Most of us would probably entertain more often if it wasn’t such a chore.
Planning, cleaning, cooking, serving, cleaning up and collapsing in a heap.
Not to worry, Howard Gershman of Gersky’s Catering has it all under control.
Big or small, outdoors or in, they’ve got the answers to all your catering needs.
What makes them different is that they focus on the experience. Howie says he’s learned over the past decade that they’re not a food company, they “create memories and experiences that are unique to you.”
“A year after the event is over no one is going to remember what the salad dressing was. They’ll remember that they had a good time and that’s it”
If you wonder when to hire a caterer, Howie told me the tipping point is when you can’t do it yourself. “We don’t do anything that you can’t do yourself.” Whether you want to or not is another story. Or whether you have the skills or the time and effort to really do it”.
And size doesn’t matter. While their sweet spot is events with 50-150 people, they’re happy to help out with smaller events, or even prepare a tray of food to pick up “People can come and pick up stuff take it home and have a good time. Or pick up a pan of food, split it up and freeze it. “
Like most of us, they live for the warmer weather. It gives them the chance to do one of their favorites—a backyard BBQ. It’s one of the things they do really well and a lot of. You can choose whatever you want to grill and they’ll bring everything from the hot dogs to the grills themselves if needed. They’re special twist to this classic? A live grill buffet where the grill itself becomes the cooking surface and the serving station.
They have a complete repertoire of recipes and if you’ve got a special dish you’d like, they’re happy to make it just the way you’d like. That goes for dietary restrictions too.
Since creating a memorable experience isn’t just about the food, Gersky’s always asks “is there anything special about a guest that we should know about?” One bride told him that her father wants his decaf coffee the minute he finishes a meal. On that day, even though dessert wasn’t coming for another hour, the minute he put his fork down, there was a cup of decaf--whoa where did this come from?
While they’ve done events from company lunches and picnics to weddings, one of the most unusual parties they’ve done is a holiday party at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale. Originally, the cemetery hired an event planner to throw a big party in the mausoleum and they hired Gersky’s to bring cookies, brownies and beverages to the event. It was a private event until word got out about it and it’s now one of the biggest events of the Christmas season. It’s a fun event with a huge Christmas tree, carolers in period costumes and 600-800 people in this mausoleum, with plaques and tables with huge platters of cookies and three stations of beverages on the first Saturday in December.
If you’re still on the fence about hiring a caterer, Howie suggests you sign up for their newsletter. When you do, you’ll get their 2-page party planning guide (with timeline) which will walk you through all the things you have to pay attention to. And at the bottom? “By the way we can do it all for you.”
Email: info@gerskys.com
Phone: 845-621-0696
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