2018 Evening in Bloom
A Safe Haven Catering Team Featured among Chicago’s Top Garden Gourmet Chefs at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Their Opening Night Gala Presented by Wintrust
Chicago, IL – March 13, 2018 At the Annual Chicago Flower and Garden Show, themed “FLOWERTALES: Every Garden Has a Story to Tell”, flowers were not the only eye candy and delectable scent wafting through the air! For the third year in a row, A Safe Haven Catering, a Chicago-based social business enterprise sprouted from A Safe Haven Culinary Arts and Food Service Apprenticeship Job Training program, participated in the show.
A Safe Haven Catering, one of Chicago’s fastest growing social business enterprises and staffed exclusively by successful alums of A Safe Haven Culinary Arts job training program, was among the star-studded culinary professionals that impressed attendees of the Charity Gala and ‘Houte Couture’ 2018 Fashion Show. Those who attended the Opening Night event had an opportunity to experience the exquisite cuisine of Chicago Top Celebrity Chefs from several reputable and delectable food establishments such as Riva’s, Gene and Georgetti, Imperial Lamian, Texas de Brazil, The Albert, The Heritage, El Tapeo, Artango, CPS Culinary Arts and Whole Foods Market. A Safe Haven Catering was in excellent company and proud to be among Chicago’s finest!
A Safe Haven Catering Team menu included Grilled Pomegranate Lollipop Lamb Chops and Seared Cajun Shrimp on Creamy Red & Black Quinoa that delighted even the most discerning palates. The event was well attended and included many highly regarded Chicago visionaries including Chicago’s First Lady Amy Rule, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner, Fashion Designer to Winfrey, Michelle Obama and the Joffrey Ballet-Maria Pinto, and ABC7’s Chicago Community Relations local media personality and VP of Community Affairs Diana Palomar, who also served as a fashion model for the event, to name a few.
On behalf of all of us at A Safe Haven, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tony Abruscato, President and Show Director of the Flower and Garden Show, and his team for inviting our top A Safe Haven Catering Chef, Marshall Galbreath, to be a part of this event. Thanks to the entire A Safe Haven Catering Team for again taking part in this unique opportunity. We are also very grateful to Sysco Foods for sponsoring our booth to showcase the Catering Team’s talent at the show for a third year. I am extremely proud to support and promote our Culinary Team’s work among top business leaders. Every time a business in Chicago hires A Safe Haven Catering, not only are we giving a job opportunity to people who have had barriers to employment, but we are providing the much-needed resources to continue our efforts to support our successful job training programs.
Today, A Safe Haven Culinary Team is basking in the glow of tremendous pride from a job well done. They heard firsthand the gushing remarks made by guests over their mouthwatering and delicious treats that brought them back for seconds and thirds. We also noticed that A Safe Haven Catering Team had lots of people lining up for second and third helpings. Growing up in a family of seven that is considered a huge compliment to the Chef!
– Neli Vazquez Rowland, President of A Safe Haven