Emelle's June Activities and Events

Emelle's has a fabulous line-up of events this June. We hope that you will be able to join us.

Bard on the Beach (June 2 – September 24)

It’s that time of year again…time to head down to Vanier Park to celebrate the extraordinary works of William Shakespeare. This year’s line-up includes As You Like It, the Merchant of Venice, Henry VI and Richard III. To make your Shakespearean experience even more special, Emelle’s Catering has created three Shakespeare themed picnic baskets that can be enjoyed before your show. Baskets can be pre-ordered 48 hours in advance and can be picked up next to the box office 2 hours prior to the show. So find a good spot on the grass, crack open a bottle of wine and enjoy your night with Emelle’s and Shakespeare!

For more information on the Bard on Beach Festival please visit the Bard website.

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To order your Bard picnic basket please visit the Emelle's website.

Brian Jessel BMW 6^th Annual Cabriolet Charity Gala (Saturday, June 11)

The always outstanding Brian Jessel Charity Gala is definitely a highlight and this year will be no exception. This year’s gala tickets offer guests a spectacular evening filled with live music from the Barenaked Ladies, amazing food from many of Vancouver’s top restaurants and caterers (including Emelle’s), the opportunity to bid on some amazing auction items and the chance to win a year’s lease on a brand new Brian Jessel BMW! Proceeds will be benefiting three charitable organizations including the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation. This is a fantastic opportunity to have a night of great food and fun for a very worthy cause.

For more information and to purchase tickets to the gala please visit the Brian Jessel BMW website.

 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Telus Walk 2011 (Sunday, June 12) and Easter Seals 24-Hour Relay (June 18-19)

It’s time again to lace-up your running shoes for two important causes: The 2011 Telus Walk is a great opportunity for family, friends and the community to get outside and raise funds that will go towards finding a cure for those 300,000 plus Canadians living with type-1 diabetes. Over 48,000 Canadians participated in last year’s walk and helped raise over $7.5 million. We are hopeful that this year’s run will be even more successful.

The BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities will be putting on their 33^rd annual 24 Hour Relay! Relay races at Swanguard Stadium, UVIC and the Apple Bowl in Kelowna are raising funds for the Easter Seals camping program. This event makes it possible for children with disabilities to attend and participate in one-week camping programs that will lead to the development of new skills, friendships and greater independence.  So get together a group of friends or team-up with your work colleagues for this worthy cause.

Emelle’s Catering will be happily donating their time and service to these special events by cooking up some delicious food for the thousands of hard-working participants and volunteers.

For more information on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and to sign up for the walk please visit the JDRF website.

For more information on the Easter Seals 24-Hour Relay and to sign up a team please visit the 24-Hour Relay website.

Capturing Your Memories: Tips for Hiring a Photographer

Whether it's a wedding, birthday or anniversary, hiring the right person to capture your event is an important task. Photographs are a great option for party favors and thank you cards, but most importantly they are meant to capture those precious moments in your life for posterity. Hiring a professional photographer can be daunting, but with just a few simple tips and the right checklist of questions you can ensure that you will have beautiful photographs to treasure for a lifetime.

1. Finalize Event Details

There are certain event details that you should finalize before you starting looking for a photographer.

·         Date: Photographers are in high demand, so knowing your event date you will help you find a photographer who is available on that day. Set your date as soon as possible. It will give you more time to search for the right photographer, as well as increase the chances that they will be available for the date of the event.

·         Budget: Your event budget should be finalized before interviewing photographers. You should have a concrete number of how much you are able to spend. Martha Stewart.com states that photography and videography should make up approximately 10% of your budget.

·         Venue: Knowing the location of your event prior to interviewing photographers can influence the style of photographs you choose to take. When choosing a photographer it is a plus to hire someone who has worked in a particular venue and is familiar with the space. If you are hiring a photographer for a wedding be sure to inform them if you are having separate venues for the ceremony and reception.

