We continue on in our series where we are showcasing the best wedding vendors in the Blue Ridge, Blairsville and surrounding north Georgia mountain area. Taking the stage for us now is Cindy King who is the owner of Catering by Cindy located in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Again, like other vendors we are privileged to work with, we always  get rave reviews on the jobs Cindy and her staff do. The menu, presentation and quality Cindy offers our clients is nothing short of being top notch.

If you are in need of a trusted and knowledgeable caterer in the north Georgia area we would not hesitate to recommend Catering by Cindy.

Let’s find out more about Cindy and hopefully for any brides-to-be reading you will come away from this article having learned a little more. Thank you in advance for following along with us!

Now on to our interview…

Unique Events: Many of the weddings we have here in the north Georgia mountains area would be considered destination weddings. What do you find to be the greatest challenges in catering these types of events?

Catering by Cindy: Weather; you always have to have a backup plan just in case it rains.

Unique Events: Can you explain what services you provide?

Catering by Cindy: From formal galas and festive feasts to backyard barbecues, from groups of 25 to 250, Catering by Cindy creates one-of-a-kind events personalized to your unique style, taste and budget.

• Weddings
• Life Celebrations
• Reunions
• Dinner Parties
• Fundraisers
• Anniversaries
• BBQ-Cookouts
• Corporate Events
• Retirement Parties
• Birthday Parties
• Wedding Favors & Treats

Unique Events: Tell us about yourself and how you got started in the catering business?

Catering by Cindy: I have always been a homemade kind of girl. I grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota, where the winters were cold, the workdays were long and the smell of good cooking filled our home from early morning to well after sundown. My hard working family gathered around a long plank table in the evenings to enjoy my Mom’s healthy and hearty food, and each other. From an early age, I have seen lovingly prepared food as a way to bring people together. My Mom’s kitchen was one of my favorite places. As soon as I could reach the counters, I became her enthusiastic right hand.

Over the years, we perfected her recipes by adding a pinch here and a twist there. And I became a master at making my very favorite special dishes. When I was 30, I moved to Atlanta to be close to two of my sisters who had moved south to see what the big city had to offer. I brought my love of cooking and my Mom’s recipes with me. I started cooking for some of my busy friends, word began to spread, and soon I was catering business parties and events, too.

In 2000, my husband, John, and I decided to follow a dream of ours – living in the mountains. We searched high and low (well, mostly high), and found an adorable cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia, complete with a bubbling brook, right in the middle of orchards that grow some of the best apples in the US.

I talked John into building me a commercial kitchen-what I call my creative culinary studio- and soon I was making a variety of scrumptious gourmet dishes and sharing my passion for cooking with everyone I met, I soon began providing full menus of customized dishes and treats for all sorts of gatherings. My schedule began filling up with parties, weddings, business events, life celebrations and fundraisers.

Soon, Catering by Cindy was in full swing. I truly love what I do, and I am very grateful for my wonderful clients who allow me to be a part of their family and business events.

Unique Events: And lastly, we like to share any myths and misconceptions we come across in our industry. Do you have any you would like to share and dispel for us?

Catering by Cindy: I would say the misconception of off premise catering costs. Everything you need and want for your special weekend has to be brought in, setup, taken down and cleared away and this takes time, man power and money. So please do your research and find out up front what things will cost before you rent the venue and get stressed out later because of the total costs. I’d be delighted to work with you to create the perfect customized menu that will make your special gathering, party or business function memorable … and delicious. Give me a call and we can get right to work planning your upcoming event!