Attending a catered event is usually a gamble for anyone with dietary restrictions. No one is going to have all of their tastes met at a banquet or a conference luncheon. But the biggest uncertainty plagues the people with dining constraints, whether by choice or because of health issues.
How can a catering company tasked with providing lunch for an unfamiliar group of hundreds of hungry folks who have more than likely already paid for a meal, account for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, pork-free, low-salt and many other dietary needs?
Garden State Equality recently hosted an event at Bell Works in Holmdel and provided lunch each day for the many attendees. GSE hired D’s Cozy Kitchen, a queer-owned, full-service catering company based in Englewood. Owners Vanessa Guzman and Danielle O’Neill were well prepared for the task and provided satisfying meals for all who attended. Vanessa told Out In Jersey, “So we actually met in college. College sweethearts, but like later in life. We didn’t go right after high school. I actually went in for graphic design, and Danielle went in to finish her degree in business. And we just so happened to be put into the same elective class together, and that’s how we met. We started as friends, then a relationship, and now she’s my fiancée.”
The couple ran the food service while they attended Berkeley College, and, in the words of Vanessa, “It helped us learn that not everybody eats the same.”
At the Bell Works event they carefully planned and made certain that ample food was available that met the needs of a number of possible meal constraints. They drew beyond their Italian and Puerto Rican heritages to adapt recipes that would not only appeal to a wide variety of New Jersey residents, but also provide tantalizing flavors while eliminating or substituting ingredients.
Vanessa said, “Hey, I can make a very good rice and beans leaving the pork out. That’s not the flavor. But I’d rather serve a rice that everyone can enjoy, no matter how you eat, or what your dietary restriction is, because the protein is in the beans.” The couple constantly searches for recipes that serve this mission or that they can adapt, in providing nutrition and flavor. And they serve not only New Jersey, but beyond.
Vanessa said, “We’ve been flown out to Florida to do a private catering job. We’ve gone to the Poconos on a whim when asked, ‘Hey, can you come deliver us X amount of trays?’ We do a lot in New York City and South Jersey, of course.”
They are more than D’s Cozy Kitchen. Danielle said, “We’re one company with two brands. So we have D’s Cozy Kitchen, but then I said to Vanessa, ‘I want to hit the streets with food festivals and events.’ And we didn’t think that D’s Cozy Kitchen was something that is eye-grabbing for street food. So, Vanessa’s like, give me 24 hours. And she came back to Puerto Rican food, came up with our brand, the name and the logo. So, literally within 24 hours, she launched The Seasoned Rican. This is our third year.”
Apparently it all started with a jar of vodka sauce that Danielle made. Vanessa took a video of her making it, called it “Rose Gold,” put it on social media, and sales took off. From there, the business flourished into what it is now. Their nutritious food will delight and gratify many in New Jersey and beyond, no matter the needs, tastes or restrictions.
