FAQs

A lot of event planning resources use the terms interchangeably, but it’s important to note that I’m not a caterer in the traditional sense! I think of caterers as professionals who primarily prepare the entire menu for an event off site, and drop it off to be held until served.

This is a great method for large events, but one of the benefits of having ten or less guests is that a true private chef service is really possible! We’ll plan the menu and design of your event together, and each course will be responsive to your timeline and the pacing of your table.

Oh gosh, welcome to the essay portion of the FAQ! I’m so glad you asked, because sourcing is such an important part of the creative process – I get so much inspiration from the farms & small makers I partner with.

Ingredients: While I do a lot of shopping at traditional grocery stores, I like to frequent the Boulder County Farmer’s Market every week while it’s in season. In particular, I love Black Cat Farms, Aspen Moon Farms, and Hazel Dell Mushrooms – most of your meal from April through October will have been grown right here in Colorado!

For grains & bread, Moxie is my go to – their commitment to heirloom strains of wheat, as well as their support of the local Colorado food system makes them my favorite errand to run. And their bread is phenomenal.

Some other small businesses I love to support: Diaspora Co for spices, Dram Apothecary, Oatis Oatmilk & Dryland Distillery.

Florals: Kind of all over! There are some commercial floral markets I like to visit like Sturtz & Copeland in Boulder, but in season I love to harvest flowers directly from pro floral farmers like Artemis & Idlewild. Sometimes I can get cosmos, sunflowers & zinnias from my very own front yard

Table settings & decor: I try to find interesting decorative pieces from thrift and antique stores as much as I can, but you never know what is like totally made of lead so anything my guests will eat from is purchased new! Conifer in Denver is my spot for handmade ceramic dish ware, although for larger events my go-to is Crate & Barrel since they always have a large stock of quality items.

You may even see some of my own original pottery or woven textiles on your table!

I’ve been vegan for about a decade, and my cooking style was born from a frustrating gap in my local restaurant scene. Everywhere I go, the options are gimmicky junk food or conspicuously healthy raw superfood nonsense.

At my table you’ll find abundance – down to earth, hearty meals that are well balanced, thoughtfully prepared with the seasons in mind. Savory, surprising, playful, colorful, herbaceous, satisfying.

For the most part! Leading up to your meal, I’ll be busy in the kitchen hand making pasta, reducing wine, caramelizing onions & infusing spirits.

If an ingredient is integral to the experience, I’m making it by hand – for example on a butter board, I’m going to be making the butter & crackers myself, but if I’m just using a little butter to sauté some shallots store bought is fine.

When it comes to meat substitutes, I try to be pretty sparing and use the most unprocessed version I can. So instead of buying pre-made meatballs, I’ll take something like Impossible ground beef & pork, along with breadcrumbs, flax & spices to hand make meatballs in the traditional method. You may find tofu, seitan, and other types of faux meat on my menus but always in surprising and creative forms. No tofurkies here!

Yes! Weddings and other special events have a fully customized menu planning process. We’ll chat about spectacular meals you’ve had in the past, childhood comfort food, and your go-to faves to land on four or more courses that really hit home for you.

Date night attendees will choose between two or three seasonal options for each course.

Probably! As long as there’s an oven, a range and some counter space – a lot of my clients are in unpredictable rental properties, so I come prepared with the tools I’ll need for your menu.

I’m not booking campsite dinners at this time.

I consider a guest anyone with a seat at the table, including yourselves! Elopements & date nights are for two guests, while intimate weddings & custom events are for up to 12 guests.

Vendors and young kiddos don’t count towards your guest count, but I’m always happy to feed them too.

Dinners for two will run about an hour and a half, while larger events will depend on the guest count, the specific menu, and how much wine is flowing! Plan for 2-3 hours.

I will need to arrive several hours in advance to begin set up and prep work, so if you’re in a rental property please plan to check in at least the day before your event.

I’m so game. As you know – all of my menus are already plant-forward, which cuts a lot of common allergens, and I’m happy to tailor the entire menu to your needs. I’m also happy to work with picky eaters, like kids and those who are skeptical about vegetables!

It all depends on how many guests you have and the vision you have. For small events I’ll provide everything you need. The more guests you have, the more likely we’ll need to rely on rentals – which I’ll coordinate!

For flowers specifically, I include simple arrangements with seasonal flowers in every dinner. I can try to accommodate requests, but for very specific visions I will coordinate with one of my favorite full time florists for an added fee.

I live in Longmont, Colorado and consider all of Boulder County my home base. But of course, I love traveling all over and am happy to come to you for an additional travel fee.

I could honestly name a 1000 reasons, but simply – eating plant-based food is a better use of natural resources and is kinder to the animals we share our home with. My goal with Terrene is to plan gatherings that honor the natural world, and eating plants is right at the center of that mission.

Most of my clients are actually not vegan or vegetarian, but just appreciate a beautiful plant-forward meal.

We won’t have old school steak and lobster on the menu, but you can look forward to savory handmade pastas, creamy cultured cheeses, crispy local potatoes, niche mushrooms, and surprising preparations of any veg you could think of – in recipes drawn from a myriad of cultural food traditions.