The following article was reported through a collaboration between the New Haven Independent and the Multimedia Journalism class at Southern Connecticut State University. The students are profiling small businesses around the New Haven area.
Chef Jose Soto
Jose Soto, chef of the catering business Chefs A’ L’Orange, started to roll the dough for the Yale School of Architecture’s weekly dinner hours before the event started.
Prep work for parties starts early for catering companies.
“This is my passion,” said Soto, who has been working for Chefs A L’Orange owner Cathy Connorton for more than 21 years.
If you’re working in the food business, catering is the place to be, said Connorton, who has been catering for 35 years. Chefs a L’Orange is her third catering company.
“Catering gives you some independence if you ever ran a restaurant,” said Connorton. “It’s difficult to restaurant.”
Connorton and her team cater to several departments at Yale. Yale School of Architecture happens to host a weekly event ranging from a martini mixer to a five-course meal.
“You really have to make sure the food is timed right,” said Connorton. “I have always been interested in food and how food tastes.”
Besides her gourmet cuisine Connorton offers organic local foods on the regular, vegetarian, and vegan menus if requested.
“That’s what people want,” said Connorton.
Shannon O’Brien photo
Jeffrey Chamiec cuts strawberries before the Yale School of Architecture dinner.
Jeffrey Chamiec, a cook, said he enjoys learning something new every day being part of the catering business.
Connorton said there is a lot of detail running parties. Click play on the video above or the audio clip below to hear more details.
“We get to pick the menu,” said Connorton. “It’s sort of the beauty of catering.”
