Blog Posts

Intimate Weddings: Lindsay & Joshua Say “I Do” at Ojai’s Lavender Inn

March 3, 2016 By Rachel Main

Just under a half hour from the seaside city of Ventura is a quaint town nestled in a valley famous for its artists, wineries, and health spas – the City of Ojai. Nestled among
sacred mountains that turn a brilliant shade of pink as the sun sets, this intimate community is a hidden retreat for celebrities, spa cognoscente, and those of us whom yearn for a weekend to recharge at a relaxed pace where nature is the backdrop for almost everything, organic farmers abound, and a world-famous art gallery is on every corner. While Ojai has several beautiful event locations we love, one of the most charming is the bed and breakfast The Lavender Inn. Located in the heart of Ojai, surrounded by the aforementioned wineries, art galleries, and one of the nation’s best Sunday Farmer’s Markets, The Lavender Inn offers an intimate feel for their weddings and encourages friends and family of the couple to stay in the Inn’s cozy suites, enjoy the on-site spa, and Inn Manager Beth’s delectable home made breakfasts. This warm, cozy feel was perfect for one of our wedding couples, and we’re excited to share some highlights from their wedding with you:

Crossing paths since elementary school, Lindsay and Joshua said “I do” in the lovely garden at Lavender Inn with 70 guests this last September, one of the most beautiful times of year for weddings in Southern California. From greeting their guests with pre-ceremony refreshments that included Water infused with Organic Lemon, Cucumber and Mint, and Rose Geranium Lemonade, to Lottery Scratch Cards for each guest in a homemade envelope, these two busy professionals (one advises the world’s leading philanthropists and the other is a flight software engineer for a space company) focused on what was most important to them: restaurant quality, locally-sourced cuisine shared in a comfortable setting with those whom are near and dear to their hearts.

When we first meet with clients, we like to get to know them and what is important to them. This is what allows us to deliver a consistently unique, fresh event experience each time. For Lindsay and Joshua, it was paramount that they have a farm-to-table meal that “celebrated Southern California’s fresh, locally sourced food.” “Main Course prepared a perfectly tailored menu that took some of our favorite dishes to the next level and fully captured the sophisticated, but down-to-earth feel of our wedding,” said bride Lindsay.

Farm to TableMenu Highlights:

Salad: Roasted Beet Salad – mixed local greens, roasted Rio Gozo beets, sweet oranges, candied Ojai walnuts, crumbled Drake Farm goat’s cheese & crispy onions with preserved lemon vinaigrette

Entrees: Herb Crusted Beef Filet with roasted mushroom & red wine demiglace |Coffee & Brown Sugar Spice

Roasted Salmon with roasted grape salsa | Sautéed Seasonal Rio Gozo Vegetables with fresh herbs | Kale & Butternut Squash Risotto with lemon zest & parmesan cheese |Gluten Free Kale & Mozzarella Ravioli with butternut squash, wilted local greens & parmesan cheese

Special Touch Highlights: Lottery Scratch Cards with each guest’s name on a handmade envelope; an excessively abundant dessert table with little paper bags for guests to fill and take with them at the end of the evening

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: farm to table, Ojai Wedding, Real Wedding

Outstanding in the Field Summer 2015 Event

January 12, 2016 By Rachel Main

One of our favorite things is creating menu experiences and having guests gather to enjoy the best life has to offer: sumptuous food and beverage and good conversation. Does it get any better? Well, when the setting is literally “in the field” – the very core root from which our creations hail – you may just say that this is , in fact, our favorite thing of all.

Just this last June, we were were honored to produce the Outstanding in the Field dinner at Casitas Valley Farm , a farm that creates a local food production system that is” economically, socially and ecologically viable”. We can always get behind this philosophy, because we feel that this is what makes the difference in the food experience while dining.

