The Catch-y Caterer LLC

29/10/2024

dinner party elegance
💥
raw bar
🦪
acoustics
🎶
autumn evening
🍁
a plated dinner of halibut & filet, 30 family members sharply dressed to celebrate 80 years of life. all the right components to make for a perfect evening. oh, and catchy. helping create some magic
🪄
you want you event to be seamless? you’re looking for delicious food and epic service? you know where to find it. catchy. cafe & catering is nestled right in the heart of ho-ho-kus and we’re just waiting for your call. don’t wait, this holiday season is gonna be a MAD one
🔥
. 💁

21/10/2024

someone asked me yesterday if we catered halloween parties. 🤔. i’d say these snaps from today’s party say it all
👻
this is first of a handful of halloween events we are about to blow.out.of.the.water. this october. if you like spooky, ghoulish and down right boo-tastic, wait for it, it’s coming
🎃
you are elite status event planners!! from the games to the balloons to the kids tables & decor, this party POPPED. your bounce house made the day. love working with amazing people
🧟
.

11/10/2024

gregory turned 60 and it was one for the ages. we rocked a parisian theme: berets, eifle towers & that hermes orange scarf tied around all of our staff’s necks. the catchy. & crews left no stones unturned to make this event SPECTACULAR
🇫🇷
doesn’t matter if it’s a birthday, bat mitzvah or your halloween celebration, catchy. will help you blow your guests minds
🇫🇷
. &neckscarves

29/09/2024

when you work with the best, it’s just easy
💥
five vendors, fifteen people, ten hours, one happy young lady. when a kid works that hard to make her bat mitzvah, we can do our part to make it as special as possible. think we nailed this one
💥
and her amazing girls & made magic happen with us overlooking lake mohawk yesterday while dolled the young guests up with crystals, extensions, tattoos and more. while the dj spun his music and the photo booth flashed all afternoon, my crew and i threw everything we had at food, decor and service. these guests left full, happy & wowed by it all
💥
if you have an event you want to stand out, hire us. we will set your celebration apart. our creativity, talent and hustle can help make anything you dream a reality
💥
.

13/09/2024

our events don’t run themselves. see these people? they are the magic. the creators. the hustlers. the comic relief, cocktail makers. they make our customers return, again and again, because of the way they do their jobs
💥
every single one of them is coming directly from another job. or from school. or from handing off their kids to a spouse and racing to the cafe to make it on time for pack out. and yet they are all smiles. all hustle. all hard work and pride in what they do
💥
and they are requested again and again. is lu/brett/laura/natalia free to be our chef? their boards are works of art. can rob bartend? he makes everyone laugh. can i have alex/gretchen/maria/ira (insert one of a dozen of our fabulous servers) to pass appetizers for our cocktail party? my house always looks spotless when they leave. yes, yes they are
💥
why are they requested? because they like what they do. because they love being a part of this team we have created. because they take pride in coming together with their teammates to make your events great. sure, it’s tiring as hell to race around for six hours after you clocked out of your other job. but they know if they pull together, these are the kinds of events they can create for our customers: white parties. back to school parent socials. 50th birthday celebrations. baptisms, weddings, bat mitzvahs and more
💥
.

10/09/2024

friday night in september. back to school parent social in far hills. just the indian summer vibe we love
✏️
delicious food. attentive staff. fun signage. delightful specialty cocktails. you need those things at your school event? catchy. catering is the one to call
✏️
.

27/08/2024

23/08/2024

ten days to turn this one around. food🥩. staff🤵🏼‍♀️. rentals🍽️. florals🌷. alcohol🥃. signage🪧. boom💥. let’s do this
✅
“it’s a corporate event,” said the event planner over the phone. “thirty guests. our client is entertaining her team. she wants everything top of the line, white glove, can your company do that?” hell yeah we can. let the calls begin
✅
this business is pure adrenaline. it pumps through your veins and if you aren’t careful (i’m not 😳), it’s addictive. it’s the closest thing to competing that i can find on a daily basis. and i’m here for it. the rush of pulling together intricate menus, finding the perfect staff to compliment the atmosphere we’re trying to create, getting our suppliers to commit to the job with less then a few days to place their orders, building the event one detail at a time without the actual time to debate what will work best is exhilarating. and i’ve found a team of people who share my passion to make our customer’s events exceptional. doesn’t get any better than that
✅
is it a bit tricky trying to get all those pieces of the puzzle to fit under the gun while juggling pre-season tryouts and college drop offs?? sure. at times it can all be a little too much. but man, my mind is built for it. if i didn’t have this to stress over, i would be worrying about bills or helicoptering all over my kids. so rather than criticize myself for only having one gear (fifth🙄), i’ve learned to embrace what i’ve been given and make it my super power
✅
so find what you love and dig in. start small. start big. just start. because i promise you, life is better when you are following your passion. it’s not work when you do what you love
✅
.

14/08/2024

it’s been some summer. grateful.
💥
.

