About this vendor
You are creating one of the most important memories of your lives. We want to help you express your unique style with imagination, delicious food and romantic presentation. Your personal style, heritage and beliefs all unfold and are incorporated into a vision of your perfect rendition of love.
Details
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Cuisine
- African
- American
- BBQ
- Cajun
- Chinese
- Eastern European
Dietary Options
- Dairy Free
- Gluten Free
- Kosher
- Nut Free
- Organic
- Vegan
Food & Catering
- Buffet
- Catering Clean Up
- Catering Delivery & Setup
- Chef Stations
- Family Style
- Menu Tastings
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8
out of 5.062 reviews
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I can't believe it has taken me this long to write this review. Elaine Bell Catering was a dream to work with. I would normally say run don't walk to book them for your wedding but sadly at the end of this year they will be closing their doors. Jennifer was wonderful to work with answering all our questions and helping make our wedding food the best food at a wedding I've ever had. We still get compliments to this day on how amazing the food was. They took our ideas and ran with them really making the food unique and special to us. Our goal was to not have traditional wedding food. We wanted something with a bit of whimsy that was seasonal and local. Let me tell you the nailed the brief and everything was so good!
We had a great experience using EBC on our wedding day in October 2023. Krystina was fantastic to work with, helping us to accommodate requests, feedback, and dietary restrictions. All of our guests commented on how excellent the food was, including our oyster bar, passed apps, and charcuterie station. They did a great job on the custom drinks too. Thank you to Krystina and the whole EBC team for making our wedding day so special and delicious.
Krystina Orona and Jason Ghiselin deserve 5 stars each. They were incredibly responsive throughout the whole process and helped us put together a beautiful wedding. The food also gets 5 stars in presentation and flavor. All our guests were raging about their meals. Krystina allowed us to go with a flexible option where people could order on the spot because we did not ask people what they would like beforehand and our guests loved that.
A downside which I think has room for improvement and to no fault of Krystina, was that the day of the wedding, myself and my husband were completely forgotten about. No one refilled our water or asked us if we wanted a drink or even if everything was ok. The servers were people we never really saw. I think it would be good to train the banquet staff to pay attention to the bride and groom and their needs. We weren't hard to miss, I had a huge poofy white dress.
The other thing was we purchased an amazing dessert bar that all our attendees loved however the catering team never brought out cake. We bought so much cake from a very pricey vendor because we loved it so much but it mostly went uneaten. I wish someone had had the initiative to serve it at least at the table. It was so upsetting to get in the car after the wedding and find four large boxes of cake waiting for us. We went on our honeymoon immediately after and most of the cake went to waste sadly.
I would still hire Elaine Bell catering again because of Krystina and Jason, but would strongly have this conversation with them to ensure these mistakes did not happen again.
We are so glad we hired Elaine Bell Catering for our wedding in June!!! As farmer's market enthusiasts and devout home cooks, we had our hearts set on serving a locally-sourced, colorful, seasonal, and produce-forward menu that celebrated this region's magnificent bounty! We were intent on serving our guests the most fresh, delicious, beautiful, and perfectly prepared food possible, and Elaine Bell absolutely delivered!!! We received many many compliments from our guests who were completely blown away by the quality of the food, the masterful preparation, and the gorgeous presentation. There was widespread consensus that this was by far the best meal our guests had ever had at a wedding! We appreciated working with Krystina, who was always organized, detailed, and responsive to our questions and requests. She understood and supported our needs intuitively and was flexible and accommodating throughout the entire planning process. It was so helpful that Elaine Bell supplied our glassware, dinnerware, and bartending services as well -- it relieved us the trouble and cost of additional rentals and vendors. The service on the day of the wedding was lovely, attentive, and completely professional. We cannot recommend Elaine Bell highly enough! THANK YOU!!!
Where to start with EBC! I suppose from the beginning and our first call with Jennifer... She was enthusiastic about their offerings all the while curious about our style and what exactly we were looking for on our special day. The meal options to choose from were extensive, but Jennifer appropriately guided us to selections that she felt would suit our wishes and our style. Then came the tasting, which was a blast! Full portions so we could see the plating and they were open to a few modifications. Jennifer made suggestions for welcome beverages and a few other details that we hadn't even considered, which was much appreciated. We chose a plated dinner for our 75 guests, and the fact that EBC prepares each plate onsite was a huge advantage to other caterers. When it came to our big day, we couldn't have been more pleased. The staff was warm and welcoming, professional and polite. Everything went smoothly with the dinner and they even packaged us a few pieces of our cake that we unfortunately forgot to go eat during the reception! EBC is a first class caterer in the wine country region. Thank you to Jennifer and the EBC for helping to make our special day so wonderful!
