I have used Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering for several work related events over the last few years. From an intimate dinner for 8 to a large dinner for 80+, Cynthia and her team always come through with excellent food, competitive prices and wonderful service. Her staff is polite and easy to work with during every phase, from menu planning through event clean up. Cynthia Brooks would be my first choice for any event I need catered! read more

I used cynthia brooks for my wedding at Middle Ranch (the only option for our venue) this past May. I have to say, I had a wonderful experience with them. The food was fantastic--and many of our guests told us that when we saw them after the wedding. The only problem I had was that I was not able to try any of the appetizers that we ordered for our guests before we ordered them, so we were flying a little blind there. Even now, after the wedding, I wish I had at least gotten to try them at the event (and I was told a waiter would come out with some samples while we were taking photos; but that never happened...) As with all large events, there were some small hiccups. The servers started serving fish to people who were supposed to get filet mignon (labeled with an F) and steak to people who wanted sea bass (labeled with an S). But they were quick to correct it so i think only a few of our guests did not get what they ordered. And their fish was really good! read more

I used Cynthia Brooks for my daughter's wedding, April 10, 2010, primarily because they were the catering company the venue used. Honestly, I thought it would be one of those things you accept if you really want to get married at Middle Ranch. Since food was not my priority, location was, I was willing to take a chance on them. I could not have been more surprised and thrilled with the food and service. They are truly professional, courteous and very well versed in what they do. The food was warm and flavorful; the presentation was beautiful just as seen in the pictures. I had an open bar and the drinks were very well done not watered down. The staff was friendly, helpful and got me were I needed to be during dinner and cake cutting. As for the pricing I am not familiar with how they compare to other catering companies because this is my first experience, however, I would use again without hesitation. MB-Burbank, Ca. read more

I love Cynthia Brooks! She catered my wedding on March 31, 2012. From start to finish, the process and working with Cynthia, Patti, Loni and staff was so easy and fun! The food was delicious - I heard rave reviews all night about the food and the bartender!, and the staff is professional and so nice - especially Erin who really catered to me and my bridal party the entire day! Most importantly, Cynthia and her staff, are so nice and easy to work with...and they listen to you and what you want and make it happen! Every e-mail was answered promptly and to the best of their ability! I really appreciated that! I highly recommend Cynthia Brook's Catering and would use them again in a heartbeat! Thank you, Cynthia! read more

Was at a meeting today catered by Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering. I had recommended Cynthia Brooks and became the hero of the day. The box lunches were delicious - out-of-this-world delicious. I had the chicken salad on croissant; the gentleman next to me had the vegetarian which he said was excellent (and he is a bit of a fussy eater). The lady on the other side of me kept exclaiming over the pasta salad. I waited until I got home to eat the most wonderful chocolate chip cookie. All-in-all it was a most delicious luncheon and everyone was exceedingly happy. read more

We have used Cynthia Brooks many times for private parties in our home of over 100 guests or for catering very large fundraisers of over 400. We have also been at many events which she has catered including our engagement party. She and her staff are wonderful to work with, the food is fabulous and I have never experienced a mis step They are my favorite caterers and I use them every chance I have. read more

I work as an event planner for a non profit and we used Cynthia Brooks and her team for an event last night. Let me just say that from start to finish I was so impressed with them. They are true professionals who know exactly what they are doing! They have great suggestions and are willing to help you think through everything from the food you serve to the types of chairs, tables and linens that will work best for your event. The food was also amazing!! We go so many compliments - we will definitely be working with Cynthia again! read more

Thank you Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering for a delicious memorable dishes! Loni was a a great help in selecting the right amount of food for a luncheon. The gentleman that delivered the food was right on time and so kind. It was a a big hit! The doctors kept going back for more and asking of your company. We really appreciate you and Cynthia Burke Distinctive Catering for accommodating a smaller party. My mom, dad and I were beyond happy! read more

I used cynthia brooks catering for my wedding last august at middle ranch. Cynthia's office was very helpful with all my MANY questions. My husband and are are HUGE food fans, so we were very picky with how the food was done. We ended up doing 2 tastings. We found out at the different tastings that they have different chefs. From doing the two different tastings I discovered they had two different chefs that use their own recipes for things. So the risotto was different for each tasting and the salmon was also cooked different. Cynthia was very accomodating in makeing sure a specific recipe was used for the day of the wedding, because we liked one chefs risotto and salmon better than the other chef. One issue i had with the tastings, is i made it clear that i did not want onions in any of the food, but at both tastings they had onions, due to miss communication. They were good about recooking the meal for me, but it worried me that they day of the wedding they might also make the mistake. Luckily the day of the wedding all the food was as expected. The salmon was a bit on the dry side, but the risotto was very good. Cynthia was also very accommodating when i wanted to bring my own cake to the wedding that wasn't made by a licensed cake baker. I had to sign a waiver of liability, but i was able to save money by making my own cake. She also was very helpful in giving us ideas about how to do the s'mores, which we were doing separate from her and not paying her for. She still was great about offering ideas, you could tell she really enjoyed her job. The day of the wedding, the person on site that was running the catering did not seem to know what was going on and did not set aside hor'deurves for my husband and I. We even discussed it right before the ceremony with her and when we got to our table for dinner there were no hor'duevres. When i asked her about it, she went back to the kitchen to see if there were any left over. Luckily they found a few, that she brought out to use, but the bacon wrapped plantain was all gone. Which i was really upset about, because that was what i wanted to try the most. When i informed Cynthia of the mix up, she was great and actually provided me some bacon wrapped plantains when we got back from the honeymoon. She gave us 12 fresh ones to eat. The tuna wontons, crab cups, and asparagus wrapped in procuitto were also very GOOD! read more

