Celebration! Banquets & Catering

Check Out "Yo Chef's" New Recipe

2009-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Grilled Mahi with Black Bean Salsa
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
4 (7 to 8-ounce) mahi-mahi steaks, about 1-inch thick
Vegetable oil for greasing the grill grates
Salsa:
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeded and ribbed for less heat)
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
Salt
Directions
Place the soy sauce, orange juice, ketchup, honey, lime juice, garlic, basil, oregano, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until the honey is completely dissolved. Pour the marinade into a re-sealable plastic bag with the fish fillets and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes.
Toss the tomatoes, scallions, black beans, cilantro, jalapeno, and the lime juice in a medium bowl. Add some salt to taste and set aside to let the flavors develop.
Oil your grill grates with canola oil to help prevent sticking. If using a gas grill, preheat the grill to high. Grill the fish for 5 to 6 minutes on a side, turning carefully using a turner large enough to support the entire piece of fish, until browned, firm and flaky. Serve with the black bean salsa and lime wedges.
Indoor Variation: To cook on a grill pan on the stovetop, heat the grill pan over high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of the fish with oil and place on the hot grill pan. Oiling the fish instead of the pan will limit the amount of smoke. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side.

Check out the video at: http://www.wzzm13.com/life/programming/local/take_five/take_five_story.aspx?storyid=109477&catid=205!

Treat Mom to Brunch and a Movie on Mother's Day!

2009-04-15T06:06:00.000-07:00

Come visit Celebration! Banquets & Catering in the Wave Room on Sunday, May 10 for a fabulous brunch and a movie with mom.

Our low price includes an all you can eat brunch buffet, a movie pass (good for almost any movie) and a flower for mom. Just $26.95 per person for adults, $16.95 per person for kids 12 and under...and kids under 2 eat free!

Reservations are required and seating is limited! Call 447-4210 today to make your reservation! Please visit our website http://celebrationbanquets.com/?pid=30694 for more details!

Check out "Yo Chef's" New Recipe!

2009-03-24T09:39:00.001-07:00

This is a great one for St. Patty's Day!

Irish Stew
Probably the "Best" known Irish dish. Traditional made from goat or kid now, however it is more commonly made with lamb; traditional Irish stew meat was not browned first, but if you wish you can brown the meat and ½ the onions for a few minutes prior to baking.

Method: Use 2lbs. of quality lamb meat and trim the fat, then cut into fairly large pieces. Peel and slice 2lbs. of potatoes. 8 medium onions (peel and slice) Plenty of carrots and/or parsnips - optional.

Next, using a large oven proof dish, place a layer of potato slices in the bottom of the dish then a layer of onions (carrots and/or parsnips) then add the lamb, season with Salt and Pepper. Add some chopped parsley, a bay leaf, and thyme followed by the remainder of the potatoes and onions layered.

Add 1-1½ pints of water. Cover the pot either with a lid or sheet of foil and cook in an oven at 250°F for approx. 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the stew from sticking and add more water if it becomes too dry. Irish stew is best prepared several hours or the day before as it often tastes better having been reheated. The stew when served should be accompanied with traditional Soda Bread.

There is no definitive recipe for Irish stew and the above may be enhanced with the addition of carrots or parsnips. Another popular alternative is to substitute a quantity of the water with 1 cup Guinness or 1 cup of red wine.

White Soda Bread
4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt 14 oz of buttermilk

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly grease and flour a cake pan. In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to form sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape) Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough. Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove, cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped to show it is done. Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

Enjoy!

Make sure to check out the video for this recipe at http://www.wzzm13.com/recipes/story.aspx?storyid=106843&catid=59.

Check out "Yo Chef's" New Recipe!

2009-03-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

Periodically we will be adding new recipes that Chef Joseff VanHorn has tried...make sure to check out the first one and tell us what you think!

This is President Barack Obama's family chili recipe that he's been using for years.
45 min 15 min prep
SERVES 8

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Tomato, several depending on size, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans

Directions
1. Sauté onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.
2. Add ground meat and brown.
3. Combine spices together into a mixture, and then add to ground meat.
4. Add red wine vinegar.
5. Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.
6. Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.
7. Serve over white or brown rice.
Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Make sure to check out the video at http://www.wzzm13.com/recipes/story.aspx?storyid=105537&catid=59.

Make sure to visit us at the Cottage & Lakefront Living Show this weekend!

2009-03-24T09:22:00.001-07:00

C!B&C will be hanging out at the Cottage & Lakefront Living show this weekend at the Devos Place! Make sure to stop by our booth to try our chef's BBQ pulled pork - the perfect addition to your summer picnic! We will be offering 10% off your summer catering bill...or you can still make reservations for our tasting event on April 7...or you can register to win dinner and a movie complete with wine pairings and pop and popcorn. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Visit Us at the Women's Expo!

