Ciao! Catering and Events/ Two Steps Downtown Grille

Tom Devine and his team at Ciao Catering were exceptional. The food was amazing and the service was spectacular. Everyone was talking about the food all night and into the next day. Not only is Tom an amazing chef but he was instrumental in the coordination of everything for our special day. From the rental company, liquor order, deliveries, venue and timing of everything... he was in contact with every aspect of the day. We could not have done it without them! They made us feel special and made our day even more incredible than we could have imagined. We would highly recommend them.

Tom was amazing to work with. From start to finish he made sure every detail was perfect. The food was phenomenal and we are still receiving compliments from our guests about the food!

I am very very lucky to have had Tom and his team cater my wedding this past weekend. From the moment I met Tom, I knew I was in the best of hands. Throughout this whole process, Tom was so responsive and accommodating. He answered all my questions extremely quickly, and was incredibly flexible with menu changes leading up to the wedding. The week of the wedding, we knew that it was supposed to be 95 degrees on wedding day and Tom made new plans to move our celebration inside. On the wedding day, Tom and his team were absolutely incredible. They did everything exactly as we had discussed, and they did an amazing job of setting up our ceremony and cocktail hour indoors due to the heat. Tom's staff were extremely attentive and made sure my husband and I were taken care of all night. Not only was the service top notch, but my guests are still raving about the food! The hors d'oeuvres and salad were absolutely delicious, and my mother is still talking about how perfectly the steak was cooked! You really can't find a better team than Tom and the staff at Ciao! You won't regret choosing them, they are simply the best!

We could not have asked for a better caterer for our wedding. Tom and his crew took care of everything we needed on our wedding day, from setting up the tables, making sure that we (the bride and groom) had our dinner, scheduling the evening, and breaking down the venue at the end of the evening. Everything went seamlessly. Plus!! Everyone loved our food at our wedding!

Tom and his staff were absolutely incredible leading up to the wedding and the day of. From the moment we met Tom, he was professional, helpful, and very real with us. He was so good at giving us his honest opinion about decisions we wanted to make, while always helping us to stick to our vision. I appreciated how upfront he was about pricing, and he is extremely well priced for the amazing quality service and food he provides. The day of, his staff was beyond attentive to us and made sure we got to eat the delicious appetizers even while we were taking our photos. During the wedding, many guests told us the food was delicious, and not the typical wedding food they were used to. Because we had a tented wedding reception, we had to bring in a lot of rental stuff, which Tom took care of totally, telling us exactly what to get and getting us the best price possible from the rental company. We didn't hire a wedding planner, but it felt like we did because Tom took care of so much for us! You will not regret choosing Ciao! for your wedding!!

There are not enough words to explain how amazing Tom and his crew are at what they do. Tom is extremely organized, communicates in a timely manner, has absolutely delicious food, knows various vendors and connections, and works with a team that will take care of you every step of the way until the end of your wedding day. We could not have been happier to have worked with Tom for our June 2018 wedding and were able to put 100% of our trust in him making sure that everything ran smoothly. I would highly recommend him and his team as your caterer.. you will not regret it!!

AMAZING! The amount of work this company puts into your day is outstanding. We had NO worries because they made sure they did it all for us. Would recommend to everyone! Food was absolutely delicious & service was impeccable :)

Tom and crew were wonderful to work with! We got married back in June 2017 and had the best experience (and food!) thanks to Ciao! We reached out to Tom late in the game, in early May, because we had scheduling conflicts with our previous caterer. He rearranged his schedule and took us in THAT DAY to get the ball rolling. He asked us what our favorite foods were, and created a modified menu based on our favorites. Our food sampling day was wonderful, and the service we received was top notch! In addition, the catering service made our big day stress-free! It poured that morning, and they worked around the rain to set up a stunning wedding for a sunny afternoon! All I can say is THANK YOU and please, make sure to stop in and talk to Tom!

Tom was such a pleasure to work with! We made so many changes and he kept track and was so organized with everything. Him and his team made the day so easy for us and the food was fantastic! We are so glad we went with them for our wedding day!

Tom and his team did a great job with more than just the catering. They helped to coordinate other vendors and even helped with the decorations! Because they knew the venue so well, everything went smoothly!

Tom & Ciao! were a lifesaver. The food was great, the coordination leading up to the night was easy, the service the day of the wedding was seamless and friendly. I had been speaking to another caterer who was taking weeks to get back to me each time we made a minor change to the menu. I called Ciao! and was immediately relieved. It was clear this was a company that takes pride in what they do. Tom was very easy to work with, asking all the right questions and keeping cool throughout. I was so excited when he came up with a menu based on what my fiancee and I liked and kept it within our modest budget. Tom gave me a contact for an alcohol supplier that accepted returns and the two of them coordinated on the day of the wedding. I loved the NY strip steak and all the hors d'oeuvres and many of our guests raved about the food as well. This is a solid company you can rely on for your big day.

We hired Tom and his staff for our wedding and we couldn't have asked for a better caterer. Every single person was professional and attentive, every guest commented on the wonderful service. Thank you!

