Susan has moved south to the San Diego area and I was so bummed when I learned that after needing a good caterer for an upcoming VIP client shoot. Lucky San Diego! Book her, you won't regret it. read more

Absolutely delicious! We have tried them all. We have three boys under on 9. The meal prep company does not work for us as we don't have the time. The other companies that come pre-made just feel like a TV dinners. These are fresh, local, and amazing. Give them a try you will not be disappointed. Favorite so far is the meatball sub and chicken stir fry. read more

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Susan, the chef, is amazing and the food is fantastic! My family and I enjoyed the pot roast family meal with perfectly cooked veggies and potatoes and melt in your mouth tender meat. They were accommodating to my son's tree nut allergies as well, which was such a relief. My son loved the meatloaf and their tree nut free pasta with pesto. The meals were delicious, healthy, and a great value. You should do take-out for the family or a keto-based meal for yourself; you won't regret it! I can't wait to try the salmon meals and the shrimp wedge salad next. read more

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Thank goodness I found Sue! Her production catering was amazing! Last week had a medium shoot - filmed on location for 5 days straight - Sue and her crew provided craft services, breakfast and lunch for 4 of the 5 days. Food was excellent and delivered right on time! Craft services was as expected + more. The fresh strawberries were sweet and the pastries were scrumptious. To add the fresh squeezed orange juice had me coming back for seconds. read more

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Given these difficult times I was worried that I wouldn't have a proper graduation celebration in lieu of obtaining my masters from NYU. Carlsbad Caterers went above and beyond making my social distancing gathering special and delicious. The neighborhood was so impressed by not only the taste, but CC's ability to follow the suggested guidelines to maintain social distancing through individually wrapping each meal. We had such a lovely time; thank you Carlsbad Caterers! read more

Carlsbad Caterers & Meal Prep - Personal Chefs Near Me - San Marcos, California

I contacted Susan Canastra, the owner of Carlsbad Caterers, based on the Yelp reviews alone, looking for a caterer to provide food for my daughters mini wedding, already postponed twice this year due to COVID. I explained to Susan it would be a small event for 15 immediate family members only. She said she was 'sympathetic' and quoted me $25 per person, which seemed reasonable. I received the menu choices and chose the food I wanted from the list provided, and then received a proposal via email which had *multiple* additional charges that were never mentioned or discussed previously, despite many phone calls and emails. Included in the proposal was a $350. "labor fee" (never explained), a $450 "fee" for a server and a chef (I specifically told Susan I wanted the food just dropped off, since it was only 15 members of the bride and grooms immediate family we could easily serve ourselves. I have had more than 15 ppl for dinner on a holiday and never required a chef or a server), a $100 fee for chafing dish rental (*Tip- you can BUY full size chafing dishes at Costco Business for $18 vs renting them from this place for $25 ea) , a $150 "set up fee" when I simply wanted the food dropped off. This brought her $25 pp original estimate to OVER $100 pp for a very simple meal. Susan also originally indicated dessert was included in the $25 pp price, but that was completely left off the proposal. My daughter immediately nixed the idea of using Carlsbad Caterers, due to all the shady add-ons that were not wanted and not explained. When I questioned the extraneous charges and need for a server and a chef (huh??!!) I was told that due to COVID, the server will eliminate the need for guests to handle serving utensils. Pretty lame excuse to pad the bill by $225. when I have already said we are 15 immediate family members. When I asked what the 'chef' charge was for, I was told that it would take 2 ppl to carry the food in and the chef would insure the food was handled properly. Go figure. The $350 'labor charge' was never explained. Since I did not get back to Susan right away, she then tried a hard-sell tactic by saying her dates were filling up fast and then proceeded to email me a formal contract which boosted the price even more - even more shady, unexplained, add-on fees, to WELL OVER $125 pp. In addition, her contract contained 20 'provisions' , some of which I doubt are even legal. BEFORE YOU AGREE TO USE THIS CATERER, I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU READ THE FINE PRINT ON YOUR CONTRACT. She states she will prepare 5% over the originally contracted food amount AND CHARGE YOU FOR IT. Preparing 5% over on the purchased quantity of food is traditional in the catering and F&B event industry. Charging a client for that is unheard of. She also states if the event is cancelled for any reason - Venue closure due to State mandates, Act of God, any reason whatsoever, the client automatically loses between $500 and 50% of the full contract price. Including cancelling 6 MONTHS prior to the event, at which point she will not have spent a dime. She has a provision that IF FOOD PRICES GO UP, AFTER the contract is signed, she WILL CHARGE YOU THE INCREASED PRICE. Isn't that what a contract is for? To lock in prices and know what you will be paying up front? I asked her if food prices went down after signing the contract and prior to the event, if clients prices went down then and received no answer, of course. She also has a provision that SHE CAN CANCEL THE ENTIRE EVENT, AFTER THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN SIGNED, with ZERO penalty to her, and will refund your 50% deposit within TWO WEEKS!!! For real, people! I have a copy of the contract if anyone wants to message me. So she can cancel your whole pre-planned event, despite having a signed contract in place, and will STILL keep your money for an additional two weeks, leaving you in the lurch to find another caterer at the last minute, and using your money as her personal piggy bank while she cancels. Signing her contract as-is, you completely waive your right to sue her for breach of contract, if she gets a better offer on the day of your event and decides she would rather cater that event instead. I don't know who in their right mind would EVER agree to this. I can not believe she has been allowed to operate a business with a contract such as this, and these things are only the tip of the iceberg. She goes on to say that if her staff work ONE MINUTE past the agreed upon time, you will be charged for a FULL HOUR. One minute = a one hour charge. She will charge you for any 'cleaning supplies', per UNIT, such as paper towels or trash bags for her own staff's use, despite she says 'clean up of catering food is included'. SHE 'reserves the right' to dispose of any leftover food. SHE decides. So after paying $125 pp + for a basic chicken dinner, she will throw away any left over food and charge you for the trash bags to do it. Do yourself a favor and RUN FAR AWAY from this. read more

