Simply Gourmet

It was really important to us to have great food at our wedding and Simply Gourmet gave us just that. The food was excellent and really creative. They worked with us to put together an amazing menu for our guests. As a vegetarian, I really appreciated the range of vegetarian & vegan options they could offer - not one of them pasta!! Chef Larry is a talented chef and Kathy was great to work with - very organized, professional & communicative. The staff were excellent and the event couldn't have gone better.

Lovely people, especially considerate of the bride and ensuring you are looked after all day. Food is extremely flavoursome and nicely presented. Totally know what they are doing! Great job and happy guests!!

I am Asian and my husband is Latin. When were were looking for wedding caterers, we told each potential caterer to come up with an Asian-Latin fusion menu that would incorporate the two cultures. We did tastings with two different caterers. The first caterer we went to was a disappointment. However, Chef Larry completely understood our vision after we told Jamie about our different backgrounds. We met Chef Larry and Jamie at the tasting. They were professional, very friend, and extremely passionate about their food. And they should be because the food is delicious and unlike any other wedding food I've tasted. Chef Larry created two delicious options that fused the two cultures together. Two months before my wedding, Kathy Taylor called me to go over my wedding vision, from the food, the rentals, the decorations, to the timeline. She was beyond wonderful, extremely helpful, and very professional. I was planning the wedding from Orlando and Kathy made me feel at ease. Kathy also came to the wedding rehearsal to organize and run the rehearsal. We would have been lost and disorganized without her. On the day of my wedding, Kathy served as my day of coordinator (without any extra charge) and made my wedding day move flawlessly. She coordinated with all the vendors, made sure my decorating vision was carried out, and made sure we were on schedule. I was blown away by all the stunning details at my wedding and at how beautiful everything was. It was exactly how I had imagined. The food was delicious, unique, and beautifully presented. Words cannot express how satisfied and grateful I am with Simply Gourmet's expert touch and wonderful service. It was a pleasure to work with Chef Larry, Jamie, and Kathy!

I had the best experience ever with Simply Gourmet. Kathy was a dream to work with and she went above and beyond to make sure our wedding was perfect. She helped plan everything out for us, organized our rentals, coordinated with other vendors and was always quick to respond my questions. I truly don't know what I would have done with out her. On top of the excellent service, the food was fabulous. They have a wonderful variety of options to choose from, but you can't go wrong with any of it. I would highly recommend Simply Gourmet to anyone planning a wedding in Sarasota!

Jamie and the team at Simply Gourmet were more than amazing to work with. Jamie was always available to help us make decisions and offered us more than just great food. Jamie made sure that we had everything we needed for our big day - fantastic food, an amazing staff to tend to our guests, all of the necessary rentals, and much much more. She found ways to work with our budget and provided us services that took catering to the next level. She even helped us at our rehearsal and on the day of the event to make sure that our ceremony and reception flowed perfectly. If it weren't for her experience, we would have been absolutely lost.

Thank you Jamie and team for making our wedding the day of our dreams (and more)!! A+++++!!

Simply Gourmet exceeded all my expectations in my daughter's wedding at the Powel Crosley Estate. Larry and Jamie, the owners, went over and beyond to work with us during the planning and offered excellent choices and advise. I chose them because they were so excited about the food and wanting to make our special event the best it could be. We had over 170 guests for a cocktail hour with passed hor'dourves that were amazing, the guests could not stop talking about them. Then we served a beautifully plated dinner that was excellent! Many of our guests were from New York, accustom to lavish NY Italian weddings and they were very complimentary and impressed with the food. I would recommend Simply Gourmet to anyone having any kind of event. They are personable yet professional and delivered on all levels.

I am so happy that I chose simply gourmet for my wedding. We had a plated sitdown dinner at the reception, and the staff at simply gourmet were absolutely fabulous!!!!

Absolutely best Wedding food ever! Our family, friends & guests made a point of telling us this repeatedly. A week later and people still talking about the food and the service by Simply Gourmet. Most guests wanted the name of the caterer. Can't say enough about them including their Day Of Planner - Cathy - she was incredible throughout the entire wedding planning and the wedding from start to finish!

