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Kathleen Janson, faculty events manager for the Columbia University School of Law
Fran Sheeley, vice president of development at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
is the faculty events manager for the Columbia University School of Law. She first started using catering services from Flavor by Bistro Ten 18, because she liked the restaurant. She uses their services for weekly luncheons, dinners and frequent receptions after events and conferences.
"I'm a perfectionist. I have high standards for the corporate events that I develop. Everyone agrees what the standards are for these types of events, but very few rise to the challenge. You start out expecting just another catered event, but the special ones you go back to, because they pull above the standard.
"Craig and his brother, John, are very concerned at each and every event that we do with them. I always want each event to be more personalized than the last one, always something more creative than the standard.
"I don't like to look at a fixed menu and pick something. I tell them what type of event it is and ask them to come up with the menu. They've been very creative and very accommodating.
"I know they're not going to make a mistake or have a lackadaisical attitude about any of my events. Their service is excellent. At my job, I'm concerned about the level of service and making sure they operate at a high level. We're all striving for perfection, and I know that they're watching my back.
"I just tell them, 'I'm going to have an event on such and such a date and it's the same crowd and the same type of event as you did on this date, but the menu, of course, needs to be completely different.' Our relationship is good, and they are creative; otherwise, it would become very boring, very fast."
"Every Tuesday I have a working lunch for the faculty. It's a sandwich buffet, because the faculty needs to come in, grab their meal and get to work, but the faculty really likes nice things. The chef has to be creative, because they do this meal every week. They have a combination of flavors and foods that are always different. Last week they did some sort of brie and olive paste—it was very high end, and it tasted expensive. The combinations of flavors they come up with are classy. Even their breads are nice—they use focaccia or interesting rolls. Even the salads are creative; they have served pasta salad, green salads and bean salads that are very interesting.
"My clientele likes nice food that's inventive. And they provide it week after week after week. Sometimes we have several lunches during the week in addition to the usual Tuesday lunch, and it's basically the same people—the faculty. They always keep things creative.
"For the meetings and conferences, they put together the sandwiches on-site. They usually have a very nice display that includes soft drinks or bottled water with lunches. They bring the drinks in copper tubs that are unique looking, for example. They know how important presentation is."
"The service from the staff is universally good. Whether it's a fancy affair or simple, the level of service is very high. It's not as though the service is better if we're serving caviar.
"As a manager I try to fully respect that we each have a role to play and certain responsibilities that come with our role. But as the event manager it is my reputation that is at stake with each event so I need to always be proactive with everyone involved including the caterer. It is my goal to give any caterer the space they need to do their jobs without hovering over them but I do expect a high level of service and that dictates I must keep a close eye on everything. With Flavor Catering, I can keep my supervision to a minimum as I know they understand my needs and what I expect from them and its their service philosophy to always deliver.
"Service is a dying art. To have great customer service, you need to train. Flavor obviously trains their staff. The customer is always right, and they follow that adage.
"I'm a fan of theirs. There are a million caterers in New York, and I initially went to them because of the convenience. They were nearby, and I liked the restaurant. However, if they weren't good, I'd drop them without a problem. I have a level I need to maintain, and they help me do that."
is the vice president of development at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. She has held this position since September 2006 and has used Flavor by Bistro Ten 18 to cater events with major donors and for many breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, cocktails and meetings.
Catering for Any Type of Event
"Flavor is always very creative, and I've been really pleased with all they events they have catered for us. They make sure the events are handled nicely. If I decide at the last minute, that I need to add something, or serve something else, they are always accommodating. We've enjoyed the relationship with them no matter what type of event we're having."
Wonderful Food
"They are very flexible and use wonderful, fresh ingredients. What's nice is that they realize a lot of our events are with many of the same people, and they are careful to change the menu, so it's not the same old thing. They try new items and new ideas. Craig is interested in what works. He listens to what you say, encourages you to try things and keeps notes on what is popular and what isn't.
"We had a reception recently, and the tables were picked over, because the food was delicious. Everyone's been to events where the buffets are still beautiful after several hours, because no one likes the food. That doesn't happen with Flavor.
"I love their salads; they are wonderful. They are full of creative, fresh ingredients. Their restaurant is right across the street, and we often take guests for lunches there."
Menus to fit any Budget
"We are a nonprofit, and the budget is important. The Flavor staff is fabulous. Last Halloween, we had a party, and the chef carved the most fabulous jack-o-lantern. It was an economical event with a savory but filling food for a younger crowd, and it was excellent and within our budget. They're very creative.
"They offer up very thoughtful menus and really find out what we want. There is a nice variety and beautiful presentations. There's always something new.
"They think of the details. They know our space, the 'gothic-ness' of the space. They are very good at innovating and working around our limitations. The Dean's apartment kitchen is somewhat better, but they know that they're going to have to bring their warmers here, and they know the limitations of what they can serve. It's always a pleasure working with them."
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