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Today's Friday Instagram of the Week comes from, Heather, one of the fantastic guests from our Annual Penny Party! We had SOOO much fun unveiling our new foods and trends and seeing all of your wonderful faces too! This pic is of our charcuterie station and it was one of the most popular of the night! We loved it because it married 3 of our FAVORITE local vendors fine offerings in perfect harmony; 
Don't you just love it when you are greeted to your table with a beautiful salad and decadent dessert? I know it makes me excited for the meal to come!
The Wells Fargo Building has SUCH amazing views! I mean, check out this view of the Salt Lake Valley. Gorgeous!
Okay, back to the food! Our first course was a salad with Fresh Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomatoes, Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Balsamic Reduction. Isn't it pretty? Of course, the desserts were beautiful too. Our Fresh Fruit Tarts with House Made Custard and our Black Satin Fudge Cake with Creme Anglaise and Fresh Mango were both so delicious. I don't know how you would choose!
We loved the simple, yet striking floral arrangements! They fit the tables perfectly and gave a nod to the fall season, which was so great!
Naturally, we have to bring even more yummy food to an event, so we made sure we had a variety of amazing butler passed hors d'ouevres! Bacon Wrapped Figs, Goat Cheese & Artichoke Crostini, Seared Bistecca with Chimichurri on Polenta, and Duck Wonton Crisps were just some of the offerings! YUM!
Last but not least, these mini BLTs! How cute are they? I loved this appetizer!
We served a show-stopping dual entree for the main course of Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Hazelnut Caper Butter over Roasted Asparagus Spears and Grass-Fed Utah Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom, and Red Wine Reduction over Garlic Mashed Potatoes. So good!
The guests enjoyed a gorgeous sunset during dinner, which we thought topped of this event wonderfully! Such a pretty night!
I hope this gave you some inspiration for your upcoming parties! We absolutely LOVED how this event turned out and are so happy we got to be a part of it! Happy planning, everyone!
Check out more Salt Lake City, Park City, and Utah County catering at 
Of course, we hosted the event at our downtown venue, 
We decided to create action stations that represented each episode in the series. For each station, we created a dish as well as a cocktail that perfectly represented the theme and this station "Smoke" was so much fun! The Smoked Maple Bourbon Sour Cocktail was AMAZING! The creation of the drink was a pretty awesome show too!
We got to really pull out the creative guns on this one. The Smoked Short Rib with a Smoked Demi Glace was put in a smoking chamber to infuse the meat with even more smoky goodness. After it was properly infused, we placed it atop our Purple Potato Puree to finish the dish! YUM!
Next up? Our "Fire" station! Of course, we brought some flame to this station! Our Fireside Signature Cocktail was set aflame and our guests loved it!
Next we served Flambed Ramen with our Killer Broth with Chef-Torched Beef, Fire Grilled Peppers, and a Sesame Chili Sauce. Perfect!
This is our Flaming Pumpkin Meringue Pie - which was SO delicious. And our "Fashion" station served Housemade Ricotta and Squash Ravioli. Such a decadently elegant dish!
Of course, while you are perusing the stations (because there are more to come - you better believe it), we had butler passed hors-d'oeuvres! These Mini Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Pomegranate Arils and the Crostini with Goat Cheese and Poached Pear Compote were so good!
Of course, we had to pay our homage to apples! Utah boasts some of the best local apples ANYWHERE and we try to use them anyway we can! The "Apple" station included Crispy Pork Belly with Whipped Cider Ricotta and Sous-Vide Cooked Apple Relish PLUS an apple dessert trio! The Apple Pie on a Stick, Poached Apples with Mascarpone, and Apple Sorbet with a Dried Apple Chip were all divine!
BUTTER, need I say more? This station included Butter Poached Scallops with a Brussel Sprout Slaw and Citrus Beurre Blanc as well as a bread station (mmm, carbs) with an assortment of house-made breads and house made compound butters and garnishes. I'll admit, I tried EVERY SINGLE OPTION. No regrets.
