|
|
SPOTLIGHTS
eos - Catering and Special Events
BY ERIC CREED
A proud, single dad and former member of the Navy, White has been in the restaurant business most of his life. Surrounding himself with a team of exceptionally talented women, he is bringing high-end catering to a new level of quality and service. Even the name Eos, a Greek word meaning “dawn,” reflects the philosophy. “Our goal is to make each experience a great one for the client,” says Jacque Slayton, Director of Catering. White likes to say they “can do anything, anytime, anywhere, for anyone.” The amount of repeat business they are experiencing already is a testament to that attitude.
One of Eos’ biggest, and most rewarding, bookings came with one of their first catering gigs, the Nash (owners of Knoxville’s Crown & Goose restaurant in the Old City) wedding reception on the stage of the Tennessee Theatre. Mix together equal parts celebration, gorgeous historic setting, and scrumptious food…as anyone who was there will tell you, it was a huge success.
With no sales staff, and little advertising, Eos has relied on its reputation and word of mouth to keep them busy…and busy they are. “We are booked every week through the wedding season and have already booked several holiday parties,” Slayton says. So busy, in fact, that Eos will be hiring a second chef to help with their future expansion.
Utilizing the kitchens at Nama, La Costa, and Emma’s enables White to keep his overhead down and his pricing extremely competitive. But this doesn’t mean Eos delivers anything “cookie-cutter” style, as Slayton creates a customized menu for each event. Overseeing the food preparation on those menus is White’s Corporate Chef, Holly Hambright. With 25 years of experience in the business, “Holly adds a level of skill and depth to our events that compliments Jacque’s creativity. Together, they are the heart and soul of our very successful team,” White says. He believes that “it’s all about the people. The talented people we work with, the people that we enjoy cooking for, and the people we enjoy corking a bottle with.”
The most fun that White has had catering an event was the Knoxville Brewers’ Jam last fall. Eos put on a shrimp boil that was as much fun to cater as it was to attend. White also enjoys catering for the boating crowd. “They are always a lot of fun to be around,” he says. The VOL Navy will be seeing a lot of Eos and his team this fall.
White says that what sets Eos apart is: 1. The talents and collective skills of his team. 2. The great people on that team. 3. Their ability to design a menu that is perfectly suited to each client. Whether you are feeding five or 5,000, Eos can provide a high-end catering experience unlike anyone else in Knoxville…and change the very definition of catering while doing so.
|
|
|
|
| TELL YOUR FRIENDS |
 |
|
|
READER SERVICES
