Celebrating 35 years of off-premises catering:
Green Mansions Catering is now celebrating our 35th year of off-premises catering in New York City. You may view information about us in the sections "About Us" and "Testimonials." We've catered thousands of events, including to homes, offices, famous stores, museums, libraries, galleries, network studios, theaters, parks, yachts, auction houses, schools, lodges, clubhouses, mansions, and lofts.

We have three kitchen commissaries, multiple chefs, experienced executives and captains, and good relationships with vendors. We can cater with a wide safety margin, and we have a vast knowledge of styles, decor, lighting, table settings, etc. Generally we cater off-premises for groups of 50 to 500 guests, and we are experienced in maximizing budgets and producing good values.

Catering to your home:
You are providing the location, some of the equipment, and usually the beverages. You may have a built-in bar, a kitchen island, or a dining table that can be used for beverages and foods. You have couches and chairs, but you may wish to add some rented tables and chairs. You may have some beautiful platters you want used, but you will usually want food service equipment, china, silverware, and glassware ordered, plus linens to match your decor. Your patio or lawn may need a tent, special lighting, and chairs whose legs do not sink into the ground. You will want advice on ordering beverages and ice. We would visit your home to discuss your needs, draw a floor plan, and follow up with a catering proposal.

We discuss menus with you, and they vary among traditional, formal, informal, international, thematic and trendy. Parties at home usually should not be overstaffed, and one needs just the right combination of kitchen, bar and floor staff. Equipment and food delivery and subsequent pickup times are discussed, because you are not always at home.

Pricing for the home, depending on the number of guests and what is provided, usually takes the following form:

Price per guest for the menu selected
Price of rented equipment
An estimated total for Staff, differentiating according to function
Possibly cost of supplying part of the bar, such as the mixers and ice
Service charge and taxes

Catering to your office:
Usually a pantry area needs to be set up, since the usual corporate pantry is not adequate for some events. Good ventilation, a water supply, a refrigerator, some work tables, and a heating cabinet may be needed. For the guest area, desks are sometimes used for bars and food, but rented tables, chairs, linens, food service equipment, china, glassware, and silverware are needed. Pricing usually includes prices for the menu, staff, bar (or you may supply the alcohol), and equipment.

Catering to your store, auction house, gallery, etc.:
Usually there is not a kitchen, so one needs to set up a pantry behind the scenes where there is good ventilation, a water source, and enough space for rented kitchen equipment and work tables. You may supply the alcohol and have us bring the set-ups and ice.

Catering to a rentable venue:
Some rentable venues have kitchens that can be used, and others have a pantry area with ventilation and water, but not much equipment. Rentable venues have lots of rules about when a caterer can enter, when equipment can be delivered, how soon after the event the caterer must remove everything, etc. Some rentable venues only allow eight hours total use in their basic fees, so a caterer must know how to set up an entire party in two hours and break down a party within an hour so the client can have a five hour celebration. Other venues are more flexible. But they all have policies that must be followed.

Catering to a rentable venue often means a large sit-down dinner or buffet with full seating or a large cocktail reception with partial seating and multiple bars and food stations. We have a vast knowledge of how to set up and control these events.