Creative Edge Parties is a catering and event planning company in New York & South Florida. Over the past twenty-five years, we have dedicated ourselves to culinary excellence, flawless event management, and in finding ever inventive ways to present great food and create unforgettable events.

From corporate events, to casual cocktail parties, from formal weddings, to intimate gatherings, our staff works tirelessly to orchestrate your ideal event. When it comes to celebrating life's milestones; large or small; Creative Edge Parties is the place that can make the impossible, possible.

Creative Edge Parties. Not just another chicken dinner

Description of Position

CULINARY SKILLS

• Ensure to maintain quality and proper presentation of food and drives the customer relation management system by ensuring that all such orders are handled correctly
• Manage the Food Menus development schedule along with consultant chef, President, director of creation and VP of Operations.
• Ensure all products are rotated on a first-in, first-out philosophy throughout the all kitchen.
• Ability to create attractive new dishes following the concept of DÔA
• Maintain and exhibit a solid knowledge and understanding of all food products and skillfully apply culinary and cooking techniques.
• Stay abreast of culinary trends and market
• Insure all kitchen supplies and food items required for service are available/restocked.
• Conduct inventory check up on a regular basis to ensure proper par and quality levels.
• Review all BEOs with FOH management
• Working knowledge of knives, knife skills and small wares equipment.
• Maintain a solid knowledge, understanding of all recipes and preparations.
• Ensure food quality is superior and takes action to correct any irregularities.
• Skillfully and knowledgeably able to work each kitchen stations.
• Versatile in both hot, cold and pastry items preparation
• Close daily monitoring of food outlets, staff, food quality, production, staff, product and presentation
• Ensure all products are properly labeled and stored to ensure safekeeping and sanitation.
• Maintain an exceptional menu knowledge and attention to detail with plate presentation

ASSETS

• Ensure all requisitions are processed properly and placed in designated area.
• Identify and safely use all kitchen equipment.
• Ensure kitchen equipment is properly maintained and functioning.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

• Develop, coach, provide leadership to all BOH employees providing succession plan
• Conduct training for Senior and Jr Sous-Chefs, Chef de Partie, Cooks, and all Kitchen Workers on job responsibilities.
• Supervise stewarding and cleaning department.
• Assist Junior Sous-Chef, Chef de partie, Cooks, prep Cooks, receivers, stewards as needed in execution of service and standards.
• Handle employee relation issues, track employee records, disciplinary situations and miscellaneous matters.
• Achieve service, financial and Human Resource goals set forth by property executives

MANAGEMENT

• Participate in on / off property banquet functions and food shows as needed
• Produce production list and overall kitchen SOP organization to ensure efficient execution of all task and service.
• Work as a team, assisting employee’s needs and inquiries.
• Effectively communicate with management and service staff in order to fulfill and address any issues or needs requested by guests and or other employees.
• Assist with Control food and labor cost and establishing goals and objectives that focus on profit, quality product and people.
• Control of purchasing, receiving, purveyor lists and inventory of all kitchen items.
• Attend meetings for functions planning, food designs and menu developments when required.
• Working knowledge of weights and measures and various cooking techniques.
• Work varied shifts, including weekends and holidays.
• Perform all duties as deemed necessary for the success of the department
• Perform other job related duties as requested.
• Assist with ordering and tracking
• Communicate with FOH manager on daily / weekly operations update

Why work with Creative edge parties?

• Flexibility to be highly creative with the backing of a solid established company
• Work with an accomplished team in a collaborative community of culinary innovation where new ideas are welcomed and tested together
• Working with proven hospitality visionaries who are culinary focused - will never ask Chef's to downgrade their standards
• Opportunity to innovate and contribute your unique culinary expertise
• Upward mobility and location flexibility as the company continues to grow
• Exposure to the most coveted events in the city; ability to built an amazing network in the space

Reporting Structure

The Corporate Chef will report to Carla Ruben, Chef/Owner.

ABOUT THE team

Creative Edge Parties has attracted top talent from a wide range of backgrounds that stay with the company for a long time. The team is a closely knit group of hospitality professionals that have found a home with the events group.

General Manager, Creative Edge Miami

Djamal Zoughbi, a native of Paris, started working in restaurants over 30 years ago.   His long and illustrious career started at the highly regarded Lucas Carton.  After which he was hired away to open the restaurant at Hotel Costes. Furthering his career, he moved to London to open up and manage Momo's, went on to St. Barth's to manage Petit St. Barth and finally landed in NYC where he managed San Domenico (NYC) after helping open Palma Restaurant in the West Village.  Deciding to make NYC his home, he went on to own several clubs and restaurants. In 2011, he joined Creative Edge as a consultant hired to  help revamp the kitchen and assist the owner with developing a series of pop up restaurants for The Creative Edge Culinary Council.  His keen sense of style, knowledge of food and never ending pursuit of excellent service has elevated the Creative Edge guest experience.  

VP of Sales

George Henderson is a legend within the events industry.  He started his career on the floor as a waiter over 20 years ago. He quickly moved up through all the different positions that teach one the in-depth knowledge needed to really understand what all clients want. He served as a floor Captain, Head of Staffing, Producer for the Owner of the Company and ultimately became the Head of Sales, all while continuing to maintain a massive client base. He possesses the ability to oversee an event of 13,000 guests right down to a small intimate dinner at the Chairman's house.

