By Tony Chavez, Live Great Food
Years ago, I recall a conversation with my now father-in-law in which I nervously stumbled through my words while trying to get the “OK” to ask for his eldest daughter’s hand in marriage. He cut me off half way through my plea, and I heard him say something about a pig. Not fully understanding the context, I asked, “Excuse me?”
He continued, “What is she worth to you? A pig? A cow? Ducks? Maybe some laying hens? You are asking me for something that I have raised and cared for, what are you offering me in return? How do I know you’re not going to bring her back when things get rough? I need to know that she means as much to you as she means to me. What does she mean to you? Maybe 2 cows?”
As a city kid, I was completely taken aback by the assimilation. I was new to the northwoods. I worked in kitchens and meat shops. I didn’t have a farm nor was I able to give him any animals. I mean, I could get one… but let’s be honest, I wouldn't have raised it. Through the moment of silence, I could tell he was drawing opinions on my character. I took a deep breath and said the first thing that I could muster:
“Mister, if you give me your blessing, I’ll give you a whole farm.”
For the last 10 years, I have been making good on my word. Through Live Great Food, we are offering a farm-to-table menu suitable for any size wedding or gathering. We work closely with our butchers and farmers in our community to offer customizable menus that cover a variety of dietary restrictions without compromising quality. Being a small, locally owned business means being able to offer a little bit more at a reasonable cost.
In celebrating our local farmers, gardeners and craftsmen, our menus reflect the best there is to offer throughout Wisconsin's decorative seasons. The Farmer’s Markets offer some of the freshest produce and locally produced honey, breads, mushrooms, meats and accompaniments.
Being a chef-driven and service-based business means we take pride in working to offer the most delicious menus for the entire wedding. We’re able to accommodate dietary restrictions and special requests with very little deviation to our original menus. We consistently grow with our business and our menus are constantly changing in that reflection. We relish the opportunity to learn something new or to delve into some research to meet the needs of a menu. We’ve worked to bring together menus ranging from a localized version of an Ethiopian Beyainatu complete with Injera, to recreating a Russian Grandmother’s Borscht recipe.
Being a small family-owned catering company means that for the last 10 years, my beautiful wife and I have been able to raise our family to understand how beautiful and delicious food can truly be, simply by offering the whole farm.