2009-03-10T04:46:00.001-07:00

We had a ton of people stop by and see us at the Home & Garden show this past weekend! Thanks to all that came out and sampled the BBQ pulled pork - the hottest new item to hit our summer menu.

We'll be at the Women's Expo this weekend offering up more yummy samples and giving away some great specials. Make sure to visit us so you can receive 10% off your catering bill between now and September 8. The Women's Expo is at Devos Place Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 13-15).

We'll also be at the Cottage & Lakefront Living Show at the end of the month...stay tuned!

We're on Facebook!

2009-02-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hey blog followers! We are now on facebook! Make sure to become a fan of C!B&C and let everyone you know know about this award winning company!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Grand-Rapids-MI/Celebration-Banquets-Catering/70401395415

C!B&C - The Official Caterer of Mrs. Michigan America Pageant!

2009-02-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

March 27-28 Celebration! Banquets & Catering will be the official caterer of the Mrs. Michigan pageant, which takes place at the Comfort Suites - Grand Rapids North and the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center. We're very excited to be a part of this community event and look forward to working with Mrs. Michigan!

Celebration! Banquets & Catering - 2008 Business of the Year Winner!

2009-02-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Celebration! Banquets & Catering became the new Business of the Year on February 6, 2009!! I was pleased and honored to accept the award for BOTY on behalf of the company at the second annual West Michigan Wedding Association Awards Banquet Friday night. This is a huge honor and we are all really excited to be recognized! We look forward to continuing to serve the West Michigan wedding community with our outstanding service in 2009 and beyond. Visit us at www.celebrationbanquets.com to plan your wedding!

Thank you so much to all those who voted for us!

C!B&C Nominated for Business of the Year!

2009-01-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

This morning I found out that Celebration! Banquets & Catering has been nominated for Business of the Year! The winner will be announced on February 6 at the Second Annual WMWA Honors Banquet...so stay tuned!

Thank you to all the brides, grooms, and mothers of the brides that nominated us. This is a huge honor and we are very excited!

Calling all Brides!

2009-01-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

Looking for the perfect reception venue for your big day? Look no further than the Wave Room! The Wave Room is located on the balcony level of Celebration! Cinema North and offers a unique setting for receptions of up to 250 people. We offer full service catering and bar services at our location...or if you already have a venue, let us be your caterer of choice. We can cater your big day just about anywhere in West Michigan, and our bar services travel too. We also specialize in rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, engagement parties and day after wedding brunches. Let us know how we can help you with your special day...call April at (616) 447-4210 or email at event@celebrationcinema.com.

Make sure to visit us at the WMWA Bridal Show this weekend, January 23-24, at Devos Place to receive great money saving offers for your wedding day!

Ring in 2009 with Celebration! Banquets & Catering

2008-12-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

Celebrate the New Year in Style! Join us in the Wave Room on December 31 for a fabulous dinner, great music, dancing and, of course, the big ball drop.

What: Celebration! Cinema's Third Annual New Year's Eve Party

Where: The Wave Room at Celebration! Cinema North

When: December 31, 7:30 pm - 1:00 am

Tickets are only $40 per person and advance payment is required. This is a 21+ event, so make sure to bring your ID. Attire is casual elegance.

The ticket price includes hors d'oeuvres, a buffet dinner and dessert, entertainment, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. A cash bar will also be available throughout the evening. Entertainment is provided by Two to Tango DJ Services.

The menu includes:

Hors D'oeuvres

BBQ Meatballs, Sweet & Sour Meatballs, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Coconut Chicken with Homemade Pina Colada Sauce, Domestic Cheese & Crackers, Assorted Fresh Fruit

Buffet Dinner

Cranberry & Feta Cheese Salad, Fresh Baked Rolls, Seasonal Chicken, Roast Beef Carving Station, Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Redskin Potatoes, Long Grain Wild Rice, Fresh Green Beans with Mushrooms

Dessert

Bananas Foster Flambe, Ice Cream Sundae Station

Make your reservation early by calling (616) 447-4210!

We look forward to ringing in 2009 with you!

It's a Jungle at Celebration!

2008-11-11T04:28:00.000-08:00

The Wave Room was a jungle on Friday with kids of all ages celebrating the opening of Madagascar 2. C!B&C served a jungle feast including hot dogs, fried beetle wings (potato chips), snake eggs (grapes), and crocodile teeth (apple wedges).

Kids were able to create an animal themed magnet as a keepsake. There was also face painting, coloring sheets, Plinko, and even live friends from the John Ball Zoo - including penguins! Two big winners got an entire set of stuffed Madagascar characters as well.

