- 407.629.7833
- 813.712.7833
- 866.849.0805
- Orlando
- Tampa
- Toll Free
Call Us
Real Events | TSE Gala | Restaurant 20.12
Real Events | Pepin Distributing Awards & Recognition Banquet | T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre
Real Events | Justin’s Barnyard Bash! | Private Residence
Real Events | MD 20/20 | Melissa’s 40th Birthday | Puff ‘n Stuff Catering Commissary
Today we are featuring an event so big, it took over part of Downtown Tampa! The Special Event Gala Awards have been held every year since 1986 to honor the biggest stars in the special events industry. This year, a team led by Mark Wells of Hello Florida took The Special Event to the next level with “Restaurant 20.12.” The event team, including Puff ‘n Stuff Catering, worked together to concept and design an evening centered around unique and fresh cuisine served in a fully-functioning “pop-up” restaurant. Preparation for the event included setting up development plans with the City of Tampa, and working with some great vendors to construct Restaurant 20.12 in Cotanchobee Fort Brook Park adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center. This completely unique and temporary venue was a two-story enclosed tent that housed two kitchens, a stage for the band, as well as accommodations for 580 guests. The interior of Restaurant 20.12 showcased chic decor, beautiful floral arrangements, cool lighting, very modern tables and chairs, and amazing talents that entertained the guests from the center stage.
Catering to the special events industry is no small order, and Puff ‘n Stuff Catering provided five courses with multiple table-side selections for guests to indulge in! Superb plates on the restaurant menu included Classic Cioppino Fresh Seafood Stew, Sweet Pumpkin Ravioli, and Wild Mushroom Rissotto with a Roasted Marrow Bone, just to name a few. After the entrees, upscale cheese plates were served to tables followed by a delicious Maker’s Mark cake for dessert!
The Special Event Gala Awards was an exciting and successful event, and it took seven full days to build the restaurant and bring everything together! Throughout the night, guests were treated to live music performances, exotic dancing, and some truly uncommon spectacles…this night would have made the Rat Pack glad to attend! Scroll below to see some pictures from the night, the full menu, and an exciting video chronicling the steps that made Restaurant 20.12 come to life!
Amuse Bouche
Mediterranean Sampler Hummus, Cucumber Raita and Greek olives, with crisp pita chips and flat bread crackers
Savory Marcona Almonds
Course I: Butler Passed Hors D’oevres
Cognac and Brown Butter Seared Foie Gras Served atop a Foccacia Crsip, Brandied Apricot butter, and a candied nut garnish
Pepper Berry Crusted Baby Lamb Chops with crimson reduction and seasonal micro greens
Leek Cheesecake on a Cracker Spoon Savory Leek Cheesecake with arugula pesto, carmelized onions, sweet grape tomato and served on a pesto cracker spoon
Seared Ahi on green papaya salad
Course II: Small Plates
A Study in Heirlooms Chef’s garden wedge heirloom tomato, sun gold, snow white and sugar snack baby heirlooms, Australian Murray River flake salt, micro basil, Piccardo & Savore unfiltered EVOO and B. R. Cohn 12 year white balsamic with basil foam.
Seafood Marriage a scallop and salmon stack, eloquently combined and served with a white balsamic glaze, epic mache greens salad, and citrus supremes
Noodle Bowl Miso sarachi broth, Thai Chicken, bean thread noodles, snow peas, scallions, enoki, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, napa, bok choy and bean sprouts
Wild Mushroom Rissotto with a roasted marrow bone
Course III: Entree
Lamb Three Ways – Osso bucco with fried arugula; ragu over polenta; seared loin with cherry demi and mustard greens
Sweet Pumpkin Ravioli in sage brown butter with candied brussel sprouts, oyster mushrooms, and crushed candied nuts
Classic Cioppino Fresh Seafood Stew with Scallop, Clams, Mussels, and white fish in a saffron seafood brodo with herbed orzo served with a grilled crostini
Coffee and Chili Rubbed Sliced Black Angus Cowboy Steak served with shallot butter and accompanied by creamed spinach and Yukon gold smashed potatoes
Cheese Course
Cheese Presentation France: Billat Savarin & Morbier, Italy: Telaggio accompanied by
wild strawberry and balsamic jam, green tomato relish, natural honeycomb, fresh mission figs, medjool dates, cheese sticks, crackers and flat breads
Dessert
The Cake Makers Mark Chocolate, walnut, and brown sugar crust topped with bourbon soaked genoise cake and Kentucky bourbon caramel sauce
Event Credits:
Caterer: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering
Angela Beasley’s Puppet People
Dazian Creative Fabric Environments
Dorene Collier’s Event Show Productions
Hertz Energy Services/ Hertz Entertainment
Island Breeze Affiliates, Inc.
MK Shannon Awards and Rewards, Inc.
