Catered by Design

06/02/2026

🍔 Father’s Day is only a couple weeks away! Why not treat your dad to a grilled summer feast? We have a grand array of grilled delights and plentiful platters to choose from to make his day awesome. Also, when you place the minimum order for delivery, you'll also get a sleeve of Catered by Design golf balls as a gift from us. Make his day extra special and place your order today! ⛳️

Hor d’oeuvres to desserts and everything in between. Delivered to your door and set up for easy events anytime.

05/28/2026

🥂 The Lavender Gin & Tonic is a simple, yet elegant cocktail known for its herbal notes while not being overpowering. The lavender simple syrup imbues a regular gin and tonic with a subtle floral essence that transforms a classic into a staple. Perfect for summer garden parties and upscale brunches, the Lavender Gin & Tonic pairs wonderfully with our Crème Brûlée French Toast and Raspberry Babka. Try this lovely libation for your upcoming summer event! Thank you to .thespirits for the cocktail inspiration!🪻

Ingredients:
🍸 2 oz Empress gin
🍸 ½ oz Lavender simple syrup
💧 Top with tonic water
🍋 Lemon slices, for garnish
🪻 Lavender buds, for garnish

🎬 Directions:
Add Empress gin and lavender simply syrup to a shaker over ice. Shake then pour mixture into a highball or collins glass. Top with tonic water. Garnish with lemon slices and lavender buds.

05/20/2026

🌆 We are so thankful to have been a part of ’s big open house yesterday! It was so lovely seeing everyone who stopped by ~ we hope each guest enjoyed each treat we had on display from our custom Wrought-Iron Wine Tree to our Skyline Transparent Wall. With stunning views and wonderful company, the afternoon was unforgettable! 🏙️

💕 Vendor Appreciation
📸 Headshots: Lisa Kay Creative |
🌇 Venue: Wrigley on the River |
📝 Planner: JPB DESIGNS + Emmanuelle Escandar |  &
🎀 Linen: Windy City Linen |
✨ Rentals: Bowery & Bash |
🎼 Entertainment: Vitality Band Chicago | @
📺 Décor: ACE Chicago Events |
💐 Florist: The Modern Orchid + Goldies Flowers & Gifts |  &
📲 Keepsakes + Photobooth: Bespoke Flipbooks |
🍽️ Catering: Us! 🫶

05/14/2026

🎓 Congratulations to the graduates of 2026! Celebrate your rising scholar with a delicious spread of platters, sliders, signature salads and so much more! Be it a brunch, a lunch, or a full out backyard bash for your graduate, we’ve got you covered on every front! Try our plentiful platters such as our Antipasto Spread or a Greek Charcuterie Board or one of our Around the Town Stations such as Sam’s Burger Stand! 🍔

Hor d’oeuvres to desserts and everything in between. Delivered to your door and set up for easy events anytime.

05/10/2026

🌹 Happy Mother’s Day to each and every mother out there! Thank you to those that placed an order with us this year ~ we hope you and your loved ones enjoy your meals and roses! We also want to say a large loving Happy Mother’s Day to every mother here at Catered by Design ~ we love and appreciate all that you are and all that you bring to Catered by Design every day! ❤️

05/07/2026

🍽️ Last week we had an amazing time at which was hosted again at .mfg ! We hope everyone enjoyed all of our curated bites such as our Peruvian Chicken Empanadas and Decadent Strawberry Shortcake Shooter. What a wonderful networking event! Thank you to for having us once again! 🌟

05/04/2026

💍 Congratulations to Dianna & Jon who tied the knot in April at ! Being a part of your vendor team was such an honor, and we hope you enjoyed every bit and every bite of your day! 💞
 
📸 Images in this post were taken by our Digital Media Specialist !
 
💕 Vendor Appreciation
📸 Photography: Emily Williams |  ~ We can’t wait to see her phenomenal images from D&J’s big day!!!
🌇 Venue: Wildman BT |
📝 Planner: Reverie & Co Events |
🎼 Entertainment: Steve Smooth |
🎀 Florist: Flowers for Dreams |
🍰 Bakery: ECBG Cake Studio |
🍽️ Catering: Us! 🫶

04/27/2026

🌿 Earth Month isn’t over just yet! Read our new blog about the tips we’ve shared throughout the month all in one place! From full-service events to delivery orders, find all the ways to make your catered experience one with sustainability at the forefront.

