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Susanna's Gourmet Catering

7271 Wurzbach Road, Suite 140 San Antonio, TX 78218 210-614-0333 www.susannasgourmet.com

It just isn’t wedding planning without disaster stories from friends who’ve been there, done that. Once word of your engagement spreads, you’re bound to hear a few doozies about wedding days gone awry. Maybe nobody cleaned the reception hall after a bar mitzvah the night before. Or the church aisle was infested with hundreds of “roly-polys.” The best thing about these stories is that they teach you to be prepared---not for disappointment but for improvisation. How do you manage that? Choose vendors as flexible as Gumby and as creative as Martha Stewart.

Enter Susanna’s Gourmet Catering. Owner Sue Snowdy has twenty-four years of experience in the food industry, and surprises just don’t surprise her anymore. Take the time her staff was locked out of the building where they were scheduled to set up five hours in advance. They ended up having to do it just one hour before the reception. “It was beautiful,” says Snowdy, “No one knew the better. I pride myself on that.”

Recently Susanna’s presented a dinner at the President’s Mansion at UTSA. The day had been muggy, and the crew found upon arrival that the AC had gone kaput. It was stifling. “I said, ‘Okay, let’s put it into improvise mode’,” laughs Snowdy. They arranged a beautiful outdoor spread and walked the platters of Beef Wellington from their prep station, no problem. The client wrote the next day raving that the food, decorations, and service were a hit.

Snowdy is an inventive caterer and periodically introduces new dishes. Her Chicken Poblano is a best seller, as are her chocolate-tuxedo strawberries. She also offers a pasta bar that’s especially popular with vegetarians. Susanna’s offers three price menus: value, deluxe, and premium. Each includes flavorful variations on the standards of chicken, fish, and beef, plus several alternatives. One bride even ordered portabella mushrooms for the main dish. (Price levels are primarily related to portion size and serving ware.)

One reason Snowdy keeps the menu changing is her proximity to the medical center. Susanna’s is a favorite among visiting drug reps. “I don’t want them to get bored,” Snowdy says, “so I change the dishes and create a lot.” Reps tell her that meeting attendance has increased since they began working with her. People often ask, “Is Susanna’s catering?’ before giving an affirmative RSVP.

Susanna’s has a private, on-site banquet room, too. “We can do everything from informal to formal,” Snowdy says. The elegant room is ideal for rehearsal dinners and small reception dinners. It’s usually set up with linens, tableware, and decorations so that visiting clients can see it “fully dressed.”

Two important things to know: Susanna’s is full-service, and they offer custom catering. Full-service caterers can provide things like linens, liquor, and place settings. In fact, Susanna’s decorations supply rooms are so packed with goodies, they look like the backstage of a playhouse. Custom caterers do exactly what you’d think: customize. When the grandmother of one recent bride passed away just before the wedding, Susanna’s even made one of grandma’s dishes for the reception. “I feel every function is different,” says Snowdy. “It’s important to customize to the event and the person.”

Susanna’s menu is available online at www.susannasgourmet.com. Unlike many vendor sites, which aim only to bait you with pretty pictures, Susanna’s site actually goes one step beyond and provides functional information, like prices and a full list of available accessories (right down to tongs and highball glasses).

“I want people to know we can be different,” says Snowdy. “I always try to go outside the box, and we improvise with whatever surprises come up.” Though she offers her professional advice during planning, Snowdy feels it’s important to guide rather than steer her clients. “What it comes down to is simply whatever the client wants.”

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