Berkeley-based chef Amanda Stevens has always believed that presentation is central to any great dining experience. Growing up with a mother who loved entertaining, she remembers hearing an oft-repeated phrase in her household: “We eat with our eyes first.”
This sentiment stuck with Stevens enough to inspire a whole career in making food look beautiful. Last year, she founded The Grazing Co., a boutique catering company that specializes in artfully curated grazing tables, boards, platters, and fine canapes. Alongside her partner and co-owner Robert Dorsey, Stevens handles every step of the catering process—from the ordering and preparation to the event setup and breakdown—all with a careful attention to detail.
“Aesthetic is our middle name,” she shares. “We take a lot of pride in making sure that each table and board we present is stunning.”
The Grazing Co. caters to all events, from holiday parties to corporate conferences, and its boards and tables are customizable to fit the unique style of any occasion. For Stevens, the key is to always pay special attention to color, making sure to juxtapose different hues to create a spread that is as radiant and eye-catching as possible—regardless of the season, event, or client.
When it comes to corporate functions, The Grazing Co. is equipped to handle companies of all sizes, with experience catering for events as small as two attendees and as large as 400. Stevens and Dorsey enjoy having the opportunity to work with a diverse array of business professionals, whether they be in tech, lumber, real estate, education, or law.
“Corporate clients are the heart and soul of our business,” Stevens shares. “We love working for various companies, learning about what they do, and making something delicious and beautiful for their employees to enjoy.”