Last, but certainly not least, we include a station that gave a nod to one of our signature offerings, our House Made gelato! The "Gelato" station included an Olive Oil Gelato with Balsamic Poached Pears Garnished with Sea Salt, Red Wine Gelato with Chocolate Shortbread, and Salted Caramel Gelato which we used in either a Porter Float OR a Root Beer Float! Plus, to balance all of the sweetness this station has to offer, we brought in our Coffee Nerd Coffee Bar with cold brew and french press coffees! Such a delicious treat and our guests LOVED the interesting flavors!
We are SO excited for our new series - and if you haven't watched the first episode, we hope you check it out! (You can see it 
Today's Instagram of the Week comes from our friend, 
Isn't the outdoor fireplace awesome? We love how great this space is and it truly provides an extra ordinary location that is simply breathtaking!
We made sure our hors d'oeuvres were elegant, but still had a rustic feel to match the feeling of the space - and they were as tasty as they were pretty!
How awesome is this lounge? We love the rentals and the eclectic vibe the furniture created!
We made sure the guests had refreshing beverages too! These Utah Lavender Lemonades were not only fabulous, but we made them with local 
And, of course, to take the event to the level, we roasted a whole pig on the spit - which the guests always get a kick out of!
Isn't this space, pretty? Such a perfectly, magical evening!
Another, fun station our guests loved was the Fresh Hand-Pulled Mozzarella station, which we then used on our Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad! Yum!
So, you might be wondering what we did with the pig we were roasting? Well, after it was done, we served it with White Cheddar, Cabbage, and Mustard Slaw topped with Blood Orange Barbecue Sauce and Pickled Onions all on a House Made Cornbread Waffle. So good! Plus, what's a barbecue without grilled yummy-ness? So, we served Shrimp, Onion, and Sweet Pepper Skewers glazed with Sweet Tomato Jam and Utah Corn on the Cob with Smoked Paprika and Lime Butter - and it was SO delicious!
Our Mustard Slaw was so good! Plus, aren't these individual mason jars of Mary's Gnocchi fun? We love this dish!
Lastly, of course we had to served some super, fun desserts! Our Southern Style Shortcake Bar served up Buttermilk Shortcake with Fresh Peaches, Chocolate Shortcakes with Strawberries, and Lemon Shortcake with Berries (and of course all of them had a generous helping of House-Made Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream!) Plus, we just had to have a S'mores bar too!
We love this venue and had so much fun creating such a fun menu for this event! If you are looking for an exceptional venue for a unique wedding or event, this is the place! We loved Check out this AWESOME post from All Seated with tips from our very own Kaleb Crafts!
Kaleb Craft, Chief Sales Officer at Culinary Crafts is here today as a contributor to the AllSeated blog to share the top 5 ways to simplify planning your event. Thanks Kaleb!
Planning a large event can be one of the more stressful experiences of your life! But, it can also be quite enjoyable if you do it the right way. Planning doesn’t depend on your personality as much as it depends on your approach to event planning. Event industry professionals aren’t always passionate about events to begin with.
Often times they begin with a passion for organization and organizational systems, which in turns leads them into the event industry where they get a chance to use those skills to pull off incredible things they get to experience and share with others on a daily basis.
Here are 5 quick tips the sales team here at Culinary Crafts use to make the process a bit smoother.
Nail down your vision before you jump in.
Contractors won’t start digging a hole, setting footings and pouring foundations the first day a client comes in a says “I want to build a home.” They have blue prints complete, engineered plans finished, building permits in place, and a plan in place to execute from start to finish before they turn the first shovel full of dirt. Stress free event planning starts the same way, you should have a general vision, budget, and concept in place before jumping in. This will prevent doubling back tasks multiple times.
Ask yourself questions like, “What is my overall goal?” or “What feelings do I want my guests to have while at the event?” and “What is the single most important thing to me about the event?”