Below is the menu for this event: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: casitas valley farm, main course ca, outstanding in the field, santa barbara catering, santa barbara events, special event catering, ventura catering, ventura events, wedding catering

Secrets to Saving Money

January 11, 2016 By Rachel Main

MYTHS AND REALITIES OF SAVING MONEY ON YOUR SPECIAL EVENT MENU

Debunking Popular Assumptions

There are many articles out there on saving money for your event. While we agree that often, the largest portion of spending for a special event is t Courtesy of William Innes Photography he overall catering budget, we are here to debunk some misperceptions we keep hearing and repeatedly reading on nationally-recognized event and wedding websites. We feel that these articles can be really confusing for someone planning their event and trying to determine an event budget. We’re here to help! Below we will debunk the top 3 catering budget myths that continually need correcting:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Posts

How to Tip your Caterer – Your Questions Answered

October 15, 2015 By Rachel Main

So, you’ve planned your party, everything was awesome, and you want to tip your amazing staff. How do you figure out whom to tip, how much to tip, and when to tip? It can be a bit mind-boggling to figure out on your own, and it can be hard to get a straight answer from your vendors. But still, wouldn’t it be nice to get some direction from the experts? Yes! Here are a few helpful hints from us to make you a tipping pro.

1. Are You Sure You’re Not Already Paying a Tip?

Here’s where it’s important to read your contract and ask your Catering Representative questions. Some caterers will charge a “Gratuity” which is split between the servers present at your event. If your contract doesn’t have a line item for “Gratuity”, it probably is not already included. However, be sure to check with your caterer to make sure that the gratuity is not already included before deciding to tip your wait staff. Also, be sure that you know the difference between “production charge” and “gratuity.” Most caterers (including Main Course California) will charge a percentage fee called a “Production Charge,” “Production Fee,” or “Service Charge.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: Gratuity, Tipping, Tips

Real Wedding – El Capitan Canyon BBQ

August 23, 2015 By Rachel Main

We loved catering Jaime and Donovan’s wedding in Santa Barbara at El Capitan Canyon September 6th, 2014. Jaime created a beautiful wedding full of whimsy, nature, and just a touch of rustic elegance. There was a playfulness to Jaime and Donovan, and we love that thier spirit is evident throughout the event!

El Capitan Jaime and Donovan

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Posts Tagged With: Buffet, Fall, Real Wedding, Rustic, Wedding

Event Service Styles

June 17, 2015 By Rachel Main

What is right for you?

Buffet, Just Appetizers, Plated, Family Style, Action Stations – how you serve your guests is an important decision in planning your party

Just as parties come in all styles, sizes, and reasons for celebration, there are a variety of great ways to serve food at your event.

The most common are all appetizers, buffet service, plated service, family style service, and action stations. Each format and style has its own benefits and reasons why it fits a particular client’s style and budget. Here is a description of the most popular styles of service and some of the pros and cons of each one. Read up, but don’t worry, we will help you determine which style is right for you. And remember, not matter what you choose, the food will be awesome (you’ve got Main Course California cooking for you!) and the service will be impeccable (there is a reason why everyone tells their friends about us!).

Appetizers Only (Heavy Hors d’ Oeuvres)– This works great for spaces that don’t lend themselves to sit down service (an open house, an art gallery, a yacht). It is also great when you want to create a more party-like atmosphere where the food is the star of the show, everyone is impressed with the beauty and flavor of the chef’s creations.

Trays of hors d’ oeuvres are continually passed throughout the duration of the party. The passed hors d’ oeuvres – all one to two bites at the most – may be supplemented with several stationary platters of heavier appetizers, such as artisanal charcuterie and cheese boards.

When on a budget, many clients think that they’ll save money by ”just” serving appetizers. However, this is usually one of the most expensive types of service, since each elegant appetizer is like an entire mini entree with each one needing to be cooked, assembled, garnished, sauced & plated. Add to this that you will need lots and lots of each beautiful hors d’ oeuvre. [Read more…]