We had a party for approx. 40 people and I wanted to make sure that the food was prepared by The Burbank Caterers, Their reputation is amazing and Susan the owner is the nicest and most professional person to deal with. All the food was yummy and delicious. All the guests loved it, just as predicted. When I need catering for any occasion Susan will be the one that I call again. Thanks for the excellent experience. read more

Carlsbad Caterers & Meal Prep - the food is so good you want to lick the plate too - Personal Chefs Near Me - San Marcos, California

Had a great experience with Burbank Caterers for a recent office luncheon. I don't usually order office meals, but I was sick of the sandwich and cookie fare that were always getting dropped off so decided to take matters into my own hands. I called Susan, the owner, who I've known for years from her local catering and work in Glendale's classic restaurants (Jax/Clancys/Star Cafe). She talked me through a variety of options (including some tasty sounding sandwiches) and recommended a unique menu that would still please a lot of palates. The pasta and Israeli couscous dishes that we ordered were a hit; and the red velvet cupcake desserts were devoured. Customer service was attentive and exceptional, and delivery was friendly and prompt. The main courses were delicious and hot upon delivery, the salads were cool and refreshing. Everything was just perfect and made for a very delicious day at the office. Thanks Burbank Caterers! read more

Susan has a real gift for cooking nourishing and beautifully vibrant dishes. I had the pleasure to try her Tofu Yellow Curry with White Rice. In addition to the meal she made a traditional Filipino Sweet Ginger Tea and Halo-Halo to drink. The food was authentic and packed with a full spectrum of flavor. She is so attentive to your specifications and is mindful of dietary needs, and you can tell from the taste and scent of the food that she pours in her heart and soul into each meal. I would highly recommend her for your meal preps or events! Her dishes are sure to 'wow' anybody and everybody! read more

Had the pleasure to enjoy The Burbank Caterers as a guest at an event few days ago and meet the owner Susan Canastra who was also there with her team serving up an endless array of wonderful "amuse -gueules" or appetizers! I particularly enjoyed the freshness of the food and the exquisite original presentation of the shrimp cocktails on bamboo leaf canoes and the variety of miniature desserts! read more

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Susan is the best! She catered my wedding and did a fantastic job! We wanted something non traditional for our dinner and she worked with us on a Spanish and Colombian menu. It was a success and all our guests loved it. The food was delicious and everyone said so! Use Susan, you won't regret it! read more

Carlsbad Caterers & Meal Prep - Our appetizer! - Personal Chefs Near Me - San Marcos, California

We used Carlsbad Caterers for our Morning after the Wedding Continental Breakfast. Susan and her staff did a fabulous job. She offered different menu options, always listening to what I wanted. The food was delivered exactly on time. The hot food was hot and the cold food was cold and all was delicious. Thank you so much Susan. We will use you again. read more