We are looking forward to our next movie party, which will probably happen sometime early next year - stay tuned!

Madagascar Party!

2008-10-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Join us in the Wave Room from 5-7 pm for food and fun - and see Madagascar 2 on the big screen or in IMAX!

The party is only $5 per person, which includes games, crafts, face painting and special guests from the John Ball Zoo.

For an additional $5 per person you can take part in our jungle themed feast! Menu items include hot dogs, ants on a log (raisins and peanut butter on celery sticks), snake eggs (red and green grapes), fried beetle wings (potato chips), crocodile teeth (apple slices with caramel sauce), and jungle juice. Yum!

For more information visit www.celebrationcinema.com or www.celebrationbanquets.com.

*Note* Party does not include movie ticket or concessions.

2008-10-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

WOW! October has been a busy month in Celebration! Banquets! From wedding receptions to birthday parties, business meetings to community events - we've done it all!

October 4 C!B&C was downtown for much of the day for the Fireball Run, which is a transcontinental auto rally starting in Baton Rouge, LA and ending right here in Grand Rapids! This was a really cool event with some amazing cars, including the DeLorean from Back to the Future 2. We were excited to be able to provide breakfast and lunch to all the participants, as well as to be part of such a cool event.

The same day (October 4) we could also be found at Studio 28 for the Hispanic Chamber's annual business expo, not to mention in South Haven at a wedding reception (yes, we cater offsite!), and in our own Wave Room for GVSU's Panhellenic Ball. Luckily the weather was beautiful!

In mid-October Devos Children's Hospital held their annual nursing essentials conference. Every year our theater lobby transforms into a trade show floor for those in the health care business to promote the newest and latest in their industry. C!B&C provided a lunch - our famous fajitas of course - which everyone loved!

Celebration! Cinema - Lansing celebrated its 10 year anniversary last week as well, and we were honored to cater to all the big screen celebrities in the Lansing area. After arriving to a spread of movie themed food (chili con queso for Beverly Hills Chihuahua and red pepper hummus for Gladiator, just to name a couple), guests were treated to the movie of their choice, whether current or one of the classics from the past 10 years!

Oh, did you hear of a little movie called High School Musical 3: Senior Year? Well, it opened last weekend and there were plenty of girls with October birthdays and crushes on Zac Efron to cater to. The birthdays keep on coming - and we still have some great kid friendly holiday releases too!

Celebration on the Grand!

2008-09-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

The crummy weather turned beautiful in time for a movie in the park! C!B&C spent Saturday at Celebration on the Grand selling hot dogs, fruit and veggie cups and other yummy snacks. A fun time was had by all (especially Flick, who made lots of little friends).

Check out this awesome event!

2008-09-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

The weather wasn't the best on September 4, but 500 people turned out for the premiere of "Except for Six," Hospice of Michigan's documentary. C!B&C served heavy appetizers and desserts and there was also an open bar. Everyone was really impressed, especially with the way we were able to use the Beacon Lobby space (good thing HOM made the decision early to move the event inside)! Check out the pictures!

I should note that Captus Creative did all the amazing white screens and extra lighting. Check out their work at http://www.captuscreative.com/.

If you're interested in seeing "Except for Six," there will be a run of engagement at the end of the month and into October. Tickets will be on sale next week - check out www.celebrationcinema.com for more details!

So much going on!

2008-09-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

We are fast approaching one of our busiest weekends of the year! Tomorrow through Saturday Celebration! Banquets & Catering will be hanging out downtown for Celebration on the Grand. Make sure to stop by our tent in Ah-nab-awen Park for a hot dog, chips, fruit or veggies and a Pepsi. We will be selling snacks on Saturday night before and during a viewing of Curious George. Additionally, we'll be the VIP caterer for the artists and performers throughout the weekend. This is great exposure for C!B&C and we are really excited to be a part of this fantastic community event.

In addition to our weekend downtown we are catering a plated lunch for Lakeland Library Co-operative tomorrow afternoon as well as a wedding reception for Keesha and Nick on Saturday night.

We also will be hosting about 600 people for Hospice of Michigan's Except for Six premiere tomorrow night. We have been working with Hospice to coordinate a premiere party full of yummy hors d'oeuvres and desserts for various people in the community as well as their volunteers. This is a really high end event that will take place in our Beacon Lobby with the premiere of the movie (which Hospice created) in Theater 1, our larged theater auditorium.

On Friday, Cruise Holidays will show their On Stage Alaska presentation on the big screen, encouraging people to take time to travel and helping them to understand that they can do it relatively inexpensively. C!B&C is catering for them as well - smoked salmon of course (it's very Alaskan).

It's a great time of year for events and we're happy to be taking part in such a variety of great things. Again, make sure to stop by our booth in the park this Saturday for a hot dog or even just to say hi.

