Catering is not a particularly dynamic field; changes are subtle and slow to occur. Having observed the catering scene in New York over the past 50 years, I have seen a few changes that perhaps suggest the changes in our tastes and priorities.

It appears to me that there has been a major shift in the amount of importance wine is given at events. When I started 50 years ago at the Plaza, guests giving a party would agonize over not only which wine to serve but what vintage it would be. The hotel had to maintain a large inventory of the world’s more desirable wines with a depth of vintages to answer the clients’ needs. In the 1980s when I was at the Pierre, guests still cared deeply about serving prestige wines at the more elaborate and social events. Even charities were genuinely concerned about the wine they were serving. If a family was having a lavish wedding or Bar Mitzvah, only Dom Perignon or Louis Roederer Cristal would suffice. The white wine was inevitably Puligny or Chassagne-Montrachetand the red at least the second wine of Lafite, Margaux or Latour.

Around 2000 this all seemed to change. The priority for high end events—social, charitable or business—became décor. People started to spend exponentially more money on the look of their event than on the event itself. Lighting became a major factor in the décor package often eclipsing the cost of the food and beverage. Sounds crazy to me for someone to spend $90,000 for food and beverage for 300 guests and $250,000 on décor. Part of the problem is the good wine became far more expensive. Dom Perignon in 1980 was around $100, while today it is $500. Naturally this alienated people. Most guests know or care little about wine and simply ordered better wine on the basis of the status it conferred. It was not hard for them to convince themselves that Veuve Cliquot would answer the question as well as Cristal even at the top level. This is not to suggest that people made a conscious decision to spend more on décor and less on wine – it simply suggests a decided shift in clients’ priorities.

So while you might say everyone can appreciate beautiful flowers and lighting and most people don’t care that much about wine, here is the point: good wine tastes better, is more enjoyable to drink and will have less ill effect if taken in quantity than cheaper wine. (The last benefit I can testify to after many years of extensive experimentation.) You may recall one of the prerequisites I mentioned for a truly successful party is the availability and conveyance of alcoholic beverages to guests at a party. I can’t stress the importance of trying to get your guests a little high to insure the success of an event. Now doesn’t it make sense to get them high on good stuff rather than the pedestrian? Please make no mistake about it, when guests see recognized premium wines—DP, Cristal, Montrachet or a top Bordeaux—they drink more. Go for big names; subtlety is lost at large events.

At 583 PARK AVENUE, we are somewhat forced to think more about wines than most venues as our license allows only for the service of beer, wine, champagne and liquor made not from the traditional grain. As a result we offer a far wider and infinitely superior selection on every event that desires alcohol. You will not find Gavi di Gavi La Scolca, Taittinger Champagne, Chateau Meyney on standard bars in any other event space. We do it because, first, we believe that serving quality wines and champagnes enhance a guest’s experience; and, second, to make up for the absence of some of the standard alcoholic goods. We pass Champagne, pass white wine and unless a host objects, preset red and white wine on every table in addition to serving it. It costs us a bit more but it insures that guests will have the opportunity to lighten their moods.

With reference to the high cost of décor, I think the reason people now spend so much is because the floral designers were the first group in the industry to recognize that rich people have become much richer. As a group, they are usually not very efficient business people. Designers tend to be wasteful and inaccurate in calculating their actual costs. As a result they have always thrown out fanciful numbers; suddenly clients began to accept them without question, and it was off to the races. I had one client quoted $500,000 for his daughter’s wedding in 2000. I was appalled. He was not. Five years later he spent double that amount with the same designer for his son’s wedding. The cost of food and beverage was practically the same for both events. Unrestrained by concerns over competitive pricing, a small group of very high end floral designers feel that even the sky is not the limit.

There are exceptions to what I describe. One being Caroline Bailly with L’Atelier Rouge. She calculates what her costs will be and prices her services accordingly at a high taste level and at the best level of quality. Professionals such as Caroline create stunning floral designs that will delight guests. Pair exquisite aesthetics with the finest of libations, and your guests will fancifully recall your event for many years to come.

Herbert Rose is Director Emeritus at GUASTAVINO’S and 583 PARK AVENUE. He has 50 years of experience as Director of Catering at New York’s finest venues. 

Have a question for Herbert? CONTACT US and he will be happy to address it in a future post.