I recently had the opportunity to taste the opulence of Susan's food at the Summer Solstice Soiree @ Metro 37. Her food is A+++ As an event coordinator for weddings I've tried all types of food. Susan's food presentation is amazing. I recommend Susan if you need a wedding caterer, corporate caterer, box lunches, jet catering or any of your needs really. They ROCK! read more

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Our work just used them to cater our employee appreciation week. The team that plan events has never had a problem projecting attendance or quantity of food needed so that convinced me the caterer is at fault. Going through the line, they were severely limiting the amount of food they were giving. This was 30 minutes into a 2 hour event! The food itself was aversge. It's the the quality you expext from mass production. Was overall very disappointed. read more

Susan & The Burbank Caterers recently provided meal service for my wife's student film production. It was a three day shoot, filled with very busy days, and very hungry people by lunchtime! We couldn't have been happier with how our food service turned out. Susan was GREAT from start to finish, working closely with us to develop menus for the three days that would not only keep our hard working cast & crew happy, but fit within our very modest student budget....which included the need for both gluten free and vegetarian options. They were already booked solid on what was the second day of our shoot, but Susan figured it out, crafting a menu that could be delivered to the set early and still seem fresh & tasty a few hours later. We got some great feedback from the crew on the taste of the food, and they were also really happy that it was healthy and freshly prepared. High marks! Here's the thing. From the first phone call I had with Susan (About 8am, the morning after we submitted a request for services at 10pm...at best, other caterers responded a full day or two later) she made us feel like she WANTED to work with us. That we were important. That we were getting the same amount of attention as any other production, though we were operating with a fraction of the budget. Makes a big difference to not feel like you're inconveniencing someone with your little student film request, or that they were doing you a favor, y'know? Susan was the polar opposite of that...all positivity through and through. For those in the filmmaking industry, you know partnerships are really important. You can't do everything yourself, and being able to trust others makes all the difference in the world. You can trust Susan to be a catering partner for your production (or for any other event, I imagine). Go with her and I guarantee you'll be really happy! For our next film, The Burbank Caterers are going to be the only ones we call. read more

Carlsbad Caterers is wonderful! Susan gave us the most incredible all-around experience. The food was fabulous! In addition, Susan gave us a fantastic ambiance and personally made sure that all of our guests were happy and comfortable. The serving tables were transformed to a beautiful work of art, with multiple levels, greenery and a design that was beyond what I could have imagined. Susan created a culinary and environmental experience that was all-encompassing and made our celebration one of happiness, warmth, and tremendous memories. Thank you Susan. A big shout-out to Carlsbad Caterers! read more

I own/manage a private jet charter company and arranged a commercial shoot on a private jet at the Burbank airport. We normally arrange in-flight catering but were requested to arrange catering for the site instead. In all honesty, this is not something we normally do. We opted to go outside of in-flight catering companies, as they tend to be extremely pricey and package food for in-flight convenience. We read some of the reviews on Yelp! and decided to take a chance with Burbank Caterers and they made us look good! Thank you Burbank Caterers! It turned out to be a win/win situation because Burbank Caterers made us look good and they received a lot of requests for their company contact information. That was flattering to us that people who arrange caterers of this type regularly were asking for the one we found! read more

I had the best ribeye steak cooked by Susan yesterday. And today she prepared sun-dried tomatoes and basil angel hair pasta. Oooh! Good food! My friends and I went home like we had a short trip to heaven. :) read more

My son's Bar Mitzvah was yesterday, and I just had to write a review on The Burbank Caterers!!! I had considered two other catering companies previously, but I was not satisfied with the way either one dealt with me. One was completely outrageous in cost, and the other was not timely in returning calls, emails , or getting the proposal to me. Then I found Susan. She was professional, great at returning calls and emails, and she just made me feel at ease about planning a very important event such as this. The food was amazing, the presentation was perfect, and my friends and family are still talking about how delicious the food was. Her staff was also very nice and professional. I knew I was in good hands when I spoke with her the day before the event and she told me she was at Trader Joe's shopping for gluten-free crackers for my gluten sensitive guests!!!! I will definitely use her catering services again. read more