Next time I will be sure to post pictures from this weekend as well as mention our upcoming bridal shows!

No plans? Come hang with C!B&C!

2008-08-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have been really bad about updating my blog...but I have some really fun and exciting events coming up to share!

This weekend Celebration! Banquets & Catering is going to be at Saturday Night Alive at John Ball Zoo. This is an awesome event that I encourage everyone to check out if you can. There will be tours of the zoo, live classic rock and jazz music, and food from local area business/caterers - Chez Bayou, Ferris Coffee, Noodles & Co, The Tap House, and of course Celebration! Banquets & Catering - just to name a few. What a fun night - so gather up your friends and visit us for some homemade chili con queso, homemade pico de gallo and chips!

In addition to SNA, C!B&C is getting involved with a number of community events. On Tuesday we are going to be catering an event for Cpl. Josh Hoffman's new home. Josh had been serving our country and was injured in Iraq in January of 2007. Homes for our Troops has been hard at work building Josh and his fiancee the home that they deserve, and we will be there to support them at the ground breaking ceremony. Check out Josh's story at http://www.calmilegion.com/HFOT.html.

If you can't make it to either of those events, stop by Studio 28 next weekend (August 22-23) to the Community Cruise Fest. "Flicks, Fenders, Food & Fun!" This is a mostly FREE event with family friendly entertainment, kids' activities, free popcorn, a prayer tent and more. Additionally, there will be a Road Rally for a small fee and food/beverages for sale (we're selling coffee, fresh fruit, chili con queso and pico de gallo...so if you love the queso at Saturday Night Alive, which I know you will, come see us again at Cruise Fest!)

More to come soon on other community events...stay tuned for information about Celebration on the Grand (September) and the Fireball Run (October). So many fun things to do in GR!!

2008-07-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

Mamma Mia! Here we go again! Check out the wedding party that celebrated with us on June 14. Cassie and Josh had a ton of fun on their big day.

They got married in a theater auditorium, which was a first for us and went great! Then the guests moved to the Wave Room for the reception while the wedding party took pictures.

This was an awesome group to work with - I'm glad we got to be a part of their special day!

The gloves come off at Studio 28!

2008-07-07T13:06:00.001-07:00

The Fourth of July was a big weekend in Grand Rapids and Celebration! Banquets got to be a part of it! Yesterday was the end of Floyd Mayweather's big retirement weekend. Floyd and his friends capped off the weekend at Studio 28 with a VIP reception catered by Celebration! Banquets and a big screen presentation of highlights from his career. The star studded green carpet included appearances by Ashanti, Lil Jon, Monica and Vivica Fox - just to name a few! We served some great appetizers - the shrimp cocktail and coconut chicken were huge hits. Chef Joseff was even nice enough to run their cake over to the bowling alley when the party was over since they hadn't gotten a chance to eat it at the reception!

We also participated in the Taste Party on July 4 and 5 over at Studio. Celebration! Banquets served our awesome roasted red pepper hummus! Stop by and visit us again on July 11 and 12 and July 18 and 19 as we promote Mamma Mia! and our services for wedding season!

Kit Kittredge was a huge success!

2008-07-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been told for some time that I should have a blog for Celebration! Banquets so everyone can keep up with what we're up to and what a great company we are - so what better time than July 3. I actually have a lot to blog about considering our Kit Kittredge party yesterday afternoon was a huge success (gale force winds and all)!

Celebration! Cinema/Banquets teamed up with Etissentials, Modern Photographics, the GR Public Museum and the GR Press to provide a fun filled afternoon for about 160 girls and their moms (and some dads) to celebrate the opening of Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. The event was held in our Wave Room and consisted of an etiquette lesson by Stacey from Etissentials as well as a presentation on "getting the story" by Trisha from the Press. Wendy from the mueseum was also on hand dressed to the nines in Victorian era clothing to talk about different American girl eras, particularly the Depression, which is Kit's era. Modern Photographics completed the group by taking pictures of the girls to put in their keepsake frames that they created during craft time. Most girls saw the movie either before or after the party thus making a day of Kit.

We provided lemonade and ice tea for the "tea party" portion of the event and each girl got a cupcake as well. We also were able to give everyone a Kit Kittredge t-shirt, poster, and bookmark. One lucky lady even was the big winner of an official Kit Kittredge American Girl doll!

It was a great afternoon - a great way to promote some awesome area businesses and get people out not only for a movie, but also for an experience! I'm looking forward to doing more parties like this.

In the next edition watch for Mamma Mia! Taste Party promotions and the Mayweather Foundation (did you hear Floyd is retiring?!).

Don't forget to check out http://www.celebrationbanquets.com/ and http://www.celebrationcinema.com/!