Q&A with Molly Martin

How do you describe your signature style when it comes to catering?

I like to think there is a sense of abundance and generosity in our food—the focus has always been on the table, the moment of connection when people share food that feels personal. The brand is heavily inspired by Ottolenghi and the time I spent in that kitchen. I staged there in London at a point when I knew I wanted to start a company but hadn’t settled on the direction. The freshness, vibrant colors, and texture of that food felt like something I hadn’t seen in Nashville events at that moment.

What does your creative process look like when designing a menu for an event?

Food is a gift, and especially when you are designing a menu for a milestone event like a wedding or a big birthday, it’s most impactful if the client is represented. We ask a lot of questions about family food memories, favorite restaurants, travel, etc. to try to get to know them and what matters to them.

We always love when we get the opportunity to translate someone’s culture or family recipe to the table. It feels like a meaningful act of hospitality from the host to their guests that we get to facilitate.

Where do you typically look for inspiration when building or evolving your offerings?

Travel is always inspirational. I try to get to New York every couple of years. I’m almost always dining with other people, so when I travel solo and get to dine solo, it allows more quiet and attention to finer details.

I like to think we’re a visual brand as much as a culinary one, so I do pay attention to trends I see on IG and Pinterest for ways to surprise and delight guests with presentations they maybe haven’t seen before—but of course that has to be paired with clients who are willing to take a bit more of a risk. :)

How do you think about pacing and flow when planning a meal?

Transitions are everything. Energy has to stay in motion or it gets stagnant. Part of the beauty of creating meals for events vs. in restaurants is getting to collaborate with other incredibly talented vendors to create what Priya Parker calls a “temporary alternative world.”

I love to see when all the choices are made from a place not just of aesthetics, but of keeping guests present and in a natural flow—passed hors d’oeuvres allow people to enjoy a bite without having to break their conversation, and family style forces eye contact and conversation.

I like having sweets and nightcaps in an area away from the table, with a bit of time after main course to let things settle and allow for anticipation of the finish vs. dessert being dropped five minutes after clearing. Food is not always the center of every event, but when it is a priority it’s important to give people time and space to enjoy it.

In your opinion, what should clients invest in if they want to elevate the culinary experience?

A great culinary experience is tied to all the deliverables—service, flavor, visual presentation—so it’s hard to say that one area takes complete precedence. That said, beautiful food doesn’t need a lot of dressing up in terms of tableware, so if you are considering how to prioritize spending, I do think excellent ingredients and enough staff to deliver calm, intentional service have more impact than elaborate tablescapes.

If you have the budget to go wild on all of those things, great! But I rarely hear people talk about a china pattern later, while most can recall the sense memories of a favorite dish years later.

What are some of your favorite event formats to work on—and why?

I always lean toward shared plates and family-style because they remind us that eating and celebrating are a communal act. My family is rooted in New Orleans, which is an inherently kind of indulgent culture. The city holds the tension of high-end formality and tradition and bacchanalia so organically.

My favorite events are when people lean into that—enough polish to make it feel like a special occasion, but with signals that let people know it’s OK to let their hair down.

One of my favorite brides served St. Louis ribs at her wedding, with bowls of moist towelettes on the table in the middle of so many other lovely and refined details. People started out a bit shy, but after looking around the table after the first couple of bites, they gave into their animal instincts and just crushed the ribs without care for appearances. The rest of the party was an absolute blast, and I think those things are related.

How far in advance should someone bring in a caterer, and what helps the process go smoothly?

I think the earlier the better, because we often tend to build other menus around the earliest adopters. The closer you are to the date, the fewer options you have, and the less opportunity you have to build the trust and rapport with the team that allows them to go above and beyond for you.

How do you balance creativity with logistics on event day?

I’m lucky to have a team of logistics wizards around me—it was pretty improvised in the early days, haha. We talk through all elements of what we can control and what might come up that we can’t; the key is usually building in extra time for surprises.

Being really logistically prepared and having detailed advance communication frees up so much more space for creativity, whether that’s aesthetics or problem-solving.

What’s something you wish more people understood about catering for events?

There seems to be an arbitrary cap that people put on the value of food as a deliverable, and the only frame of reference they really have is restaurants. They often have an expectation that pricing will be comparable (or often even less, like a bulk purchasing discount!) for a menu and service plan that is completely tailored to your event and preferences, with enormous logistical challenges.

People are willing to pay very high fees to those in professional services like law, consulting, etc., with the understanding that you’re paying a premium for their level of experience and expertise, and I don’t find that often translates to catering or hospitality in the same way. It’s so much more than food that makes a catered event successful, and the pricing reflects more than the menu.

When you invest in a great caterer, you invest in their ability to deliver a singular guest experience without you ever having to know or think about the million details that go into it.

Runner up: If you need to reduce the budget, don’t start with staffing.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, what career path would you pursue—and why?

I was drawn to hospitality for the human connection and making people feel seen, so whatever I do will always have that at the center. I am passionate about creatives and entrepreneurs—people who are willing to take a risk to put something beautiful and personal into the world.

I see myself eventually getting more into coaching and consulting because so many wonderful people just need a little empathy and encouragement to push through tough moments to get where they want to go.