Make a chronological checklist and itemizing the tasks to be done and prioritize by what makes the most sense to you.
This usually helps paint a road map of what to do. We like to do things in this order, 1) pick a date 2) pick a venue and 3) pick a caterer. Complete your list with as many details as you can think of. Work through your list step-by-step.
Research vendors that fit your style and budget.
Often, people suppose that all event companies are created equal. That is not so. Each company has a niche type of event and demographic they work best with. Most can do many things, but that still doesn’t mean one company is going to be the perfect fit for every situation. I wouldn’t walk into a Ferrari dealership looking for the most fuel-efficient car on the planet.
Similarly, if luxury is the single most important thing to me when it comes to buying a new car, I wouldn’t go to the Hyundai dealership. Consider styles, budgets, and overall healthy working relationships. Do some online research and narrow your vendors choices down to 2 or 3 for each category. Have a short 5-10 minute conversation with each one and see who you feel most comfortable with.
Use your contracted vendors to your advantage.
By now you have picked your first couple of vendors and you feel really good about them. They know their stuff, they are clear experts in their field, and they have oodles of experience creating exactly what you are looking for. Well, use that knowledge and expertise.
Ask your caterer for recommendations on good florists, bands, and entertainment companies. Ask your AV company what additional services they offer. Often times, these vendors can help ease the stress of all those additional details. In fact, many times, they may be able to be your one stop shop for all things event. They can coordinate your ice sculpture, transportation, linens and everything else.
Bring in additional help.
Some events really are just more than one person can handle. If your event has the high level of detail that is just too overwhelming no matter how you organize, checklist and structure, then find a good event planner or coordinator. Let them know up front how much help you need. Determine if you need someone you can trust with everything and hand over the reins, or if you just need help with a few key tasks.
Our bonus tip is to remember Rome wasn’t built in a day… don’t try to plan the event of the century in a day. Give yourself plenty of time. Enjoy the process and the smaller details. The best events are about creating memorable experiences and using all 5 senses to do that. Happy Planning!
Learn more about Culinary Crafts by visiting their website and following along on social media:
Instagram: @culinarycrafts
Twitter: @culinarycrafts
Pinterest: @culinarycrafts
Of Possible Interest: Vendor Spotlight: Culinary Crafts
Check out more Salt Lake City, Park City, and Utah County catering at www.culinarycrafts.com!
Here are 5 quick tips the sales team here at Culinary Crafts use to make the process a bit smoother.
Nail down your vision before you jump in.
Contractors won’t start digging a hole, setting footings and pouring foundations the first day a client comes in a says “I want to build a home.” They have blue prints complete, engineered plans finished, building permits in place, and a plan in place to execute from start to finish before they turn the first shovel full of dirt. Stress free event planning starts the same way, you should have a general vision, budget, and concept in place before jumping in. This will prevent doubling back tasks multiple times.
Ask yourself questions like, “What is my overall goal?” or “What feelings do I want my guests to have while at the event?” and “What is the single most important thing to me about the event?”
Make a chronological checklist and itemizing the tasks to be done and prioritize by what makes the most sense to you.
This usually helps paint a road map of what to do. We like to do things in this order, 1) pick a date 2) pick a venue and 3) pick a caterer. Complete your list with as many details as you can think of. Work through your list step-by-step.
Research vendors that fit your style and budget.
Often, people suppose that all event companies are created equal. That is not so. Each company has a niche type of event and demographic they work best with. Most can do many things, but that still doesn’t mean one company is going to be the perfect fit for every situation. I wouldn’t walk into a Ferrari dealership looking for the most fuel-efficient car on the planet.
Similarly, if luxury is the single most important thing to me when it comes to buying a new car, I wouldn’t go to the Hyundai dealership. Consider styles, budgets, and overall healthy working relationships. Do some online research and narrow your vendors choices down to 2 or 3 for each category. Have a short 5-10 minute conversation with each one and see who you feel most comfortable with.
