To be recognized repeatedly as the best catering company in the North Bay Area requires excellence in production and design, food preparation, communication skills, knowledge of place, creativity and flexibility, not to mention extraordinary teamwork—a whole, integrated context of multi-tiered excellence, sustained over time. How does Park Avenue Catering do it?
“Here’s the thing for me, I have never worked for a caterer in my entire career,” says Bruce Riezenman, owner and executive chef. “I was a chef and then chef/owner of restaurants. And when I started to cater, it was because requests came to me. One day, I turned around and realized—this is now what I do!” In 1989, as a natural evolution of his work, Riezenman founded Park Avenue Catering.
“I always enjoyed, always loved the logistical challenge of catering,” he says. “I learned early on that you should only promise what you know you can produce properly.” This planning happens far in advance of the formal agreement. He determines what he can do for 150, 250 or 350 people, and then is comfortable beginning to plan the menu. Sometimes he may have to tell a client he can’t risk this or that because he knows, from experience, it just won’t work. “It’s like serving a crudo dish for 400 people when it’s 100 degrees outside. You just don’t.” He plans a menu that will work and make everyone happy. “And it doesn’t matter whether it’s your graduation party, your wedding, your wine-and-food pairing event, your company party or picnic, or high-end dinner—whatever your idea is, our goal is to understand the vision. Then, drawing from experience and all of the dishes we’re creating, a menu and plan that works for the occasion.
One indication of the special quality of Park Avenue Catering is that his key staff has been with him a long time, which is rare in the high stress business of catering. “I have an amazing team of people,” he says. “My chef’s been with me for 20 years. I have sales people who have been with me five to 20 years. And I have service staff, people who worked my events, who’ve been with me five to 15-plus years. No one else has that,” he says, laughing. “When you have people who are with you for a long time…it creates a corporate culture a culture of caring and of pride. That’s what makes it succeed for me.”
Does it ever get old? “Twenty-eight years in, I love this industry and this business,” says Riezenman. “And I love this community. I’m committed to the people who work for me, and to doing good things that benefit the community as well. I love it and I’m very proud of what we do here. It’s great to wake up every day and feel good about coming in to work.”