When looking for caterers, we were relieved to find Elaine Bell. Their food looked phenomenal (and trust me, it is!), but they also offered full services to meet all our needs and simplify our wedding planning considerably. Instead of finding a baker, wait-staff, flatware, bartenders, etc. - Elaine Bell had us covered. Their service and professionalism was phenomenal- they were consistently attentive to our guests and the ever shifting goings-on between ceremony and reception. We had a full charcuterie table, hand selected dinner buffet and 2-tier cake with assorted baked treats and every bite was beautifully displayed and tantalizingly delectable. I would go with Elaine Bell 100 times over.
We had a great experience with Elaine Bell! They did a really great job seeing through the vision of food for our wedding, we opted for food stations rather than plated meals, but wanted them to be cute rather than buffet-like. The food was absolutely amazing when we tasted it in our process of selecting them. The night of I felt like things we're a bit different from how I remembered them, but then again the night was a blur!! Everyone loved their food, and generally I'd absolutely recommend them for anyone looking for a wedding caterer!
Everyone at our wedding this August said the food was absolutely amazing!! Obviously, we agreed, but it’s great to hear the same feedback from event attendees. The team was very communicative about available options, helping us to settle on delicious meals within budget.
Jennifer at Elaine Bell was so great to work with. Finding a caterer for our wedding was tough as some other caterers felt too pushy, or wouldn't customize the menu as much as we wanted. Jennifer was always accommodating, creative, and also transparent with us. Our wedding was postponed one year due to Covid and she allowed us to have a second tasting as our ideas had changed for what we wanted. What we loved most about working with EB besides the amazing quality of food for our guests, was their experience really helping keep the wedding organized and flowing on-time. The EB service and bartender team were so fun and personable, several of our guests commented on how nice, great and speedy they were. And everything ran according to schedule. They even packed up some food or us to go after the wedding - which was beyond thoughtful. Thank you EB for making our wedding food and beverage dreams come to life
Elaine Bell provided amazing food (far above your average wedding food) and also outstanding service! We really wanted our wedding to highlight the foodie scene and amazing ingredients of Northern California and it did just that; the ingredients were fresh and the sauces were delicious. EB also went above and beyond with the service; they made sure that we (the bride & groom) got to try our own food and desserts despite being so busy on our day. We are so happy we chose Elaine Bell!!
While I unfortunately didn't get the chance to eat a whole lot of the food at my wedding, I can say I sure heard a lot about how good it was from our guests, which is what matters at the end of the day. We had a few special asks, which Elaine Bell handled with gusto (for instance a pastry bar with a variety of desserts), and the food I did get to try was all fantastic. What I would add beyond the food is that they were extremely conscientious throughout the night, ensuring that we had bites here and there, and drinks on hand if we needed them. They loaded in and out without issue and left the venue spotless on their departure. It is clear that this is not their first rodeo, or their 200th for that matter. These folks are pros, and the quality of their food and service displayed that.
Elaine Bell Catering was amazing! On my wedding day, they made us feel like celebrities through providing such amazing care to my husband and I, along with each and every guest. Dustin was an absolute pleasure to work with, the food tasting was fantastic, and the food tasted almost exactly like the trial but at 50x the guest count.
The cherry on top was that Dustin was able to ensure that as our late night snack, we had warm cookies and milk served on trays around the dance floor. They felt right out of the oven, to the point where the chocolate chips were warm and gooey and the milk was ice cold. Can't get much better than this!
Thanks for making our day so incredibly memorable.
The food was delicious and every single person on their team was professional and so nice! They really have it down, the service and the food was top notch, and they went beyond to add our personal touches to the evening. Highly recommend!
