Weddings Summer 2017 > Planner

Saffron 59 Catering & Events

Executive chef Irene Khin Wong’s Southeast Asian fêtes delight guests with exotic touches, such as waiters wearing sarongs and raw-silk jackets, and palm leaves and kumquats adorning the tables. Saffron 59 excels at unexpected dishes such as pan-seared diver scallops with kabocha squash and tom yum broth, or aged rib-eye steak chimichurri with Korean gochujang marinade. From $155 per person.

Shiraz Events

In addition to full wedding planning and event design, Shiraz caters modern New American fare inspired by global trends and local ingredients. Favorites include seared filet of halibut on a bed of lentils and roasted heirloom baby carrots and tomatoes. Tailored drinks may include a customized mixology bar. Prices upon request.

Special Attention Caterers

Owner Ellen Gelb is best known for her unfussy, modern cuisine, such as mini lobster rolls and BLTs. Entrées might include pappardelle with wild mushrooms, toasted bread crumbs, and sage, and, for dessert, chocolate mousse gâteau. Prices upon request.

Spoonbread

Norma Jean Darden’s expertise lies in melding different cuisines—Asian-Quaker, say, or Japanese-Jewish. For TV newsman Maurice DuBois, who met his wife in Africa, Darden made Nigerian chicken in peanut sauce. From $48.50 per person. (good value)

Sterling Affair

After more than 25 years in the business, this high-end caterer continues to engineer lavish events at high-profile venues such as the New York Public Library and the New York Academy of Medicine. Expect entrée options such as miso-glazed black cod. Custom cakes are also available. Prices upon request. (eco-friendly)

Sweet Basil Catering & Events

Fashion executive turned chef Amy Aversa approaches food with a flair for creative presentation. She blends New American style with global flavors in dishes such as pork-and-chive dumplings with sesame-soy dipping sauce and garden vegetable latkes with smoked salmon and crème fraîche. Cocktails from $85 per person; seated dinner from $175 per person.

Sylvia's Restaurant Catering

Soul-food icon Sylvia Woods’s daughter Bedelia Woods helms the catering arm of this Harlem hot spot. On the menu: Chilean sea bass with saffron-butter sauce, Cornish hen with Champagne rice stuffing, and pork tenderloin with pesto and sun-dried-tomato orzo. From $41 per person. (good value)

Tacombi

Executive chef Jason DeBriere’s taco bus will turn any wedding into a fiesta. Tacombi, which offers contemporary Mexican cuisine, also caters wedding receptions with tacos served family style. Prices upon request.

Thomas Preti Events to Savor

With more than 25 years in the business, jack-of-all-trades Preti can also help couples seek out the perfect venue. His innovative presentation often includes tasting plates as part of the dinner menu or an elegant dessert sampler. Prices upon request.

Union Square Events

Culinary impresario Danny Meyer’s catering and events company offers creative seasonal menus from the chefs at Blue Smoke, Gramercy Tavern, and more. Prices upon request. By appointment only.

The Upper Crust

Since 1983, this West Village caterer (which has its own event space but caters all over the city) has been accommodating every kind of palate. For one wedding, the staff re-created the empanada recipe of the bride’s Ecuadoran grandmother. Unafraid of big groups, this company has served crowds of 3,000. Prices for cocktail-style receptions start at $100 per person, including alcohol, food, staff, and rentals.

Winston Catering

Specializing in Mexican, Mediterranean, and Caribbean cuisines, this operation (by the former Zarela catering director) will give any wedding menu a real kick. With dishes such as shrimp flautas, ackee on sweet-potato rounds, and Caribbean jerk chicken, the dishes are hearty yet modern. Prices upon request.

From the Summer 2017 New York Wedding Guide