Emergency at the Ranch? Call in the Catering Cavalry

All photo credits: Elisha Braithwaite

A few days before their annual fundraising event this July, TAG Ranch called to ask if Culinary Crafts could fill in for their caterer who had fallen through. As long-time supporters of TAG Ranch and the important work they do, we were delighted to say, “Of course we can help! We’ll figure it out.”

The result was “Cowboys with Heart,” a beautiful evening of Western horsemanship, generous philanthropy, and elevated hospitality.

What Is “Cowboys with Heart”?

Cowboys with Heart is the signature fundraising event at TAG Ranch in Hoytsville, Utah, about 10 miles northeast of Park City. Its purpose is to raise money for the ranch’s youth programs, particularly its camps. The proceeds of the evening create opportunities for children who might otherwise not be able to attend those programs.

The evening proved to be an immersive Western evening of storytelling, live music, whiskey tasting, a curated dinner, and a live auction. But the real heart of the evening was the kids who will benefit from it all.

What Does TAG Ranch Do?

At its core, TAG Ranch’s mission is to give young people safe, educational, life-enhancing experiences in the environment of a working ranch. When kids are in nature, mentored and encouraged, taught skills and trusted with responsibilities, then good things happen!

Working with horses especially can teach kids things that are difficult to learn in a classroom, including responsibility, patience, confidence, communication, leadership, compassion, and trust.

TAG Ranch does a tremendous job of creating meaningful experiences for young people. Culinary Crafts is honored and delighted to help support such a worthy cause.

Call in the Catering Cavalry!

Putting together a high-end social event for 130+ guests in just five days is no small undertaking. But it’s exactly the kind of creative challenge our team is up for.

Within an hour of receiving the distress call, our Production, Scheduling, Staffing, and Kitchen had all come together to make sure we could handle TAG’s request. We sent a proposal to Mary Lee (Founder and Executive Director of TAG), and once we had her approval, we went to work.

Our chefs and bakers came up with a Western-themed menu using fresh, local ingredients—classy, yet unpretentious. It started off with butler-passed hors d’oeuvres: fresh mozzarella skewers with peaches and basil, bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese crema, and petite ahi tuna tostada with avocado and fried leeks.

The formal plated dinner included a buckwheat and arugula salad with feta, roasted grapes, and toasted almonds. Ancho- and coffee-rubbed short ribs were accompanied by rosemary garlic roasted potatoes and roasted heirloom carrots with bourbon glaze. And, for dessert, lemon pavlova, blueberry compote, and cream with lemon zest.

But the food was only part of the story. Even with our dedicated and talented team, we wouldn’t be able to pull off a last-minute save like this without the help of some outstanding fellow vendors. The amazing people at Diamond Event and Tent came through in a big way, providing all the glassware, flatware, and other rentals we needed on extremely short notice. The event turned out to be an immersive Western evening featured expert horsemanship, live music, rare whiskey tastings, a live auction, and a curated culinary experience.

Culinary Crafts and TAG Ranch

We began working with TAG Ranch over a decade ago, when they were just getting on their feet. After catering a few events there and getting to know Mary Lee and her crew, we quickly realized that TAG Ranch was more than another beautiful wedding and event venue.

TAG (which stands for “The Authentic Generation”) is essentially a place where young people can unplug from technology, experience a working ranch, care for animals, work together, and develop confidence and other critical traits. Having helped more than 1,300 young campers to date, the ranch offers horsemanship, caring for animals, roping, creative projects and other hands-on experiences.
A perennial favorite activity with the young people—which was also a favorite with the adult guests—is using hot fire irons to “brand” wood or leather products.

Why Horses and Hospitality Matter

Why are we willing to scramble and move minor mountains when TAG Ranch calls? It’s not just because we love working with the wonderful people at TAG (although we do). It’s also because we’ve seen the lasting impact TAG has on young lives. In fact, what TAG does with horses and what Culinary Crafts does with hospitality are rooted in the same belief: that meaningful experiences can change people.

At TAG Ranch, those experiences happen in the saddle, in the pasture, around a campfire, and alongside mentors who teach young people to trust themselves and take responsibility for something bigger than themselves. A horse can teach patience. It can teach confidence and respect. It can teach a child to communicate without words, to stay calm when things don’t go according to plan, and to try again when the first attempt doesn’t work. That’s why we’re proud to support Cowboys with Heart and the work TAG Ranch is doing for young people. They create opportunities for kids to learn, grow, discover their capabilities, and experience the kind of connection that can stay with them for years.

At Culinary Crafts, we may not work with a lot of horses, but we too are in the business of creating experiences, connection, safety, and growth. Food and hospitality have a remarkable ability to bring people together. A beautifully prepared meal, a thoughtful detail, a warm welcome, or a moment shared around a table can turn an event into something people remember long after the last plate has been cleared.

So when TAG Ranch calls, we’re happy to answer.

And sometimes, when the call comes just a few days before a big event, hospitality means simply saying, “Of course we can help. We’ll figure it out.”