Can’t say enough good things. We worked with Jen and team for a 90 person private venue wedding in Sonoma. The food was INSANELY DELICIOUS truly my guests are still raving about it from apps to entres to the dessert bar! We were blown away from the tasting and they truly delivered the same quality day of. Wine country freshness farm to table at its finest. They even got fresh passion fruit for our signature cocktail… our guests were losing their minds lol! Elaine Bell built out a kitchen in our garage which was an impressive feat. Everything was so professional from install to service to clean up. And the staff, I can’t even begin to describe how lovely and gracious they were… they made my husband and I feel so special and loved, they were attentive and kind and charming. It is so worth the extra cost to hire a caterer who has their own non-seasonal staff… the service was impeccable. 10/10 recommend and would use them again. Thank you Jen and Elaine Bell team for making our wedding so special, we deeply appreciate you! -Katie and Daniel
Elaine Bell is great. Food itself is absolutely amazing and impressive. We made minor changes during the tasting and everything was great. Before wedding, Dustin always respond promptly giving us many good suggestions on wine selection, signature cocktails design, etc. During the wedding day, the staff was also very warm and accommodating. It was a hectic day for me as the bride and was rainy and cold. They would come to my break room giving me hot tea, food, etc without asking. Also gave us a gift at the end of the wedding. I believe they are the best you can get for wedding catering.
Elaine Bell Catering did an excellent job catering our wedding. They were flexible in adjusting to our scaled-down wedding and delivered excellent quality across the board. We had an enjoyable time choosing our menu in their tasting room pre-covid and highly recommend the experience to anyone looking for a caterer for their wedding. We had a high expectation for the quality of the food and drink after our tasting, but were especially impressed with the serving staff the day of. They were professional and did a great job responding to requests from our guests. Overall, I’d happily use Elaine Bell catering again and would recommend them to any of our friends or family.
We had so many guests rave about the food at our wedding -no better endorsement! My husband and I got married in Sonoma and after looking through a few catering options, decided to work with Elaine Bell because of their food options and cost. Our tasting was so informative, and Dana and her team were incredibly responsive to our comments. One of the dishes we eventually served at our wedding wasn't even at the tasting, but we had so much confidence in Dana that we told her to go ahead and have it served! On the wedding day, the service was absolutely phenomenal. I had read so much about the bride and groom sometimes not being able to enjoy their food, but Dana made sure herself that we had enough food at our table and was quick to produce another serving if we wanted it. Our experience with the Elaine Bell team from beginning to end was absolutely perfect -cannot recommend enough!
Words cannot do this place justice! Dana was so great to work with and on top of everything! The food was AMAZING. We did a Sunday brunch wedding and the waffles were to die for. They paired it with a vanilla bean creme fresh/whipped cream and it was just out of this world. The waffles were the hit of the party.... as well as many other amazing dishes, like the loaded hash browns and the eggs Benedict, all amazing!
Wish they had a restaurant so we could get the waffles whenever we wanted.
The Elaine Bell Catering team were unimaginably amazing. They had so many options available and were flexible in creating new dishes catered to our preferences. We absolutely loved working with them!
My husband and I live in NJ, but got married in Sebastopol, CA. Our venue only had 3 caterers that they worked with - one that never answered months of inquiries, one that took 4 months to schedule a tasting & would only let us taste 2 apps/1 salad/1 main, etc. and Elaine Bell (which we were told was a bit more expensive). 2 weeks before our trip out to California to take care of some vendor things & do a tasting, we decided that we couldn't be stuck with just the difficult caterer we'd been dealing with and needed another option, so we contacted Elaine Bell Catering. Jennifer T. could not have been more accommodating, responsive or wonderful in creating a custom menu for us in a short timeframe. Once she found out that we were an Italian-Peruvian couple, she sent us over a custom menu using flavors from our respective backgrounds and scheduled a tasting.
We are SO glad that we decided to try out Elaine Bell. From the second we walked into the room where our tasting was, the entire setup was informative, beautiful and delicious. We got to see all of the silverware, drinkware and plating of each of our drinks, apps and dishes. The food was delicious and they had no problem with the small tweaks we made to their awesome menu. Best of all was they adjusted their pricing to relieve some of the difference between their total and the other caterer's. Honestly, whatever extra we paid was totally worth it.
Throughout the process, Jennifer was responsive, informative and downright awesome to deal with. We didn't have to worry about anything at all because we knew she was on top of it. On the day of our wedding, everything went flawlessly - our guests are still raving about our food and I've heard from several of them that it was the best meal they've ever had at a wedding (and the doughnut machine was a HUGE hit that they absolutely loved). We served dinner family style and Elaine Bell was happy to accommodate extra servings when our guests requested them. The whole staff at our wedding, from the servers to the bartenders to the chefs, were amazing, fun and great with our guests. They even sent us home with a picnic basket with some goodies and cupcakes from our wedding :)
I'd definitely recommend this caterer to anyone getting married in the Sonoma-Napa area. They were truly amazing - thanks Jennifer!