Use your contracted vendors to your advantage.
By now you have picked your first couple of vendors and you feel really good about them. They know their stuff, they are clear experts in their field, and they have oodles of experience creating exactly what you are looking for. Well, use that knowledge and expertise.
Ask your caterer for recommendations on good florists, bands, and entertainment companies. Ask your AV company what additional services they offer. Often times, these vendors can help ease the stress of all those additional details. In fact, many times, they may be able to be your one stop shop for all things event. They can coordinate your ice sculpture, transportation, linens and everything else.
Bring in additional help.
Some events really are just more than one person can handle. If your event has the high level of detail that is just too overwhelming no matter how you organize, checklist and structure, then find a good event planner or coordinator. Let them know up front how much help you need. Determine if you need someone you can trust with everything and hand over the reins, or if you just need help with a few key tasks.
Our bonus tip is to remember Rome wasn’t built in a day… don’t try to plan the event of the century in a day. Give yourself plenty of time. Enjoy the process and the smaller details. The best events are about creating memorable experiences and using all 5 senses to do that. Happy Planning!
Learn more about Culinary Crafts by visiting their website and following along on social media:
Instagram: @culinarycrafts
Twitter: @culinarycrafts
Pinterest: @culinarycrafts
Of Possible Interest: Vendor Spotlight: Culinary Crafts
Check out more Salt Lake City, Park City, and Utah County catering at www.culinarycrafts.com!
What a turn out! We loved being able to host for such a great group of people. Plus, we had so much fun with the sports themed event!
Of course, we served stadium favorites like popcorn! But we put a Culinary Crafts gourmet twist on it. We served gourmet flavors like White Chocolate Peppermint, Bacon Bourbon, and White Chocolate Blueberry!
Aren't the floral centerpieces fun? Plus, we created some sports favorites at the "Lollipop Station" that were easy to eat on the go so guests could easily mix and mingle through the event. First up? These BBQ Wing Bites with Blue Cheese dressing that were delicious!
We also served Mini Corndogs with Ketchup and Mustard and Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce. YUM!
Of course, we didn't stop there! We also had Crab Cakes with Creme Fraiche and Utah Beef Chuck Sliders with Beehive Cheddar, Angry Onions, and Fry Sauce. Seriously, so yummy!
And no Culinary Crafts event would be complete without some action stations! First, the 'Dodger' Dogs Hot Dog Bar!
Next, the 'Yankee Stadium' Nacho Bar. Over the top yummy, I'd say! Mmm...
This is one of our guests's awesome Nacho Bar creations. We love action stations that let people create their own dream eats with the best quality ingredients!
Another fun creation we served were these 'Milwaukee Brewers' Pulled Pork Parfaits - and just like the sign says, parfaits aren't just for breakfast anymore! These were a crowd favorite, for sure!
Our house made gelato was another "fan-favorite"! Perfect for the warm summer night and a great way to round out this awesome meal! Mmmm...
Culinary Crafts loves being able to give back to our local community as well as national organizations like the 
For this pop-up restaurant, Ryan Crafts, Culinary Crafts Partner and Chief Operations Officer, has set a 6-course modernist epicurean homestyle menu that will take you on a culinary back roads journey as it delights your senses with inspired flavors and artistry. The “Scenic Route” burger may be your destination, but the entire trek will be delicious.
The location for this experience?
The picturesque 
This restaurant and menu “pops-up” for a single night and then disappears, offering a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. In order to attend this exclusive event, you must purchase your tickets in advance. Seating is very limited, reserve your seat now! Don’t miss your chance to ride shotgun on our “Scenic Route” culinary journey. Ryan will be in the drivers seat sharing tips and pointers for your own backyard grilling adventures, and will describe the nuances of each pop-up course—each one a scenic masterpiece waiting to be tasted.
To get more information and buy your tickets, go to 