“This past year taught us not to take our business for granted and to keep preserving and moving forward.” — Renee Pisan, co-owner, Chloe’s Catering
The North Bay is home to an abundance of readily accessible cuisines, and when it comes to catering, Chloe’s serves up an award-winning ensemble of delectable delights. Chloe’s began as a café on Airway Drive in Santa Rosa more than 10 years ago. The damage suffered by the 2017 wildfire was severe enough to close down and pivot to an event and delivery center for catering at its Windsor location.
Chloe’s catering traces its roots back to Provence, France, influenced by a family of artisan bakers for more than a century and using original recipes passed down through the generations. The catering service takes its name from a delivery “truckette”—naming the family car is a French tradition—purchased after the family business became inundated with delivery requests of their fresh pastries.
Today, the truck, Chloe, is retired—a casualty of the 2017 wildfires—and serves as the company logo, after having been shipped from France and restored. Chloe’s traded in the truck for delivery vans and continues to serve French-inspired breakfast and lunch items including salads, sandwiches, pasta gratin, whole quiche and a variety of pastries.
Chloe’s is ready to accommodate parties large or small and has a variety of options that can adhere to many budgets. The Covid-friendly boxed lunch options include roast beef; curry chicken salad; roasted veggie, ham and white cheddar; and Chloe’s version of the club.
Pisan and her husband, Alain, relocated to Wine Country after operating a French café in her hometown of Cleveland for 15 years. This is where they joined Alain’s brother, Marc Pisan, in opening Chloe’s French Café in Santa Rosa. Alain and Marc were born and raised in St. Tropez and the business crafts pastries reminiscent of their French parents’ café. The catering company offers up savory pastries in the form of croissants, the “Napolean” mille-feuille cake, tarts and vegan chocolate cherry cake to name a few.
The family affair of Chloe’s catering reflects the recipes and traditions of French cuisine. That knowledge and experience were transported back to the heart of Sonoma County and is infused in Chloe’s approach to providing affordable, quality and casual French catering for the North Bay to enjoy.
As with most local small businesses, Chloe’s was not immune to COVID-19. Despite having a platform for delivering boxed lunches, the pandemic’s effect on business was quite significant and immediate. Pisan says the community supported the company by purchasing gift certificates redeemable for future use. Chloe’s is grateful for the local community rallying around the business in the midst of a pandemic. “It’s amazing how people came out and supported the business. It’s empowering,” Pisan says. “This past year taught us not to take our business for granted and to keep preserving and moving forward.”
Photos courtesy of Chloe’s French Catering