Thanks for staying tuned throughout the month for more sustainable catering tips! ♻️

04/23/2026

💍 We fall in love all over again each time we think of Carleigh & Daniel’s wedding day from last month! Each detail that made C&D’s big day spectacular is the work of the incredible event professional team assembled that love what they do! Wishing so much happiness to C&D ~ thank you for letting us be a part of your day! 💞

📸 Images in this post were taken by our Digital Media Specialist !

💕 Vendor Appreciation
📸 Photography: Once Like a Spark | | We can’t wait to see their incredible images from C&D’s big day!!!
🌇 Venue: Bridgeport Art Center Skyline Loft |
🍾 Beverage Services: VenueLogic |
📝 Planner: Ohana Events |
🎼 Entertainment: Toast & Jam |
🎀 Florist / Décor: Art of Imagination |
🍰 Bakery: Alliance Bakery |
🍽️ Catering: Us! 🫶

04/22/2026

🌿 Happy Earth Day, everyone! Earth day is a day to celebrate doing good for the environment, but we want to remind you that caring about the planet is always in-season! We are proud to be recognized as a 3-Star Green Caterer assessed by the . Catered by Design earned 211.26 GreenPoints™ under the Green Restaurant Association's rigorous standards in categories like water efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable food, and chemical and pollution reduction.

Thanks for staying tuned throughout the month for sustainable catering tips! ♻️

04/21/2026

🌿 This Earth Month, we are continuing to highlight a few tips to keep in mind when planning your sustainable catered event!

🌱 Our next tip revolves around portioning! We have notations regarding serving sizes on our delivery menu and pieces per guest on our full-service menus to help you properly portion your menu items to your guests' preferences. Ensuring a proper guest count for your event also helps prevent food waste at the end of your event! 🌱

Check back throughout the month for more sustainable catering tips! ♻️

04/14/2026

🌿 This Earth Month, we wanted to continue highlighting a few tips to keep in mind when planning your sustainable catered event!

🌱 Our next tip revolves around dinnerware and disposables! We recommend using china, flatware, and dinnerware for full-service events to reduce potential waste and our eco-friendly disposables events that require drop off catering! It’s the little things that go a long way to help make our planet healthier. 🌱

Check back throughout the month for more sustainable catering tips! ♻️

04/13/2026

💼 We are excited to announce that we are having a job fair! Catered by Design actively looking for servers, bartenders, and delivery drivers and want to get to know passionate and dedicated individuals looking for these roles. Stop by our commissary at 9204 Waukegan Road on Saturday, May 2nd from 10AM-1PM to say ‘hi’ and give us your resume in person. We look forward getting to meet everyone and hope to work together bringing events of all kinds to life! 🍽️

Love planning, creating, and supporting delicious menus and exceptional events? Join our Chicago catering company!

04/10/2026

🧀 Constructing gorgeous edible spreads like our Antipasto table for guests to indulge in is all a part of making your event shine. Our talented chefs are committed to their artistry when it comes to bringing your event to life through excellent cuisine and presentation. ✨

04/09/2026

🌹 Treat your mother with the tastiest ‘thank you’ this year with our curated Mother’s Day menu! With your order, you will receive a complementary rose with additional roses available for purchase. From brunch to lunch, we’ve got all your Mother’s Day needs covered! ❤️

Celebrate your mother with Catered By Design's Mother's Day catered brunch. Each order gets a complimentary rose for the special mom in your life.

04/07/2026

🌿 This Earth Month, we wanted to highlight a few tips to keep in mind when planning your sustainable catered event!

🌱 Our first tip revolves around seasonality! We advise you to work with your sales specialist to choose delicious dishes that utilize in-season and locally sourced ingredients. Also think about including vegetarian and vegan options in your menu as they have a smaller carbon footprint than meat options. 🌱

💞 We have selected a handful of fan-favorite dishes from across all of our menus for each season to showcase in this post! Let us know your favorite season!

Check back throughout the month for more sustainable catering tips! ♻️

04/05/2026

🐣 Happy Easter from the Catered by Design team! Thank you to everyone who placed an Easter order with us this year - we hope you’re hopping up and down with joy and that your day is filled with loved ones and laughter! 🥕

04/03/2026

🌿 April is the start of Earth Month ~ a whole month dedicated to celebrating eco-friendly practices and education both in daily life and business! Watch our tomatoes from our herb garden once again bloom throughout the month as we share with you sustainable partnerships and tips that you can use to make your next even as eco-friendly as it can be!

