[Ilona]

This may very weel be a question for more than just our group, however, the question is kind of limited to my geographic region of Jax. Three questions:

• Can anyone recommend a good caterer in Jacksonville for a business meeting with about 15 - 20 participants?
• What are the benefits to using a caterer versus a restaurant when supplying food for a high-level business meeting?
• Is it cost prohibitive under a certain number of guests?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[MollySue]

Is your meeting in house or out? What kind of room do you have because a caterer will need some room to set up and will remain on hand during the event.

If you have the room I can recommend Charardonnay's, we have used them in the past and I am currently dealing with them for our annual picnic. If you want/need their information just let me know.

[Ilona]

Thanks, MollySue. The meeting is a few months out, so we're just prepping at this point. I always prefer to get a recommendation from someone who has had a good experience, rather than scouring the YellowPages and ending up dissatisfied.

[angelayala]

I contacted my friend Chad Labenz owner of Matthew's Market in Downtown Jacksonville to respond this post and here is what he had to say:

• Matthew's Market and Catering does a number of "business meeting" events. Food can be as simple as sandwiches or more involved with Tenderloin etc. We design the menu to meet the needs of the client/event.

• Doing an event remotely requires a bit more planning and expertise and is often difficult for a restaurant without the proper experience or equipment. On the flip side, clients often worry that food quality at catered events won't compare to what they find at the city's best restaurants. By choosing Matthew's Market & Catering you get the best of both worlds. We produce some of the finest food in Jacksonville from our two restaurants--Matthew's Restaurant in San Marco and Restaurant Medure in Ponte Vedra. We also have a catering arm that focuses specifically on off-site events. We know quality and are experienced in bringing that to our table or yours.

• We require a six person minimum for our events and find that number usually justifies the delivery charge.

www.matthewsmarketandcatering.com