On Feb. 6, Giada De Laurentiis launched her Italian-inspired catering service, Giada Catering, across Southern California. Reimagining the traditional catering experience with an emphasis on entertaining, Giada Catering reflects De Laurentiis’ warm, yet sophisticated approach to hosting that removes the guesswork from crafting the perfect event.
With four curated themes — Amalfi, Milan, Rome, and California Italian — Giada Catering offers menus, cocktails, and tablescapes inspired by their namesake. Bringing events to life while encouraging connection and conversation, the Emmy Award-winning, bestselling cookbook author has partnered with Patina Restaurant Group to execute catering services for events of all sizes from San Diego to Santa Barbara. The launch marks a full-circle moment for De Laurentiis, whose passion for the intersection of family, food, and entertaining ignited during her early career working as a private chef in Los Angeles.
“Giada Catering combines two of my greatest passions: entertaining and bringing people together through food,” says De Laurentiis. “Staying true to my early catering roots curating, preparing, and delivering delicious menus out of my home kitchen, Giada Catering delivers that same authentic spirit to Southern California events with immersive inspirations centered around the connection.”
FOUR INSPIRATIONS
Curated by De Laurentiis with support from Giada Catering’s executive chef Tony Leitera, the four menus — dubbed “inspirations” — feature dishes from Giada’s Las Vegas restaurant, as well as exclusive new offerings. Each dish is made using premium ingredients such as fresh, locally sourced California produce, imported, DOP-certified tomatoes from Italy, handmade pastas crafted by in-house chefs, and more.
· An elevated buffet-style experience, Amalfi focuses on seafood-forward dishes like branzino with Tuscan Bean Ragu, Giada’s Famous Lemon Spaghetti with Jumbo Prawns, and a show-stopping Seafood Tower action station featuring fresh lobster, shrimp cocktail, king crab and West Coast oysters served with house-made cocktail sauces and mignonette’s.
· The Milan inspiration, ideal for galas and formal dining occasions, features thoughtfully prepared Italian favorites like De Laurentiis’ signature Veal Saltimbocca, Lobster Ravioli, and Vegetable Bolognese Rigatoni.
· Inspired by Italy’s capital and created for reception-style events, Rome offers modern Roman cuisine such as Artichoke Arancini, Arugula Candied Lemon, and Pancetta Salad and a Pizza Action Station featuring cooked and spun-to-order pizzas with options like Pizza Bianca with mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano and Burrata Basil and Tomato.
· The California Italian menu melds Italian cuisine with California’s coastal ingredients for family-style events. Created with the health-conscious diner in mind without compromising on flavor, dishes include Zucchini and Prosciutto Spiedini, De Laurentiis’ modern take on eggplant Parmesanand Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Pomegranate Salad. Decadent desserts created by Giada Catering’s pastry chef, which can be offered as tray-passed bite-sized items or plated single servings at galas, include options such as Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cake and Limoncello Mascarpone Cheesecake.
CURATED COCKTAIL PAIRINGS
Each of the four inspirations comes with expertly matched cocktails: The Italian Margarita on the California Italian menu made with silver tequila, fresh lemon, Aperol, and sweet and salty rim; a Limone Drop on the Amalfi menu using house-made Limoncello; the Spirito Milano on the Milan menu, shaken with The Botanist Gin, Galliano and bitters; and the Buona Notte, a perfect after dinner martini to complement Giada Catering’s Rome offerings.
TRANSPORTIVE TABLESCAPES
Reflecting her personal aesthetic and drawing inspiration from her grandmother’s authentic Italian dinnerware collection, De Laurentiis selected the tablescape décor and design accents for each inspiration. Conveying a rustic yet vibrant ambiance, both Amalfi and California Italian feature organic linens, as well as wooden serving boards and hand-painted ceramic plates that incorporate hues reminiscent of a seaside sunset. Melding metropolitan glamour with coastal luxury, Milan and Rome focus on delicate dinnerware in shades of gold and rose gold with white marble serving boards and accent décor. With connection at the forefront of each experience, organic floral arrangements complete each tablescape while adding texture and charm.