Jamie was wonderful to work with! She made sure that all the details were taken care of. Best of all the food was DECICIOUS! Not only was it beautifully presented but it tasted GREAT! They also had wonderful staff who was very attentive! Simply Gourmet will make your special day is a day to remember!

Simply Gourmet went above and beyond to make our wedding perfect! The food was wonderful!! We had guest comment on the quality of service and food through the evening. Thank you Jamie for being a wonderful, easy person to work with! I would recommend Simply Gourmet to any bride looking for 5 star food and service! Our wedding at the Powel Crosley was a dream!!

Simply Gourmet was simply amazing!!! Jamie made sure every detail was covered!! We didn't have to worry about anything except enjoying our day!! Thank you so much for being a part of our special day!!

If you're hosting an event in the Sarasota/Bradenton, FL area, do yourself a favor and call Simply Gourmet. Kathy Taylor was friendly, professional, and accommodating, and even took care of our day-of coordination at no extra charge. We received SO many compliments on the food and service staff. I would highly recommend Simply Gourmet for your wedding, business event, or private party. Two thumbs way up!

My husband and I consider ourselves to be "foodies", so we took our time while shopping around for a caterer. We could not be more happy with our choice! Simply gourmet not only had delicious food for a great price, but they were also super easy to work with. Jamie handled everything, from the food and table set up to the linens and rentals. She made it such an easy process and everything looked and tasted better than expected. Thank you Jamie and Chef for making our wedding so amazing!

Jaime and Larry are amazing! The food was delicious!

Larry and Jamie are not only superb caterers, they become friends. Simply Gourmet is not just about the finest food, it is about having a staff that understands your wishes for your special event and despite everything makes sure those dreams come true. Everyone at the wedding said it was the best food and finest service that they had experienced in Sarasota. There is nothing simple about the work this staff performs, they just make it look that way.
Our thanks to the entire team for a flawess day! The Roginski Family

The service we received at our wedding was absolutely amazing. The staff did a great job and worked so hard to make our wedding day as flawless as possible. The food was OK but not as good as at the tasting. Simply based on the staff I would highly recommend Simply Gourmet

We looked at a lot of potential caterers, and the difference for us was Kathy and the "day of" planning that she did for us. She was very organized and helpful, and on our wedding day she allowed us to enjoy the day without worrying about the details. All 3 of our entree choices were excellent (beef, chicken, and fish)... as were the appetizers. Would highly recommend Simply Gourmet to anyone getting married in the Sarasota area.

The Simply Gourmet team did a spectacular job for my sons reception on March 10. We had the ceremony and reception at the Oaks at Wind Song which was a beautiful setting in the country under the tree's. I wasn't sure how Chef Larry could feed 140 guest and have the food hot and fresh since there is was no place in the woods to prepare the food. I was so impressed was I tasted my food it was hot, the chicken was juice and tender and the asparagus was crunchy and delicious. The entire evening went very smooth and the staff did a great job attending to every detail throughout the evening. I would highly recommend Simply Gourmet for your party or event any time!

The food at Simply Gourmet was fabulous. I was so happy with the taste, temperature, service and professionalism. Jamie knew everything I needed to know that I didn't and she had an answer to every question or concern I had. I loved everything that he cooked and the taste was amazing! My only wish is that I could have eaten more but I didn't want my dress feeling too tight! haha! I could have cleared my plate easily! The food was so fresh. Their kitchen is about a 15-20 minute ride to where I had my reception and everything was hot! Fabulous job Simply Gourmet! I will recommend you to all my bride-to-be, girl friends! Thank you!

The staff at Simply Gourmet did such a wonderful job! Kathy did a great job helping me get everything planned so that nothing got missed! She always answered emails promptly and we had no problem scheduling in person appointments. The day of the wedding eveyone was on time and had everything set up on time too. I didn't have to worry about a thing which was such a relief! The food was really good, I have not heard a single complaint about our dinner (steak & shrimp). I can't thank them enough for doing such an awesome job!