I have had the pleasure of getting to know Susan, her cooking and professionalism over the last couple of months and cannot even think about using another caterer ever again. Her and her team have are so fun to work with and of course the food it fresh, compelling and delightfully presented. read more

Susan the owner is very gracious and helpful. I was shooting a short film on a limited budget and we were shooting all over the city, a different location everyday. Not only were her meals great, they were affordable and delivered early if not on time. I would highly recommend to anyone seeking a caterer in the area. Perfect for film crews. Plus her Chef Gregory is the lead (i.e. Freddie Mercury) of a awesome cover band called Queen Nation, check them out. read more

Susan is one of the sweetest people I've ever had the pleasure of communicating with for a film shoot. I'm a producer and it's a struggle to find caterers who are willing to accommodate low to mid-level indie budgets. I found Susan a few days before our shoot and she got back to me within an hour of my initial contact. She worked with a wide variety of cast and crew eating restrictions while being flexible with her menu. The food was delicious and kept everyone on set happy. Beyond that, Susan was just an absolute pleasure to be in contact with: there were times that people had questions about ingredients during lunch and Susan got back to me immediately via text. She really cares about her business and her clients. I'm eager to work with her again on the next one. read more

I worked with Susan to help cater an office lunch (15 people) for a client meeting. She immediately helped guide me through the 'right' order for the group and worked with me to accomplish budget goals. Everything was already setup beautifully when I arrived. I'm glad I found her and will absolutely work with them in the future when the opportunity arises. read more

Wonderful service! They were incredibly accommodating as they fed our entire shoot for 3 days. I would highly recommend them!

The food and services from Burbank Caterers last night exceeded our wildest expectations. At the party we hosted I heard nothing but compliments on the freshness, flavor and presentation of the food (among our guests were two caterers). Our server Amy was terrific - pleasant and efficient, and we were left with zero cleanup afterwards. When problems or special needs arose (they always do) she was able to "roll with the punches", always in the interest of providing guests and hosts with the best possible service. Owner Susan is a bonafide foodie who takes pride in her work. It shows. read more

Susan and her staff did a fantastic job preparing my mother's recent 90th birthday party. They planned, cooked and delivered appetizers and entrees for 50+ guests and did it all within budget. No surprises, no excuses - everything was on time and communication was excellent. Professional all the way! You won't find better. And the food was great! read more

We do historical events and it's hard to find catering company to accommodate not only the type of food we need to served, but be with the time limits of the event. Burbank Caterers work with us to create a menu, came to see who we are and what we do, learn about our specific needs and addressed every food allergy concern. Thank you for making our event a huge success. We hope to do that again! Together! read more

Sue is absolutely amazing! Great food, great setting, prepared to perfection! What more can you ask for?!

I recently got married on 12.13.14 & had The Burbank Caterers cater my wedding. Let me first tell you that Susan is an absolute delight to not only work with, yet as a friend. We emailed for a few months prior & she did everything in her power to provide us with a menu that would adhere to our Jewish traditions and on our budget!!! Susan is prompt, super friendly, she helped me with referrals, always returned my phone calls & emails quickly. The wedding was beautiful & the one thing everyone has still talked about was how incredibly delicious her food was!! Everyone loved every dish! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Susan & her company for any event!! You will be so happy you chose her & you'll make a new friend in the process. Thank you Susan, for all your hard work! read more

Burbank caterers provided the best food I have ever had during during our recent company party. I cannot recall having both amazing , and savory beef, while my Vegan Coworkers had items they raved about. The dessert selection was impressive as well. Their staff was warm and friendly! We will continue to contract them exclusively for our future events read more

My 50th birthday party was perfection, in large part due to Burbank Caterers. I love to throw parties and I am very picky and detail oriented (drive myself crazy). I decided to hand over my party to Susan from Burbank Caterers so I could actually enjoy my birthday party and I DID!!! Weeks before my event I sat down with Susan and discussed what I had envisioned, changed a few things on their menu, she suggested a few great ideas and then I handed all responsibility over to her. At my party I was so happy to find that Susan remembered and honored every request I made and the food, her staff, and her artistic touches were all exceptional. I was also very impressed by how organized she was. Susan came the day before my event and set up all the stations and discussed the timing of the many courses. During the party I did not have to replenish anything, there was never any trash lying around and when the party was over my place was clean. It was a beautiful party and I DID NOT HAVE TO LIFT A FINGER!! Perfection. read more