Panache a Classic Party Rental Company
Real Events | Pepin Distributing Awards & Recognition Banquet | T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre
Ahoy Maties! Today we are featuring the Pepin Distributing Awards & Recognition Banquet that took place at the spectacular TPepin’s Hospitality Centre in Tampa. On January 14, Pepin Distributing set a new standard for employee appreciation events with this lively and festive Pirate themed celebration! All hands were on deck to enjoy fun games like hermit crab racing, and guests couldn’t wait to plunder in all the pirate themed interactive entertainment including face painting/scars, a photobooth, green screens & TV’s, and of course Video DJ entertainment.
In honor of this grand awards & recognition program, a delicious Grand International Buffet fit for a Captain was served by the Puff ‘n Stuff Catering team. And shiver me timbers, the buffet was amazing! The three-foot pineapple centerpiece with fresh fruit was surrounded by pirate favorites such as roasted chicken & mango salad, glazed & grilled margarita mahi mahi, Jerk crushed boneless prime rib, Mojito mashed sweet potatoes, and more crew favorites.
By the end of the night, the entire crew was cheerfully singing “Yo Ho Ho” from the Black Beard Lounge! The giant pirate ship outside was a huge hit, and the entire crew posed for pictures to remember this phenomenal night. Scroll below to see some scenes from the night along with the full menu from the Grand International Buffet!
Grand International Buffet
Imported & Domestic Cheese Display cheddar, provolone, Swiss Havarti, bleu, Muenster, jalapeno & Chef’s choice artisanal cheese wedges served with crisp gourmet crackers & garnished with fresh fruits
Three-Foot Pineapple Palm Tree Centerpiece with Seasonal Fruit surrounded by mounds of colorful whole & sliced fresh seasonal fruits
Cuban Black Bean Soup topped with creme fraiche
Conch Chowder
Homestead Mixed Green Salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers & purple onions with a Orange vinaigrette
Roasted Chicken & Mango Salad with a Key Lime vinaigrette
Char-Grilled Pineapple with cilantro & black pepper
Hurricane Chicken Breast with Rum sauce
Glazed & Grilled Margarita Mahi Mahi with lime, tomato, garlic & a margarita glaze
Cuban Roast Pork Chef carved and marinated in dark rum, slow roasted & served with pico de gallo
Jerk Crushed Boneless Prime Rib of Beef Chef attended & served with fresh baked silver dollar rolls & horseradish cream
Cajun Fettuccine Alfredo with crawfish, shrimp & Andouille sausage
Havana Black Beans
Cuban Yellow Rice
Mojito Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Honey Grilled Market Vegetables
Sweet Plantains
Freshly Baked Assorted Rolls offered with butter
Corn Bread
Chef Attended Late Night Breakfast
Shrimp a la Pepino
Pancake Station with choices of fresh fruit, chocolate chis, syrup & whipped cream
Omelet Station
Crisp Applewood Smoked Bacon
Breakfast Sausage Links
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Cheese
Traditional Coffee Station
Dessert Station
Key Lime Pie
Chocolate Ganache Cake
Coconut Cake
Banana Rum Cake
Event Credits:
Venue: T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre
Catering: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering, Nicole Briggs
Decor: Extravaganza!
Decor: M6FX
Real Events | Justin’s Barnyard Bash! | Private Residence
Justin turned two, and to celebrate his mother organized this amazing themed birthday party! Justin’s birthday had everything a two-year old could ever want – a petting zoo, balloon maker, a swimming pool, and a birthday buffet of his dreams. And to ensure everyone had something to enjoy, this shindig featured two buffets: one for the kids and one for the adults.
The kids feasted on their favorites such as animal-shaped grilled cheese’s sandwiches; and the adult’s had their own decadent buffet with goat cheese lollipops, farmer’s bread bowls, pulled pork sliders, and racks of succulent BBQ ribs. In keeping with the theme, the food was displayed in a barnyard style! The fresh seasonal fruit salad was served in an adorable watermelon bowl carved as a pig, food was served out of pails and baskets, and to top it off they even drank out of boot shaped glasses! Justin loved his Barnyard Birthday cake with mini animal cupcakes, and a pasture of cake pop cows and chickens in wheat grass. Look below for more barnyard fun!