2. Photo Styles

These will be photographs that you will be looking at for years to come, so choosing which style you wish to have your photos taken in is an important decision. You should become familiar with the different photographic styles prior to choosing your photographer. Browse through bridal and photography magazines; look online for wedding and event photographers. Plenty of research will ensure that you choose the style that best suits your taste.

·         Soft Focus: Appears almost dream-like and romantic with soft lighting.  Can often appear blurry. Having the photographer do a couple of shots in this style can be quite beautiful, but to shoot an entire wedding or event in this way can diminish its effect.

·         Portraiture/Traditional: The most common style for weddings. These photos are typically posed and quite formal. There is little spontaneity here. Though these photos are beautiful, more are straying from this style as there is little spontaneity, which is becoming the more modern and trendy style for weddings and events.

·         Natural Light: No flash, only natural light. When done well, the photo should remind you of art. This is very difficult to arrange in a wedding setting.

·         Photojournalistic: This style is quickly becoming the most popular & trendy. These photos are more spontaneous and candid than traditional photos. Reflective of story-telling these photos are meant to capture the natural actions and emotions of your guests. You can also experiment with different angles, aperture and lighting.

·         Editorial: This is probably the best compromise for a wedding or event. It is a mix of both traditionally posed pictures and photojournalism.

3. Researching Photographers

Now that you have set your date, made-up your budget and chosen the perfect style of photographs for your event it is time to begin researching photographers. Here are some helpful places to find the potential photographers for your event.

·         Friends & Family: If you have had a family member, friend, co-workers or someone you know who has recently been married or thrown a large event ask them for a photographer recommendation.

·         Event Planners/Caterers/Venues: These are industry professionals who have likely worked with many different photographers. Ask if they can provide you with a list of photographers that they would recommend.

·         Online: You can do a general search for photographers in your city, search vendor directories or again refer to the website of local event planners, caterers and other vendors in the business.

·         Trade Shows: Head to a bridal or event planning shows where there will be plenty of vendors including photographers.

4. The Interview

Once you have narrowed your search to a few photographers, it is time to meet with them. Keep the following list of points and questions on hand:

·         Previous Work: Ask to see a portfolio of their work. Check to that they have variety in their work such as different venues, locations, seasons and events. It is good to get an idea of the photographer’s versatility and style.

·         Equipment: What type of camera will they be using throughout the event? Will all of the photos be shot purely on digital or can they shoot a combination of film and digital? How old is their equipment? Is it professional grade equipment?

·         Additional Staff: Will the photographer be using an assistant during the event? Assistants allow the photographer to concentrate on you, while the assistant can be loading film, changing cameras or setting up equipment.

·         Packages & Pricing: Ask for an itemized list for picture sizes, reproductions, negatives & albums. Is there any room for customization? Will photos be available in black & white or sepia tone? Is their service based on hours of service or by shots taken? Are they able to do touch-ups? How will you receive the photos? Album, CD, negatives, etc.?

·         Personality: This point is particularly important. You want to make sure that personalities don’t clash or else it will be a miserable event for everyone. The photographer should make you feel comfortable and at ease. During the interview make note if the photographer is making an effort to get to know you and is asking you questions as well. Most importantly they should be friendly and enthusiastic about shooting your event.

How to identify an entry level photographer:

·         Poor images – lots of shadows and bad lighting

·         Flashed photos – do the images appear to be washed out or too bright

·         The photos appear boring and dated.

·         The people in the photos appear to be uncomfortable, stiff or staged.

·         They have an incomplete proof book or small portfolio.

·         You are not impressed or excited by their photos.

5. The Contract

Now that you have chosen the perfect photographer and set the date, it is time to sign the contract. Before you sign, read the entire contract carefully to check that it includes the following points:

·         Total Cost

·         Deposit Amount

·         Balance owing once services are rendered

·         Time limits & over-time charges

·         Time and location of event is specified and correct

·         Timeline for receiving the pictures following the event

·         Are proofs and prints included in the final price?