Susan is in a class of her own. From day 1 of meeting for a consultation, she was warm (in an inviting way), understanding, personable, knowledgeable, and flexible with menu and pricing (that is as much as can be considered reasonable). We talked about my big day, the menu and environment I was going for, our families, our lives (I know who would think you could get that much info in, with such a short meeting...I was just gabbing with a girlfriend)! For the wedding day, the main entrees I had were chicken piccata and beef braised short ribs as my meat option (TO DIE FOR and I mean that). We were provided a tasting ahead of time, and even with the sides Susan was making alterations to ensure we had the freshest ingredients that would be in-season at the time of our wedding (as the salad we chose had pomegranate seeds and she wanted to ensure we weren't going to have a bitter bite with them...lol). She offered a 5 course meal plan, appetizers, main course (salad, entree, dessert), with a follow up of coffee and tea. I passed on her dessert platter (although I am sure it would have been delicious), because I wanted to ensure that wedding cake disappeared (as we were going out of the country the next day and I didn't want it as leftover). The cooking staff were amazing with preparing the food and extremely friendly. I trusted them all to be in my home, and anything that went "wrong" that day did not show in the quality of the food, and I can tell you all my guest had smiles on their faces (they even found the leftovers and polished them off). Unfortunately Susan had another event that day, so she was only able to swing by in the very beginning and at a mid-point. So that was sad in that I couldn't see her face all day; however, I was in nirvana and knew I was in good hands with who was there representing her company! Overall, I would definitely use Susan and Burbank Caterer's again, and I can only say I am sorry that this review is so long over due! read more

I hired Burbank Caterers for a memorial service held at my home and I was very pleased with the results. Susan was considerate and helpful with making suggestions and understanding that I was having trouble knowing exactly what I wanted or what we were expecting. Her staff , Lily and Dana, arrived early and stayed late and were professional and friendly. They really took over and helped to set up, kept refilling platters and cleaned up as they went. Also, I noticed that they interacted nicely with our guests and gave sincere condolences. The food was very good and beautifully presented. At a very difficult time, they helped to set up a nice reception and took control, allowing me to focus on my guests and not have to worry at all about the food. It was extremely helpful and reassuring to work with them. read more

I had Susan cater for 50 people for a get-to-gether at my home. We had passed horderves and a large table of cheeses/fruit/desserts. She did a fabulous job. She was quick in responds and preparation for the event. Her staff was very friendly and efficient. Would highly recommend her and use her in the future. read more

I hired and recommended Burbank Caterers for a couple different events, from small dinner parties (10-15 people) to a vegan wedding (100+ people). The owner has great attention to detail and excellent customer service. read more

We highly recommend Susan - she responded to my request so quickly, and it was on such short notice - yet, Susan worked with us - even helped us not to order too much food! And the food was delivered on-time! The food was absolutely delicious and looked great! We are definitely using Burbank Caterers for all our catering needs! read more

Susan was very professional, detail oriented and always on top of things. Food was excellent and her team of servers was very friendly. Will not hesitate to recommend her to family and friends. read more

The Burbank Caterers was recommended to me by my brother who has worked in the Food Service Industry for over 15 years. I was hesitant because I live in Westlake Village and well, they're in Burbank. Susan is the owner/operator and she catered the most amazing graduation luncheon for my two sons. In May they graduated from UCLA and I didn't have a minute to prepare the kind of luncheon I would have liked. I communicated to Susan my thoughts and budget and she pulled it off in grand style. We served an array of chicken, steak, and shrimp kabobs, all different types of fresh vegetables, aromatic seasoned rice, and the most delicious bread pudding for dessert. Everyone loved it, and best of all I could be a guest in my own home. Her staff prepared, served, and immaculately cleaned up, so that the next morning you would never know that I had a party of 60 at my home. Thank you Susan! Good luck to you and i hope we can work together again. read more

We recently used Susan for a week long shoot, and everything went very well. The prices were fair, she was always on time, the food was delicious, and she was on point when it came to accommodating all of our different dietary restrictions. read more

Susan is awesome. They catered my retirement party for 50 people in my home, including support staff who were so terrific that I didn't have to worry about anything. Chef Jose grilled Tri-Tip and Salmon along with an array of vegetables, The food was great and the price was very reasonable. It was a flawless experience, and I would use them again or recommend them in a heartbeat. Kudos to the Burbank Caterers. read more