Kathy is a wonderful person who was with us every step of the way. She is not only a caterer but a wedding coordinator! She seems to genuinely care about what she does, and works extremely hard to make us happy (we had multiple changes, guests with different preferences and allergies, and a tight budget, and she was happy to work with us). The food was excellent, as well, it is very difficult to serve fish buffet-style, and they managed to pull it off. From what I hear (I really wasn't hungry after the ceremony), the appetizers were some of the best our guests had ever had. Whatever you do, you MUST order the coconut macaroons. Before we decided on Simply Gourmet, we ran into Kathy at our wedding venue when we were looking at it and she offered us some macaroons. Although some other caterers might have offered us a cheaper package, based on the macaroons and Kathy's professionalism, we moved Simply Gourmet to the top of our list! A pastry chef was one of the groomsmen's dates, and she agreed that the coconut macaroons were incredible! Overall, we could not be more overjoyed with Simply Gourmet Catering, and Kathy was our favorite part about it. If you want a very cheap meal for the guests, go somewhere else. If you want professionalism, warmth and excellence, go with Simply Gourmet! You won't be disappointed.

Chef Larry and Jamie Barrett were an absolute joy to work with. We enjoyed every step of the way with them. From the moment we finished our initial tasting with them our mouth watered in anticipation for the wedding night. The process with them was very easy and it allowed us to just enjoy the road to our special day. The day of our wedding neither of us wanted to eat much for lunch because we knew what was to come for dinner and they delivered beyond our expectations. Our guest, however, had no idea what they were in for and we were so happy to hear all the compliments on how delicious the food was and how nicely presented the fruit bar was during cocktail hour from all of our closest friends and family. We chose to have a table served dinner rather than a buffet style dinner and were so happy with the serving staff and their professionalism. Simply Gourmet is amazing and we would recommend them highly to anyone seeking a catering company that will take great care of their guests and provide food that is to die for. Thank you to Chef Larry & Jamie and to your wonderful staff.

Everything was PERFECT for my wedding day!!! Kathy with Simply Gourmet was by my side every step of the way I could not have done it without her. Her decorating skills are out of this world she made the ceremony and reception everything I imagined it would be. I would highly recommend Simply Gourmet if you are looking for a stress free wedding Kathy and her staff will make it perfect. Thanks Simply Gourmet, Kathy and staff.

My husband and I were so happy with the quality of the food and service from Simply Gourmet. We are very picky about the quality of food and knew that it would have to be a highlight of our event, especially after experiencing so many expensive but mediocre meals at weddings. We chose to do a cocktail style heavy hors d'oeurves reception in a lounge like setting and an international variety of foods. Everything was absolutely delicious just as it was at our tasting. Kathy and her staff were incredible. Acting as our Event Coordinator as well, Kathy was everywhere we needed her, and she set up the reception room perfectly. We couldn't have asked for a better overall experience. Thank you Simply Gourmet! ~ Mr. and Mrs. Wilkens

Simply Gourmet was one of our favorite and most-reliable vendors. I'm vegetarian and very sensitive about chef's comments and suggestions about my diet. We interviewed and tasted with four caterers in town, and one caterer said my request was "too vegetarian" and another didn't even make the vegetarian dinner when we showed up for the tasting!

While the other caterers were busy offending me (the bride) and suggesting boring not-from-scratch pasta dishes, Larry and Jamie from Simply Gourmet pulled me aside and asked me what vegetarian dish I really wanted. I said I wanted pumpkin raviolis, and Larry was very excited to make them. These were from handmade dough and had the most delicious savory and sweet filling imaginable. My entire family was also very pleased with their flavorful fish and meat options. It's actually funny how long their catering option list is because Larry can literally make anything perfectly. The salad with the berries and candied nuts also comes with the most delicious homemade dressing. The food was even better at the wedding than at the tasting!

The food was also very reasonably priced for the quality and presentation. Their servers were perfect, friendly and professional. They also had a host-bar option so the open bar was affordable. The rentals get VERY expensive, but Simply Gourmet charges the normal market prices.

All in All, Simply Gourmet is the class-act you want at your wedding. From consult to the day of, everything comes out as promised.