·         Any additional expenses that you have agreed to pay such as travel

·         Cancellation Policy

6. Post-Event

After your event make sure to contact your photographer for a follow-up and ask when you should be expecting the photo proofs. Once you have received the proofs you will be able to choose your favorites, along with the number and size of each picture. While doing so make sure to refer to the contract that you signed with the photographer which will outline the package that you ordered. Once you have finalized your order the prints can take several weeks to arrive.

Hiring a photographer who understands and fits your taste can seem intimidating, but if you are willing to put in the time and effort to find the right person it will certainly show in your beautiful photographs.

If you are looking for a photographer in Vancouver we have a great list of professionals on our links page.

Photos by Brooka Photographic and D'soleil Studios

Spring is in Bloom

Spring is here! And what better way to celebrate than with great food, wine and some good friends. That's what we did at Emelle's.

Thursday, May 12 marked the evening of Emelle’s 12^th Annual Spring Fling. It was a beautiful spring evening as guests entered through the café doors adorned with lanterns in shades of tangerine, raspberry and lime green. Inside, guests were welcomed to have a glass of wine and sampled some of Emelle’s newest and tastiest creations yet.

Some of our tasty treats included:

emelle’s signature edible garden w/ a trio of dips

fresh summer meadow tarts w/ edible flowers

oven dried tomato, goat cheese & basil puffs

smoked salmon & chive tartlettes

mini dungeness crab clubhouse w/ madagascar vanilla

sunshine spot prawn duets w/ sake cups of prawn bisque

alligator pot pie

meatballs in parmesan cups
lamb lollipops w/ blueberry gastrique
kangaroo skewers w/ thai curry dipping sauce

sliced venison in mini yorkies w/ blue cheese infused foam

  

oh henry barspistachio macarons

lemon citron tort topped w/ fresh blueberry & mango

white chocolate mousse in dark chocolate cups w/ curacou pearls

emelle's chocolate cupcakes

The talk of the evening was definitely the exotic meat selection of alligator, kangaroo and venison. We are happy to say that our fearless group of guests tried and loved every bite.

We would like to say a special thank you to David and Maurizio from Debut Event Design who did an amazing job transforming our café. Also a big thank you to Dion at Big Red Chair Events for providing linens and rentals. Emelle’s was thrilled to host such a cheerful and fun group of guests this year. We would like to thank everyone for making it such an exceptional event. 

We Are Clean & Green

Did you know that restaurants are the retail world’s largest energy users? Here at Emelle’s we care about our team, our commitment to service, our clients and just as importantly, our environment. Our team is dedicated to continuously discovering new ways of reducing our carbon footprint, while still providing our customers and clients with extraordinary food and service.

Emelle’s Catering is currently implementing the following initiatives to become an overall greener company:

1.       Using Eco-Friendly Products

·         All of our food containers and plastic serving wear are made from corn, which biodegrades in a fraction of the time of Styrofoam.

·         All of our napkins and paper towels are 100% recyclable.

·         Provide water dispensers and mugs for the customers to eliminate use of plastic water bottles and disposable cups.

·         We currently use environmentally-safe cleaning products supplied by AvmorGreen which “consistently meet the highest international and domestic standards for health and safety.” For more information please visit www.avmorgreen.com

2.      Purchasing In Season Produce and Food

·         Fresh produce and food products are purchased through Allied Food Services.

·         Allied Food Services purchases their fresh food products from BC, the United States and offshore areas such as Holland, Spain and Mexico. It buys BC produce during the growing season in the province, for the most part from local growers, producers and cooperatives. Allied also processes fresh products including slicing, shredding, dicing and mixing of various vegetables and greens to meet its customers uncooked product requirements. Currently they do not buy or distribute organically grown or natural food products, but plan on doing so in the future.

3.      Reusing and Recycling

·         All paper and plastic used with in our kitchen and restaurant are properly separated and recycled, then taken to the appropriate recycling facilities for sustainability.

·         We have an active battery recycling program and even accept batteries from others/events to ensure that they are returned to the appropriate battery disposal centers and not end up in landfills.

