Evolution

2010 was a year where Artisanal Palate Catering was trying to grow our brand and connect with past clients. Needless to say this was not as successful as we wanted. We made a lot of changes at the end of the year, creating a new website, business mentors and cutting the dead weight. We now have the team and business we want. Our evolution has been steady until this year where we plan on coming hard and fast out of the gate.

Starting January 7th, 2010 Artisanal Palate will have our Online Store going. So you will now be able to purchase food, food packages, tickets, local products and much more. Our Passion Experiments : An Evening of Passion was released New Years day and we look forward to releasing our other Dinner Series.

2011 will be Artisanal Palate's year so come find out what is going on in Niagara at NiagaraCatering.ca. Find out what AP plans on doing to change the landscape of the local Niagara culinary scene. Most of all let's have some fun, in 2011 rediscover the passion at your table.

Discover Artisanal Palate Catering

An Evening of Passion

After 5 years The Passion Experiments are finally here and ready to roll February 11th in Niagara on the Lake. This one of a kind dinner series combines food and relationships with each stage coinciding with a stage in a relationship. This large public event is the kick off to what will be an adventurous year for Artisanal Palate as we finally bring our various Dinner Series to the Region.

Click Here for more details:
www.niagaracatering.ca/events/an-evening-of-passion

Looking Back on 2010

I remember growing up and always hearing "you cant know where you are going if you don't know where you have been". Now I have no clue who said it first but it has kind of been a motto for me and the business. I think it is important for all of us to make ourselves better in our work and in our life. So in 2010 I set out some goals that I wanted to accomplish and looking back I am happy with all the mistakes, successes and what I learned from them.

I am very proud of the growth that Artisanal Palate saw this year and bringing my passion to thousands of people with my food. My biggest goal was to get a satellite with a winery and that was completed with Konzelmann. The patio was the most successful the winery has ever seen and was actually 40% locals every weekend which made me very happy. To have locals come out every week is very satisfying, especially when they join the Winemaker Dinner that I do with Eric Pearson and Herbert Konzelmann. Sometimes I would see the same people 3 times a week!

The website was a nightmare this year putting its completion in the wrong hands until meeting Ricardo Macrae who has fixed the back ground issues that I was having. I learned that I need to be on top of things a lot more and cut ties earlier with those not doing work to my standards. I am so happy with the website now and all the work that went into getting it up and the continued work to bring you the best of Artisanal Palate and the great region of Niagara.

The biggest lesson that I learned this year was to follow up. I met so many great people this year that have helped as mentors through the St.Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and the Niagara Business Group. Sales have been my weakest point and it has been talking with these experienced business men and women that will make the difference for year 3.

I have learned how to spend my money smarter and stretch it farther than I was ever able to before. I still made a lot of mistakes and one massive one that lost me $3000. I figure that I learned from that mistake and hopefully others can learn from mistakes that I have made. The moral of that story is really really educate yourself on the businesses you give your money to. This business was not one that I should of....it happens.

So after 20 months and the 2nd January of this business's young life I see a lot of positives. I am working hard on establishing more contracts and developing great dinner series. The Passion Experiments will start February 11th and things are being worked out for a Winemaker and Farmer Series. I know looking back it has been a tough 2010 where money was short and it took a lot of work to grow even an inch. With all that hard work now bringing a smile to all my clients and new ones every month I am looking forward to 2011.

With so many great things ahead I hope that you all can grow whether in business or personally. Keep checking in at NiagaraCatering.ca and remember that if you have any food needs or questions, I am available. I am hear to help you as much as run a busniess, so from me to you ....I hope you to can top your best in 2011.

Slainte my friends in apron

Iron Chef

Artisanal Palate will be putting our skills to the test in a competition for charity. Information on actual dates and times will be coming soon. You can also contact Johnny Roccos for more information. (905-358-0004)

My Health Challenge

So 5 months after another devastating knee injury and a gained 15lbs as a result, I have started a health challenge with friends and any other people foolish enough to take part.

So what is the challenge?

For the next 3 months including Christmas and New Years there will be no beer, no junk or processed foods. The goal is to lose the 15lbs and probably 6% body fat I gained by not being able to train.

I was asked by 20 different people why I would do something like this and especially this time of year. Well for someone who preaches good healthy food, I usually don't make that same good food for myself. So my diet has been notoriously horrible containing mostly of pastas and lacking in proper amounts of proteins and vegetables. The result is fatigue and the inability to concentrate. So after months of not being able to train I am getting back into it with the help of everyone that is taking part in the challenge.

So what is the result going to be?

Loss of weight, more energy, more strength and forcing myself to create more ideas that will end up under recipes on the site (http://www.niagaracatering.ca/).

So be creative, toss out all that crappy junk and processed food. Have some fun in the kitchen and create healthy meals that will save you a lot more in the end.

Good Luck!

3 months: end date Feb 28th, 2011

Limits: no beer, no junk food, no processed foods
Training: Minimum 30 minutes a day

The Power of Food

Last night I experienced something that I have not seen or been apart of in a long time. As I get older and my friends get married, have kids or just out right busy I realize that we only get together once in a blue moon. By the power of Twitter I was invited to a party called "Meatluck". Now I am sure that by the name of the event you can figure out what was going on..in short. A buffet of pork, duck, offal and vegetables.....even horse tenderloin. Yes that is right I said horse...Mr. Ed right there on a platter. You see what amazes me about food is not only its taste and endless possibilities but the conversation and friendship that it starts.

You see for years I would put on massive feasts for my friends to enjoy. We never needed the keg or rowdy party of our parents stolen liquor, just food and laughs. To walk into this room of 30+ people laughing drinking wine and sharing food reminds me why I love it so much.

I have started to learn the power of Twitter and how it can connect so many people with the same interests. In essence really it was like the eharmony of foodies last night. To put faces to the tags that I follow and people that follow me was interesting. It made for some great conversation.

If nothing else is that not what food is....a vehicle for conversation. A way to put us at ease and a way to welcome new people into our lives. My goal is to bring passion back to the table but maybe it can just be as simple as getting more like minded people together and hopefully others will catch on.

Happy eating, Slainte

Patience has run out

Well I originally wanted to wait until the new site www.niagaracatering.ca was able to connect all of my blog but I felt like starting to bring some of the stories and revelations that have been going on. I have waited very patiently for people to help out with the site and have cut ties with a few businesses and people that said they would help finish it off. I have contacted someone new so hopefully everything I want done to bring you the best culinary site dedicated to Niagara Cuisine will be completed soon.

So while I talk with this new business on completing this task I will start bringing you some of the food stories that have been worked on over the weeks. We have a lot going on and I am looking forward to bringing it to the community.

Slainte and keep cooking,

Shawn