VP of Operations

Joseph Wickes is a 14 year veteran to all things events. Within two years of starting his career as a Conference Coordinator for a major non-profit, he found himself escalated to a management role catering and producing for Hollywood's finest. He continued to expand on his skills in design production and went on to produce events across the country for many major brands, celebrity chefs, and some of the most amazing human beings' milestone celebrations one could ever hope to work on. Through all his work, NY has always been his home. He has worked for Creative Edge in a variety of roles over the last six years, but it is his most current role through which he spreads his wings. His dynamic background, attention to detail, love of numbers, and love of events makes him the perfect fit. 

VP of Business Development

Carl Hedin is an icon in our industry. Through the years his clients have included the who’s who in all business sectors… along with four presidents. He began his illustrious career over 25 years ago in Chelsea managing a “vogue” food boutique that catered to local celebrities and fashion designers. His passion for design and love for exquisite food became his calling card to notable New Yorkers. His talents were soon noticed by the internationally acclaimed Tentation, Potel & Chabot. Within his eight year tenure, Carl grew the New York division from a small very French boutique firm to the premiere caterer for the fashion and social elite. In 2003, he was hired by Abigail Kirsch Catering to rebrand the company and oversee their off premises catering division. Presently, Carl oversees the CEP event sales department, client development and strategic business development.

Director of Marketing and Design

With Lauren Wells, we win when it comes to design and marketing!  Yes we said it. We have created every trend within the catering industry.  We have pushed every limit and challenged every industry leader.  From our chicken and egg campaign "Not Just Another Chicken Dinner" developed over 15 years ago to our newest promotional campaign "The Virgin" olive oil (complete with the Mother Mary emblazoned on the bottle which happens to resemble a fifth of vodka).  Lauren started her career in Interior Design, but quickly realized that her intense love of food could be combined with her innate sense of style in the event industry.  Lauren’s skills are unique in the sense that she not only has a brilliant marketing mind but the ability to communicate to corporation and artists alike. 

Day-to-Day Egg Staff

Our basic premise around our hiring and training of waitstaff is to find the individuals who are not only reliable but able to interact with guests in a way that will be memorable and distinguished.  At CEP our internal staffing department works relentlessly to teach service in an exhilarating and thought provoking way.  We want our team to feel a sense of ownership and pride around our food and their service.  We cross train our staff to ensure that camaraderie, which is the key component to strong service.  Providing a work atmosphere that develops individual strengths while embracing artistic ways helps to keep a solid crew together and motivated. 

Kitchen Food Lab

Our kitchen runs quite unlike any other kitchen. We believe that no new food idea comes from one person but from a team.  We also believe that the most ingenious ideas come from new emerging cooks that really know nothing about catering.  With this basic premise, we have divided our kitchen into two parts "external kitchen" and "internal kitchen."  The internal kitchen is very operations and production driven. Their jobs are to produce a food quality that is never compromised and on a massive scale.  The external team develops new concepts, tests them and then teaches the onsite chefs.  So basically one team is heavily creative and the other team is very operational.  This ensures getting both sides of the brain working in one kitchen.  

Scrambled Eggs

All combined our core (full time staff) is almost 4 dozen. During peak season, our staff can grow to upwards of 300, when freelance wait staff and freelance culinary staff are incorporated.

qualifications

• Leadership positions in a high volume catering business or restaurant that had an off site catering function
• Ability to interact positively with supervisor, management, coworkers, members, and the public to promote a team effort and maintain a positive and professional approach.
• Ability to produce a high volume of work in a timely manner, which is accurate, complete, and of high quality.
• The ideal candidate will be decisive and persuasive but not be an “ego” driven individual. The person will need to lead by example and be “hands on”  with the ability to see the big picture.
• Passion for the concept, cuisine and success of the brand.

Interested in learning more or know the right person? Email mandeep@hhcsearch.com

About the Founder

CARLA RUBEN

President, Owner & Creative Director: Creative Edge Parties

I grew up surrounded by art.  It was hard not to with Albert Kahn as your great grandfather, your grandmother owning the most important futurism art collection in the world, and your mother being an internationally recognized photographer.  Art & architecture have forged the foundation of my views within the catering industry.

My interest in catering and business started at a very young age.  Growing up in Princeton allowed easy access to NYC’s culinary scene.

After graduating from Northwestern, I worked in television and PR in NYC. This is where my appreciation for food as a form of communication started.  Working in PR put me in the unique position of working with many caterers and seeing how they came to the event from one small perspective.  Back then, the only thing people worried about was whether the food would be hot and if there was more on the menu than chicken breast and a piece of salmon. Catering was in its infantile stage.  I also experienced first hand the disconnect between the event and the client’s vision.

After being on the client’s side, I realized the great need for innovative and immersive culinary experiences that engage the guests.  Creative Edge Parties was born. 

Notable PR

CEP Instagram

instant interview

If you are excited about the position and know that you are right for the role, the easiest way to get to the top of the list is to submit a video interview. By clicking on the link below, you will be taken to a series of questions that will take less than 15 minutes to complete. It is a great way to stand out beyond your resume!

Up to $500 for referrals!

If you are not interested in this particular role but have people in your network that could be a good fit, we would love to help them. For any person we place at any of our clients that you refer to us, we send you a check for $500.

Each person is limited to only 3 referrals maximum so please only refer your best and help continue to build the best culinary network.