·         We re-use and refill all our toners & ink cartridges (not buy new ones!)

·         We try to do as much of our business with clients over the phone or online in order to cut down on paper wastage.

·         In our café we serve our customers with china and reusable cups.

4.      Reducing Energy and Electricity Usage

·         Ensure that new equipment like fax machines, telephones, and even the fridge have Energy Star ratings. An Energy Star rating means it has energy efficiency or 75% less power than standard incandescent lamps, cost efficiency or that it saves up to 30% in electricity costs in lamp life, and environment friendly or reduces emissions of pollutants including mercury.

·         Open windows or shades when it is still light out to let the light in instead of turning on the lights

·         Turn off restaurant equipment/electricity when not in use. Make it a habit to turn off air conditioner, the lights, and other electric gadgets when not in use or before going out.

5.      Eco-Fee Charge

·         All of Emelle’s deliveries are subject to a $5.00 Ego-fee which is put towards our green initiatives such as purchasing eco-friendly cleaning products and disposable plastic products, as well as gas and surcharges for our delivery vehicles.

6.      Greentable Membership

·         Emelle’s is proud to a member of the Green Table Network.

·         The Green Table Network is a Canadian non-profit that is working to promote and encourage those working in the food service industry to make the shift to more eco-friendly business practices including energy conservation, pollution prevention and water conservation. They work hand in hand with their members to find new and greener solutions that can benefit both their businesses and the earth. For more information please visit http://www.greentable.net/.

We are continuously searching for new business practices which will protect and benefit our environment. If you have any new and unique ways in which you are making your business greener or even your own daily life, we would love to hear from you.

A Guide to Serving Alcohol at Your Event

image courtesy of nordica photography

Times are a changing, and without a doubt, alcohol service at your event can be confusing for many. Who pays for what? What style is best? The norms can vary with the type of event, venue and crowd. Some events revolve around a steady flow of liquor and have the resources to cover such exorbitant costs. Other events find alcohol lower on the priority scale, and not worth the charges that they can incur.

Here’s a rundown on some of the most important basics to liquor service.

Legal Issues

The first and foremost questions would relate to confirming if your venue or event site will allow alcohol on premise. If the venue is not licensed, then you require a special occasions licence. Check out the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Branch website for further information
http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/lclb/

Insurance is a must for events, especially if they include alcohol service. In your written policy, ensure that alcohol liability is included, as not all event insurance covers this.

Alcohol Supply

For many, the option of providing an open bar for guests is the most appealing, although the expenses related to it are not. Depending on venue, it is possible that you can save money by providing the alcohol yourselves.  Certain venues allow you to bring in your own alcohol, and caterers can hire out bartenders to serve drinks for a small corkage fee. This allows you to shop around for the best prices and choose liquor brands that you want to service. Any unopened bottles can be returned for a refund, so you do not lose money on overbuying.

Types of Bars

·         Cash

o    A cash bar is when guests purchase their own alcoholic beverages. This is an ideal type of bar for the most budget-conscious events. Guests are allowed the freedom to purchase whatever drinks they want at their own expense. In many cases, this will help keep guests from overconsumption, as most tend to consume less alcohol when it is not free.

·         Open

o    The host of the event covers the cost of all drinks consumed at the event. This basic bar includes hard liquor for mixed drinks, wine, beer & soft drinks free of charge to guests. As open bars can become extremely pricey, this option is usually avoided by those on a strict budget. In fact, more alcohol is usually much consumed at open bars than at cash bars, as people tend to drink a significant amount more when beverages are free of cost to them. With an open bar, the sky is the limit. But watch out, because the tab could run sky high as well.

·         Limited

o    This is what many consider to be a happy medium between the two other types of bars. The host offers a limited selection to guests so they can enjoy some complimentary beverages, without the host necessarily breaking the bank. This option allows you to provide your guests with drinks, while still having control over pricing and what alcohol is being served. At some events, this might involve serving less costly drinks such as beer or wine. At others, the hosts choose to offer “signature” drinks to their guests. Some offer an extensive selection of drinks, but limit the number of drinks consumed by guests.

