Passionately Perfecting Life’s Celebrations is more than just our tagline- it’s our way of life. So when a Chicago based Destination Management Company, On The Scene, contacted us we were thrilled to lend our creative hands in producing an evening to remember! This wasn’t just any celebration, this was the 10th anniversary celebration for a high-profile corporate client.

This special event was held at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, which was the perfect space for the unique, custom design elements that were needed to host such a magnificent event. With airplanes at the entrance and inside the venue, bone-chilling lighting, elegant table settings, lively entertainment, and creative cuisine the scene was set for a one-of-a-kind event that attendees would rave on and on about!

In reminiscing with the sweet photos from John Unrue Photography, you can tell it was a spectacular affair. However, one of the things you may not be able to see is the logistics, energy, and attention-to-detail that went into serving extravagantly plated dishes for 600 people within 15 minutes. One of the things that sets us apart from others is our team. We have an incredibly talented team of professionals who are up for any challenge; and rest assured that when we accept a challenge, we do it- and we do it very well. So take a peak below at the stunning images & video and then scroll some more to see the tantalizing menu:

Puff ‘n Stuff at Fantasy of Flight from VHVIDEO.COM on Vimeo.

Butler Passed Hors d’Oeuvres

Bacon Wrapped Potato Tot with sour cream and a chive

Plated Second Course

Today we are featuring an event so big, it took over part of Downtown Tampa! The Special Event Gala Awards have been held every year since 1986 to honor the biggest stars in the special events industry. This year, a team led by Mark Wells of Hello Florida took The Special Event to the next level with “Restaurant 20.12.” The event team, including Puff ‘n Stuff Catering, worked together to concept and design an evening centered around unique and fresh cuisine served in a fully-functioning “pop-up” restaurant. Preparation for the event included setting up development plans with the City of Tampa, and working with some great vendors to construct Restaurant 20.12 in Cotanchobee Fort Brook Park adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center.  This completely unique and temporary venue was a two-story enclosed tent that housed two kitchens, a stage for the band, as well as accommodations for 580 guests. The interior of Restaurant 20.12 showcased chic decor, beautiful floral arrangements, cool lighting, very modern tables and chairs, and amazing talents that entertained the guests from the center stage.

Catering to the special events industry is no small order, and Puff ‘n Stuff Catering provided five courses with multiple table-side selections for guests to indulge in! Superb plates on the restaurant menu included Classic Cioppino Fresh Seafood Stew, Sweet Pumpkin Ravioli, and Wild Mushroom Rissotto with a Roasted Marrow Bone, just to name a few. After the entrees, upscale cheese plates were served to tables followed by a delicious Maker’s Mark cake for dessert!

The Special Event Gala Awards was an exciting and successful event, and it took seven full days to build the restaurant and bring everything together! Throughout the night, guests were treated to live music performances, exotic dancing, and some truly uncommon spectacles…this night would have made the Rat Pack glad to attend! Scroll below to see some pictures from the night, the full menu, and an exciting video chronicling the steps that made Restaurant 20.12 come to life!

Amuse Bouche

 Mediterranean Sampler Hummus, Cucumber Raita and Greek olives, with crisp pita chips and flat bread crackers

Savory Marcona Almonds

Course I: Butler Passed Hors D’oevres

Cognac and Brown Butter Seared Foie Gras Served atop a Foccacia Crsip, Brandied Apricot butter, and a candied nut garnish

Pepper Berry Crusted Baby Lamb Chops with crimson reduction and seasonal micro greens

Leek Cheesecake on a Cracker Spoon Savory Leek Cheesecake with arugula pesto, carmelized onions, sweet grape tomato and served on a pesto cracker spoon

Seared Ahi on green papaya salad

Course II: Small Plates

A Study in Heirlooms  Chef’s garden wedge heirloom tomato, sun gold, snow white and sugar snack baby heirlooms, Australian Murray River flake salt, micro basil, Piccardo & Savore unfiltered EVOO and B. R. Cohn 12 year white balsamic with basil foam.

