Event Menu: Short Plate Stations for Gasparilla Film Festival Closing Gala

We recently had the pleasure of sponsoring the Gasparilla Film Festival as well as catering the closing party event.  This professionally planned party was the “place to be” in Tampa and featured expert lighting and décor, a night club atmosphere and live entertainment; not to mention star-studded appearances by numerous actors, local politicians and even Florida’s governor.  This “short plate” menu was designed to minimize lines at food stations and allow each of the guests to sample the different types of food.   Stay tuned for full coverage of the event along with photos.

Menu

Short Plate Stations

These three fun and fabulous stations are designed to be independent food stations

allowing your guests to pick and choose the items that they will enjoy.

“Southern Flavor” Short Plate

Station décor includes food being served from cast-iron skillets set atop brick “chimneys”

Creamy White Cheddar Grits topped with Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork

For the Southerners and the adventurous!  As we say, “grits are the new mashed potatoes.”  A station attended by two servers, dishing up creamy Southern-style white cheddar cheese grits, to be topped with hard wood smoked pulled pork, tossed just the right amount of our secret BBQ sauce.  These will be served on small black square plates for easy cocktail party dining.  Refined and packed with flavor, but definitely not pretentious.

“Cajun Paella” Short Plate

This station will be creatively and elegantly decorated with copper and green grass and floral accents

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Authentic Cajun style jambalaya with blackened chicken and spicy smoked sausage, cooked in a cast iron pot, then topped with chopped green onion.

Jambalaya is a dish native to South Louisiana, which has roots to Haiti, the Caribbean and Spain and is believed to be a direct descendant of traditional Spanish paella.  To take this rustic dish to the next level, we cook it the right way and serve it elegantly in a decorated station from our copper paella pan, served in miniature white take-out containers (Chinese restaurant style)

“Signature Pasta Creation” Station

Not the pasta station of the past!  This chef attended action station combines two of our most popular pasta dishes with the flair of live cooking!  Pasta chefs will continuously cook in front of guests and serve their choice of…

Tuscan Bowtie Pasta

with asparagus and cherry tomatoes in a white wine and olive oil sauce (vegetarian), can be tossed with grilled sliced chicken and topped with grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes

Penne Pasta Primavera

Fresh grilled (grilled onsite) seasonal vegetables tossed with penne pasta and our signature roasted red pepper cream sauce (vegetarian)

Signature Passed Appetizer Bites

Smoky Chipotle Chicken Mini Crispy Tacos

diced grilled chicken tossed with smoky chipotle salsa and paired with a crunchy slaw on a miniature crunch taco shell

Gourmet “Cheeseburgers in Paradise”

Miniature sirloin sliders with caramelized onions, melted pepperjack cheese and a piquant scotchbonnet pepper aioli

Fried Mac-N-Cheese Lollipops

comfort food meets class- our most requested item!