Tag Archives: Great Parties

Saving the Best for Last ~ A Christmas Bride

Dana and Andrew tied the knot! And everyone was aglow – I’m sure it was because of all the love and joy in the room. The rooftoop wedding was stunning and the rain waited till after the ceremony to lend it’s winter chill.

The location, Loft Seven was a great site – and delightfully intimate for this party of 130 friends and family.

These are 2 of the 5 sisters. My favorite daughter of another mother, Tash was ebullient all night long.

I loved this clever winter wonderland display for table assignments.

Remember my dear brides, simple and elegant equals a beautiful and memorable wedding.

A Beautiful Friday Bride at Smog Shoppe Part One

Add a comment

This lovely bride took DIY to a new level. I have to break it up in two posts because there’s so much to share! She had everything taken care of with lots of re-use and dare I say, upcycling.

The centerpieces were clusters of old glass vases and vessels with roses, costas and baby’s breath. She made little buttons too. These fans were the programs for the evening.

I love this little flag bearer with the “here comes the bride” banner.

She had framed signage everywhere and she made her beautiful bouquet.

Margaux and Chad! (Sissy says I always need a picture of the bride)

So Beautiful! She made that! But did she throw it?

I’ll end this first post on the candy bar. Notice the signage and packaging and the shelves. It looked amazing against her mom’s collection of lace and ticking.

Don’t those Whoppers look good?

Stay tuned for part two.

Location of the Year 2011

Add a comment

Instead of giving the honor to myself (we all agree at Jennie Cooks, the best events are at the Shoppe), I award the title to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. For starters, they have great parking and they let you drive on the lawn for load in. That doesn’t happen at most Museums of distinction.

Then there’s the inside.

This is the whale room where we’ve seen men dance half naked at the Most Amazing Wedding Ever.

Below is the Rotunda. On this particular occasion, we served the bride’s delicious and amazing homemade vegan cakes.

Although off topic, I must also mention these adorable party favors. Alix made them. They were waiting for the guests with their table numbers. I’m not kidding when I say Alix was the cleverest bride in all the land.

Cocktails with the dinosaurs. Can you beat that?

At the AIGA RE-EXTRAVAGANZA there were amazing sustainable art installations in the North American Mammal Hall. We loved these Solar Sculptures and are hoping a client might like them too… Garden party anyone?

And look at this! Put a cork in it! Have a seat! All of these installations are from award winning local designers.

So, should you ( or your company) be looking for a fun event space… go to the Museum!

White Always Works

Add a comment

Are you struggling with your color palette? I have this advice – white always works. I had a neighbor back in the 80′s who whenever challenged with a color making decision, always chose white. White cars, white clothing, white shoes. She felt it was easier than making the decision all the time and that way she always matched. At the time I felt she was clever, but boring. Well, almost thirty years later, the penny dropped. This MOB had the same idea.

Make it white, then everything matches.

She borrowed silverware and purchased some affordable glassware at IKEA

For some reason, all the boys came with me on this one.

And remember, water always works too.

Sustainable Salmon fit for the QUEEN!!

Add a comment

Perhaps, we weren’t all a twitter with the rest of world about the wedding. You know the one. (Where do they get those hats anyway?)

BUT… I do know where they get their royal SALMON!! The same place I do!

Loch Duart Sustainably Raised Salmon was the main course last Friday at the royal reception, and we got that confirmed through our friends at Clean Fish. For all you Angelenos, you can get it at any earth conscious fish monger – I’m particularly fond of my friends at Fish King in Glendale.

Pip Pip, cheerio and good luck newlyweds. Keep eating well!

The Bannon’s Blissful Vegan Wedding at the Natural History Museum

1 Reply

A vegan wedding at the Natural History Museum?

That’s certainly a beautiful venue and no problem for the team at Jennie Cook’s. Jennie has a long history of cooking delicious vegan/vegetarian offerings and has an extensive menu (partially listed at Plantbasedparties.com).

As the ceremony was finished…

the guests were treated to passed appetizers of risotto fritters, beanie pops, and empanadas.

The reception was held in the rotunda, a stunning room with a giant statue of the three Muses as its centerpiece. Guests arrived in the rotunda to a plated salad followed by tomato soup. Bread and seasoned Olive oil with arugula flowers were waiting for them on the tables. The third course was a buffet that offered Celebration Loaf (a vegan take on Beef Wellington), sliders, grilled vegetables, and cashew cream potatoes gratin and our signature green beans with chile pecans and a sesame drizzle.

There were quite a few remarks of “hmm wow, that’s vegan?” After the food was eaten and coffee/cake service was finished, the guests retired to the Fin Whale room (a huge space with the 75 foot skeleton of a Fin Whale hanging above).

