So many tidy little boxes.
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Great. After weeks/months of his writings and descriptions, no one is confident enough to claim they understand what he has said about catering or fusionable knife or true home cook, except you. And you do not even think the explanation will be about cooking orcookware.
These statements are confusing at best.
Here’s a great song:
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What makes all the difference in the world, Vecchiouomo,
is the spirit of the communication: it must feel friendly and open.
I’ve just broken off communication with three posters who have repeatedly asked somewhat similar questions that didn’t feel friendly or open–or even about cooking–and not about their home kitchen knife batteries.
That’s never been true about our exchanges. I’m sorry about my one line response.
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Didn’t go throught he whole tread again, but I remember Ray saying he is catering for his church. That sounds like a catering job to me. I mean, it’s not a binary thing where you’re either a home cook or a full blown professional caterer.
The last time I cooked for more than 20 people is over a decade ago and my guess is the same holds true for the majority of posters in this thread.
Ray can sometimes be a little hard to follow, but his catering sounds legit to me.
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Thanks. Finally, one person stood forward to claim understanding of his catering comments. For a moment, I thought no one will claim any clear understanding of his comments.
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That’s my understanding too. Cooking for church events rather than being paid to supply food.
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Right, but it’s not “professional” cooking or catering if he isn’t paid for it. That’s another major source of confusion.
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I agree, and I think that’s the crux of the issue. Performing the function of “catering” as opposed to the profession.
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Oh for God’s sake, Ray brings food to his church and calls that catering.
We don’t know–and are unlikely to find out–any of the circumstances, such as volume, regularity, custom orders, whether it’s a potluck, homeless kitchen, etc. I asked some questions designed to pierce the Raylean ambiguity. As usual, no further facts are forthcoming. You’re free to try yourself.
I sometimes work in the kitchens of my church and social fraternity and bring food. But I’d never brag myself up by calling myself a caterer or chef. Or a knife researcher, or an experimental interior designer for that matter.
Thanks, damiano, for bringing this up again.
What follows your elipses is important. Most definitions include something like “usually for pay.”
Occasionally bringing one prepared dish to a gathering doesnt comport with common usage of ‘catering’. If you think it does, well, most every home cook is a caterer. But you already know that. Ray does, too.
You forgot ‘octopus’…
Just stating my understanding of the facts. I agree that there is far from “catering” meals for friends and family to being a “caterer”.
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The discussion of catering is interesting . I have never claimed to be a caterer, but a number of times I have prepared large amounts of food for good sized groups. The foods have ranged from trays of bread and cold cuts with mustard, mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles (my late morning wedding followed by a lunch in an apple orchard) to very fancy finger sandwiches and salads to CAV, salad, and fruit tarts. As the quality of the food moved into the realm of interest and quality for which someone might pay, it seemed more like catering. I always brought a few tools, including a paring knife. It usually came in handy, but not as handy as a few towels to wipe rims after plating.
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I can totally picture that. Nice picture. I do so when shelling hickory nuts, or processing roasted hatches. Getting peas out of the pod, etc.
You used to beat your dog? There’s an easier way, Ray.
So, now we’re all caterers if we go to a potluck and bring a dish of Polish chop suey. Got it! I’m a caterer! 'Nother credential to add to the resume.
Heaven help us.
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I sure don’t refer to my knife drawer as my batterie. “Knife drawer” is what we call it. Little American English doesn’t hurt anyone.
I don’t anguish, either. What fun is a hobby when you constantly toil over the tools. Research the knife, read reviews, compare pricing, etc. Buy the stinkin’ thing and use it.
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Hi Vecchiouomo,
Vollrath gave me a warranty, on my Mirage Pro induction unit, only given to professionals in the food industry, by providing a nonprofit service caterer box I could check–which I reported on Chowhound years ago–and Kaleo repeated time after time in misleading ways. It’s still going on.
It’s escalated–and morphed–with personalizations that continue–whether I respond or not.
I’ve never called myself a caterer when I’ve carried out projects over the years–nor do I now. Much like you, I do them when they come up and don’t call them anything.
Unlike you, I’ve always liked to do pretty big team projects. The first major one I remember was a Thanksgiving Feast I put on for 33 international students–using extra facilities next door to my apartment at the Graduate Center.
It’s been fun to create these possibilities when I can.
With my home kitchen facilities and nearby church with a commercial kitchen, I can play many different roles; with a health care group nearby, the possibilities are more limited.
I still enjoy the irregular projects when they happen.
When I get my next project, I’ll give you a call: If you can make it to SOCAL.
You won’t need to bring your KIWIs . . .
Sadly I cannot find them fresh here. Even at stands/farmers markets.
I’m driving and bringing the Kiwis. Bring you some fresh milk, too.
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