Tom Devine and his crew at Ciao! Catering made wonderful food and provided outstanding service for our entire wedding and reception. The coordination and help they gave during the planning process and the wedding itself was the reason everything went perfectly. Everyone loved the food, especially the passed appetizers during the cocktail hour. The catering staff was professional and worth every penny. They made everything go so smoothly that my husband and I could finally just enjoy ourselves! We absolutely recommend working with Tom and his team because of their amazing food and service.

Tom and Kayte are absolutely fantastic! I truly cannot imagine anyone else catering our wedding. We were planning our Connecticut wedding from California and they put our minds at ease from the start. From our first conversation, I was truly impressed with both Tom's warmth and his professionalism. We were also working with a fairly strict budget and he offered creative ideas for how we could control costs without sacrificing the quality of the food. In addition, he knew our venue, Lounsbury House, extremely well and was able to offer great recommendations on how to set up everything for an ideal flow. Now, the food itself! We were absolutely blown away by the menu Tom and Kayte designed and even more so when we had our tasting. From mini lobster grilled cheese, to an incredible antipasto table to creamy butternut squash risotto, the food absolutely shone at our wedding. Our guests have all commented on how incredible it was - truly amazing food, not just good wedding food. Tom and Kayte also managed the schedule on the day making it absolutely effortless for us. Beyond they did all kinds of little things to make sure it was truly special, from making sure there was champagne chilled for when we were getting ready, to going through the buffet for us to ensure that we actually got to eat on the day. We cannot recommend them highly enough - they are wonderful people and caterers and we are so grateful we chose them. Thank you so, so much!

Tom and Kayte were absolutely wonderful! From the very beginning, they were very helpful and responsive. We challenged them with a couple menu ideas for vegetarians and they were able to meet all of our requests. We felt extremely comfortable with their level of experience at our venue (Waveny House in New Canaan, CT) and they exceeded our expectations. When we hit snags (the weather and supplies that hadn't arrived on time) they went above and beyond to make sure our wedding went perfectly. All our guests were very complimentary about the food, which was delicious, fresh, creative and bountiful. Their staff could not have been kinder and more attentive - one followed me around during photos to make sure I was getting something to drink and eat! We highly recommend Ciao to anyone planning a wedding or event.

Tom and Kayte were fantastic in creating a menu from scratch for us based on what food we liked. The food was fantastic, still getting lots of compliments from our guests!!! We also loved their help coordinating the other vendors like dinnerware and drink rentals!!

Tom and Kayte were incredible to work with, from the year ahead of time when we started planning the day to the day itself. They listened to all of our concerns, had lots of creative ideas, were flexible with tastings, and their food was very tasty. Most of all, their prices were unbelievably reasonable - the value of working with Ciao is so much greater than the price we paid! Tom and Kayte were both extremely organized, creating multiple versions of multiple documents to keep us on track. They were beyond responsive; I don't think it took more than 24 hours for them to answer a single email or phone call. They are clearly kind and thoughtful people, and I felt so good about working with this family-run business. Also, they completely eliminated the need for a day-of planner, as they were 100% running the show throughout the wedding. Working with Ciao was one of the best decisions my husband and I made in planning our wedding. Can't recommend them highly enough!

I can not say enough amazing things about Tom, Kayte & the entire staff at Ciao! From the amazing food to the setup for the event; everything was perfect. I am not exaggerating when every guest at our wedding commented on how amazing the food tasted but also how it looked. The quality of the food was unbelievable. Tom and Kayte's communication and professionalism is top notch and I never had to worry about a thing as I knew I was in great hands with them. I would recommend them all day long as caterers. Thank you to everyone at Ciao's for really making our wedding the most memorable and amazing day for us.

We would highly recommend Ciao! Catering. The food was delicious - our friends still talk about it to this day! They helped us stay within our budget and delivered more than we could have expected. Tom and Kayte were extremely professional and experienced, taking care of every detail and guest. They went above and beyond to make sure our wedding went smoothly and was the memorable event of our dreams!

Two Steps is FANTASTIC. They did such a wonderful job catering my wedding, I can't say enough great things about their service and food. Tom and Katie are extremely attentive, thorough, and accommodating. From start to finish they made sure everything we wanted was in place, everything ran smoothly, and the night went off without a hitch. The food was fabulous, as was the service. Tom and Katie are a dream to work with, and I would HIGHLY recommend them to cater your wedding or event.