My fiance and I both love good food, so finding a good caterer for our wedding was a must. We tested out our first caterer and were rather discouraged. Simply Gourmet was the second place we tried and boy, what a difference! It was important to both of us to create a unique menu rather than serving traditional wedding food and Chef Larry was fantastic at making that come true. All of our guests could not stop raving about how delicious the food was!
When we walked into to Simply Gourmet we had no idea that we would walk out with not only a caterer but also a planner! Kathy was absolutely amazing. She was instrumental in making all the many pieces of our wedding come together into a magical day. We can not thank Kathy, Larry and Jamie enough for helping us to create the wedding of our dreams. Thank you again!

Our guests, many of whom are in the food business, all said it was the best dinner at a wedding ever. We were very specific in our needs, changed several items along the way and even asked Simply Gourmet to make up an appetizer so we could use special caviar from Mote Marine. They were gracious and responsive all the way. We definitely felt like we got more than we paid for.

Simply Gourmet is simply perfect. Their food is AMAZING. They customize anything and everything you want. We had vegan, dairy free, and vegetarian food at our reception and even sushi! Chef Larry is magical for sure. He had tons of different ideas to make a very versatile menu. I worked with Jamie and she was so patient with me and was super responsive with any questions I had. (our gmail conversations would be huge!) The staff is super professional and nice and the house made sangria is delicious. It is a bit more costly than other caterers, but if you want people raving about your food, are in need of really unique eats, and you have a higher standard than other bland and boring catered food, look no further. You will love Simply Gourmet. A+... <3 Anna and Joe

My now husband and I could not have been more pleased! Not only was the food incredible (presentation, taste, everything about it) but Jamie made the wedding run smoothly during the event, as well as helped with major planning details. She is a wonderful source to go to with any event related question and was a very calming presence! Simply Gourmet took my wedding to a whole new level!

I met Jamie at a wedding vendor event and immediately scheduled an apponitment. My groom and I were so impressed with her professionalism and knowledge of local venues and other vendors. She was able to take the ideas in my heaad and transform them into a detailed map with in a matter of an hour. I later scheduled a tasting that my mother and I attended and we were blown away by the flavors of the food. Jamie made every detail seem elegant, simple and yet matter of fact. She even was available to come to the rehearsal to help us see everything through. The day of the wedding was priceless. Jamie and her staff were visible, friendly and attentive to every detail. The guests were talking about the food for days after the wedding and Jamie made sure to follow up with us a few days later. I can't imagine anyone else providing the service and quality that was given to us through Simply Gourmet.

Simply Gourmet made our wedding so perfect! Jamie really went above and beyond and I felt like she did much more than you would expect from a caterer. She really got me through the day and I can't be more happy that we chose them for our catering. Not only was the food and bar really affordable but it was absolutley gourmet and fabulous! Guests couldn't stop talking about the food and how wonderful the wedding was (which was all thanks to Jamie and her staff)!! My expectations were exceeded by far!! Choose them if you want your day to be as perfect as mine was!

We can't say enough about the pros at Simply Gourmet. From the first phone call we were wowed! We emailed back and forth for a few days, responses were always timely, with some ideas of what we were looking for and menus for the wedding reception. Kathy and Larry provided us with menus and pricing and were quick to say that we could make any changes we wanted.
From there,we were invited to meet with them and were welcomed with a beautifully set table and had a "luncheon" featuring foods from the menu. We sampled foods and sat with Larry and Kathy to discuss the reception down to the smallest details.
Kathy did a site survey about a month before the wedding to see how we wanted the event set up.
On the evening of the wedding, Kathy showed up and gave us a brief run down, introduced her team of professionals. They were outstanding, the food was great, their bartenders were personable and extremely effecient. Kathy also did a follow up call on Monday to be sure that we were satisfied and asked for feedback.
Thank you Kathy, Larry and your amazing staff.
Leslie Wells,
Madison Wells White

I started working with Simple Gourmet over a year before the wedding. We selected Kathy as our day-of-coordinator almost immediately. We went through several different dinner menus just to match our budget, which we were successful in doing. They had no issue changing things around to accommodate our budget and that was such a relief. The closer we got to the wedding the more we met with Simply Gourmet to make sure everything was perfect!
Our guests LOVED the food! And even better, I loved the food! We had a pasta bar and it was so much fun for our guests. The tables, chairs, and place settings were set-up wonderfully and everything was so perfect and beautiful.
The staff day of the wedding was so wonderful. They escorted my husband and me to the buffet and filled our plates for us. We didn’t have to do anything. They treated us like VIP and always brought us our drinks, extra food, cake, etc. During our formal pictures they brought over passed appetizers for my family and bridal party. Even after the wedding they packed up the rest of the food to-go and helped my parents clear out the building.
I would definitely recommend Simply Gourmet for your wedding catering. They do so much more than just food!