Dana and Elaine Bell provided the catering for our wedding. We cannot thank them enough. The food was spectacular. They cooked onsite. Everything was prepared and plated perfectly and was identical to the trials at our tasting appointment. Don't skip the lamb chops! Our guests were blown away by the quality and still talk about it a month later. We have several chefs in the family and not a single complaint. We would recommend them without any issue.
Elaine Bell could not have been a better wedding vendor. The food was amazing - many of the guests came up to us to say it was the best wedding food they had ever had.
The whole process was seamless, from the tasting to the wedding day. They thought about how the event would play out and made sure everything was taken care of so that the guests all had a great time. Could not recommend them more!!
My stomach is growling as I write this. Elaine Bell catered our wedding on 6/14/19 and we simply could not have been more pleased with their service and FOOD. I mean, just check out this menu:
- Salad of Baby Organic Greens with Balsamic Roasted Black Grapes, St. George White Cheddar, Spiced Black Walnuts, Fuji Apples, Balsamic Apple Cider Vinaigrette & Basil Oil
- Greek Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic & Oregano
- Seared Salmon with Leek Pea Puree, Sweet Corn Fennel Ragout, Pickled Mustard Seed & Popcorn Shoots
- Tagliarini Salad with Pine Nuts, Lemon & Zucchini with Fresh Herbs & Lemon Herb Dressing
- Whole Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Honey Thyme Glaze
- Rustic Artisan Breads with Sweet Butter
Guest after guest told us it was one of the best meals - and not just wedding meals - they've ever had. We also got RAVE reviews on the cheese display we had out during cocktail hour. The one minor complaint my husband had was that it took longer than expected to get the main courses out after the salad (we did a plated salad and family style for the rest), but it didn't seem to bother anyone else.
We worked with Cara and she was organized, kind, and so responsive to our needs - no tomato for me, no meat for him, vegetarian for the cousin, add passed apps, take away passed apps, etc.
Thank you, Elaine Bell staff, for everything! Highly recommend!
I could go on and on about how incredible Elaine Bell and especially our account executive, Dustin Barbane, were throughout the entire wedding planning / catering process. We came in with some very strong opinions on what the menu should look like, how service should be run (family style) and the vibe we wanted to foster at our wedding and Dustin and his team did everything in their power to make this happen. Our wedding was an absolute dream and to say everything went as planned would be a massive understatement. My wife and I can't thank Dustin and his team enough for their attention to detail, listening to, understanding and executing our vision and for making our special day the most incredible wedding.
Also... that hanger steak!
These guys are great! Amazing food and service. We got SO many compliments about the food at our wedding, not just the quality but the quantity as well. Jennifer was our key contact throughout the planning and she is incredibly responsive and patient and keeps on top of all the details. I was incredibly impressed and the team executed perfectly on the day. Could not recommend them more!
I can't say enough good things about Elaine Bell. We used them for our rehearsal dinner and our wedding. They were so professional and made both of our events feel so classy. I'm Vegan and my Husband is Vegetarian, so we did not want traditional "wedding food" and they were super accommodating. Even with our unique menu we had so many compliments on our food! Highly recommend choosing Elaine Bell!
Elaine Bell Catering did THE MOST AMAZING job catering our wedding. The food absolutely knocked it out of the park. Our guests are still raving about how the food exceeded their wildest expectations months later. Dustin was fantastic to work with - extremely helpful and accommodating to bring our vision for the culinary experience alive. Everything came out on time, hot, and tasting as good as it did when we did our tasting months earlier. They prepared all food from scratch onsite at the venue (and we got married on a hill top in Sonoma with literally nothing but electricity available) so it was not an easy feet! They brought a mobile kitchen and got to work. We cannot thank Dustin and Elaine Bell Catering team enough for everything they did for us. It was truly the best day of our lives. I would recommend Elaine Bell to any of my friends and family. Use them if you have the chance!
Outstanding!
Some of the best food I have ever had, and I'm a foodie. I had a very specific vision for the food at my wedding, an around the world theme with different stations. I work in politics, and had had enough rubber chicken dinners to last a lifetime. After reading reviews, it seemed they had some experience with this.
It was a destination wedding so I signed the contract before we had ever met or had a tasting and they exceeded every expectation.