My husband and I got married this July (2015). When we first began planning our wedding, we decided that one of the most important things for us would be to have GOOD FOOD to serve to our guests. By selecting Ciao! Catering and Events, run by Tom and Kayte, we got just that (and lots more)! Our wedding cocktail hour and reception were both on the grounds of Candlelight Farms Inn in New Milford, CT. The food was absolutely DELICIOUS- and even weeks later, our guests are still raving about it. Prior to consuming the actual food, a lot went into preparing for the day! Tom and Kayte were both wonderful to work with. Their friendly demeanors, professionalism, open and honest communication, organization, and passion for their work are just a few of their best qualities. Tom and Kayte helped with WAY more than just the food- they helped us to plan layouts, plan and order rentals that we needed, and advise us about many other details that can often otherwise seem overwhelming. For our cocktail hour, we had passed appetizers, and for our wedding we had a buffet. Tom and Kayte were flexible with any and all decisions that we made, helped to customize our food choices to make them represent us, and took great care of our guests. When the reception was over, we had a sparkler send-off. My mom commented that she started to get a stomach ache just thinking about the clean up that was going to be required. Upon returning to the tent when we had left, she couldn’t believe what she had seen- Tom and the rest of his wonderful staff had already cleaned up all of the tables, and helped to organize all of our decorations into a neat pile under the tent. All that my family had to do was load their cars. In closing- we are looking forward to using Ciao! Catering and Events for all of our future food and service needs! They have gone above and beyond to make our wedding day the best day of our lives! Thank you, Tom & Kayte!

My husband and I used Ciao Catering for our wedding in September. Kayte and her team were absolutely AMAZING. We had our wedding at a private venue so we had to provide everything ourselves. I was so overwhelmed, but Kayte was always available to answer my questions. Kayte made a custom menu for us with our favorite things and was so flexible with whatever we wanted. I would email her all the time and she would respond right away. She provided us with so much more than we could have imagined. We had trouble getting in contact with our party rental company (chairs,linens, ect) so Kayte stepped right in and helped us figure everything out. The days leading up to the wedding, she was such a huge help and took so much stress off my plate. The day of the wedding, everything was set up perfectly and was so beautiful. The service crew looked great and were on top of their game. The servers were so polite and the bartenders were great. The food was delicious, I am still getting rave reviews! Kayte and her team helped to make the flow of the night perfect from the cocktail hour, to dinner to cake cutting and dessert. It was perfect. The next day, we went down to the venue and it was so immaculately clean, that we did not have to worry about a thing. All the tables were put away, chairs folded and everything put back in its place. This was such a huge help as the last thing we wanted to do was clean the day after our wedding. I only have great things to say and Kayte and Ciao Catering and recommend them to everyone! They were fantastic and you will not regret using their service.

Tom Divine and his staff at Ciao! Catering were fabulous. For our backyard wedding, we wanted to have a reception that felt more like an extension of the cocktail hour than a formal sit-down dinner, with a selection of tapas-style dishes instead of a traditional entrée dinner. The first caterer we spoke with sounded uncomfortable about the idea, but when we met with Tom he thought it was a great idea and put together a wonderful proposal of eclectic dishes inspired by a range of international cuisine. We started with a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by a few buffet stations of various small plate items including a carving station. After we approved the initial proposal, we met Tom at his restaurant, Two Steps, for a tasting of a selection of items, and let me just stay we were very impressed! The flavors were fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor—everything we tasted was exciting. I’ve been to weddings that served bland, unremarkable food and I wanted the food at our wedding to appeal to an adventurous palate. In the end we made a few changes to the original proposal, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. So, so delicious! In addition, Tom made a site visit a few months before the wedding to draw up a plan for the tables, bar, food, stations, etc. He also helped us work with a local party rental company to ensure we had everything we needed, and also put us in touch with a liquor store to fulfill our beverage needs. On the day of the wedding the Ciao! Catering staff was a joy to work with. My only complaint is that the bar tender opened more bottles of wine and cases of beer than necessary, so we weren’t able to return those items to the liquor store. But otherwise, the entire staff team was very courteous. The wait staff took great care of my groom and I and even made up special plates of food for us since we were too busy chatting with guests to get our own food. If I ever host another big party I would not hesitate to hire Ciao! Catering again.

Tom, Kayte, and the rest of the staff at Ciao did an amazing job catering our wedding!! We could not have asked for better food, service, guidance, communication, etc. We got a ton of complements on both the food, and the staff, who were all extremely friendly and helpful. Food-wise, the highest praise Ciao can get is from my extended family from Louisiana, who can be a little critical of southern food, and they LOVED the Gumbo turnover hors d'oeuvres. Those were Tom's suggestion during our first meeting, and they were a huge hit, along with the rest of the hors d'oeuvres and entrees. We had 3 entrée choices, and my wife and I split all 3, and they were amazing! Tom and Kayte were extremely helpful from day 1, and an absolute pleasure to work with. They were always professional, responded quickly to all of our questions, and were flexible all the way through to our wedding day. They were a huge help in coordinating the day, working with us on our menu choices, and providing advice on rentals and the bar. The staff at the reception was excellent, and they assigned someone to regularly check on me and my wife, to see if we needed anything. She was amazing, and was always keeping an eye on us, or checking in to make sure we had whatever it was that we needed. Every server at our reception had a smile on their face, was extremely friendly, and seemed to genuinely enjoy working at our wedding, and working for Ciao. When meeting with and deciding on wedding vendors, I found the most important criteria to be “who do you trust to take care of you, and treat your wedding as their most important event of the year”. We knew after our first meeting with Tom that we could trust him and his staff, and they did not disappoint in any way!! I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer for their wedding or any event!