If you love a good celebration, but crave something a little different, run with the crew that adds passion and personality to every experience.
We had our first run-in with the handiwork of Ryan Corvaia, founder and owner of Dish Food and Events, at a spring wedding in New York. Improved vows and Parisian bridal gown notwithstanding, the hottest topics of the evening were his bruschetta bar, made-to-order risotto station and NY-skyline wedding cake. We don’t have to tell you that when you experience an out-of-body bite or sip, you want to have it again and again. Faced with two choices, stage a faux wedding and hire Ryan or get the scoop on how to create your own buzz-worthy event, we gave him a call.
servedraw: how does your love for entertaining translate into how you throw parties?
Ryan Corvaia: When planning a client’s party or wedding, I plan it as if it were my own event in my own home, but with their tastes and points of view seamlessly woven. It’s important to me to offer approachable, great-tasting food while making sure the guests are being taken care of and having a great time. All of the dishes we create somehow reflect my love of certain ingredients, foods I grew up with or even something I enjoyed at a favorite restaurant.
how do you challenge yourself to stay innovative with new food and cocktail recipes?
By keeping our menus seasonal, we’re forced to keep our dishes fresh and new while still staying true to our style. Every season we sit down and discuss what menu items worked well and which ones didn’t. Since our menus consist of kicked-up comfort food, we’re also always looking to take classic dishes to the next level with very simple added ingredients or techniques.
what important details do people overlook when staging their own parties?
My number one recommendation to take your event to the next level would be to hire some help. Even if you make or buy all the food yourself, hire an experienced bartender who will help you set up, decorate, serve food and drinks, and most important, clean up. This is a not too expensive way for you to truly enjoy yourself and mingle with your guests while not having to worry about everything else.
for at-home events in general, you typically see the same types of dishes and cocktails. we’d love to recreate a typical patio party with completely off-roaded food and drink menus. any suggestions?
Forget the chicken, burgers and hot dogs. This summer we’ve been grilling Maine lobsters by the dozens. We split them down the middle, slather them in lemon juice, butter and basil, and grill for a few minutes on each side. Also, think outside the box for other things to grill such as radishes, radicchio, kale, watermelon, peaches and fingerling potatoes.
For a refreshing drink, I’m totally into Hendrick’s Gin this summer. Mix gin, lemonade, minted simple syrup, pour over ice and top with Prosecco. It’s easy to make infused simple syrups that you can add to gin and vodka cocktails. Simmer equal parts water and sugar with your favorite herbs such as rosemary, lemon thyme, lavender or chocolate mint.
Team Dish. We Party with Ryan.