Justin turns 2 from VHVIDEO.COM
Children’s Buffet
Fresh Corn on the Cob with drawn butter
Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad tossed in mango dressing and displayed in a watermelon bowl carved out like a pig
Large Corn Dogs served with mustard dipping sauce
Sweet Potato Fries presented in mini pales and placed around the table
Chicken Tender Strips served with honey mustard dipping sauce
Traditional Grilled Cheese cut in shapes of farm animals
Adult’s Buffet
Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad tossed in mango dressing and displayed in a watermelon bowl carved out like a pig
Chicken in the Egg deviled eggs filled with spicy southern fried chicken
Farmer’s Bread Bowl fresh seasonal vegetables accompanied by chilled Mediterranean spinach dip & presented in a large bread round with artisan bread cubes
Goat Cheese Lollipops whipped goat cheese mixed with mascarpone, sun-dried tomatoes & seasonings then coated with toasted almond & pistachio nuts
Sweet Potato Fries presented in larger pales
Mini Pulled Pork Slider with pico de gallo, Monterrey jack & sliced avocado on a Hawaiian roll
Racks of Succulent BBQ Pork Ribs with zesty sauce
Dessert Station
Cake Pops decorated like chicken & pigs displayed on trays of wheat grass
Barnyard Cake
Event Credits:
Catering: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering, Special Event Planner Lauren Balden
Event Planner: Table 6 Productions
Cake:Cakes by Nomeda
The Lighting and Decor:ConceptBAIT
Photographers: Gina Leigh Photography
Videographers: VHVIDEO.COM
Entertainment: Petting Zoo and Cowgirl Balloon Artist provided by Blair Entertainment
Real Events | MD 20/20 | Melissa’s 40th Birthday | Puff ‘n Stuff Catering Commissary
Lights, entertainment, and action! MD 20/20 was a celebration like none other that filled the Puff ‘n Stuff Catering Commissary with gold and white glamour. For this elegant birthday party, our team transformed a large commercial kitchen into an elaborate, private chef’s dining experience for 60, and decked out a quiet storage space into a vivacious nightclub for this star-studded event.
Starting off with floor-to-ceiling draping and adding in exquisite elements such as elegant Chiavari chairs and lounge furniture, gorgeous crystal candle sticks and table accents, all the way down to the details such as pearl bracelets as napkin rings – Melissa’s 20th anniversary of her 20th birthday was quite stunning!
The transformation involved a dazzling culinary show where the cuisine was the artwork, and the drinks were delicately crafted as well. Upon their grand entrance, guests were welcomed with champagne, in addition to a full bar featuring our Dragon Berry Mojito – a stunning concoction of fresh fruit & Dragon Berry rum garnished with fresh fruit. Every piece of the show was well executed to perfection from the butler passed d’oeuvres to The Cake Makers Mark dessert.
Once the culinary show had simmered down, after dinner snacks were passed to add to the next big hit of the night – the entertainment, featuring the birthday gal’s favorite things. Tables of fun items, nightclub lighting, and a DJ spinning the music set the mood for a glamorous evening. There’s no doubt that MD 20/20 was an award winning celebration!
Night at the Commissary from VHVIDEO.COM on Vimeo.
Hors d’Oeuvres
Potato Crisp Napoleon with red onion marmalade & Meyer lemon creme fraiche
Beet Cured Salmon Carpaccio & Fruit Summer Roll with a spicy cilantro-lime sauce
Goat Cheese Stuffed Tempura Zucchini Blossom
King Crab Merus with grapefruit pearls, tangerine gastrique, and lemon grass foam
Pepperberry Crusted Lamb Chops with sweet potato curls, leeks & rich black cherry demi
Amuse Bouche
Yin Yang Crudo of Hamachi & Salmon with Nuoc Cham sauce, shiso & hackleback caviar
Paired with Schramsburg Blanc de Blanc
Salad
Study in Heirlooms garden wedge with heirloom tomato, sun gold, snow white and sugar snack baby
heirlooms, virtual egg, Australian Murray River flake salt, micro basil, Piccardo & Savore unfiltered e.v.o.o. & B. R. Cohn 12 year white balsamic dressing with basil foam
Freshly Baked Artisan Breads with Pulugra butter discs and flake salt
Paired with Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc
Plated Dinner
Pulugra Butter Poached Halibut atop Low-Carb-o-nara diver scallop stuffed zucchini blossom with fava bean puree,
served with saffron infused whipped potato and topped with a potato wafter & fried arugula
Paired with Laetitia Pinot Noir
Cheese Presentation
France Billat Savarin
Italy Telaggio
France Morbier
served with wild strawberry and balsamic jam, green tomato relish, natural honeycomb, fresh mission figs, & medjool dates
Paired with Chateau de Fesles Chelin Blanc
Dessert
The Cake Maker’s Mark bourbon soaked genoise cake in a chocolate walnut brown sugar crust & drizzled with Kentucky bourbon caramel sauce
Paired with Chateau de Fesles Chelin Blanc
After Dinner Snacks
White Truffle Popcorn
Mini Monte Cristo served with organic berry preserves and dusted with powder sugar
Gruyere Cheese Sticks
Bacon-Wrapped Potato Tot topped with sour cream and a chive
Event Credits:
Planner: Warren Dietel & Dione Bazile
Catering: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering
Photography: Chris Gillyard Photography
Video: VHVIDEO.COM
Venue: Puff ‘n Stuff Catering Commissary
Drape: Design Elements
Entertainment: White Rose Entertainment
Lighting: PTE Productions
Floral: Botanica International Design Studio
Linen: Party Tables
Furniture: AFR Event Furnishings
Chivari Chairs: Fun Factory Party Rentals
Photobooth: Absolute Amusements