07/08/2024

excellence is earned. everyone watching the olympics this week understands that. medals aren’t handed out to everyone participating like it’s kindergarten t-ball. you only get what you put into something and those athletes pour their blood, sweat and tears into their training and performances with pride and hope for recognition. it’s a winner’s mindset. it’s no different at catchy.
🏅
this event was a fundraiser for the governor of our great state. people like to sh*t on jersey, but having been born and raised here, i couldn’t be prouder of the garden state. so getting the call to cater this event brought an enormous feeling of accomplishment for what we have created here at catchy. and the only way i know to execute at the highest level, is to call in the best people. my staff hustle and grind like no other, they pursue excellence and bring it home like it’s a drop in the bucket. no one knows more than i do that it’s not
🪣
it was 99 degrees when we pulled into the venue. this team of fifteen carried and unloaded crates and rentals, unwrapped and set up hundreds of dishes, lifted and moved furniture, and then sliced, diced and poured for nine straight hours until the last of the 250 guests left. with smiles, positivity and unending energy that you just don’t find anywhere else. and it showed
😃
the customer called the next day to settle her bill and shared the highest praise: “i’m not sure how far this candidate will go, but however many more events we host, i want catchy. along for the ride every time. your staff is second to none.” damn, that’s some gold medal sh*t y’all. find what you love and don’t stop until you are at the top of the mountain. we aren’t there yet, but i won’t stop climbing until we reach the summit
🧗
. **t

27/02/2024

it was some february
🗓️
first, a superbowl bar mitzvah in manhattan that was one for the ages. just a week later, a fundraiser for a presidential candidate. with secret service. and our specialty drinks. like literally, whaaaat??
⁉️
eight years ago, i wished that one day, catchy. might to be able to compete with the big dogs in bergen county. today, it appears we are our own breed
🐕
we may not do fancy, we may not be the most elegant. but we are just the right catchy. for this life of mine. be yourself. and
shoot your damn shot.
🏀
.

13/02/2024

we did it! **deep, long, tired but satisfied exhale**
🧘🏼‍♀️
there will be another post with food pics. all the drippy pulled pork mac & grilled cheeses, crispy popcorn chicken waffle cones, maple bbq wings slathered in buttermilk ranch and filet of beef sliders with caramelized onions. i promise to showcase all the gastronomic goodies the guests ingested during this superbowl bar mitzvah extravaganza. but first, first it has to be about this crew. because man did they rise to the occasion
🔥
that little shrug i wore in the opening pic was when we found out the four pick up trucks for the tailgate may not fit into the space. "can your team handle a pivot?" they asked. "of course. we will figure it out" was my response. why? because anything can be done when you have a crew of the best at your disposal and assembled a pack of some of the most talented experts i've ever had the pleasure to scramble and excel with. and man, was it fun to figure it out with them
🤩
from the outset i knew this event was out of my wheelhouse. a level of intricacy catchy. had never been involved in. AV guys and sound systems, carved out pick ups and signage the likes of which i've only experienced at venues like citifield. but emily and her crew created her magic and hyped us up to believe we could do it. no chance we were going to disappoint. every vendor she connected us with from ken for his incredible signs to and his boys , to ashira and her amazing managers and snapping away: each one of them was part of her perfectly constructed vision, and we were given the pleasure of being a part of the team. and then there was my crew, my ever hustling team of workhorses scaling the steps dozens and dozens of times to complete the puzzle. man, there is magic is a team who only wants to achieve. thank you everyone. i am so incredibly grateful for each player
🧩
.

10/02/2024

i love a good team. assembling a posse of like minded hustlers united around a central goal is pretty much the chocolate to my peanut butter. a great team: when the sum is better than the parts
🍫
it was may 1994. the clock was ticking down, just three minutes left in the game, and my lacrosse team was up 10-7 against our nemesis, the universe of maryland. we were about to win the national championship. all the training runs and 6am practices, the sore legs and the tears (so many tears), they were about to pay off. this group of 21 girls and 4 coaches had carried one another across the finish line. but just like that, it was over. my team dispersed and i was left trying to recreate that feeling every chance i got
🥍
i've found it. i've discovered the best teams come when honesty, kindness, hard work and leadership are present. little by little, we have aggregated a crew of the most diligent and committed humans i could hope to find at catchy. you can't create a team unless you have trust and that trust is built when people show up for one another time and again. i didn't always get it right with my catchy. team. in the beginning, my ego was too big and my skill set too limited. i didn't understand that the best teams are made when people check their s**t at the door and pitch in no matter the task. today, my team knows i'd give them the shirt off my back and they'd return the favor without my needing to ask
👩🏼‍🍳
in 36 hours, we're about to play, in what feels to me, like the national championship game again. sunday's super bowl bar mitzvah: the biggest, most intricate and involved event we've ever done at catchy. and man, are my nerves on fire. but i've got my crew of grinders right alongside me. and while the butterflies have been a constant companion the last two weeks, i'm pretty sure, with a little luck, there gonna be some high fiving and celebrating when this night is done. wait for it, you know they're be pics
🏈
.

