Presidential Gourmet is a well-known, highly reputable catering firm established in 1986.
Each member of our team is a knowledgeable food service professional that brings unparalleled event planning experience to each client engagement. Over 40 of Toronto's finest venues proudly call Presidential Gourmet a preferred vendor for culinary design and catering.
As the hallmark of the global offering, the PG menu is centered around fine preparation, complex flavour profiles and luxurious ingredients. Our menu supports local, sustainable and regional cuisine. Learn more in our Green Manifesto.
Canapes
warm
grilled herb and mustard crusted lamb chop with refreshing cucumber and yogurt dip
breaded chorizo stuffed with marinated quail’s egg with dark fruit compote
seared jumbo scallop with roasted black pepper, shallot, and red wine
canadian oka cheese and potato cup garnished with cornichon and scallions with dollop with chili sauce
roasted tomato and eggplant zeilook on a mini zucchini frittata garnished with pea shoots
cold
beef tenderloin on a potato medallion garnished with truffled grana padano and scallions
milford bay smoked trout salad in a mini potato cup
maple and ice wine marinated foie gras torchon slice on a broche toast
quenelle of lavender scented lobster salad on a polenta medallion
nigiri style duck sushi with cherry soy
BENJAMIN LEWIS, Executive Chef
A passionate advocate of the slow food movement, Ben Lewis learned the culinary arts at a young age, graduating with recognition from the renowned Stratford Chef’s School in Stratford, Ontario. Ben harbours a love and respect towards food and and its’ relationship with sustainable farming and responsible production. The marriage of design aesthetics and nutrition along with local sourcing of quality local produce, embody the philosophy that Ben brings to the kitchen and to the table. In addition, Ben has a firm foundation in special event catering, having worked on Presidential Gourmet celebrations over the past several years. Hard work, vision and expertise are the hallmarks of Ben Lewis’ ethics.
RICK ROWE, Partner
A Newfoundland native, Rick Rowe's passion for arts and culture, astounding work ethic and ability to throw a great party are the building blocks that helped Rick become an industry leader who doesn't just throw a party, he creates an experience. Beginning his career in event creation in 1990, Rick believes that the business of catering is the envisioning of experiences that create impressions and memories that last. Rick designs events based on an intuitive talent that brings clients’ objectives and dreams into reality. His approach could be called “empathetic design” -an ability to create a picture in harmony with a client’s expectation. Clients such as the Griffin Poetry Awards, have been recipients of Rick’s personal approach. In the autumn of 2010, Rick joined Presidential Gourmet as a Partner, bringing together two of the most influential and creative professionals in catering. Rick can be reached at rick@presidentialgourmet.ca or 416-834-2250
PETER CARRUTHERS, Partner
Autumn, 1986, saw the first Presidential Gourmet event and the company has had an esteemed reputation ever since. Through the years, Peter has had the pleasure and privilege of organizing events for numerous celebrities, politicians and business leaders. Some of his most memorable occasions include: a private surprise concert performed by Paul McCartney; catering for Tom Cochrane’s birthday party (where Peter met his future wife, Mary Beth); dinner served on a table for 22 guests, suspended above Dundas Square: the launch of the Mercedes Benz Gull Wing, and dinner for hundreds of guests served aboard the private annual Stratford Express Train. Over forty blue chip venues in Toronto engage PG on a regular basis for culinary design and catering.
At Presidential Gourmet, we can help make your vision of the ideal wedding a remarkable reality.
A wedding is like an exquisite gift, wrapped in delicate
layers that enhance and deepen a shared sense of discovery as the experience unfolds.
The most stirring, memorable weddings are true in every detail to the essence of this gift.
Our wedding stylists bring caring and dedication to every assignment, always working closely with you to frame your unique needs. We focus on the details that make a wedding an outstanding experience and a budgetary success.
Planning exquisite menus and guiding our catering team to the preparation of fresh, creative cuisine that enchants the eye and inspires the palate; sourcing beautiful linens and unusual service pieces; coordinating a smooth and graceful transition from the wedding’s exciting commencement to its satisfying conclusion.
