Congregation Ahavath Torah is introducing their new catering panel with a Catering Expo on Wednesday, October 18, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. For $10 per person with pre-registration or $18 at the door, you can sample selections from participating caterers, and get an idea of their styles, range and prices.
Ariel Harary, co-chair of the Sisterhood event along with Renee Klyman, said the caterers are choosing their dishes—from appetizers and mains to desserts—“to best portray what makes them great and stand out.” All food at the event will be fleishig or pareve.
Klyman said the event will be similar to the smorgasbord at a wedding. “The caterers will be serving from their own stations, each decorated to give insight to their style and flair. The center of the expo will have tables covered with stunning centerpieces from local florists, where guests can sit and enjoy the selections. Trays of hors d’oeuvres will also be passed around to enhance the feeling of being at a simcha. To top it all off, you are encouraged to bring your own mevushal wine.” A map of the room with names of caterers and their Expo menus will greet arriving guests.
The Catering Expo includes Annelle’s, 8th Day, Element Food Art, Grand & Essex, Ma’adan, Main Event Mauzone, NY Brat Factory, Petaks, Rave and Zami. Additional caterers in the panel are Dougies BBQ, Five Star Kosher Caterers, Madison Caterers/Kosher Experience, MD Catering and Menagerie.
The Sisterhood of Ahavath Torah planned the event with the shul’s catering committee so the community can get to know the panel in an experiential way. Harary said, “We noticed that people were excited about all the new caterers but having trouble knowing the differences between them in order to make a decision about who to use for a simcha. Sisterhood is always looking to do fun community events and we thought this would be an enjoyable and informative night out.” As a mother with three young children, Harary said she volunteered to co-chair the event since she looks forward to many opportunities to use the caterers in the future.
Nat Lipschitz, a member of the catering committee and board of trustees, said the event will introduce Ahavath Torah as a great place for simchas. “We have one of the nicest ballrooms in our area and want to see it used more often,” he said. “For example, the Parker Family Ballroom can accommodate a wedding with 350 guests and a dance floor. It is above ground and has floor-to-ceiling windows. We also have a patio adjacent to the ballroom that can be utilized in nice weather or tented to create a larger indoor space. The shul has rooms of various sizes for smaller events, especially the 1,100-square-foot social hall with a marble floor that is perfect for a small party. These rooms can also provide auxiliary space for a wedding. And we have a beautiful sanctuary.” Although an Englewood ordinance stipulates that membership is required for a room rental, Lipschitz said associate membership with competitive pricing is an option for those from outside the immediate area who would like to hold a simcha at the shul.
Every synagogue with space for simchas wants some control over who provides the food. President Bruce Brafman said, “We originally had exclusive catering relationships but our congregation sought more diversity. Our catering committee created a 15-member panel and initial results indicate that this approach will be popular with both our members and the caterers.”
Lipschitz said the committee spent a year researching and evaluating options before coming up with the idea of an “open-panel catering arrangement.” He said there are no upper limits on the number of catering panelists. “If a member wants to use a caterer not on the list, the caterer is able to apply and join the panel, if approved.”
To register for the Catering Expo, visit http://www.ahavathtorah.org/event/sisterhood-catering-night.html. For more information about simcha options and pricing at Ahavath Torah, visit http://www.ahavathtorah.org/catering.
By Betty Schwartz