Which one is best?

Like most event decisions, there is no clear right or wrong answer. The proper question to ask is, what type of bar is most suitable for your particular event? Everything from finances, time of day of the event, the type of crowd and your own personal preferences factor in - any style of bar could work for you. For example, a morning event would not require much, if any, budget to be allocated towards alcohol. On the other hand, it is common practice to have at least some type of alcohol to be served at evening events. Some crowds, on average, will only have a small glass of wine for the purpose of a toast; whereas others are the type to do shots and dance until dawn. Having a good understanding of type of guests attending as well as the occasion and you will have a clearer picture of what bar would be most appropriate. Many non-profit events choose to avoid alcohol-related events namely for budget reasons as well as to keep the focus away from drinking. Many corporate events include a limited event to keep costs down as well as prevent some workplace partying regrets.

Timing

Another thing to consider is the opening hours of your bar. It is customary to keep your bar open during cocktail hour, dinner and a toast. For weddings, even if the ceremony and reception locations are the same, it is very rare to have the bar open before the ceremony. Many couples are put off at people sipping on bottles of beer midway through their vows. During dinner, wine could be left on the table for guests to help themselves or could be served by staff so that guests do not have to constantly go to the bar for refills. Having an earlier last call in the evening is an easy way to save money as well as curb overconsumption and drunk driving.

Bartenders

To give the host an accurate estimate, the caterer will have to have a fairly accurate guest count as well as an idea of what type of bar you have in mind. Generally a caterer will supply a quote for labour costs as well as for equipment such as ice, glassware and mixers. In BC, only those with a Serving It Right certificate are legally permitted to serve alcohol.

Professional bartending staff are trained to recognized and handle intoxicated guests. Their training also includes knowing how to properly mix drinks so as not to make them too strong. If there are underage guests, bartenders will check I.D.

Safe Transportation

Some events (especially large fundraising events) provide complimentary (or by donation) rides home by volunteers of the organization for intoxicated guests. Many venues offer a designated “taxi phone” near the bar or the lobby so that guests can ring for transportation at their convenience. Vancouver has some safe ride programs in certain areas that can be less expensive than the cost of a cab, so when hosting an event, it is a good idea to call ahead to some of these programs and inquire about such services.

With these helpful tips, happy planning. Cheers!

join us for "good thursday" - a day for a donating to disaster relief in japan

rainshowers bring a rejuvenated spring

Spring is in the air…

Anyone else tired of the rainy days? I don’t know about you but I am antsy with anticipation for my favourite season of all – spring. Take off the mittens, put away the parkas and show us some sunshine Vancouver!

We are definitely ready to retire our rain jackets and see the long-awaited beautiful blossoms that are the result of the months of what seems like eternal showers. But what sometimes drives me mad about this city is in part what makes it such gem. After all those months of precipitation, when the sun does (rarely, it seems at this point!) peek out behind the clouds, there is a certain freshness and vivid life that materializes. The type of fresh and vividness that only arises from the constant nourishment of water from the skies.

We let this inspire us. And once we got the brainstorm going, was it ever a wild brainstorm. With ideas flying all over the place, it was difficult to whittle down all the amazing thoughts so we could stay in line with our minimalist goal.

And it culminated on St. Patrick’s Day as we celebrated at the Vancouver Rowing Club and premiered numerous new dishes showcased by our contemporary set-up and presentation. Some of the afternoon’s big hits included:

-          Seared scallop on a jade rice patty, speared with a miniature fork

-          our very own sundried tomatoes with pesto & rich goat cheese on a light puff pastry

-          chicken caesar salad on a parmesan crostini

-          light pistachio macaroons

-          mint nanaimo bars

-          kiwi cheesecake

Green was the theme of the day. A new beautiful and sprightly season is upon us and with that we’re approaching cuisine and events with rejuvenation!