Categories
Catering
Services & Specialties
Inventive, involved, upscale catering with a highly personalized touch
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RECOMMENDATION
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4.5]
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WORK QUALITY
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COST EVALUATION
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VALUE ANALYSIS
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ADD YOUR REVIEW
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FR Review:
Barraud's owner and head chef, Rosemary ("Ro") Howe, attributes her varied and adventurous palate to her Indian nanny, who introduced all sorts of spices into Howe's repertoire as a young child in Darjeeling (where her father was stationed in the British Army). Howe's love of food blossomed into adulthood, landing her at Le Cordon Bleu in London and then in New York City, where she opened her own catering business in 1980. Hundreds of menus later, Howe remains a zealous gourmand who is committed to creating one-of-a-kind dining events for you and yours. A seated dinner typically begins with four or five "nibbles," such as cardamom and Beaufort cauliflower lollipuffs, and proceeds to between four and eight courses, composed of dishes like roasted beets with lemon thyme granita or vermouth-graved halibut with gingered pear salsa.
Because Howe personally oversees each job, she usually only does one event per day and caps a seated dinner at 300 people; 800 for a cocktail reception. Howe's main focus for any job is on the food, but she is happy to coordinate with florists and rental services to suit the occasion (she provides serving staff, however). Past events include a winter wedding at Gotham Hall, a birthday dinner on a yacht in New York City's harbor and a fundraiser event at Beth Israel Medical Center.
Prices can be dear, depending on the event and menu, but the customers we spoke with state that Barraud's prices are "fair" for the "exceptional" quality of food presented. The minimum food order is $1,500 and a large event will typically start at about $300 per person (including alcohol and service). Cocktail parties lasting a few hours start at about $50 per person. Howe prefers to have a lead time of at least two weeks for private dinners and several months for weddings or charity events. Overall, Howe's highly specialized and upscale approach makes Barraud Catering a good option for foodies with fairly deep pockets.
Representative Client Comments:
"Barraud specializes in gracious, intimate dining with food that is always interesting without being quirky." "The food is absolutely phenomenal." "Ro is such a joy to work with--she's the perfect blend of easy-going and highly professional." "Everything always goes off without a hitch when they're catering." "Barraud is tops--we use them for very special occasions." "Ro comes up with such interesting combinations." "The quality, presentation and serving staff have always been amazing." "Barraud is definitely not cheap, but Ro has certainly worked with me on meeting a budget in the past." "I've found that the exquisiteness of food from Barraud often exceeds what I've had at some of New York's finest restaurants."
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