One of the most popular google searches that people use to find a caterer is “Catering Services Near Me.”  While it makes sense to hire a caterer in your area, it’s better to find a caterer who will provide the type of quality service you need TO your area. Try searching for the type of caterer you need, such as “production catering or wedding caterer or funeral catering or kid party caterer.”  Companies who advertise with search engines like Google, Bing and others, will indicate their service area when they setup their ads with search engines.  The internet is a huge web and you can get lost easily.  Make your search for caterers in Los Angeles narrow by indicating the type of catering service you need first, because most caterers have a market they service best!  Some caterers are large enough to service several market, like at Dine With 9 Catering we have departments that service 3 unique groups:  weddings and private parties, corporate lunches and TV/Film production catering.  Our experience since 2003 has allowed us to find best practices in these 3 industries, so we service our clients with high quality services.  

So continue surfing the World Wide Web, but keep your search for a list of caterers in LA narrow by simply typing Dine With 9 Catering or search either “Film production catering,” “In-house Corporate Lunch Catering,” or “Holiday Party Catering.”  You’re going to love our delicious, healthy cuisine.

The earth is changing and so are our sources of food.  More people are discovering they have allergies from gluten to nuts to soy to chocolate and more.  If you have a food allergy, how can you expect to eat from the craft services table without going into full anaphylactic shock?  Hire a crafty from Dine With 9 Catering and we’ll take care of your crew.  Our crafties are trained to label, separate and handle food items which have known allergens to avoid cross contamination.  

Some producers make special requests to ban certain products like nuts on the entire set if there is a crew member who is highly allergic.  This sucks for people who enjoy having nuts as a quick protein snack to get them through the day.  In most case, it’s better to simply label and separate these foods to allow a variety of healthy snacks for the entire crew.

Our crafties can prepare snacks throughout the day that are gluten-free, vegan, soy-free and nut-free.  Below are 10 healthy snacks that the entire crew can enjoy.

• Hummus w/Sliced Fuji Apples
• Vegan Beyond-Meat Meatball Skewers w/Zesty Tomato Sauce
• Variety of Olives 
• Chia Seed Parfait w/Berries
• Gourmet Crudités Platter w/Vegan Dips
• Sweet Potato Latkes w/Spicy Applesauce
• Lentil Chips w/Butternut Squash Hummus
• Guacamole w/Root Vegetable Chips
• Crispy Cauliflower Buffalo Wings w/Vegan Ranch Dip
• Hearts of Palm Spring Rolls 

When preparing crafty food supplies and considering your crew members with allergies, be sure to increase your budget and allow more time for shopping.  Healthy snacks geared toward people with allergies may not be available in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco and Smart & Final.  You may have to order them online or venture out to multiple grocery stores to fulfill your shopping list.

If you’re hungry and find yourself at the craft service table, get to know your crafty and let them know about your allergies.  They should know the products on display and guide you to which items are safe for you to consume.  

It’s that time of year again!  On Sunday, May 19^th.  LA Travel Magazine will host Taste of the World.  From 2pm to 5pm, food and wine connoisseurs will converge on Rolling Hills Country Club in Palos Verdes to partake in a uniquely immersive experience featuring an orchestrated day fueled with excitement that transports guests around the world through food and beverage, accompanied by masterfully curated entertainment experience, ultra-premium beverage offerings from Specialty Spirits to Local Brews and a competitive Chef showdown where you decide who wins.  Sample the culinary creations of top Southern California chefs, while sipping on fine wines and bubbly or indulge in specialty cocktails made by Flair Bartenders.  Guests can also enter to win a cruise to the Mediterranean.  Space is limited for this exclusive event so purchase your ticket today.

Location:  Rolling Hills Country Club, 1 Chandler Ranch Road, Rolling Hill Estate, CA 90274

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If you have a decent budget for your craft service supplies, why not wow the crew with a few quick and easy appetizers.  They expect the basics like cookies, chips, nuts and jerky, but when you show up with something interesting like a platter of freshly grilled chicken quesadillas or  Blueberry-Banana-Almond Milk smoothies, they’re going to be pumped!  You can choose to tray pass these to the above-the-line crew or platter them on the buffet for the below-the-line crew. 

1. Shrimp Cocktail:  Add a bit of cocktail sauce to a dipping bowl and surround it with fully-cooked tail-on shrimp.
2. Hummus Variety:  Add a 2 to 3 varieties of hummus to separate serving bowls, then surround them with options like pita bread, raw veggies and sliced Fuji apples for dipping.
3. Teriyaki Meatball Skewers:  Sautee a bag of pre-cooked meatballs in a skillet and skewer with  toothpicks before serving.
4. Club Sandwiches: Toast a few slices of bread and layer with sliced tomatoes, lettuce and pre-cooked bacon or used the left-over bacon from breakfast.  Cut sandwiches into quarters, skewer and serve. 
5. PBJs w/sliced bananas: Spread almond butter on one slice of bread and blueberry preserves on the other.  Add a few slices of banana between the two and presto!  You’ve got a Banana PBJ sandwich.
6. Mini Chicken or Veggie Eggrolls: Sautee pre-cooked eggrolls in a hot-skillet and serve w/dipping sauce on the side.
7. Hot Ready-Made Soup:  If you a soup terrine or small chaffer, heat up a container of pre-made soup and let the crew serve themselves.  Don’t forget to set small bowls and spoons nearby.
8. Gourmet Cheese & Charcuterrie Platter:  Layout a selection of pre-cut cheeses, a variety of cured meats, a few crackers, some olives and sliced fruit like apples or figs.  Serve this for all to enjoy!
9. Hot Turkey Sliders:  Heat a few slices of turkey lunch meat in a skillet and layer it between dinner rolls topped w/a slice of provolone cheese.  Serve with mustard on the side.  A hot sandwich is a great way to wrap out a 12 hour day.
10. Grilled Cheese w/Sliced Tomatoes:  Skip the cheddar, layer a variety of cheeses like a smoky gouda and tangy Swiss along with a slice of tomato between two hearty slices of bread.  Grill them to perfection.  Slice and serve it up hot!  They’re going to love it! 

Craft Services is used for most TV, film, music video and live event productions.  It mostly consists of a variety of beverages like coffee, soda, Gatorade, juices along with snacks like cookies, potato chips and more.  These items usually are to keep the crew nourished between catered meal services, which happen every 6-hours according to union rules. 

Depending on the budget, craft services can be the basics or elaborate with fancy platters of grilled chicken skewers, hot soup, deli sandwiches or more.   However, when producers have VIP clients on location they provide more of the latter to make sure their special guests feel more comfortable.  VIPs often provide the production company with a rider, which outlines their specific needs.  A “rider” can include almost anything under the sun such as a fully stocked bar with top shelf liquor, hot towels, only organic or gluten-free foods, sushi from their favorite restaurant, $8 protein bars, and more.  The bigger the Diva, the longer the rider.  The goal of the green room is to make sure the VIP feels welcomed and special.

While rates for the green room attendant may be around the same as a union rate crafty, this individual must have the skills and temperament of a first class flight attendant.  The attendant not only sets up a beautiful buffet of refreshments, but ensures that it will stay stocked, clean with lots of variety.  Presentation is everything!  VIP green rooms can be setup for 1 guest or up to 50, but the same level of detail and service is necessary no matter how many guests are being served.  Catering companies like Dine With 9 Catering provide attendants with both first class dining and production assistant experience. Our catering division also prepares gourmet platters and treats, which will ensures that VIPs have a first class green room experience.