wbjournal.com | Book of Lists 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 105
T O U R I S M & H O S P I T A L I T Y F O C U S
Top independent caterers
Ranked by number of employees as of March 2018
Caterer
Employees/
events in 2017/
maximum capacity
Types of
events
catered Specialities
Retainer?/
amount
Event planning?/
bartending?
Owner(s)/
year founded
1
Peppers Artful Events
43 Hudson St., Northborough 01532
508-393-6844 • www.peppersartfulevents.com
172 *
415
3,000
C
F/S
W/B
Contemporary cuisine with a global influence, sourced
from local and regional farms and suppliers
Y
10 %
Y
Y
Susan & John
Lawrence
1987
2
Firefly's BBQ
350 East Main St., Marlborough 01752
508-357-8883 • www.fireflysbbq.com
100
1,100
10,000
C
F/S
W/B
BBQ and Southern fare
Y
50% deposit
N
Y
Steve Uliss
2001
3
Sir Loin's Catering
369 W. Main St., Northborough 01532
508-450-5619 • sirloincatering.com
90
950
2,000
C
F/S
W/B
On-site cooking using locally grown products, pig roasts,
BBQ, prime rib, carving stations, food stations
Y
$500
Y
Y
Geoff Kelly
2000
4
Creedon & Co. Inc.
39 Jolma Road, Worcester 01604
508-792-3100 • creedonandco.com
73
1,335
10,000
C
F/S
W/B
Casual or upscale, budget-conscious or elaborate, public
concessions, food service, contract work, disaster relief,
micromarkets and vending machines, cafeteria
management
Y
20% deposit
Y
Y
The Creedon family
1985
5
Struck Catering
130 Hamilton St., Worcester 01604
508-755-5953 • www.struckcatering.com
55
825
1,200
C
F/S
W/B
Linens and glassware, tabletops and full-bar services for
upscale soirees, inventive parties or executive and staff
luncheons and dinners
Y
$500
Y
Y
Barbara Cotter &
Derek Grillo
1998 **
6
Blanchard Foods Catering
322 Cambridge St., Worcester 01603
508-798-4070 • www.blanchardfoods.com
50
140
2,500
C
F/S
W/B
Mercy meals, clam bakes and cookouts
Y
5% deposit
N
N
Matt & Chris
Blanchard
1965
6
Sara's Cooking & Catering
51 Lanewood Ave., Framingham 01701
508-524-1645 • www.sarascooking.net
50
250
500
C
F/S
W/B
Healthy and wholesome options combining a farm-to-
table style of cooking with use of the freshest ingredients,
honoring client input special requests to our best ability
N
N/A
N
Y
Sara Eller
1990
8
Catering by Primavera/
New England Clambakes Co./
Wildfire BBQ
20 Pleasant St., Millis 02054
508-376-2026 • www.primav.com
www.newenglandclambakesandbbq.com
www.wildfirebbqs.com
20
600
2,500
C
F/S
W/B
Event rentals available such as tents, tables and chairs
Y
$500
Y
Y
Jerry Gaita
1989
8
Dinner and Co.
15 N. Main St., Unit 5A, Bellingham 02019
508-282-1813 • Dinnerandcompany.net
20
655
500
C
F/S
W/B
Weddings
N
N/A
Y
N
Barry Keefe
2010
10
The Buffet Way Inc.
31 Curtis Ave., Marlborough 01752
508-481-9537 • www.buffetway.com
17
356
750
C
F/S
W/B
Off-site events, home cooking, Italian, BBQ
Y
$100
Y
Y
Dan Mauro
1985
11
Juliana's Catering
61 King Philip Road, Sudbury 01776
978-460-1021 • www.julianascatering.com
15
250
1,200
C
F/S
W/B
Bed & breakfast offering homemade American, Italian
and Mediterranean cuisine from catering kitchen in
historic colonial home; mobile brick oven food truck and
many other themes available
Y
50%
Y
Y
Nick Chunias
2012
11
Scott Toupins Catering Service
571 Scott Road, Oakham 01068
508-882-0133 • www.scotttoupincatering.com
15
98
600
C
F/S
W/B
Both casual and sophisticated food options, from
extravagant weddings to small backyard gatherings
Y
$300
N
Y
Scott Toupin
1998
13
Bit'Chin BBQ
4 Williamsburg Drive, Uxbridge 01569
401-309-5858 • Bitchinbbq.com
10
200
1,000
C
F/S
W/B
BBQ, pigroast, full-service catering
N
N/A
Y
Y
Dave Spaulding
1997
14
Creative Catering
142 Plantation St., Worcester 01604
508-873-8093 • theoriginalcreativecatering.com
6
600
300
C
F/S
W/B
International cuisines
Y
10% deposit
Y
Y
Gary & Lou Curelop
1988
15
Coleman Catering
159 Main St., Groton 01450
978-512-9257 • www.coleman.catering
4
8,750
1,500
C
F/S
Drop-off and full-service catering featuring full scratch
kitchen and bakery, seasonal ingredients and custom
eclectic menus
N
N/A
N
N
Josiah & Linda
Coleman
2013
Source: Each caterer via survey. Notes: C=corporate, F/S=family/social, W/B=weddings/banquets. N/A = not applicable. Sean Patrick's Catering of Lunenburg, which reported 40 employees in 2017, did not respond to the 2018 survey.
* Represents 27 full-time and 145 part-time event staff
** Struck Cafe was founded in 1979.
- Compiled by: Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com