We ended up with taco, paella, Southern, and Asian stations. Richard was amazing to work with and kept me laughing the whole time.
It was all amazing. EVERYONE raved about the food.
The food was so pretty AND it tasted wonderful! I’m so impressed by the presentation. Everything went smoothly and just as we had planned! Deb was great at making sure everything went over without any issues and was always responsive to emails even when I was planning a destination wedding from afar!
Elaine Bell was wonderful! From the very beginning they came up with a fantastic menu that fit our asian fusion theme. They communicated well, they were priced fairly, and I love that they don't charge for the tasting.
I wanted some very specific things like a dim sum bar and hong kong style egg tarts - they definitely got it done. They actually found a dim sum restaurant in SF and managed to pick up all the dim sum for the cocktail hour.
The only con I had was that the curry we chose was way too spicy. I'm sure had we done a second tasting it would have turned out differently. I'm not local so it was really difficult to schedule two tastings. We changed the menu pretty significantly after the first tasting and I wish I had stuck with the first menu, but that is definitely not their fault.
Loved them. Professional, communicative, and fantastic!
We had our wedding at Gloria Ferrer last week caterer by Elaine Bell and the food and service far exceeded my expectations! Debbe was a delight to deal with and her staff's professionalism was impeccable. I especially loved the way they took care of my husband and I all night long to be sure that we actually to eat and try all of the hors d'oeuvres and food options that we had.
We would absolutely recommend elaine bell catering. We recently used them for our wedding welcome party and farewell brunch at 2 different venues in Sonoma. They were efficient and easy to work with. The presentation was beautiful and the food very tasty and to a high standard.
Elaine Bell catered our wedding back in June, and we could not have been happier with them! The food was absolutely delicious, and we had so many guests tell us afterwards how much they enjoyed their dinner. We'd absolutely recommend them to anyone for their special event.
Elaine Bell Catering is absolute perfection. My husband and I are passionate about good food and one of the things we wanted above all else was great food on our wedding day. From the moment we tasted with Elaine Bell to the day of our wedding, everything was executed flawlessly. The food was perfection. Our friends are still talking about how good it was.
Not only was the food fantastic but everyone who worked for Elaine Bell Catering was fantastic. We worked with Cara who was always pleasant to talk to. She was incredibly organized and skilled in her work. At the wedding I only saw the best servers, bartenders, cooks and all of the other staff that were working hard that day. I truly appreciate the hard work and dedication. Everyone was amazing.
As a cherry on top of the experience, we especially loved that someone was there making sure we ate and if that wasn’t enough they packed a picnic bag filled with wedding goodies.
If you are thinking about having Elaine Bell Catering cater your next event, do it! You will not be disappointed. They went above and beyond our expectations.
Not only did Elaine Bell deliver excellent food and service on our big day, but Richard Earl (our Account Manager) served as a reliable and consistent source of information, a calming presence and a guiding light throughout our wedding planning process. He offered so much insight and went above and beyond the role of "caterer". I cannot recommend Elaine Bell to couples in the planning stages enough, and Richard is a must! He has worked with many brides and venues in the area, so comes well prepared with realistic and reasonable suggestions for your event's needs.
Elaine Bell Catering helped to make our wedding truly memorable. So many guests complemented the food for weeks after our wedding. Elaine Bell was flexible, patient and motivated to make the food exactly what we wanted from the very beginning. Their wait staff was so friendly and attentive throughout the entire night, and they even surprised us with a take home picnic basket filled with wine and cheese to enjoy the night of our wedding! Highly recommend Elaine Bell!
I wish I could give Elaine Bell 6 stars! They just catered my wedding a few weeks ago and were absolutely amazing. Literally every single guest raved about how incredible the food was and how it was the best wedding food they've ever had. A lot of them are still talking about it! The food at weddings is rarely memorable and we felt really strongly about having delicious food everyone would love, especially since we were serving it family style and wanted our guests to be comfortable and have a great time. The presentation was beautiful and elegant and we couldn't have been happier. Richard was also so wonderful to work with throughout the entire process. He was always available to chat and talk through my ideas and I felt like he took my best interests to heart. The servers were so friendly and professional and they really made my vision come to life. Catering is such an important part of a wedding and they made everything so fun and perfect. I'm beyond grateful to Team Elaine Bell!
The food for every course at our wedding was delicious - I don't think I need to say anything else! Highly recommended. Richard was also really pleasant and helpful to work with.
