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All photos by Jake Anderson.
Best Wedding of the Year
This gorgeous event, held at the spectacular 4-U Ranch in Peoa, Utah, won the 2024 CATIE trophy for “Best Wedding of the Year.” In case you’re not familiar with the CATIEs, they are the highest awards in the catering industry. Judged by the International Caterers Association, the CATIEs recognize the best work done by caterers worldwide each year.
We’re delighted that Culinary Crafts was the only caterer in the world to win multiple CATIE trophies in 2024!
An Italian-American Celebration
Anna and Nick were a total delight to work with! Both of them were avid foodies, and they had a clear vision of what they wanted for their food. They asked us to create a feast that highlighted their love of fine food, their families’ Mediterranean heritage, and their shared American history. Since they were going to fly in their large, Italian families to Utah, they wanted the food to be a focal point of the celebration, a way to bring their Italian and American guests together and get them talking and connecting.
We loved that they were just as passionate and exacting about the food as we were. “Breaking bread together” is the perfect way to unite people, overcome barriers, and celebrate the formation of new bonds.
After multiple tastings and revisions, we created a menu that matched the couple’s dream.
The Venue
The picturesque 4-U Ranch was the perfect setting to welcome Anna’s and Nick’s European guests to Utah! Set on the bank of the beautiful Weber River, 4-U rests in the shadow of a majestic Wasatch mountain. With its open horse pastures, towering cottonwoods, and gently-flowing river, 4-U offers a uniquely Western experience.
The Food
Highlighting fresh, locally-sourced Utah ingredients, the menu featured American favorites alongside Old World specialties. Hors d’oeuvres included pan seared sea scallops glazed with almond caper butter, fried squash blossoms, and savory parmesan macarons with candied sage, served with our house-made Italian lemon thyme gelato.
Our bartenders developed four signature cocktails designed to highlight garden-fresh flavors found in Mediterranean spirits as well as traditional American cocktails. Each beverage (with an alcohol-free “mocktail” option) was a work of art with a perfect blend of flavors.
A “gram worthy” attraction was the stylish charcuterie served from the bed of 4-U’s adorable vintage truck: Creminelli genoa salami, prosciutto, mortadella, local honeycomb, Utah cheeses, fruits, olives, tapenades, and so much more!
Dinner started with a roasted beet salad with blood orange, burrata, and pistachios with honey citrus vinaigrette. That was followed by our house-made loaded focaccia breadsticks and black truffle and ricotta malfatti.
At last, it was time for the star of the meal. The pièce de resistance was based on the bride’s favorite dish from her best-loved American restaurant, Spencer in Ann Arbor. Starting with Spencer’s roasted chicken and lemon preserves recipe, our chefs added kalamata olive relish and sun-dried tomatoes for a splash of color and flavor. Served side-by-side with rosemary-stuffed branzino baked fresh in our wood-fired ovens, they were a fitting and delicious marriage of two cultures.
“We lost count of the number of guests who told us that the dining experience was the best they had ever had at a wedding. The food was fantastic, the service and operations blew us away, and we would 100% recommend Culinary Crafts to any food-obsessed couples. Most importantly, they are willing to take feedback and work with clients throughout the entire process to ensure complete satisfaction.”Anna — bride
Shout out to our excellent fellow vendors who helped create the Best Wedding of the Year!
- Planner: @anntravisevents
- Venue: @4uranchevents
- Photographer: @jakeandersonphoto
- Linens: @bbjlatavola
- Florist: @carpediemfloral
- Rentals: @allouteventrental
