Testimonials

We chose Culinary Excellence to cater our wedding reception at the Temescal Beach House. The team there is very accommodating, and Jess was great to work with for discussing details for our food and venue set up. We had a lot of last minute changes due to weather, and they were super easy to contact and work with to make it how we wanted at the last minute. The food they served at the wedding was excellent and was just like the tasting, and we received a lot of compliments from our guests that it was some of the best catered food they have had. The service during the reception was great, all the staff is super friendly. The quotes we received as we updated our reception plan were always clear on the pricing, and it was nice that Culinary… Read more »

Kevin Bruemmer

I’m not sure if I have left a review yet or not. So I will leave a possible second one. Jessica and her staff were amazing. I really enjoyed working with her every step of the way. She was on top of things, she communicated very well, and worked with our budget. She even came to set up my wedding on an injured leg less than a week from her own wedding. Congrats Jessica and thank you for everything to help my day run smoothly.

Amber Rivard

Chris and his team were amazing! I am from the Chicago area and we had a destination wedding in the Sonoma Area 2 weeks ago and Culinary Excellence exceeded every expectation I had! I was so nervous about booking a company so far away and if it would all work out - it worked out great! I would totally recommend them all the way around! The food was amazing, service great, organized, setup and take down and all of it!! Thanks Chris and everyone!!!

Lorraine Garcia

This is the second event I've been to where Culinary Excellence has done the catering and wow - both times the food has been amazing! The texture of the hummus was perfect, the ravioli was delicious, and those Thai meatballs? They're on my stranded-on-a-desert-island list. Chris, the master chef, is so talented yet humble about his abilities - a real pleasure to work with. It's not often that you find a Parisian-trained patisserie in Oakland, so carpe diem on his croissants! So whether you're looking to make your backyard BBQ shine this summer, or looking to spice up your next work function, look no further! Culinary excellence is simply outstanding.

Jennifer I. Nolan

Culinary Excellence and their team were one of the best aspects of our wedding day at the Brazilian Room at Tilden Park in Berkeley. The team was incredibly professional, kind, courteous, and obviously invested in making this a special day for us, our friends, and our family. On the day of, the team was friendly and took great care to make sure the venue looked beautiful. We never had to ask for service or wait for basic needs. They went above and beyond to ensure that our guests had what they needed. Jess, our Day-Of Coordinator, was absolutely phenomenal. Seriously. I have been a wedding/event planner and coordinator for years, and I can say honestly that she is the best of the best. She has a high attention to detail, a kind and fun demeanor, an immense amount of knowledge about the industry, the venue, and her team. I always felt incredibly supported and cared about. She was quick to respond via email when she could, and it is so clear that she invests time, energy, and effort into every event that she oversees. She is a true professional, and I could never share enough to feel like I've adequately explained what a treasure she is. If I could offer one piece of advice to brides, add the day-of coordination package on for your event. You won't regret it - worth every penny and more. Lastly, the FOOD. The team absolutely knocked it out of the park. The food was delicious at the tasting, and even more delicious at the wedding itself. It was presented beautifully, had great flavor, and the family style dinner service was executed perfectly. One of the most special parts of our wedding was that the chef at CE was able to recreate a treasured family recipe for a groom's cake, and it tasted exactly like his grandmother's would have. It was a perfect surprise and so unique. We can't thank Culinary Excellence and Jess enough for what they contributed for our wedding day. I could continue on and on about their fantastic service, professionalism, and care. They are the best of the best, and we would recommend them time and time again!

— Desi McCoy

Desi McCoy

Culinary Excellence is the top all inclusive wedding and events planner in the Bay Area. Dr.Hardy, Jessica and their professional team are EXCELLENT at their job. They have everything you need for you special day and occasion from gourmet food and beverages, custom cakery, hand craved floral package, linen and table package, sound and lighting etc. It's totally worth every penny of your money. You can’t go wrong with CE.

Phirachet Chumchuen

Culinary Excellence is the real deal. A family run, Green Certified catering company based in Oakland - Wow! Jessica & Chris were a pleasure to work with. I recommend them highly.

Alex Paine

These people are terrific. They did an 8 course dinner in a private home in San Francisco last night that raised the bar for catering. The food, presentation, and service were outstanding, as was the wine. We have experienced a lot of caterers over the years and have never seen a better one than Culinary Excellence.

Stutz Blackhawk