Well, except for the bride, of course.  At any wedding or event, incredible food makes for lasting memories.  By putting menu items and their presentation front and center, you can craft an overall experience that will linger long after guests depart.

In New Orleans, food has stolen the spotlight for centuries.  Today’s catering trends call for as much imagination in menu items’ presentation as skill in their preparation, which is why you should choose a New Orleans caterer who can not only capture the flavors of the city, but define your event by them. (musicmundial)   Take, for instance, Messina’s Catering’s Lakefront Reception Package, designed especially for our event venue spaces like the fully restored Lakefront Airport Walnut Room.  This catering menu package is inspired by the Art Deco setting and the history of the Lakefront Airport and marries them to the distinct, traditional flavors of New Orleans.

Imagine attending an event at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport Walnut Room surrounded by the warm walnut walls and the marble and granite splendor common in the 1940s, when a tray of Executive Chef Leon West’s famous crab cakes with creole remoulade sauce comes wafting by.  Or how about some mini crawfish pies—a new take on a Bayou favorite?  From live seafood to grits action stations, Messina’s combines the best of New Orleans cuisine with some of the city’s best event venues.  The Lakefront Airport was recently named the best place to get married in New Orleans by Curbed New Orleans.

When is food more than just food?

Today’s catering menu has thankfully moved light years away from rubber chicken and seasonal vegetables.  Nowhere is that truer than in the Crescent City. (martinwater.com)   In New Orleans, entertaining has always been about the experience as much as the ingredients.  Whether it’s a jazzy parade through the venue with umbrella-toting followers or the tableside preparation of seafood that was swimming in nearby waters just hours earlier, New Orleans sets the perfect stage for any food-centric event.  Peppering your catering menu with trendy takes on traditional New Orleans dishes can give your guests an incomparable fork-and-knife tour of the city without ever leaving the venue.

Local concoctions and infused spirits lend a special touch. 

While that may seem trendy to some, it’s certainly nothing new at the prestigious Sazerac House, located at Canal and Magazine streets in the French Quarter.  Sazerac House’s proprietors gave birth to the Sazerac Cocktail in 1850, reportedly the first craft cocktail in America.  One of oldest, privately held distillers in America, Sazerac House is home to The Imperial Cabinet Saloon, where Henry Ramos mixed the Ramos Gin Fizz – a gem that quickly became New Orleans most famous drink.  In such an event space, it’s easy to wow corporate and private event guests with bartenders offering presentations on how to build the perfect bourbon cocktail or create the perfect food and whisky pairings.  Messina’s is one of only four preferred New Orleans caterers at Sazerac House.

Themed events can transport guests to another place or time. 

Now that 2020 is here, we’re probably going to see a sharp rise in roaring ‘20s and speakeasy themes.  Whether it’s a speakeasy, wild west theme or Hawaiian luau, themed events can offer guests an escape from the norm.   Fusing the menu and the theme can create a pleasant departure from the norm.  Recently, Messina’s Catering tailored an afternoon tea themed event.  Afternoon, or low tea, is marked by elegant porcelain and gilded table ware, fresh flowers, linen table dressing, and tea pots with cozies.  For this low tea, Messina’s offered teas like Earl Grey, Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling, and green tea, as well as herbal teas like chamomile and ginger.  The first course was a rich corn and crab, wild mushroom, roasted tomato, or lobster bisque, followed by tiered stands on each table of finger foods such as cucumber, smoked salmon, and curried chicken salad sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, petit fours, mini eclairs, macaroons, and more.  It was all royally received.

If you want the food to be the star of your next New Orleans catered event, do some brainstorming with the experts at Messina’s Catering.  We can help you bring any theme or catering trend to life, and have been pleasing guests and their palettes since 1961