Park Avenue Catering has been voted Best Catering Service in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
Since 1989, Park Avenue Catering has built a reputation on attention to detail, logistical abilities and the fact it can cook for up to 400 people deliciously. Chef Bruce Riezenman says, “Communication with your team is a key ingredient that leads to quality, and the positivity from that communication will result in amazing food, service and consistency.”
Each person on Riezenman’s catering team specializes in something, and each contributes knowledge to the plate. Riezenman says, “Our team shares information at regular lunch meetings, so what one person knows, we eventually all know. It gives us a broader outlook. There’s teamwork and positivity all around.” In one way or another, Reizenman says, each lunch meeting elevates the team’s skills.
Riezenman is a passionate individual who loves to educate others about issues in the food and wine industry. Riezenman says, “When it comes to the value of investing in your business, finding the right people is what it’s all about. It’s a major team effort, and those investments pay off in quality and growth. It takes time to understand that. Knowledge of everything surrounding the industry you specialize in will help you succeed in not just one way, but many ways.”
The company focuses on using locally sourced products to create menus that reflect the bounty of Northern California. Its focus is on taste and presentation, whether it’s catering a breakfast buffet, elegant, five-course dinner, or hosting a corporate event. Its staff assists clients with everything from site selection, event coordination, menu design, service and even entertainment.
It’s the first green certified caterer in both Napa and Sonoma counties. Riezenman is part of Slow Food Russian River’s leadership, as well as a member of culinary and conservation organizations such as Chef’s Collaborative. He sticks to the seasons when changing his menus, uses sustainable products exclusively and encourages others he meets along his path to be green when working with him on an event.
Riezenman would like to thank everyone who voted for Park Avenue. “We appreciate the support,” he says. “It’s wonderful going out in the community, seeing people who know us and meeting people who praise us. Thank you so much for the support. When we see everyone and hear positive accolades of what we do, that makes my team and me proud—and it helps us to continue to excel.”
