(360) 223-4900
Events, Menus & Services
Crave Catering was founded on a passion for fabulous food and hospitality. As one of the leading full-service catering companies in the Pacific Northwest, we offer unparalleled quality, flavor, and style to the greater Whatcom and Skagit Counties. We specialize in full-service catering, private chef services, custom boutique weddings, large-scale parties, corporate events, cocktail parties, sit-down dinners, holiday events, theme parties and much more. We offer in-depth menu consultation and personalized event design as well as wine pairing and bartending services. Whether it’s a small dinner gathering for 10 or an event for 500, our highly experienced catering staff will work closely with you to bring your vision to life, creating the perfect menu and ensuring that your event will be one to remember.
Booking Your Event
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First: Fill out our 'Quote Request' form, or call us at 360-223-4900, and we will check to see if your date is available on our calendar. We book months in advance, so it is never too soon to reserve your date.
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To Reserve Your Date: We will make initial contact and get an idea of your vision. From there, we will set up a client meeting. This is done typically in person, but can also be done easily over the phone or even through email. We offer each client a private consultation where together, we design a menu perfect for you and go over all the details of your event. To confirm your reservation, we require a signed event order and a 50% deposit of estimated cost posted 10 days after your last draft date.
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Before your consultation, be sure to have a look at our sample menus and formats. This will help you to get a better idea about pricing and what we offer. Feel free to bring your own inspiration and ideas! We love creativity and collaboration. Please remember that catering and pricing is highly customizable. Our sample menus are simply a spot for you to begin.
Service Styles
Cocktail Party
Perfect for guests who want to mingle, socialize, network and freely move about. This stylish format is light and fun, and lends itself to spaces that cannot accommodate seated guests. Guests enjoy an array of beautiful appetizers and small bites (tray passed or food stations).
Buffet
This is our most popular format. The feel is adaptive to many environments and assures efficiency. Buffet service is perfect for larger parties. Brimming chafing dishes, beautifully arranged platters and displays will show off the food, while often allowing for lower staffing cost.
Family Style
Platters and bowls of food are brought to the table for your guests to pass around and serve themselves. This style of service stimulates connection and dialog between your guests. Tables can be beautifully set with styles ranging from modern and clean to farm table. This style is only available for a guest count of 20 and under. Bear in mind additional costs for staff and rentals will apply.
Sit Down Dinner
The plated dinner is decidedly more formal. Guests are seated for the duration of the meal and served at their table. This meal can be as simple as one single course, or you can opt for a luxurious coursed meal, or tasting menu. Additional costs include servers and chefs to execute the menu. Please inquire about our wine pairing options.
Drop Off
Drop off catering is delivered right to you. These offerings come complete with sturdy disposable trays, plates and cutlery. Items are fully cooked, chilled, then arrange beautifully on platters to be enjoyed cold or reheated.
Pricing
There are a few major components that determine pricing. These are: menu selection, service style and rental costs. By providing us with a few details about your event, we can discuss different options available to you.
Food
Pricing is clearly listed on our menus. Food pricing remains the same, regardless of the format you choose, however, service cost may vary depending on chosen format. For example, more staff will be needed for a plated dinner than would be needed for buffet service. For larger events, such as weddings and fundraisers, we have price breaks for large guest counts, please consult with our event manager, Donna, she can develop a proposal for you.
Event Staff
Our general servers are $30 per hour, bartenders are $35 per hour, and if your menu requires a kitchen staff member, we charge $40-50 per hour depending on the skill level required; all staff has a four hour minimum. We typically suggest 1 server per every 35 guests for buffet service, and 1 server for every 20 guests for plated dinner. Depending on the magnitude of your event, you may need an event leader onsite to make sure every detail is taken care of, we charge $40 per hour for our event managers.
Rentals
We have a complete list of rentals. We are aware of what every venue has in stock and we are happy to help you with your rentals. We are happy to help arrange any rentals for you, and will also help arrange for their delivery and pick-up.
Bar
In addition, we offer bartending services for beer, wine, cider, or cocktails. We offer hosted and no-host bars with licensed bartenders and we are fully insured. We are also licensed to purchase and provide beer and wine, and we have staff that can help design a beverage menu that compliments your food menu.