Day of Coordinator: Kathy Taylor of Simple Gourmet
Kathy was amazing! She was with us from the beginning of our wedding planning right up to the end. She knew everything about my wedding and was always there to help. She was more of a month-of coordinator, which we desperately needed! The week before the wedding I started to stress and she was always there to tell me why I shouldn’t be stressing, or to help fix the issue I was stressing about!
Day of the wedding she was calm and collected and took care of everything. I didn’t even have to think about the time schedule or what comes next in the day. I didn’t even know what was going on outside the bridal room. Kathy simply approached me when it was time to do something, and would always ask if I was ready or if I would like to change something. She was wonderful!!!

Jamie made our day exactly as we had planned and discussed. We even made some last minute changes and she was able to adapt her timetable to please us.
The food, drinks and especially the service was outstanding.
Thank you Jamie for helping to make our day so special.
A & W.

We can not say enough about Simply Gourmet. They provided us with a coordinator (Kathy) who was absolutely spectacular. She worked exceptionally well with my now wife and we are forever gratefull. The food...perfect. Chef Larry knows his food and truly enjoys what he does. When we met for our tasting, you could tell he wanted you to enjoy the food as much as he enjoyed making it. Anything we wanted, he did his best to make it happen. Simply Gourmet is a smaller company than most and prides themselves in the relationship and commitment to their clients.

It was a pleasure working with Cathy and her crew, with the help of Bee Ridge Florist, they made my reception site a dream come true!!!! thanks!!!

We considered several caterers, and Simply Gourmet blew them all out of the water! We had a lot of requests, but Kathy Taylor knew that we were on a tight budget. Knowing that, she helped guide us in the right direction with our food and rental choices. We ended up with a fabulous wedding menu at a very reasonable price. The food was absolutely phenomenal--we had several guests come up to us to tell us how amazing the food was and to ask if they could get seconds! And many were foodies from New York City ;) Additionally, Kathy was our day-of coordinator, as I did not have a wedding planner. She was ESSENTIAL in making sure everything happened correctly and on time. What a life saver! I wish I could give Simply Gourmet more than 5 stars.

I hope I have enough room here! My husband and I chose Simply Gourmet as our Caterer after attending a friends wedding, and receiving their recommendation. After our trip meet with Jamie and Larry, we totally hit it off and decided to book them. We met for tasting the Chef Larry, blew us away with his menu, his food is AMAZING!!! We decided to have to completely different menus for our wedding, one Yank, one Brit to reflect our nationalities...Jamie and Larry went over the top to provide organic food and two fabulous original menus. Both Jamie and Larry, are unbelievably professional, and just are really good people! As far as service, you will not find two people who are more passionate and love what they do. An awesome team and would be a perfect addition to any wedding.....Cheers!

Simply Gourmet was fabulous. Of all of the vendors at the wedding, they were the easiest to work with. They food was delicious and Kathy was very accommodating especially since I was planning from out of state. Thanks again Simply Gourmet!

Many Thanks for all you did to make our wedding a success. The tables looked lovely, the food presentation ws inviting, and the the food superb. Our guests commented how perfect the wedding was in everyway. We are very happy we chose Simply Gourmet to cater our special event.
Bob and Stephanie

Simply Amazing....One of the most important features we wanted our guest to take away from our wedding is the food. My guest are still talking about it today. Jamie was professional, Courtious, and the most organized person I have ever met. She went above and beyond what we asked her. I would definitely recommend them for any catering needs. Food was a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Outstanding, she wont do you wrong.