Elaine Bell was very professional, on time, and incredible! Their flavor was so great! Not your typical caterer by any stretch. They customize the menu to fit your wedding. they even followed myself and the groom around to make sure we had something to eat as we mingled with guests. AT the end of the night, they sent us home with a picnic basket - they know the bride and groom don't always get to eat the night of their wedding. Such such a thoughtful group of people!
Elaine Bell has an outstanding, elegant menu with a lovely presentation. The price was very reasonable especially for such high end cuisine. Chad was great to work with! I highly recommend them
I loved working with Emily at Elaine Bell catering, and I couldn't have been happier with the food at my wedding. Emily was reliable and full of good ideas. She helped my now-husband and me come up with ideas for a scotch-bar and even suggested special ice cubes and a fun display. And the food at the wedding was so good that my wedding guests are still talking about it three weeks later. The baby rack of lamb hors d'oeuvres and the ice cream sandwiches were the biggest hits.
We used Elaine Bell for our wedding. We loved our tastings and our account manager. EBC was easy to work with and helpful in figuring out what all we needed for our venue.
On the day of, we received rave reviews on service... EBC's day-of manager really went out of his way to cater to our guests. However, we received mixed reviews on the food and felt that while the food was good, it wasn't as good as our tasting. The complaints we received largely had to do with certain dishes being under-cooked... and we noticed a bit of a lag in getting certain tables' entrees out. Overall, we were happy with EBC's services and I guess there is always someone who complains... but even my husband's food was a little under-cooked so that can't be entirely overlooked.
Compared to the other vendors in the area, I still think they're the best choice. I'd note that your initial quote on price is likely not what you'll pay, as rentals etc get modified as the date gets closer and the price tends to increase.
We could not be happier with the food for our wedding. From our appetizers to our main entrees, everything was delicious.
Where do I begin? Thank god our planner brought us to EB. We thought we'd found the caterers the day prior to our meeting with them, but holy moly, thank goodness we waited to check EB out. We met Richard at the tasting and fell in love with him. The food was to die for (like Michelin star quality, truly) and the set-up was wonderful at the tasting. We were treated like royalty and even enjoyed a bottle of bubbly to celebrate. Throughout the menu planning process, Richard was nothing but helpful and supportive. Any question we had he was quick to answer and made all adjustments however we wanted them. We had stations and we kept getting compliments all night on how amazing the food was. And the staff was great, as well. The only "complaints" we had were the serving staff was too good -- drinks were placed on tables and they were swiped when people hadn't finished drinking them - ha! And a friend was bummed the food had been cleared because she hadn't had the chance to try something. Not bad complaints, really! Thank you, EB, for making our wedding truly an event to remember. I wish I'd gotten to enjoy more of the food but as the bride, it's always hard :)
Working with Elaine Bell was a dream come true. From just a simple online form I filled out, they came up with a wonderful sample menu for me that was the clear standout from others I had received. Right away I could tell that they had the creativity and gourmet palate I was looking for. My contact was Mandy and she was a doll to work with. Being an out of town bride, I did a lot of my planning over the phone and via email, but Mandy was always great about responding quickly. By the time I met her for our tasting, I felt like we were old friends. We did the menu tasting a few months before the wedding and it was wonderful - I highly recommend doing this. We tasted every dish and got to make changes. They even served us a few alternative dishes just in case we didn’t like something and I actually loved one of the alternatives so much I swapped it out for one of my original selections. On the day of the wedding, the staff arrived on time and got straight to work setting up. Everyone looked very professional and the food was exquisite. I served an all vegetarian menu to a crowd of 65 and got nothing but rave reviews, even from the hard core meat lovers. It was that good! I would highly recommend Elaine Bell to any bride.
These guys know what they are doing and do it well. I was married at Cornerstone Gardens on October 6, 2012. I worked closely with Richard who was so great to deal with. We did a tasting and fell in love with the food, but I expected it wouldn't be quite the same on the wedding day as they were cooking for 160 people. I was wrong. It was perfect. The filet was medium rare and came out warm and delicious, the glazed salmon was to die for. We have gotten more compliments from guests saying they have never had wedding food that amazing and over a month later they are still talking about it. The service was great and they executed it very well. It all just went so great! It was worth every penny...thank you Elaine Bell! Amber & John
We hired EB because they are a large and well reputed company in the wine region. Their food was good and initial service was great, but once we signed the contract, things started slipping. Response time started to lag and it became much harder to get a hold of our acct manager. The worst of it was that the day of event was chaotic and disorganized, even though we had walked through the property and all lay-outs and set up prior to the event. I am a very organized person and sent everything ahead of time, including a detailed timeline and setup list. Our acct manager said she would show up and didn't. They messed up our cocktails and the chefs were rude and curt tour guests. Unfortunately we didn't feel they were worth the money.
