Tell us a little bit about Graze Catering. What makes your organization unique in St. Louis?
Amelia's travels have greatly influenced her food styles. While stationed in Southern Spain, she traveled to many European locations, including London, Paris, Sweden, Germany & Portugal. Stateside, she’s lived in areas known for great local ingredients & food….Florida, Memphis, Mississippi, the Pacific Northwest, & Southern California. While in California, Amelia pursued another passion of hers, wine. Visits to Napa & Sonoma, along with access to some of the best produce, opened her eyes to fresh, flavorful ingredients, often pairing them in new & unusual ways. In the Southern states, Amelia adopted some Southern charm into her cooking style, influencing many of her dishes today. Her trademark is using simple foods, prepared in remarkable ways, & utilizing farm to table ingredients, whenever possible.
In 2016 we bought the old Monroe's Diner, a Quonset Hut on Old Route 66 in Pacific, Missouri, built in 1950. We spent much of Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 renovating the interior. We now have a wonderful, full-service kitchen with a very cute dining room in the front.
What item(s) do you provide that every bride should have on her menu?
Our most popular menu items are our bacon-wrapped potato bites with house-made Creole sauce, our Southern green beans, and our slow roasted beef brisket and whipped potatoes. We serve classical comfort food with an elegant twist.
What’s the most unique reception you’ve done in the last year and why?
Recently we had a groom that was from Chicago and wanted us to incorporate the famous Chicago style hot dog. We were able to find a all beef quarter pound hot dog with all of the "drug through the garden" toppings including the poppyseed bun to hold it! They were thrilled!
We specialize in creating a custom experience for our client. If it is a Chicago-style hot dog, or a beautiful brunch wedding we are up for the task. We love seeing your vision come true.
When Graze Catering pops in someone’s mind, what’s the first thing you want them to think of?
Family. We are a small family owned and operated company. Chef Amelia was raised in the restaurant industry. Her parents owned "Hoffman's Drive In" restaurants in Pacific, and Washington, MO. The Pacific location is now her family's custard shop operated by her brother.
We treat our clients like family and that comes through in our food. We know that a person’s wedding day is one of the most important events in their life. We are so honored when we get to be a part of that.
Why does your team enjoy doing wedding receptions at Silver Oaks Chateau?
They are our neighbors!! We are just a little over 3 miles from our door to Silver Oaks Chateau. That is an amazing advantage when it comes to fresh delicious food and top notch service. We are so excited to be a part of the events held at such a beautiful venue.