Preferred Caterer Spotlight: Meet the Grand Gourmet

The Grand Gourmet was founded in May of 2005 and has celebrated six successful years in business. Chef Sheena Castellanos says, “We feel that the key to meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations is to provide unsurpassed service and high quality food offerings. Our menus consist of using only the finest choice meats and freshest ingredients. We strive to provide the ultimate dining experience, from intimate gatherings to large-scale events, all with the same attention to detail, consistency, and taste. ” I recently connected with Sheena to learn more about The Grand Gourmet. Here’s what she shared with me.

How did you get started in the catering business?

We started the business concept in 2002 and opened in March 2005. It started with my husband’s love for food, my love to cook, and a dinner party that was a huge success. The party was for my mother in law and all of her guests were surprised that I was not a professional. I later decided to make a career out of it and attended the Art Institute of Atlanta, where I graduated with honors. Once I graduated, it was a full go from there. We love what we do, and cannot imagine doing anything else.

What is a service that you provide that potential clients may not be aware of?

We do tastings for up to 4 people and provide a event layout and walk through upon signing of contract. We also have a great cancellation policy. Life loves to throw us curve balls, and sometimes, our client may get one thrown to them. Once we obtain a deposit, if there is anything that happens where we have to change a date or what have you, we hold that deposit for a future date of up to 9 months. (You don’t lose your deposit, it’s applied to the next event). We are also well connected in the industry and have access to rentals, DJ’s, photographers, production teams, etc. We want our clients to have the most successful event possible and we will do whatever to make that happen!

How do the food tastings work?

We love to get in front of the bride and groom and their loved ones. We come to you, and we do not charge for up to four people. We feel that this time with the bride allows us to fine tune the event based on what the bride, groom, and family really want. We want them to really see and taste what they will be getting for their money. It works for them and for us. 99% of the tastings we do are followed up with a booking!

What is one of your signature dishes?

Hard to narrow it down, but our Angus Loaf (Sheena’s Secret Recipe for Meatloaf) has to be one of the more popular options. Topped off with a crispy onion garnish…it’s out of this world!

How do you work with brides?

Our motto is “We Cater To Your Needs,” and we do what we can to make that work. There are so many brides with limited budgets and time constraints that are amazed by our pricing, our food, and our set up. Weddings are our cup of tea, and in the south, we know that it needs to be sweet!!

What is your favorite part of your job?

Satisfied Customers! Being a part of someone’s special day, and being an integral part of a successful event is an amazing feeling. I love seeing people come to the buffet two and three times, and seeing guests lick their fingers makes me smile.

Chef Sheena Castellanos’ specialties include, but are not limited to, good ole southern home style cooking, Floribbean cuisine, and Hispanic-American foods. The Morrow Center is pleased to have The Grand Gourmet as one of our preferred caterers.

Music, Baseball, Fireworks & Food Make Atlanta the Place to be on July 4th

Whether you like a cold beer or classical music, Atlanta offers everyone amazing opportunities to get your patriotic groove on! Here are just a few options to check out!

Independence Day Celebration - Fireworks Display Monday, July 4 4:30p at Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA. Centennial Olympic Park is the site of Atlanta's day long Independence Day celebration. Live Music & Entertainment start in the afternoon and end with a 'really big' Fireworks Display choreographed to a Musical Score. Thousands of people turn out, but you can also view the fireworks from a variety of `less crowded' spots nearby. Festivities begin at 4:30 PM, with the fireworks show at 9:30 PM.

Red, White & Brew Monday, July 4 - 6:00p to 10:30p at Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA Make a bang this Fourth of July atop of the world’s largest aquarium with the “Red, White & Brew” barbecue and beer fest! The celebration will take place on the top floor of the Aquarium parking deck, offering unparalleled views of Atlanta’s most magnificent fireworks display from Centennial Olympic Park. The event takes place from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and tickets are $45 per person, with proceeds benefitting Georgia Aquarium’s education initiatives. This event is for adults over the age of 21.

All-American Celebration Monday, July 4 - 8:00p to Tuesday, July 5 - 12:00a at Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, GA The annual celebration fires up the crowd with patriotic standards, sing along anthems and classical thunder, featuring the U.S. Army Chorus, Rob Fisher, music director of the Tony honored Broadway series Encores, and spectacular fireworks.

July 4th Celebration at, “The Beach!” Monday, July 4 – 10a Jonesboro, GA Save on gas and stay local this 4th of July Weekend by celebrating with the Clayton County Parks and Recreation Department at International Park "The Beach." Join us Monday, July 4th at "The Beach" from 10:00am until 8:00pm for just $10 per person! Admission includes musical entertainment by Felicia and Friends and 911 Band, access to the water park, and a FIREWORKS display at night.

Braves vs. Rockies – Independence Day Postgame Fireworks Monday, July 4 - 7:00p at Turner Field, Atlanta, GA You're in Braves Country! Come see the #1 rated entertainment experience in the Southeast. Celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks following the game.

Get to Know DJ Extraordinaire, Travis Gilbert, from Fonix Entertainment!