Once there, the music was cranked up and they danced the night away. We wish the Bannon’s a lifetime of happiness.

Fowler Museum Opening Celebration

Add a comment

The team at Jennie Cooks Catering headed to the UCLA Fowler Museum

to work the opening celebration for the exhibit “Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley”. What a lovely venue in which to feed hungry culture seekers on a warm Los Angeles winter’s night. The introduction ceremony was held downstairs in a large open air atrium. There were tray passed appetizers featuring our spinach fritters with bistro dippy, as well as assorted pretzels, roasted nuts and imported cheeses to complement the open bar.

Once the ceremony was finished for the 300 VIP guests, another swell of an additional 400 guests headed upstairs to the rooftop reception in the tented open air patio. Guests were greeted with huge cheese and fruit trays highlighted by exotic manchego, brie and parmesan grana padano cheeses. Amongst the cheese trays, petite red cooked turkey meatballs were served.

A dozen servers enchanted the guests with tray passed hors D’oeuvrerie of bacon wrapped dates, endive with chevre mirepoix and more delicious spinach fritters with bistro dippy. All the food was well received and fully consumed. As the night wound down, the guests enjoyed the sounds of an authentic African live band. It’s always a great pleasure to work at a L.A. cultural landmark.

Waxing Frenetic

3 Comments

Perhaps a party for 1200 folks might make the average caterer a little, well, edgy?

: Later on, I’m singing back up

Not true for the rock star catering team at Jennie Cooks. We Showed up, set up took a few snaps and entertained the masses with lots and lots of deliciousness on all three floors of Madame Tussauds Hollywood Wax Museum.

: Me and Kobe – and I don’t mean the massaged meat.

The Swing Kings styled it up big time and kept the crowd moving to the grooves.

Another great event!

I got this lovely thank you note from the amazing event planner at KCET, Valerie Wang.

“Thanks SO MUCH for everything!!! I know there were a LOT of last minute changes and adjustments, and you guys were so professional and efficient about everything. Jennie, thanks for your flexibility on site, for being so easy and great to work with, and for making the event such a success. SPECIAL thanks for helping with the trash last minute. As you know, there must have been crazy miscommunication as neither one of us knew we had to handle event trash services. I could not have asked for a better caterer to work with and honestly am so glad you AND your entire team was there to make this event work!

I look forward to our next gig (hopefully this didn’t scare you away), and to our event on February 3rd, and can’t wait to work together again!”

You can’t scare me Valerie – let’s do it again!

Great Party, Wrong Recipe

2 Comments

Chef’s nightmare: Have a pie making party and give the guests the wrong recipe. Add a tablespoon of salt to each pie and a 1/2 cup of vanilla. YIKES! a dream come true! despite three of us proof reading the recipe, not one of us caught the big batch measurements on the single pecan pie recipe. I think I caught it soon enough, but I heard yesterday that some of you still got an unsuspecting savory pie – I owe you one. ( Debbie – I’m talking to you)

Pretty Cranberry Apple Pie

The Sustainable Swag Table was a great addition and the guests loved choosing a prize as much as I enjoyed shopping for them throughout the year.

Sustainable Swag Carafe and Pumpkin Pie

Triple Chicken Foot played the perfect tunes for the day and the Eastside Brewers out did themselves with a dark beer that I’m still dreaming about.

The Foot Rules!

All in all, Another Successful Event!

Busy Bakers

Notes for next year: invitation only and if you came this year, you’ll get an early VIP invite to secure your spot and choose your time!

Roots of Change can Party!

Add a comment

What a great night - chefs everywhere! Great wine, exceptional food and desserts! It was the kick- off party Aptly titled “Good Food for All -Celebrating the Los Angeles Food Shed” which started the Network Summit this week: Healthy Food and Farms by 2030.

Chefs! The room was radiant with the energy of these sumptous local foods, appreciated by a room full of dedicated eaters and advocates for a cleaner food system. We were giddy with delight. Even the Mayor gets it. Hopes were high and the rumble of forthcoming change was palpable. It’s happening people, it’s happening!

The Good Food for All Agenda - creating a regional food system for all of Los Angeles is available on line at Roots of Change. The party was magnificent with every noble and worthy local chef in attendance, or presenting. ( I got to hug my hero Suzanne Goin)

This brown sugar peach tart was amazing.

The setting was stupendous. Vibiana is rumored to be a restaurant soon, created by the mastermind behind Grace, Neil Fraser. I think we should combine our strength and I should run the event department. I’d like that!

All my garden peeps were there. My personal favorites of course; Warren from Root Down LA and Julia from Garden School Foundation. Also in attendance, Lisa Lucas Los Angeles Slow Food Warrior and Amelia Saltsman , author of The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook .

There’s just one thing… Could we please have a dialogue about all those disposable plates?