Seafood Marriage a scallop and salmon stack, eloquently combined and served with a white balsamic glaze, epic mache greens salad, and citrus supremes

Noodle Bowl  Miso sarachi broth, Thai Chicken, bean thread noodles, snow peas, scallions, enoki, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, napa, bok choy and bean sprouts

Wild Mushroom Rissotto with a roasted marrow bone

Course III: Entree

Lamb Three Ways – Osso bucco with fried arugula; ragu over polenta; seared loin with cherry demi and mustard greens

Sweet Pumpkin Ravioli in sage brown butter with candied brussel sprouts, oyster mushrooms, and crushed candied nuts

Classic Cioppino Fresh Seafood Stew with Scallop, Clams, Mussels, and white fish in a saffron seafood brodo with herbed orzo served with a grilled crostini

Coffee and Chili Rubbed Sliced Black Angus Cowboy Steak served with shallot butter and accompanied by creamed spinach and Yukon gold smashed potatoes

Cheese Course

Cheese Presentation   France: Billat Savarin & Morbier, Italy: Telaggio accompanied by
wild strawberry and balsamic jam, green tomato relish, natural honeycomb, fresh mission figs, medjool dates, cheese sticks, crackers and flat breads

Dessert

The Cake Makers Mark Chocolate, walnut, and brown sugar crust topped with bourbon soaked genoise cake and Kentucky bourbon caramel sauce

Event Credits:

Caterer: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering

Hello Florida, Inc.

AFR Event Furnishings

American Turf and Carpet

Angela Beasley’s Puppet People

Beat Creative

Chic Event Furniture

Dazian Creative Fabric Environments

Dorene Collier’s Event Show Productions

Eklectico

Hertz Energy Services/ Hertz Entertainment

Island Breeze Affiliates, Inc.

Karl’s Event Services

Key Artist Group

Marriott Waterside

Metropolis Productions

MK Shannon Awards and Rewards, Inc.

Panache a Classic Party Rental Company

Party Guys

PTE Productions

Pyrotecnico

Totally Mod Furniture

TS Productions

United Site Services, Inc.

VHVIDEO.COM

Virginia Toy and Novelty

Wire-Free LED

At Puff ‘n Stuff, we specialize in a different variety of cuisines. We don’t try to pigeon-hole ourselves into just one, we try to make sure there is something there for just about everyone. We work with a lot of family recipes. We have customers that come to us from time to time and have an “Aunt Erma’s Special Cookie” that they’ve done. We have a lot of ethnic dishes that people come to us for and we certainly take a lot of time to work through those things and put a special twist or special twist for them and of course we give them an opportunity to taste it in advance. [The cuisine choices] are extremely diverse; we really try to do just about everything. We have traditional American Cuisine as well as a wide variety of different ethnic cultures. We are now getting into the Kosher side of the world as well, working within Kosher cuisine as well as our Indian Brides as well. We are beginning to see a pretty big influx of indian business and we are working with that community to try and develop some great things.

We cater weddings of all sizes. A lot of the venues that we work with lend themselves to great, small intimate affairs, and others for large gala functions. We really pride ourselves in working with all gambits, we really don’t have a restriction or minimum guest count. A lot of the times, the smaller the group, the more important the group. WE try to look at each thing individually. Sometimes, during the year, it is not really conducive to bring very small groups in because it is exceptionally busy. But for the most part we will cater weddings of all different sizes, of all different magnitudes, of all different ethnicities, in all different reasons.  We cater primarily in Orlando, Tampa, but obviously everything  in between. We are going into the East Coast a tremendous amount–working into Jacksonville, FL, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, and Ormond Beach.

“The thing that makes Puff ‘n Stuff unique from the other caterers, even though it sounds kind of cliche, really is our people. I know a lot of folks say that, but I truly believe in that here, within our culture. The Puff ‘n Stuff culture supports our team and it supports them in a way that it gives them the ability to excel at what they are doing. We have a unique process here that allows us to execute with precision and consistency even with the large variety and quantity of event we may do.”

This year’s Florida WOW Awards were nothing short of spectacular. The nominees were seasoned professionals exhibiting the best of show and design that amazed their clients and fellow business owners all year long.

The WOW awards themselves have won “Best Team Effort” by the ISES in their Esprit Award Show. Originally conceptualized in 2003, the WOW awards brings Florida’s planning organizations (ABC, HSMAI, ISES, MPI &NACE) together in a collaborative effort to show support and recognize the best in the business.

This year, Puff ‘n Stuff and Warren Dietel took home the awards for:

• Catering Professional of the Year
• Best Off-Premise Catered Event

We would like to give special appreciation to Christie’s Photographic for capturing this amazing night and preserving these great memories. Photographs and current news of their events can be found on their blog.

As I write, four of our team members are attending the annual Catersource Conference & Tradeshow in Las Vegas! The best and the brightest of the industry come together each year to collaborate and learn from each other so that we can continually perfect our business for you, our clients!

Puff ‘n Stuff Catering owner, Warren Dietel, is sharing his knowledge with 3 different presentations this year!

1. Incentive Programs that Drive Accountability
   
2. The Operations Toolbox (presented with Kevin Kulikowski, Director of Business Operations)
3. Creating a Loyalty Program for Your Business

Every year, our team comes back inspired with a wealth of new and innovative ideas. So stay tuned – there will be many new things to come! We can’t wait to see what they come back with.