Our first tip / mention of the month is that if you are looking to give your wedding goodies another life, is back with their Spring Recyclery! This is a wonderful event for those wanting to sustainable sell their wedding decor and for newly engaged couples to peruse with the earth in mind to make their big day magical. ♻️

⏰ WHEN: Sunday, April 19th, 2025
📍 WHERE: Loft on Lake |

Ticket options for the Spring Recyclery:
💗 Early Bird – $25 (get in 30 minutes early for first dibs on all the gems)
💗 General Admission – $10 (perfect for treasure hunting at your own pace)

04/01/2026

✨ Happy Passover to those who celebrate! Thank you to those who placed orders with us ~ we hope you enjoy all of your delicious dishes! 🍽️

03/30/2026

🥂 At the beginning of the year, Vogue posted wedding trends that are in for 2026! We wanted to highlight a few that stand out to us such as food as décor, custom everything, and signature mocktails.

✨ Our signature equipment can help bring an extra ‘wow’ factor to your celebration, our insightful sales specialists help you customize your rentals to your exact vision, and our beverage specialists work with you to find the right libations to suit all your guests!

💞 Post inspiration from

🔗 Did we pique your interest? Get in touch with us today via the link in our bio! 🔗

03/26/2026

📚 We wrote a blog elaborating on our team’s favorite cookbook recommendations ~ we hope these serve as great recommendations for your TBR (to be read) list for 2026! We hope you find your new favorite! 💗

✨ Featured Books in the blog:

“The Baking Bible” by Rose Levy Beranbaum
“Plant You” by Carleigh Bodrug
“The Good Cookie” by Tish Boyle
“The Professional Chef - 8th Edition” by The Culinary Institue of America
“Ever-Green Vietnamese” by Andrea Nguyen
“Chicago Cocktails” by Nicole Schnitzler
“Every Day: All of the Flavor, None of the Fuss” by Tasty
“No Crumbs Left” by Teri Turner
“Studio Ghibli Cookbook” by Minh-Tri Vo, Translated into English by Lisa Molle-Troyer
“Floral Libations” by Cassie Winslow

🔗 Read our blog via the link in our bio! 📖

03/25/2026

🌸 Spring is one of our favorite things and features some of our favorite ingredients! With the start of a new season comes a rotation of spring fruits, vegetables, and seafood! As a 3-Star Green Caterer as recognized by the GRA, we do our best to promote sustainability both within practice and mindset. One way is by encouraging our clients to choose dishes that fit the season that their event takes place in! 🌿

✨ A few recommendations from across our menus include:

🥕 Custom Crudité featuring carrots, celery, and cucumber alongside our House-made Hummus
🌱 Artichoke Hearts au Gratin Hors d’Oeuvres
🦀 Shrimp & Crab Composed Salad
🍄‍🟫 Vegan Mushroom “Meatball” Bite Hors d’Oeuvres
🫜 Lemon Basil Ricotta Salmon stuffed with Asparagus and accompanied by Grilled Vegetable Coucous Timbale and Turnip Spiral

🌎 Stay tuned for more Earth Month tips starting in April!

03/19/2026

🏀 It’s now or never! March Madness is here again! Get your head in the game and make sure your watch party has all the flavor for the fun! From staple sliders to platters, dips and more ~ we’ve got tons of options for all your NCAA tournament needs! 🏀
 
🔗 View our menu via the link in our bio for the next game on your calendar! 🔗

03/18/2026

🐣 The (egg) hunt is over! For your upcoming Easter brunch or dinner, let Catered by Design handle all your delicious needs! Rather than spending all day in the kitchen or struggling to find a reservation for Easter dining, let us make it simple. You can customize your Easter menu for you and your guests with a variety of flavorful options that will leave you and your guests hopping up and down with joy!🥕

🔗 Learn more about your Easter dining options by viewing our menu via the link in our bio! 🔗

Make Easter stress-free with our catered brunch or dinner. Enjoy delicious quiches, frittatas, sides, and desserts. Order now from Catered by Design!

03/17/2026

☘️ Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Catered by Design! We hope everyone who ordered from us enjoys their traditional Irish delicacies such as Corned Beef & Cabbage and inspired fusion dishes such as Irish Pork Tacos today! And the festivities don’t have to stop after today ~ you can still order from our menu through the month! Sláinte, everyone (cheers in Gaelic)!🍻