The food was amazing and everyone agreed. They brought my groom and I appetizers privately so we could enjoy them before our pictures and they made me a special dish because I am such a picky eater.
We chose Elaine Bell because of their delicious food, however, the service they provided throughout the year was absolutely great. We worked with Mandy who took care of all the details down to the signage for the bars.
Mandy was available by email or phone and was always very quick and helpful with her responses to my questions.
The actual day of the wedding, the staff was absolutely great. They were always there to pour wine or attend to a guests needs. We had a port and cigar bar at our wedding and somehow (minor detail haha) we forgot to purchase the port. The staff actually went to the store and purchased the port for us!
I could not have been more impressed by this catering company and would highly recommend them to any couple getting married!
Our food tasting at Elaine Bell with Richard was a wonderful experience. Before our tasting we got to look over sample menus and food choices and ways of serving such as buffet vs. seated meal. We told them ahead of time a few of the dishes we definitely wanted to try so we new ahead of time we were going to try things we already liked! The tasting went so well and we tried what we had wanted and some more great ideas they thought would be good choices too. We loved literally everything they brought out to us to try--it was all presented how it would be at the wedding so we knew how it would look for guests and it all tasted delicious. The food was JUST as we had seen at the tasting, thank goodness! As guests arrived for the ceremony there were bartenders with fresh lavender lemonade to handout to everyone. For the cocktail hour at our wedding we had some passed hors d'oeuvres such as mahogany duck on potato pancakes, mini sliders that actually fit in your mouth without being messy etc. as well as an oyster bar with a person to shuck them right on sight. There were also waitstaff passing silver platters of sparkling wine, white wine, and water for all the guests. I heard the oysters were a huge hit and all of the food was fully enjoyed. There was a perfect amount of waitstaff so no one waited in lines or felt like they had to search for food and drink. All our guests who have commented to us have said how well taken care of they felt at the wedding. For dinner, the food came out at a perfect temperature and even with 13 tables everyone was served at roughly the same time so no tables waited and waited for food. The guests had a choice of delicious halibut, black angus filet, or a curried vegetable dish that was so unique it made me a "non-vegeterian" order it for the my wedding meal! Every dish was beautifully presented, tasted divine, and big enough portions to fill up even our midwestern steak and potato guests. Oh and the started salad was fresh and not drowning in dressing even in the warm June evening of an outside wedding--how did they do that?! Finally alongside our cake from another vendor Elaine Bell had freshly fried beignets for our guests to go with the groom's father's side from New Orleans. They were apparently thoroughly enjoyed and my maid of honor said there was nothings but a million black plates covered in powdered sugar leftover. The service and food were top-notch. While a bit on the expensive side, that's really because we added a lot of our own requests such as an oyster bar and beignets. What a wonderful catering company. TOP QUALITY!
I had lots of compliments on the food. My guests were impressed and liked everything. Thank you to the attentive staff.
The communication and help leading up to our wedding day was wonderful. But the service on the actual day, we expected more than what we received. The food was wonderful but the service was a little scattered. Our DJ had to ask for servers to bring my husband and I appetizers and drinks and despite having a fool proof name place tag with meal choices in large print, some people still were served incorrect meals. We were also promised a picnic basket with food to take with us at the end of the night. This ended up being 4 crackers with a small roll of cheese and one apple. Not necessarily what you would expect for 2 people to share after their wedding.
The food was *so* good. It's a bit pricey, but I think it's worth it after trying two other caterers whose food just did not come close to the same quality as EBC.
We cant say enough about our caterer, Elaine Bell and our contact Rachel. They were very helpful from day one - going above and beyond as we actually had them selected before our location was finalized. They had a great menu filled with modern and sophisticated items that were impressive visually and taste-wise. Our wedding was outdoors and every single guest that chose the filet has commented on how they were cooked to perfection and possibly the best they had ever had!
The food was by far the best I have ever had a wedding...I ate both our beef and veggie entree! Service was fantastic as well.
