CAtegories

ABOUT OUR BLOG

Welcome to Jay's official blog, where you'll find a chronicle of our events, cuisine, and artisan designs. Experience something beyond the mainstream with Jay's Catering. What makes us stand a head above ordinary caterers? Simply: spectacular food, dazzling presentation, and consistent creativity. Our chefs use only the finest ingredients and the freshest produce available to create unique menus for each event. With a flair for the theatrical, you will find traditional favorites like hamburgers and grilled cheese metamorphosed into bite-sized treats served up in inventive new ways. Whether your event is Tuscan themed or an Indian extravaganza, our Chef de Cuisine and his team are masters of every detail and sticklers for taste.

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Meet Our Sales Team

From intimate baby showers and backyard engagement parties to grand weddings, corporate conferences and much more, our professional sales team has worked events big and small and will be your main point of contact throughout your experience with Jay’s Catering. We are so lucky and honored to have such a talented group as part of our Jay’s family and are excited to be shining the spotlight on them in this blog feature. Meet your current or soon to be sales team member below and learn some fun facts about them and how they came to be on the Jay’s team.

Hannah Cluck
Director of Sales
Self-proclaimed wine aficionado with 10+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

A true Southern California native who grew up in San Diego and then attended Loyola Marymount University where she received her Business degree. With a passion for events, she organized her own social gatherings, school events, and corporate parties. She jumped on the opportunity to enter the catering world when she saw that Jay’s was hiring. After years at Jay’s as an Event Specialist and over 200 weddings, she is now our Director of Sales and has established some of our largest accounts while managing our amazing sales team.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Al pastor tacos with salsa verde and handmade tortillas.

Brandon Harris
Food & Beverage Director
Self-proclaimed food critic with 20+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Brandon has known about Jay’s Catering long before joining the team as Jay’s was (and still is) his family’s caterer of choice. Throughout his experience in the industry, Brandon has worn many hats: Server, Bartender, Event Captain, Event Specialist and now our Food and Beverage Director. Brandon has been successfully transforming our food and beverage offerings to better suit our clients needs with his knowledge of how certain menus work better for different environments, times of day and locations. In a culturally diverse landscape, the fusion of different flavors and ingredients inspire him to take flavor profiles from different cuisines and rework them in a new and sometimes more approachable way.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Carnitas.

Rachel Panczenko
Venue & Catering Sales Manager
Animal obsessed travel enthusiast with 13+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Rachel is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and grew up with a passion for music and the arts. She received her B.A. in Performing Arts Management with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Hartford in Connecticut and then found herself working in concert production and special events. She earned her CPCE designation through the National Association of Catering & Events just before moving to California with her husband who is in the film industry. Rachel is now our Venue and Catering Sales Manager at Forme and works with an assortment of clientele.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Melt Bar as a Late Night Snack.

Arielle Marte
Event Specialist
Self-proclaimed coffee savant with 5+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Growing up, Arielle was always inspired and influenced by her travel experiences which sparked her love for the hospitality industry. After attending Cal Poly Pomona, she worked as a server for a catering company that ignited her passion for the catering industry specifically. When she saw that Jay’s was hiring, she jumped at the opportunity and is now an Event Specialist on our Jay’s team.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Vegetarian Rotolo.

Brianna Long
Event Specialist
Self-proclaimed wine connoisseur with 5+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Brianna is originally from Paso Robles but made the move to Southern California after being accepted into California State University Long Beach where she received her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management with a minor in Dance. She found her way to Jay’s after working at numerous venues across Orange County after college. Brianna is eager to continue her career in the wedding and hospitality industry as a Jay’s Event Specialist.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Vegetarian Rotolo.

Brittany Klein
Event Specialist with 11+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.
Cookie enthusiast

Brittany is originally from Dana Point and received her degree in Communication Studies at Loyola Marymount University. With a burning passion for the event industry, she worked at a wedding dress salon and as a part-time wedding planner. With her professional background in the hospitality industry working at a major 5-star hotel and her desire to organize beautiful gatherings, the catering and event industry just felt like a perfect fit to her. Brittany has now helped plan over 200 weddings at Jay’s, has perfected layouts, timelines and menu development, and has established contacts and vendor friends during her time with us.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Chicken & Butternut Squash Enchiladas with chips and salsa.

Casey Golding
Event Specialist
Mama to 2 little heartbreakers with 6+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

With family and friends located in Southern California, it was important to Casey to stay close for college. After graduating with her B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Advertising from Cal State Fullerton, she developed a love for coordinating her friends events which then led to a passion for weddings. Casey took that enthusiasm for weddings and made a career out of it working as an Event Specialist for a 5-star hotel where she gained knowledge and experience that led her to Jay’s.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Fig, Goat Cheese and Mascarpone Tart.

Lauren MacLeod
Event Specialist
Self-proclaimed dessert aficionado with 7+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Lauren was born and raised in Orange, California but moved to Long Beach after being accepted into California State University Long Beach and has lived in Long Beach since. While at CSULB, she was a 4-year student athlete playing softball and received her degree in Consumer Affairs. While balancing academics, a rigorous sport schedule, and club activities, she also worked part-time as Jay’s Catering as an event server. She worked hundreds of events which prepared her for a successful career in the event and catering industry. Lauren is now an Event Specialist at Jay’s where she utilizes her customer service experience and event background to help clients through their planning process.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Fig, Goat Cheese and Mascarpone Tart.

Patti Robledo
Event Specialist
Foodie with 23+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Patti grew up in Los Angeles watching her parents entertain guests and frequently traveling with them across the world. Those experiences developed a passion in her for fine cuisine, wine, and planning parties. For 10 years Patti worked in guest services at major hotels ranging from Club Med in the Bahamas to The Ritz Carlton and The Westin. She then found herself as an Event Captain at Jay’s on the floor at events, leading our catering staff, and watching and learning at every event. She quickly grew into her position as Event Specialist and is extremely detailed in every part of the design and coordination of each event. She has mastered floor plans, station decor setup, timelines, logistics, and specializes in menu development.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Specialty Rotollo Bolzano.

Sierra Sprague
Event Specialist
Animal lover with 8+ years' experience in the wedding and event industry.

Sierra is from a tiny town called Elsah that sits on the bluffs over the Mississippi River in Illinois. She received her degree in Sociology, Anthropology and Education from Principia College while living there. Five years ago she moved to California to begin her career in hospitality and events working as a Server, Guest Relations Coordinator, Guest Receptionist, and Catering Administrative Assistant at a 5-star luxury hotel in Laguna Beach. All of her professional experiences led her to a successful position as an Event Specialist at Jay’s Catering today.

Favorite Jay’s Catering menu item is: Bulgogi Beef and chow mein.

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