Wedding Menu Tastings And Consultations

Wedding Menu Tastings and Consultations

In a city that thrives on detail, flavor, and expression, wedding catering is no longer just about choosing dishes from a menu. For New York City couples planning their big day, the tasting and consultation process is an intimate, collaborative experience. It’s where vision meets flavor and every plate tells a story tailored to the couple it represents.

At Susan’s Kitchen Catering And Events, the wedding tasting is a key moment in the planning journey. More than just sampling food, it’s a conversation—a meeting of aesthetic, mood, and flavor. It’s about listening closely to what couples imagine, then translating that into a extraordinary experience that unfolds beautifully on their wedding day.

Wedding Menu Tastings

Includes full tasting of selected hors d’oeuvres, entrées, salads, and desserts.

Hors d’Oeuvres

Choose 4

• Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
• Filet Mignon Crostini with Horseradish Cream
• Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
• Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
• Stuffed Mushrooms with Garlic & Herbs
• Brie & Raspberry Phyllo Cups

Salad Course

Choose 1

• Baby Greens with Berries, Pecans & Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Classic Caesar with Shaved Parmesan
• Heirloom Tomato & Mozzarella Salad with Basil Oil

Entrée Tasting

Choose 2

• Grilled Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce
• Filet Mignon with Red Wine Demi-Glace
• Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach & Fontina
• Vegetable Risotto with White Wine & Herbs (Vegetarian)

Side Dishes

• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Grilled Seasonal Vegetables
• Wild Rice Pilaf

Dessert Tasting

Choose 2

• Mini Wedding Cake Tasting (Vanilla, Chocolate, Lemon)
• Chocolate Mousse Cups
• Fruit Tartlets
• Red Velvet Cake Squares

Why Wedding Tastings Matter in NYC

In a place as layered and diverse as New York, personalizing the food experience is paramount. Tastings aren’t just quality control; they’re part of the creative process. Couples experience how textures, temperatures, and plating styles align with their vision. It’s also an opportunity to test how different components work together—whether you're planning a formal seated dinner or a lively, roaming cocktail affair.

When we host a tasting at Susan’s Kitchen, it isn’t a presentation of pre-set dishes. It’s an exchange of ideas, preferences, and cultural inspirations. We factor in your season, your venue, your color story, even the rhythm of your evening. That’s why our wedding catering services are designed to be both immersive and refined.

What Happens at a Susan’s Kitchen Tasting

We welcome couples into a curated space—a tasting designed to reflect their aesthetic. A chef, event curator, and planner are present to walk you through each course, pairing, and design detail. We’ll discuss not only the dishes, but how they’ll be served, staged, and photographed. Every small touch matters, from the sourcing of seasonal herbs to the timing between courses.

Some couples come in with a vision already formed, others are still gathering inspiration. Either way, this is where your culinary narrative starts to take shape. Our team has supported everything from sleek modern elopements to celebratory engagement cocktail parties, and this experience informs the way we guide each couple through their tasting.

Consultation: The Design Behind the Dishes

The consultation side of the process is equally important. It’s where we align your culinary choices with the overall tone of the event. A minimalist downtown loft wedding may inspire a clean, three-course plated dinner. A garden ceremony might call for an abundant, family-style menu with shared platters and floral garnishes. Our consultations blend logistics and storytelling.

We also walk through budget expectations transparently, outlining options and enhancements without compromising elegance. Knowing how to budget for wedding catering is part of helping clients feel empowered and informed during the planning journey.

Meeting the Needs of Modern Dietary Preferences

New York is home to an incredibly diverse population with equally diverse dietary needs. Whether you're hosting a kosher-style celebration, a fully vegan reception, or managing multiple sensitivities, we meet those needs without sacrificing taste or presentation. For many of our clients, inclusivity isn’t optional—it’s part of what defines hospitality.

We approach dietary considerations with the same creativity and precision as any other part of the menu. A plant-based hors d'oeuvre should feel just as indulgent and elegant as its traditional counterpart. You can explore some of our vegan and gluten-free wedding catering options to see how we elevate these offerings.

Seasonal, Local, and Always Fresh

Each season brings new colors, ingredients, and sensations to the table. At Susan’s Kitchen, we celebrate that rhythm. Our menus evolve with the markets, meaning a spring wedding may feature bright citrus notes and edible flowers, while a fall affair leans into roasted roots, warm spices, and earthier tones.

Because we source ingredients from local purveyors, couples also get a taste of New York itself. From rooftop honey to Hudson Valley cheeses, each menu connects guests to a sense of place. You’ll find that reflected in our wedding menu samples, all of which are rooted in seasonality and artistic presentation.

This attention to the local food culture enhances the authenticity of your wedding day. It also ensures your guests receive meals that are not only beautiful but deeply satisfying and memorable.

Serving All Five Boroughs with Signature Style

No matter where your wedding takes place in the city, we’ve catered it. From industrial lofts in DUMBO to brownstone courtyards in Harlem, we understand the energy and flavor of each borough. This regional knowledge allows us to tailor not just the food, but the experience to fit your location perfectly.

Browse our services by borough, including our New York wedding catering overview, our modern takes on Brooklyn weddings, and our classic approach to Bronx celebrations. We’re proud to also bring thoughtful cuisine to Queens, refined service to Staten Island, and timeless elegance to Manhattan receptions.

Unifying Food with Event Design

At Susan’s Kitchen, food isn’t designed in a vacuum. We approach each tasting and consultation as a moment to merge culinary craftsmanship with the aesthetics of the event itself. What you serve should reflect your color palette, your décor, your mood board—your story. Every element, from the cut of a canapé to the hue of a coulis, should feel intentional.

During your tasting, we consider how the food will look under candlelight, how the textures will play against linen choices, and how guests will engage with each bite. Our tastings serve as visual previews. We may style your plated course the way it would be staged at your reception, then tweak elements based on your feedback. It’s a form of culinary styling that brings our kitchen and event design teams into seamless alignment.

And when it comes to the sweet finish, our pastry team specializes in fully tailored confections that elevate both taste and design. If you’re planning to make a statement with your dessert, we invite you to discover how we craft luxury custom wedding cakes that feel as one-of-a-kind as your celebration. It’s also helpful to bring inspiration from your own life. Have a favorite restaurant dish? A shared cultural tradition? A childhood memory tied to flavor? These small details help us build a menu that reflects you and your guests in the most personal and elevated way.

From First Bite to Final Detail

When a couple schedules a tasting with Susan’s Kitchen, it marks the beginning of a creative partnership. We don’t operate with static packages or one-size-fits-all proposals. Instead, we offer a dynamic, collaborative process that’s equal parts hospitality and design. Our couples value thoughtful food, clean execution, and elevated aesthetics, and we deliver with precision and care.

The experience culminates in a culinary journey that becomes part of your wedding’s story—remembered long after the last toast. Whether you’re dreaming of an intimate terrace dinner for forty or a grand ballroom evening for three hundred, the tasting process sets the tone. It helps you make confident choices with clarity, and ensures your celebration is both memorable and uniquely yours.

We invite you to begin this journey with a tasting that reflects your vision, respects your values, and celebrates your style. From initial flavor sketches to final event execution, we’re with you at every step. Visit our Wedding Catering, and let’s craft something exceptional together.