Applauze Catering gets a standing ovation! Chef Dave was very easy to work with and he and his team…read moremade our wedding day dinner one of many great memories from that evening. They were incredibly accommodating and catered (see what I did there?) to our needs. The address listed for the business is an assisted/independent living community where David Marino is the Executive Chef. Don't feel you've been mislead or that this is a shady deal if you try to go there and find this instead of a stand alone banquet hall. The best way to reach them is by calling or emailing if you need something delivered to you. Their delivery, setup, and service fees aren't bad, either. We had our reception at the Park Ridge VFW and Applauze came on time and prepared with chafing dishes, Sterno fuel, plates, napkins, and flatware. It wasn't elegant, but it was all included in the total cost and a few steps up from the cheap plastic utensils that I was thinking they'd have. They set up the buffet line, manned it for 3 hours, and took it apart when they were done. We estimated we'd have 120 guests (and we nearly did), so we ordered Spinach Salad (2), House Salad (2), Garlic Bread (2 Full), Chicken Vesuvio (2 Full), Italian Beef with Hot Peppers (2 Full), Italian Beef with Sweet Peppers (2 Full), Vegetable Lasagna (3 Full), Lyonnaise Potatoes (3 Full), Vegetable Medley (3 Full), Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (2 Full) and a Crudités Tray (1 Large). The Full servings say they can feed 20-30 and Half servings are intended for 10-15, but be advised that the portions are huge! We had a lot of food left over and could have easily gotten away with half the salad, half the Italian Beef, and at least 1 less Full order of the Vegetable Lasagna. I figured better safe than sorry and it gave us the opportunity to send guests home with flavorful party favors. We gave some to the VFW employees and took some ourselves. Some of the food went to waste and I am really bummed about that. But what can you do? Start to finish, Applauze took care of us. We were emailed in a timely manner when we had questions or updates and they let us add or subtract from our order up to 5 days before the big event. We mentioned some guests had dietary restrictions and Chef Dave said we should let him know so he could adjust the recipes if needed. I thought the whole exchange, particularly the customer service aspect, was likely the breeziest part of all the wedding planning. The only issue we ran into, and we take equal parts responsibility for this since I don't think we went into specifics about the dietary restrictions (most just couldn't eat pork), was that we had 2 guests with seafood allergies (the menu does list some items with tuna, salmon and/or shrimp, which we avoided) and hadn't been informed that the Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms had crab or imitation crab (fish) and we honestly didn't question it since it was listed under Pasta & Vegetables. The older menu that I believe is still currently on their website doesn't even list this item and the newer menu doesn't say what it's stuffed with. I guess we assumed it would be cheese and something other than seafood since it didn't specify. Oops! My maid of honor mentioned something about crab while eating it and I made my husband hunt down someone who could answer what was in them. We were told it was crab and we quickly alerted those with allergies. Luckily, our friends have learned to let be anything that's questionable, so they had skipped this altogether. Crisis averted, and hopefully they'll disclose this ingredient in future menus or when taking orders. As I said, I think the older menu is what's currently on the website and it has a coupon for 10% off for new customers. I think the newer menu offers 15% off and it has a few more items on it, like the mushrooms. You'll need to contact Chef Dave by email to receive the correct version and can ask him if any of these discount are applicable at this time. We used the 15% off coupon and it saved us a good chunk of money. Each meal provided by Applauze was well under $15 per person (including delivery, setup, service, tax, and tip). We could have easily gotten away with $10 per plate if we'd known how much excess there'd be. And the best part of it all was that we didn't have to sacrifice quality for quantity! Everything was a hit! People raved about the Italian Beef and the Vegetable Medley was tender. We were told by multiple people that the food was fantastic and we've received compliments months later saying how it was some of the best wedding food they've ever had. I would not hesitate to recommend them for your feast!

Applauze Catering was recommended to me by a family member and it was amazing. The setup of service…read morewas very easy to work with and that's always a plus when planning any sort of event. Highly recommended!

I came across Gmarket from an internet search - and thought wow ALL five stars?!? And my experience…read morewas absolutely the same!! I wanted to plan a birthday dinner at my home and hadn't worked with a private chef before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The short of it is I was blown away by Frank and his team from start to finish!! Frank was very responsive after my first inquiry and subsequent (read: MANY) requests. He proposed an amazing menu while accommodating several severe allergy requests. I changed the number of guests several times, which he also just rolled with. And then (!), I realized I REQUESTED THE WRONG DATE. A major error on my part. I don't recommend doing that, but Frank was also somehow able to accommodate my date change. I was incredibly grateful for that!! The dinner itself with Chef Charley was INSANELY DELICIOUS. We had an amazing round of starters, followed by a multi-course dinner and dessert. Everything was just SO, SO good. So flavorful. Cooked just perfectly. And there was plenty of food for all of the guests. (I was worried that maybe there wouldn't be generously sized portions, but this was not the case whatsoever.) On top of that, Chef Charley himself was an awesome guy and I really enjoyed working with him. We spoke before the dinner to run through everything, he helped make the dinner layout look gorgeous with some extra props I wasn't even expecting, and his cleanup job was A+. Icing on the cake for an incredibly talented chef!!! I am truly looking forward to my next opportunity to work with Frank, Charley and their team again!

BELIEVE THE HYPE. We are a difficult crowd to impress and Gmarket soared above our expectations for…read morea 15-person Thanksgiving extravaganza. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to host our loved ones at our home. We trusted Gmarket at the helm and we are very grateful and glad we did. This team is professional, responsive and cares about their work in a way that translates to the table. Exceptional food. Our guests were heard singing the praises throughout diner, on repeat. We were a rowdy bunch and Chef Bobby and his crew knew how to handle us. By the end of the night, it felt like we were all celebrating the holiday together. We are grateful to Gmarket for the memories and I am looking for another excuse to get a caterer!