29/01/2024

sometimes you need to step away and find some calm in the endless grind to catch your breath. these days most people wear exhaustion like a badge of courage. i used to be one of those people. not anymore, that model is called: diminishing returns. i tossed it out with the morning trash years ago
🗞️
standing in the market a few weeks back, gearing up for a half dozen events, i was feeling overwhelmed with stress and the load i was carrying. man, was i chastising myself: "you wanted this business to grow and now that you have it, you whine about the exhaustion? pick a lane o'neill." lovely inner voice that still creeps up sometimes
🚗
i looked up to see a young mom carrying a newborn in a sling, pushing a toddler in her cart while trying to corral her twins in the checkout line. and i thought to myself, "damn, i'd rather be exhausted from work than babies (so.many.babies😳)." when mine were tiny i was so lonely. exhausted and lonely: terrible combo. nowadays, i'm exhausted and overly connected. man, do i DREAM of being lonely (oh how an empty house for a handful of hours would feel!). classic case of: be careful what you wish for
🤔
i wondered? did the young mama behind me suffer any miscarriages or have trouble conceiving only to experience these moments where she doubted her requests to the universe because she could barely eat dinner without falling asleep. no one has it easy, everyone feels stress, the grass really isn't greener next door. you know where the grass is greener? where you water it
💧
stress and pressure, fear and disappointment, those emotions aren't reserved for the CEO any more than they are for the single mom working two jobs: we all experience them. what i've found works for me is to open up and share them and find my people. find the ones who say: "me too🙋🏼‍♀️!" and then tell me how they handle them. i'm not interested in bravery at the expense of my peace and serenity. so take the nap.
go on the vacation. sit down on the couch. treat yourself gently. then get back in your lane, throw it in fifth gear and follow your passion
💥
.

29/01/2024

sometimes you need to step away and find some calm in the endless grind to catch your breath. these days most people wear exhaustion like a badge of courage. i used to be one of those people. not anymore. that model is called: diminishing returns. i tossed it out with the morning trash years ago
🗞️
standing in the market a few weeks back, gearing up for a half dozen events, i was feeling overwhelmed with stress and the load i was carrying. man, was i chastising myself: "you wanted this business to grow and now that you have it, you whine about the exhaustion? pick a lane o'neill." lovely inner voice that still creeps up sometimes
🚗
i looked up to see a young mom carrying a newborn in a sling, pushing a toddler in her cart while trying to corral her twins in the checkout line. and i thought to myself, "dang, i'd much rather be exhausted from work than babies (so.many.babies😳)." when mine were tiny i was so lonely. exhausted and lonely: terrible combo. nowadays, i guess i'm exhausted and overly connected. there are days i DREAM of being lonely (oh how an empty house for a handful of hours would feel!). classic case of: be careful what you wish for
🤔
i wondered? did the young mama behind me suffer any miscarriages or have trouble conceiving only to experience this abundance of human life and doubt her requests to the universe because she could barely eat dinner without falling asleep. no one has it easy, everyone feels stress, the grass really isn't greener next door. you know where the grass is greener? where you water it
💧
stress and pressure, fear and disappointment, those emotions aren't reserved for the CEO any more than they are for the single mom working two jobs. we all experience them. what i've found works for me is to open up and share them, find my people. search out the ones who say: "me too🙋🏼‍♀️!" and then tell me how they handled them. i'm not interested in bravery at the expense of my peace and serenity. so take the nap. go on the vacation. sit down on the couch. treat yourself gently. then get back in your lane, throw it in fifth gear and follow your passion
💥
.

15/01/2024

some days are hard. even on vacation. and try as you might to put a shiny spin on things, some days it's tough to drag yourself out of bed
🛌
we packed our bags hoping for sunshine and laughter, a few days of calm and easy. and while we got the laughter (peals of it in heaping doses), the rest was hard to come by. by late this afternoon, the pouring rain that wouldn't abate, the jellyfish that wrapped itself around my foot, the screwed up flights and snake coiling outside my bedroom door mixed with a healthy dose of tricky mental health mousetraps snapping off, it's hard to feel like i'm returning home feeling anything but tired and a little numb
☹️
but life is like that. it just doesn't cooperate. god doesn't care if you've paid for five plane tickets and cleared your schedule for some rest and a suntan. he just finds it funny that you thought you could make plans without him letting out a booming laugh
🤦🏼‍♀️
what life looks like on the outside isn't always what's going on beneath the surface. i'll go to my grave trying to find the silver lining in every situation, but i'm also learning it can be helpful to crack the door open and let people see it's not so easy. that life, even on vacation, can be filled with fear and tears that don't make sense
🥹
i let myself be imperfect today. i let myself be cranky and disappointed for a beat before turning things around. as a recovering perfectionist, it's hard to be anything less than perpetual motion in attempts to make everything great for everyone. but the reality is, that pace is an impossible one to keep up. i'm tired. i get scared. life is lonely trying to juggle four kids alone. and it's okay to be real and name it. life isn't perfect and it's not meant to be. good enough is the goal and while today wasn't, i've got four miracles around me that ensure tomorrow has a great chance of being it
🩵💚💜🩷
.