Jamie is amazing to work with and she went above and beyond. Not only does Simply Gourmet do catering, but they also serve as a planner to keep things moving and organized at your wedding. Jamie is on time and very professional. She goes above and beyond to get exactly what the bride wants. I highly recommend Jamie if you value organization and an eye for detail. Jamie will get it done! I also have to mention that her food is phenomenal. People were actually coming to me after the wedding and commenting on how awesome her food was. It is great food if people remember it! Thanks Jamie!

Everything they did turned out great. always responded to every question qucikly, was willing to work with us when it came to people with food allergies. allowed us to add to thier recipes to put our own spin on dishes. Every bite of food i had was top notch, just like thier service.

The Ladies At Simply Gourmet Are Simply The Best,,,,!!!!!! The Food Is Fantastic And They Take Care Of All The Details...I Highly Recommend

Always our pleasure to be with Simply Gourmet at weddings and partys. We can count on great food & an efficient, organized staff!

Simply Gourmet provides wonderful meals for weddings and any special event. We highly recommend this vendor.

OMG, don't forget to ask Jamie about her famous Chocolate Chip cookies! They are yummmy! Great food, great deserts and Jamie and her staff are amazing to work with. Brides and clients are never disappointed when they have Simply Gourmet catering their wedding or event for any occasion.

Jamie has provided excellent food and professional services for several weddings that I officiated. I am always happy when I am invited to the wedding reception if Jamie and her excellent staff are providing the catering services.
At one wedding reception that was outside, a strong wind started to blow and knocked all the glassware onto the cement ground which had been set on serveral tables. The staff efficiently and quietly cleaned up all the broken glass and reset the tables by wrapping the glasses in napkins which I thought was innovative. They remained calm and went about their work. A caterer who can handle unexpected situations is a teasure. At another reception, the children wanted a hamberger from McDonalds instead of what had been ordered for them. A member of Jamie's staff went out and bought the hamburgers right before the food was served at McDonalds thereby making the children happy.
The food is yummy and I highly recommend Simply Gourmet which is simply wonderful!

If you want delicious food and great service, you owe it to yourself to call Simply Gourmet and schedule an appointment. I have shot beautiful footage of amazing vegetarian meals being served on the patio at Ringling Art Museum during sunset. The presentation was well received by the bridal party and guests. I can tell you first hand, the Eggplant Parmesan was very very good! Call me if you'd like to see some wedding receptions that feature Simply Gourmet. I know you'll be impressed.

Leslie Harris-Senac, Owner / Film maker Visions Unlimited Video Productions...

We love working with the professionals at Simply Gourmet. The food presentation is wonderful, and we love to add flowers to their buffets stations to make them even more special. Jamie and Larry are true professionals and their staff is always so helpful and friendly as well.

Very organized group of professionals! A very good off premise caterer that you should consider.

I work with Jamie for many years. Simply Gourmet is really dedicated to the professionalism, taking pride in the fine dining cuisine and world class service on wedding reception for either 30 or 300 people. Their appetizer and desert table setups are irresistible!

Simply Gourmet has some of the finest cuisine for events that we have ever tasted. ALways fresh always gourmet they have been professional every time we have photographed and event that included their services.

Dan Minor
JD Fine Art

I am happy to give my highest recommendation for Simply Gourmet Catering. I have performed at many events that they have catered and not only was the food excellent but their staffs were professional and efficient. For me it is always a plus to work with a caterer that communicates with the other vendors to make sure the events go as smoothly as possible. Jamie and her staff have always made the job I do better by being so easy to work with.

The staff at Simply Gourmet is as wonderful as the fabulous food created by chef Larry and his kitchen creators. Every wedding has a spirit of it's own and the food, tables and decor should echo that spirit. Jamie and her staff will assist you every step of the way - with professionalism, grace and good humor.
If you want your wedding meal and service to be delightful, delicious, unique, healthful and elegant - Simply Gourmet is the easy choice!
Evelyn England
SAGE art photo & video

Jamie Barrett and staff are extremely organized and excellent communicators throughout the planning process and the day of your event. You will find their services to be professional and food delicious prepared with a great deal of care. It is always a pleasure to work with such a wonderful team as Simply Gourmet! DeLair Entertainment~