One of the best and easiest ways to enhance your special event is to add music. Yet, it is easy to become confused about what kind of musical entertainment to choose, how to find it, what to look for, etc. Upbeats, rhythms, melodies, tones, and beats all make up a musical composition. Music in its most simple form is to entertain. When you have the right DJ spinning for you, it can even be magic.

Recipient of WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Award™ 2011, Fonix Entertainment is a sought after addition to any slamming party! Fonix Entertainment has been recognized by countless Event Planners and Facilities as the best Entertainment Group for their clients. Industry leaders call Fonix Entertainment because they know they are prompt, courteous, experienced, and will make them look good! The Morrow Center is proud to partner with Fonix and we have seen them in action!

Recently I caught up with Travis Gilbert from Fonix. What a great interview! We learn a little about Travis’s back story, amusing details of the biz and lots of helpful information about selecting a DJ for your event. Here’s what Travis had to say.

How did you get started in the entertainment business?
College Radio! It was my 2nd year of college and my high school sweetheart and I broke up. I was devastated and started listening to dance music. To get things off my mind I started playing dance music on my own show on Album 88. A producer for another show loved my style and asked me to start spinning for their show, which was a huge dance radio show! At this time (1998) I had only been spinning for 2 months so this was a huge jump for me! Before I knew it the show, called Planet 8, blew up to the biggest college dance radio show in the nation and I was spinning with some of the world’s best DJ's flown in by party promoters. I also helped host the show and this is where I got my voice! After I graduated with flying colors in Urban Planning, I still had a desire to DJ and a mobile DJ company contacted me for pool parties. Instantly, my agent noticed I had an amazing chemistry with the crowd and playing music the guests wanted to hear! From this point on my success just out grew my original college career and I haven't looked back since!

How do you work with brides when helping them plan their reception? It’s all about developing a great relationship with the Brides. I tell DJ's all the time you have to realize you are providing a service for one of the biggest days of this person life! Understand what the Bride likes, how she grew up, and cover all the details of the wedding such as working with other vendors and requirements of the venue. A great tool I use is on-line planning forms, time-lines, and access to our music database. The whole idea is to review all the details of the wedding a week before the big day. This will make the DJ look more professional and flexible with on-site changes. So many DJ's wait till the last minute to prepare and this is where Fonix Entertainment is so different by really being there for the client and developing a great relationship to get that amazing review!

What are some of the corporate events you've had the pleasure to host?
Over my 12 years experience I have hosted all kinds of corporate events. Especially during the Holidays when corporate parties happen the most. City Government Parties, Networking Events, Company outings are just the brink of what I have hosted. If you were to ask me my personal favorite it would have to be the 2005 Hooters International Swimsuit Competition in South Beach. And yes, it was technically a corporate event, lol!

What are a couple of the classic, must have songs that always get people
excited & dancing? Gosh I could go on here, but some true wedding party songs are Brick House, September by Earth, Wind and Fire, Love Shack by B52's, Brown Eyed Girl, Shout, and most recently Raise Your Glass by Pink and I Got a Feeling or The Time by Black Eyed Peas. No one really knows this but a lot of Black Eyed Peas songs are great for weddings because they are new, fun, and the parents always like them too!

What sets Fonix Entertainment apart from other DJ's?
It’s developing a relationship with the Bride & Groom and really providing excellent customer service. Behind the scenes, our DJ's are TRULY qualified for weddings. I was a DJ for many years for many of my competitors and one problem I kept noticing was the lack of qualifying their DJ's. A secret in my industry is a lot of the really good wedding DJ's in this town freelance for a lot of companies, almost like a DJ pool. You will never hear this repeated because no one wants to admit it. I look at this process differently and tell my clients this situation because I want to illustrate to them how we qualify DJ's. Just because a DJ works for a competitor and has his own equipment does not make he/she good. Plus we offer continuous training for our DJ's so they can stay above the rest. It’s really important to our company that we employ the best of the best and this is why we only have 4 DJ's with amazing reviews. Right now we have to turn away a lot of business on key dates because we will not book an event without the client having the ability to meet the DJ before signing a contract. Our DJ's are entertainers and it’s their career. This means performing events is their livelihood and their performances have to be spot on to be successful. You would be surprised how many of our competitors call us up to sub-contract DJ's we book and want us to mentor their DJ's for a fee. Were happy to do it because let’s face it, someone is getting engaged every hour in Atlanta!


Any funny situations that have happened to you while working an event?
Hmmm there is too many. Two of the funniest moments I can think of is one where the guest got so drunk and a bridesmaid fell into the cake with the third layer landing on her…literally a cake sandwich! To top it off they had a cake fight afterwards and the venue kicked them out. For me it was hilarious to watch! Another is again when some guests had one too many and the grand exit favors were not bubbles but roman candles!!! It made for great pictures but watching the best man being chased around by the groom with a roman candle was enough for me to start crying with laughter! If only I had video of it!

What do you enjoy most about your job? Making people smile and having a great time. Being a kid that moved around a lot made me the outsider a lot. I didn't have a best friend till I was 16 and the over powering joy of having good times with friends stuck with me. This is what I try to re-create at every wedding…that everlasting moment of pure joy and happiness. Live, Love, Laugh, Dance!