You’re choosing an experience.  When they promise grilled grouper, that’s precisely what they serve. Grilled perfectly. Served impeccably. Thomas Preti and his team have been delighting clients and their guests for over 30 years. Fads come and go. The caterer doesn’t follow fads. They focus on what really matters. Real food, prepared in surprising and delicious ways. Thomas Preti Events to Savor is famous for delivering what they promise, flawlessly.

Sure, it’s got to be tasty and inventive. But food also has a higher purpose: it is the catalyst that brings people together. An original take on the classic slider can get two strangers talking. A clever combination of seafood can get them laughing. And if they’ve really enjoyed themselves over dinner, they’ll be buzzing about how much fun they had the morning after the event.  The caterers certainly created buzz with their now famous conveyer belt diner experience at The Knot Gala , locomoting little milkshakes, cheeseburgers, fries and French toast, served up by diner-style waiters complete with  suspenders, sparkly bow ties, and jaunty hats. The event’s catering concept flirted simultaneously with nostalgia and innovation, and was also practical.  Dishes were produced right behind the belt, curtained off Wizard-of-Oz style.

This is what makes Preti tick: coming up with fresh ideas that transcend the fads other caterers fall prey to. Thomas has this way about him. He’s that rare bird in New York City: an innovator who doesn’t chase the latest trends. This unusual talent for making things new, but keeping them real. And it’s one of the things that earns the caterer so many repeat clients. It’s what keeps them coming back to the table (pun intended).

Thomas Preti and business partner Michael Bonizio didn’t always run a successful catering company from an elegant townhouse on the east side of Manhattan. They grew up in the Bronx. The two founded the company 34 years ago, but long before they were partners, they were cousins. Their family is from Tuscany and Sicily. They share a grandmother. Needless to say, she knew her way around a kitchen.

Thomas followed his muse (his grandmother, of course) straight up the Hudson River from the Bronx to Hyde Park, home of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. At the CIA, Thomas’ talent rose like one of his soufflés. All CIA students’ first stop after graduation is an apprenticeship. Thomas’s was a peach. A prestigious peach. He landed at the famed Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami Beach. It was a formative experience, but the minute it was over, he was back in New York, hired at an impossibly early age as Sous Chef at the legendary Plaza Hotel. He was on a trajectory that most chefs of his ilk and talent would have parlayed into their own Manhattan restaurant. But he and Michael had been plotting. When Thomas packed up his knives at the Plaza, it was to start a catering company.

While Thomas is the chef-in-chief, he’s not the only outsized talent in the kitchen. Ron Rando holds the title of Executive Chef. “Chef” to everyone, even to Thomas, Ron has been working with Preti for over 30 years. Like Thomas, he’s a graduate of the CIA. He apprenticed at the legendary 21 Club in Manhattan and then met Tom when he too was hired at the Plaza. The two have worked together ever since.

In the last few years they’ve given their company a lot of serious thought. They are taking the company to the next level. They’ve boiled their philosophy down to six words: Make It New. Keep It Real. It’s not a change of direction. It’s a codification. Know thyself. And they do. It’s no accident that they’re right sized, neither too big nor not too small.

Peter Bonizio (Michael’s brother) holds the title of Culinary Concept Chef. Between perfecting next season’s signature recipes and throwing down private client tastings, Peter chairs Preti’s Culinary Task Force, a team of seasoned event specialists tasked with dreaming up “WOW” moments and figuring out how to execute them. Most recently the company brought aboard acclaimed designer Fabio Arruda and launched an in-house Design & Décor department with the same personal touch as their renowned food and service. From innovative station designs and boutique florals, to interactive event concepts like cocktail party conveyor belts and 360-degree A-frame tiered buffets, Preti will curate every last detail to surpass all expectations.

Although Preti staff may not actually sing, their team’s meticulous focus has clients singing their praises.  Thomas and Michael are still very hands-on. And their staff is a tight-knit family. A well-oiled machine. The Preti events team is the final link in the chain known for unrivaled hospitality and attention to detail, it is quite literally the envy of the industry. Each day, the staff is hand-picked by Staffing Director Jilly Crook based on the type of event, the venue, client relationships, and unique strengths. The majority of Preti’s captains, servers, and chefs have been with the company for many years.

From an intimate family celebration to a gala for two thousand of your closest friends, Thomas Preti will handle it. Casual or formal, inside or al fresco, light appetizers or a five-course meal, Thomas Preti has done it. How well? One marker is how many people come back for seconds. And thirds. And fourths. Thomas Preti is built on repeat business. From fundraisers to private events to professional event planners, Thomas Preti’s Rolodex is full of clients who have been working with him for years and years.

The post Caterer Thomas Preti Makes Events a Family Affair appeared first on Glasshouses.