Cuisine: Creative Starters & Entrees

Creative Cuisine Ideas for Your Wedding Day Feast. Dining at weddings these days has evolved beyond a traditional sit down of filet mignon

Creative Cuisine Ideas for Your Wedding Day Feast

Dining at weddings these days has evolved beyond a traditional sit down of filet mignon or wild salmon dressed up in fancy sauces. Brides and grooms have been thinking out of the box with trends such as street food, mini appetizers, farm-to-table tapas, uniquely themed buffets, Willy Wonka-esque candy bars, and playful yogurt stations.

We spoke to San Diego’s top caterers to find out the latest creative cuisine that you can integrate into your wedding feast.

Gourmet Jello Shots

Gourmet Jello Shots
“Jelly shots are a wonderfully fun choice for a wedding reception. Presented in an appetizer spoon or on a tiny bamboo pick, a cocktail-themed jelly shot can be as elegant or whimsical as you wish. And what an ice breaker!” says Michelle Palm of the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen. Check out her book for gorgeous gourmet jelly shot ideas.

Mini Appetizers
“Everyone wants a personalized and custom feel to their food. The cuisine we have been making is more intimate rather than big-themed dinners. We do farm-to- table short plates and amuse bouche-style dishes like a miniature spoon of mashed potatoes, braised short ribs, and microgreens; little shots of ceviche in a cucumber bouche or skewers with fresh feta cheese, olives and mint leaves. We also serve mini chicken pot pies, and bacon waffles with fried sage chicken.” – Orsika Barabas, the caterer at the French Gourmet.

Rustic Down-Home Themes
“We see brides leaning more towards rustic, family-style themes. We worked on a gorgeous wedding at a private barn in Encinitas and the bride and groom wanted breakfast for dinner. The tray-passed hors d’oeuvres and each course of the plated meal took them back to the morning of their wedding day. We even poured mimosas for the toast. We’ve also had several brides ask their loved ones to bake homemade pies and cakes to enjoy instead of a traditional wedding cake. Wild Thyme is all about these warm, special touches!” – Megan Schulte, The Wild Thyme Company Catering & Events.

Be Adventurous /Embrace Epicurean Adventure
“We suggest spins on the seated dinner that can add a much-needed “oomph” to the party. Brides are embracing more casual “loose and uncontrived” feels. The best parties are the ones that go for it. To that end, we suggest tasting bars, mixology, and foodology. I think every “party” should have a theme, so be comprehensive and have a plan. If you love North African cuisine, do it! Recently, we set up Izakaya Bars, Robata grills and Yakitori for a full on Japanese “experience.” Guests love tastes of things–it keeps it new and adventurous,” – Andrew Spurgin of Campine.

Creative Presentation
“Good things really do come in small packages, and sometimes these packages come in the shape of mini mason jars or shot glasses. With vintage-themed weddings quickly becoming all the rage, out-of-the-box (or should we say out-of-the-plate) food presentation is becoming paramount. We’ve been known to present our most popular salads in mason jars ready to be shaken before being enjoyed. And we can’t forget the ever-popular garlic shrimp served in a shot glass with a roasted poblano sauce. Continental catering has been serving up layered pies and mousses in mason jars too.” – Johanna Baena of Continental Catering.

Gastrotrucks & Street Food
“Food trucks are perfect for those couples who want to offer their guests a fun, unique, and interactive dining experience. Our MIHO Gastrotruck uses fresh, local, and thoughtfully sourced ingredients to create handcrafted food. A classic Mexican theme fiesta is very popular right now. We show up with the truck and set up a Salsa Bar & Taco Bar with all the fixings. Our All-American BBQ menu is the go-to choice for many with a burger bar station with Belgian-style fries, handmade sauces, locally sourced salad, and a mac-n-cheese bar. We recently did a late night menu that encompassed the cities where the couple had lived, so we did a Philly cheesesteak, Chicago-style hot dog, Belgian-style fries, and fish tacos.” – Juan Miron of Miho Gastrotruck