Amazing food at my wedding!!
Paella
Mini desserts
Passed hors'd ouvres
Such great service and excellent food!
How often do you go to a wedding where people actually REALLY enjoy the food! We got SO many compliments on how good the food was, and that it came out very timely (everyone got their food at the same time). I had to go through 3 different contacts at the catering company, all due to personal issues of the Elaine Bell staff, and sometimes had to request things a couple of times, but in the end it all was great, and was everything I could have dreamed of.
My fiance and I met each other in Culinary School in San Francisco, & I am a catering chef! So needless to say, the caterer was our most important decision. We shopped around and narrowed it down to 3 caterers. Elaine Bell's proposal though was exactly what we were looking for and the best value. They are a large catering company located in the Napa Valley with 30 years of experience. We were truely won over when we visted their facility for our tasting. We were greeted warmly by our Event Sales Manager Susan and were treated to a 4 person tasting of our entire menu (5 passed apps, 2 meat entrees, 3 side dishes). Elaine (the owner) also stepped out of the kitchen to meet with us, and then offered us a tour of her facility. Their Kitchen is Amazing! Our reception was held at a private residence that we rented, so Elaine Bell provided all the dishes, glassware, flateware, service staff, bar tenders, etc. They also brought all of their own kitchen equipment to cook everything on site, and this made all the difference in the quality of the food. We had passed apps during our cocktail hour (highly reccomend the cauliflower panna cotta), and then a family style meal. The most important thing to us was that the menu was local & seasonal, giving our guests the true experience of Bay Area cuisine. We had the Beet Salad, Chestnut Quinoa, Ratatouille, Mohogany Cedar Salmon, and the Braised Short Rib - all were exceptional (especially the slow smoked Short Rib). Many guests told me it was the best meal they have ever had at a wedding. The service staff was very professional and courteous. We highly reccomend Elaine Bell Catering!
Catering is a make it or break it at a wedding - people won't remember the specific food they ate years from now but they'll remember the overall service, ambiance and whether it was good - it's a key part of the overall picture. Elaine Bell was the 1st catering tasting we went to and although you can't go wrong with any of the Napa Valley caterers, EBC stood out from the very beginning and no one was able to quite reach their standard. While their price point was a bit higher, it was worth every penny since on the wedding day, their presentation, service and professionalism were impecable. We worked with Susan who was simply amazing and the most responsive contact we had from the caterers, and even met with and spoke to Elaine Bell on multiple occasions - she was always available to us. While touring around the Napa Valley area, many locals advised us to hire Elaine Bell because she is second to none. People were practically diving for the ahi tuna cones and mini burger and fries at the reception, we'll never forget it!
Having worked in fine dining and catering for my entire career in Los Angeles- my expectations were extremely high. Elaine Bell and her team delivered in every possible way.
From my first call with Jackie, I knew she was special. We were able to customize our menu, conduct a tasting, and much to our surprise, the food was even BETTER at the wedding! We had about 150 guests from all different backgrounds, and everyone was raving about the food.
The professionalism of the staff at the wedding was so appreciated. I added additional staff to ensure we had 5-star service, and we did! They sent a picnic back-pack for us after the wedding with some items from our menu, wine, and chocolate truffles which was so appreciated after not having the opportunity to eat much at our wedding.
It was perfect in every way- thank you Elaine and Jackie!
Our Wedding Coordinator tried to warn us, but we chose not to listen because EBC made everything sound like such a sweet deal - and all I can say is I'm so glad that every other aspect of our wedding was absolutely perfect so their failure isn’t all I think about! I know people are looking for specific examples, but I am not comfortable listing out everything.
With that said, I am willing to share the biggest fail on their part. The EBC Coordinator was so late without any communication, that my Wedding Coordinator was unable to concentrate on what we hired her take of, and my mother-in-law had to leave me while getting ready in order to step in and help set up all the tables and organize the EBC staff. This set the tone for the rest of the day for my mother-in-law and she had a very difficult time enjoying herself at her own son’s wedding. My photographer even captured a few golden moments of my mother-in-law carrying a full trash bag during the EBC clean-up.
We really wanted to love EBC, but their actions followed by their unapologetic response to all of our complaints have made it too difficult to recommend their services or give them a positive review.
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776 Technology Way, Napa, CA | Sonoma, Napa, San Francisco Bay Area
Elaine Bell Catering
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