they go above your standard menu wedding options, giving you varied & appealing choices. In addition to the delicious food, the service was excellent. The servers are attentive & the presentation is outstanding. We wanted our wedding to have a classic & elegant feel and Occasions Chicago helped to make our wedding exactly that. We would definitely recommend Occasions Chicago for any event! read more