I have used Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering several times and have attended numerous events they have catered from simple dinners to elaborate staffed events. The food and service has always been outstanding. My guests at my personal events have never failed to tell me how much they enjoyed the food and the experience. They are very professional and provide what they say they will provide when they say they will provide it. This is the catering company I recommend to anyone who asks. They are a five star company. read more

Cynthia Brooks catered my son's Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the Monrovia Canyon Cabin and Conference Center. Every aspect of their food, service, presentation, and attention to detail was OUTSTANDING. With approximately 45 guests, we chose their Southern BBQ menu that featured delicious tri tip, short ribs, chicken, wonderful side dishes, and a dessert bar. The ice tea and lemonade was beautifully served. Our guests loved every bite and we felt proud to have hosted such a delicious and elegant lunch. With regard to our venue, the cabin is gorgeous and intimate, but parking is tricky. The load in for the caterers was somewhat of a challenge, but they happily made everything work, all on time and with smiles on their faces. Can't say enough great things about Cynthia Brooks. I will use them again for my next family event. read more

This is a great catering company. We had a large family gathering and ordered from Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering. The food was wonderful and so was the service. Her employees do a fantastic job of setting up, serving where needed, and making sure that the buffet items were plentiful. We have used this company for several occasions and never been disappointed. read more

My cousin and I used Cynthia Brooks Catering for a recent memorial service reception for about 30 guests. We were extremely pleased with the service and the food, and our whole experience with them. We were first attracted to Cynthia Brooks Catering by their menu, which offers many different options at different price levels. The selection, including chicken, beef, pasta and fish entrees, side dishes and desserts as well as beverages is ample and varied. The prices are clearly marked and they are reasonable compared with those of other catering services. The estimates that we received, including for subsequent changes and adjustments, were transparent and clear, with no hidden costs. The food was delivered at exactly the time agreed upon. Each dish was abundant and delicious; we received many compliments from the guests, several of whom asked me for the recipes (!) of the items that were served. Two of the guests asked me specifically for the name of the catering company. Because of budget reasons we decided to forgo their labor (servers and bartenders) and provide the food buffet style; this was made simple by the fact that each container with entrees and dessert came with all the necessary serving utensils. I was very favorably impressed by Michelle, the very nice woman who first helped me on the phone and with whom I made all the subsequent arrangements. Michelle is an excellent communicator and answered my e-mails promptly; she was consistently courteous, professional and very accommodating, as she went out of her way to help me to find a menu that would fit our budget and expectations. She answered with patience my many questions as it was the first time I was using a catering service. When I told her that the initial estimate was higher than we could afford, she worked with me kindly to make it workable for us. I would certainly use Cynthia Brooks Catering again with no hesitation and highly recommend it to all, including my relatives and friends. read more

We first used Cynthia Brooks Distinctive Catering for my son's wedding two years ago, and our experience was so positive that we didn't even consider anyone else when my daughter announced her engagement. Her wedding was at our home, and Cynthia and her crew were absolutely professional, dependable and supportive from beginning to end. We are not particularly experienced entertainers, and we relied heavily on Cynthia for advice on spacing, numbers and menus. The day of the wedding, Cynthia showed up at our house to check that all was on target. During the function her staff were professional and helpful, even in aspects of the reception which were not really their job. Afterwards, one of the most repeated comments from our guests was how delicious the food had been. I would use Cynthia Brooks Catering again in a heartbeat...in fact, I wouldn't consider using anyone else. read more

I used Cynthia Brooks for my wedding reception at Ambassador Campus in 2012. She was one of the preferred caterers, so I didn't shop around much. I highly recommend her for any event at Ambassador Campus. She knew the venue very well, all the regulations, and exactly what needed to be done when and where. Of all my vendors, I felt the most comfortable with her. Her price was for an "all inclusive" package, but when my husband and I had decided to substitute a few items from a different rental company (a family friend was giving us a very good deal), they happily subtracted the price for those items from their overall cost. All of our interactions before the event were timely and professional. Her staff were very good communicators. Our tasting was very good. The chicken at the wedding was a bit dry, but in my experience, it's very hard to serve a chicken dish to 240 people at the perfect temperature/doneness. The only reason I subtracted a star was that, on the wedding day, the staff was a bit abrupt. Also, immediately upon the end of the last song, they started to break down the party. It felt like we were being rushed out. I wish we had been given 15 minutes or so to gather ourselves. Her staff was kind enough to gather items left behind and hold them in their office until my husband and I were able to retrieve them when we returned from our honeymoon. read more