From Amazon to storefront: How Catering Capers is growing from events to take-out meals
You may know Catering Capers from the many weddings, private gatherings and Florida State, Florida A&M and City of Tallahassee events they've provided food for over the years.
Now, through a path that took the company through Tallahassee's massive Amazon fulfillment center, they'll soon be offering their delicacies to the public, available by walk-in sale at a new storefront location.
Here's how it happened: It wasn't easy for Amazon team members to get out for lunch from the 2.8-million-square-foot Amazon center, located off Mahan Drive near I-10.
Strenuous hours-long shifts left little to no room to enjoy a break, especially when they had to figure out where to dash to grab a bite to eat for a quick lunch break.
Last July, Amazon reached out to Catering Capers owner and executive chef Justin Chiricos to serve Amazon team members by bringing in hot meals three days a week.
“We’re always exploring new opportunities to elevate the employee experience on-site,” said Kim Price, general manager of Amazon’s fulfillment center in Tallahassee. “That includes working with local small businesses like Catering Capers to provide our employees with a menu of convenient, hot food options.”
And this month, the meal program extended to five days a week.
“What we're really trying to provide is excellent food quality, as well as delivering as much value as we possibly can,” Chiricos said in an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat.
Seared salmon served with a rice pilaf, beef brisket quesadillas and roasted chicken with garlic and herb roasted potatoes are just a few of the offerings Amazon employees have had the option to pick from.
“We focus on cooking really good food, quality food, so that it's a wholesome meal,” Chiricos said.
Catering Capers has left impression all over Tallahassee, north Florida
The 1995 Johnson & Wales University graduate has left his culinary footprint all over the city by “exceeding expectations one event at a time,” as the company's slogan says.
The business founded in 1999 has built itself up as one of the city’s favorite caterers. Its warehouse facility-turned-kitchen on East Park Avenue has been used as a place to prepare and deliver meals, with nearly 10 chefs working simultaneously to prepare meals for the day's events and consumers. They previously ran their catering operation out of the Tallahassee Democrat's old office on Magnolia Street, feeding journalists, nearby employees of the Ford dealership and many others.
Amazon, the largest single private sector job creator in Tallahassee, uses a cafeteria space to provide on-site meals for team members to purchase. An average of 150 meals come from Catering Capers, which is split between the morning shift and night shift.
“It's not really plausible for them to leave,” Chiricos said. Twice a day, Catering Capers loads its truck at its operations center with meals to stock inside the hot boxes in the fulfillment center’s kitchen.
One Catering Capers staff member stays on site to distribute the meals and explain the options. Chiricos said he will soon begin to survey customers to get their “take on what they're wanting, compared to what we're serving," to get a better idea on what needs to be tweaked.
Deal with Amazon led to storefront operation
Delivering hot meals to Amazon has proven to be a steppingstone for the catering business as it continues to diversify its offerings by offering hot meals outside of special events.
Requests from other businesses – including Danfoss Turbocor, one of the city’s top producers for manufacturing jobs – and the fact that another Amazon center is planned for Midway encouraged Catering Capers to keep expanding to an actual walk-in storefront.
For five days a week, meals like grilled shrimp and cheese grits or the crispy chicken house mac and cheese are available, ranging from $10-$14, at the Park Avenue storefront.
Chiricos said that with the help of his “hot-shot” chefs, handpicked from trade schools like Lively Technical College, the 2,500-square-foot kitchen on Park Avenue is used to its capacity daily.
Chiricos hopes he will be able to generate a more stable work culture for his employees, including full health care and other benefits, "because you know, truly, it's the people that make the business.”
If you're interested
Menus will be posted on the business’ Facebook page three weeks in advance. Catering Capers encourages those looking to purchase hot meals to call ahead at 850-385-5953.
The business is located at 2915 E. Park Ave., Suite #4.
Kyla Sanford covers dining and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ksanford@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Catering Capers now offers hot meals to Amazon and at new storefront