Chef Angela and her assistant Pam provided our family with a wonderful crab boil we will never…read moreforget. Her attention to detail and passion about culinary arts was evident in every part of the meal she created for us. We enjoyed every morsel and detail. We also appreciated how flexible she was working with what we had at a secondary home! Thank you!!!! We will DEFINITELY see you again!

Chef Angela and her Sous Chef, Tamara, were fantastic! We celebrated a bachelorette getaway and…read moretried to make it super special during Covid and hired Chef Angela for the event. They were on time, brought everything, including dishes, table clothes, cloth napkins, flowers etc , served really good food and then cleaned everything up beautifully! Both of them were super friendly and personable and Chef Angela was easy to communicate with before the event. We could not have been more pleased! Thank you for creating such a special evening for the bride-to-be!

I had the pleasure of having The Kitchenette project cook for my birthday dinner…read more It was 10/10 experience. Chef Tim made everything fresh at our home, all the dishes were beautifully plated and tasted phenomenal. Chef Tim made a dinner menu that was seasonal and very flavorful. He took his time to discuss and explain each of the courses that we ate. Lastly, he made sure to clean up everything that was used (plates, silverware and cooking materials). I would highly recommend him for any event!

Chef Tim and crew helped create the most perfect dinner party at our house this past weekend. From…read morethe upfront menu creation to the final product, it was top-notch. Our guests haven't been able to stop talking about the multi-course dinner, which consisted of some very unique dishes that were absolutely delicious. His team, including a bartender, were incredibly nice, accomodating and made the night even more special. I highly recommend Chef Tim!

Chef Brandon Rogers is a culinary genius. I don't use that term lightly or with anyone…read more My sister and I were planning a 35 anniversary dinner for my parents. They had given us so much that we figured we would hire an in home chef to cook them a spectacular meal. My sister found Chef Rogers online and we got very lucky. Immediately upon our first conversation Chef Rogers was dropped into exactly what we were looking for, how we wanted things to be, and the quality of the meal that we were looking for. So let's talk about the quality. THE FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE. The meal consisted of tuna carpaccio (AMAZING), burrata (did not try), 45 day aged steak (so excellent) with whipped celery root (INCREDIBLE), and then a butter cake with macerated berries (HEAVENLY). It would be one thing if Chef Rodgers was an incredible chef... which he is but to really be so accommodating about the menu and just such an unbelievably nice guy is why you hire him. He is the total package and you're not going to find a better in home chef in the area.

A consummate professional. Utilized Chef Brandon's catering service for a memorial. We allowed him…read moreto create the menu providing only the dietary restrictions for some of our attendees. The food was delicious. His skill, creativity, and technique were evident. I was also extremely impressed with communication and professionalism. He delivered as promised. My guests and I were impressed. I would do business with him again.

Oooh how much we love Chef D'Andre. Last year around this time, my now husband and I were looking…read morefor a Chef to create a plant-based menu for our wedding in June 2023. Thanks to Thumbtack, we stumbled upon this incredible human being. Since we preplanned with our Chef well in advance, we formed a great relationship with Chef DeAndre over time. There were a few hiccups regarding delayed communication, however, Chef did mention that was because he was going through a business expansion phase at the time. He was still professional and was very transparent during his shift in business. Chef D'Andre lol, if you are reading this, know that from the very first moment we tasted your delectable creations during the menu tasting, we knew we had found something extraordinary. The attention to detail and the exquisite flavors that you infused into each dish were nothing short of exceptional. Our guests couldn't stop raving about the array of flavors that graced their palates, and many said it was the best plant-based meal they ever had. Moreover, you took the time to listen to our preferences and dietary requirements, ensuring that every guest had a memorable dining experience. You have left an indelible mark on our hearts and taste buds, and we will undoubtedly cherish the memories of your exceptional cuisine for a lifetime. You are an outstanding chef, and we wish you continued success in all your culinary endeavors.

Had Chef back a second time to cook for my mother and her friends. He did a fantastic job as…read morealways. He is very communicative and works to make sure everyone is pleased... Cooking for older people with dietary needs can be tricky but he was willing to try and did succeed. He even made a dish i saw online and wanted to try! See you in 6 months for the next soiree!!!!

I just had a dish delivered to me to try out. Wow! This is amazing! Delivered to my home. The…read morestaff is so friendly and so informative. Delicious healthy choice Veggie Almondine was the best I have ever had. So convenient too. I can't wait to try their other dishes. New Year, New Resolutions, healthy choices. Thank you Parkside Meal Prep!!!

Good things come in prepped packages We finally found a meal prep plan that's simple, delicious,…read moreand nutritious! We've had other meal prep plans, and we didn't like any of them and we just were done ordering meal prep plans until we found Parkside Meal Prep truthfully the food is outstanding, just look at these photos! Everything is gluten free and it's perfect timing for #celiacawarenessmonth this place is pretty perfect and it's worth a try!!!

I don't know that I can properly find the exact words to describe my experience with Kirk and his…read morestaff. He was exceptional and the food was absolutely delicious. This was thee best experience I've had with a personal chef. No details were missed. If you are looking for a professional chef and good authentic quality food. Stop here. My guest were all smiles and every dish was absolutely amazing!

Chef Kirk and team are simply amazing, he came in and produced. A phenomenal menu with food, and…read moreprofessionalism. I will definitely use his services again.

Great food and great fun! Looking forward to booking again soon. He designs outstanding meals, too…read moremany favorites to list.

From the owner: Kevin's Kitchen: Serving Elmhurst and Surrounding Areas with Gourmet & Healthy Culinary Delights…read more Perfect for any event, we provide private chef services and catering available seven days a week.