Vendor Spotlight: Fire & Company Wood Fired Catering

French’s Point Estate is thrilled to continue our series of blog posts spotlighting amazing Maine wedding vendors that help to make weddings at our waterfront wedding venue not only successful but truly the embodiment of the experience our clients strive to craft for their family and friends. This series will showcase some of the best providers from our vibrant, talented, dedicated wedding industry community we are so proud to be a part of here in Maine and New England. This group of professional wedding vendors understands and adheres to our guiding principles for the service we endeavor to provide our clients: Be Responsive, Be Kind, Provide Excellent Customer Service, Provide the Very Best Product/Service. Because of these wonderful people, the celebrations here are French’s Point Estate is the stuff of which dreams are made!

There are a handful of wedding vendors in Maine so committed to excellence that they really stand out. Ryan Carey from Fire & Company Wood Fired Catering and his team exemplify quality customer service; beautifully prepared food and a can-do, positive attitude that makes the wedding a day a joy, not just for the wedding couple and their guests but for the entire vendor team. We collaborated with Ryan recently for the Maine Wedding Cooperative Harvest Dinner at William Allen Farm and are excited to be teaming up with him at French’s Point this summer. Our confidence in his ability to provide our discerning clients with a hearty meal that’s professionally prepared is well placed. Fire & Company boasts wonderful reviews from past clients and it’s no wonder since they can customize a meal for a range of budgets and styles. Their menu is impressive but not stuffy; creative and interesting, but not requiring a lofty budget. Have a see for yourself why Fire & Company is one of the most popular and fastest-growing catering companies in Maine!

What inspired your passion for catering?

To be completely honest, my background is in sales and events, not cooking. But I have spent all of my life in the hospitality industry. From my background in the Portland restaurant scene, I have been fortunate enough to bring on industry professionals to help with the different aspects of Fire and Company. We have fantastic chefs, and front of house and bar managers to ensure our events are a huge success.  Back when I was working in restaurants I was a bartender. I loved engaging with customers and making sure they were having a great time, and that desire to create a fun and memorable experience for my clients is what inspired my passion for catering.

What food items would you suggest to a client hosting a destination wedding in Maine?

I say this all of the time but, I truly believe if you are hosting a wedding in Maine, especially on the coast, our Mini Buttered Lobster Rolls are a must. Lightly toasted and filled with Maine Lobster then topped with a Cape Cod Potato Chip. Adds a little salty crunch.  Also, for the main course we offer a wood-fired lobster bake that is cooked over our open flamed grills. Our chef has an extensive background working at one of the premier seafood restaurants in Southern Maine and has strong relationships with local lobsterman. Our wood-fired lobster bake features lobster that has literally been taken off the boat that morning.

Please describe your ideal client.

We’ve been fortunate enough to have wonderful clients. Our couples want their food and beverages to be a big part of their wedding day and we take that very seriously. With that said, our ideal clients are enthused about an event with great food, drinks, music and people. More of a celebration than a structured buttoned-up wedding.

How would you describe your wedding fare and service style?

We focus on comfort food; food that is approachable and laid back and is presented well and tastes outstanding. Our service style falls into the same category.  We are happy to serve food in either a buffet or family-style setting (large platters of food passed around the tables), but we do not serve plated dinners. Our overall goal is to create an experience for the guests and we find that interacting with them is a fantastic way to impact their evening. Buffet and family-style dining has been a great way for our staff to interact and form a relationship with our clients; to make sure their needs are met and found out if there are other ways we can serve them.

Please provide an all-inclusive sample menu with pricing per person for hors d’oeuvres and a standard buffet.

FIRE AND COMPANY’S FEAST

Spitfire & Smoked Pig Roast • Spitfire and Smoked Chicken • Rotisserie Prime Rib • Rosemary Grilled Hanger Steak • Smoked Barbecue Short Ribs • Wood-Grilled Salmon • Wood-Fired Paella

+ 2 Salads
+ 2 Sides

$45 – $75 per person (Choose 1-3 Proteins)

Ryan Carey
Fire & Company
434 Woodford Street
Portland, ME 04101
207-299-6995
[email protected]
www.fireandcompany.com