Presidential Gourmet’s extraordinary catering and design expertise, dedicated professionals and friendly approach will ensure that your wedding is a beautiful, sophisticated event that resonates in your memory for years to come.
Testimonials
Thank your team for making this year’s PROM( Into the Wild) the best one yet! All in all we welcomed over 700 guests and we are receiving positive feedback non-stop. PG elevated our even to the next level…………Keiko, Sr. Development Officer, Donor Events, ROM Governors’
Thank you very much! The food was lovely and I see we had a “celebrity” in the kitchen, Juan from Christine’s cooking show on the Food Network……Lesley, Executive Director MT Foundation.
Thanks Brad, you made me the happiest Bride ever!!...Jen
Thank for the fabulous dinner…the food and décor was superb and the staff terrific…..Gerald, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
You guys ROCK!! Everyone raved about the food and spectacular and friendly service……Nancy, Experiential Marketing, TELUS
Thanks for making the event at Porsche a spectacular one!!! So glad to be working with PG…..you guys made me look good and I truly appreciate that…..Amanda, Navarra & C0.
You are all amazing…..everything went so smoothly I cannot image doing this event without you….Mary-Ann, Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Our VP LOVED every bite and couldn't stop raving how wonderful everything was :)… Julie, TELUS
Honours
Member of Toronto Chapter of Slow Food
Delegate of the Canadian Chef Congress
Member of Tourism Toronto
Ben Lewis, Graduate, Stratford Chef's School
Foundation Committee Member,
Royal Ontario Museum, Fact or Fiction Event
Small, local choices have large global impact. With this in mind, the PG kitchen is dedicated to producing food based on a firm environmental philosophy using sustainable methods and products. Recognizing a global necessity to shift best practices towards greener results is a responsibility that PG embraces with open arms.
On every level we commit to catering with a quality that is in line with using more sustainable products. We partner with suppliers who have been identified as being able to provide locally sourced items with the smallest possible carbon footprint. These suppliers include local farmers markets, the 100 Mile Market, Fresh Herbs by Daniel, Cookstown Greens, and the Butcher Shoppe.
Presidential Gourmet’s on-site staff is dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint during functions and strives to make use of composting and recycling services that are available at the venues where we work and at the homes of our customers. We encourage our staff to lessen their personal carbon footprint by using the TTC for transportation, car pooling to events or bicycling to work wherever possible. PG is also a supporter of the Good Sheppard Missions in Toronto and we frequently make stops at the end of events to drop off left over foods, which also creates less waste and shows our commitment to our community and neighbours.
PG frequently uses reusable china for the service and presentation of our product and, when disposable are called for, we only use biodegradable plates and cutlery made from sugarcane or responsibly sourced bamboo.
PG menus strive to contain a minimum of 30% local and/or organic produce offered seasonally and sourced from responsible Ontario suppliers. The menus are designed to exclude fish and seafood deemed to be either hazardous to consume or in danger of extinction, such as Chilean Sea Bass, Shark, Blue Fin Tuna and certain farmed products. We serve less beef, and suggest meats that create, in their production, a smaller environmental impact while still keeping aligned with our commitment to tasty and contemporary catering.
In short, we’re committed to choosing products and producers from a philosophical perspective. Fair trade coffee and teas, locally produced cheeses and the best Ontario fruits and vegetables are complimented by organically grown herbs from our own farm in Prince Edward County.
We'd be happy to help you plan your event in a collaborative spirit. Our visionary group has been involved in hundreds of productions and intimate affairs that create memories beyond just food and drink. From lighting to tableware, we've got you covered!
Contact any one of us via email, through our website or call 416 466 7272
Headquarters
33 Mill Street, Suite 1304, Toronto, ON, M5A 3R3
Telephone 416 466 7272
Administration
7351 Victoria Park Ave, Unit 6, Markham, Ontario, L3R 3A5
Telephone 905 415 0790 Facsimile 905 415 8580
Venues
events
JANUARY 20, 2011
PG's Peter Carruthers and Rick Rowe appear on
CHCH with Superbowl Cassoulet!
