 www.zingermanscatering.com February 4th, 2009 • 1st edition I know what you’re thinking – “They pay her to say this, right?” Technically, yes. As I ponder and list all of the wonderful things I love most about my employer, I am on the clock. But, I’m just as likely to consider these things when I’m at home cooking, working out at the gym, or taking my dog for a walk. The fact is that since I started earning a wage at age 16, I’ve worked 16 different jobs – some wonderful, some forgettable, and some I just wish I could forget – and this one is my favorite by far. I have to believe that the things I love most about where I work are the same things you would love about the work we do. So, let’s get to it! The Food In another lifetime, I booked a theater that hosted all sorts of events, from concerts to weddings to corporate holiday parties. I saw a lot of catering come in and out of the building and often had the opportunity to sample the offerings. Truly, nothing got my colleagues and myself more excited than the words “Zingerman’s is catering!”
What always set Zingerman’s apart from the other caterers were the flavors – handmade cheeses that melt in your mouth, real croissants that leave buttery crumbs all over the table after the first bite, savory roast chicken that inspire one to say out loud, “Wow, this chicken is really good!” In the midst of a long, busy day – whether I was soothing a nervous bride or hauling chairs and tables from one end of the building to another – the prospect of a Zingerman’s catered meal was an enormous comfort. I knew I could count on lunch being the best part of my day. The Service Most of my jobs have been in customer service. Every one of my employers talked about the importance of great service, but few of them walked the talk. In fact, some of them seemed like they were waging war on their customers! I enjoy practicing and perfecting the art of politeness. Practically speaking, I find that if I treat others respectfully, they are likely to treat me in kind. I’ve also learned that when a customer takes the time to let me know that they are unhappy with the service they have received, it isn’t time for me (the service provider) to get defensive. After all, they are giving me an excellent opportunity to make it better!
• Don’t know much about saying “no” • … except the “no” you like to hear • If we disappoint you, we’ll make it up • Every new order is the start of several beautiful friendships! The Fun
The important question is, why should this matter to you? I firmly believe that when we have fun, we help our guests have fun, too. CeCe, our expert events staffer, is always winning praise for being professional, efficient and a whole lot of fun. After a late October wedding rehearsal dinner, one guest raved, “Thank you for laying out and heating the food to perfection. Thank you, also, for your extra effort to serve drinks, wash dishes, and even hand out candy to some trick-or-treaters!” She added, “We were truly able to enjoy ourselves because of CeCe.” That’s exactly it! When we are having a good time doing a great job, you can rest assured that your event – whether it’s a lunch meeting or your wedding – will go off without a hitch. So get ready to relax and give us a call. We’re very excited to help you.
Tara |
Testimonials
Read what a guest said about their experience with Zingerman’s Catering: Gotta say, traveling around the Big Ten and doing this with so many food places around the Midwest, you guys aren’t just the best food, you have your “stuff” together. So much easier when the businesses we deal with are on the ball. What’s “In” This Season? Ask Allison!
Dear Allison, February is here but my patience is gone! What’s the tastiest, freshest fruit for beating the winter blues? Dear Woebegone, Our produce provider, Frog Holler, does a great job of letting us know what fruit is tasting great, even in Ferbruary. Right now we are getting golden honeydews from Brazil, (golden on the outside with a juicy green inside). We also have Cara Cara oranges from California, they are darker on the inside and really flavorful. Both the honeydews and the Cara Cara oranges are in our Detroit St. Fruit Basket. Of course, we are always looking for local produce and we are still able to get local apples for our bag lunches. They are sweet and crunchy, grown by Alex Nemeth, right here in Michigan. Mr. Nemeth has a stall at the Kerrytown farmers market if you want a bag apples or cider to take home. Have a question about this season’s best food? Email us at trose Catering tip #1
Ever spot your guests trying to juggle their utensils while putting food on their plate? A simple solution is to put the utensils at the end of the buffet instead of the beginning. |
Let me level with you – if you’re looking to feed a couple hundred guests a hot meal at the lowest price possible, any of our competitors can give you what you want and what you’re probably used to tasting. I can’t count the number of times I’ve eaten creamed chicken on a dry biscuit at a conference luncheon, or caught a glimpse of that all-too-familiar selection of oddly bright and rubbery cheese cubes. I must have seen 500 of those cheese trays roll into that theater, and there always seemed to be a lot leftover at the end of the day.
Zingerman’s reputation for excellent service was one of the main reasons I wanted to work for this company. The way we provide service at Zingerman’s Catering reinforces that reputation every day. Here are just some of the many ways we set ourselves apart from other caterers, service-wise:
Sure, we all have bad workdays, but I don’t think there has been a single day at Zingerman’s Catering when I didn’t experience some amount of fun. Sometimes, it’s the little things, like cracking jokes with Shelley as we check out one of her deliveries, or participating in one of Nancy M’s bizarre icebreakers during the staff meeting (“Give an answer and everyone else will guess the question” Example: “Platypus!” = “What’s your favorite animal?”). Or, it could be mega fun, like our super swank Holiday Menu Tasting, where we all dress up and show off our delicious seasonal menu items in the Deli’s big tent (by the way, it’s absolutely free and we want you to bring all of your friends – 
zingermans
com