Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

There is a fine line between event planners and public relations professionals. Some elect to do both. At Pierce Mattie we are confident with our role in this industry as we connect our clients with the press and garner a high level of media coverage for them in return. Often our teams outsource the area of expertise of event planning, catering and ambiance creation to the pros. With that said, we have on hand the best rolodex of chefs, nutritionists, florists, dj’s and so forth. This holiday is no exception! Dish Foods NYC has earned quite the buzz this year with lavish yummy treats for its attendees. Whether you are a publicist planning a media event or a company hosting a corporate party Dish Foods NYC is the one stop shop to all entertaining details.

We caught up with Dish Foods NYC founder Ryan Corvaia for a Q&A on what you can expect to see this festive season.  

Tell us a little bit about Dish Foods NYC, what services do you provide? What makes you different from your competition? 

Dish is a full service, off-premise catering and hospitality company based in Brooklyn. We bring the food, bar, staff and party rentals to our client’s locations all over the city-whether it's a private home or special event venue.  From designing the perfect menu to seamless execution on the day of the event, Dish is committed to pairing great food with exceptional service. As the owner of Dish, I am personally involved from start to finish, whether it is lunch for ten or a wedding for two hundred.  I'm crazy passionate about good food, impeccable service and making sure every guest enjoys themselves at an event.  

What can one expect to see this season at one of your Dish NYC corporate holiday functions? 

Lots of elegant yet economical passed hors d'oeuvres such as tiny grilled cheese with fontina and sage and mini cassoulet cups with duck confit.  We are also doing comfort food themed stations such as Dim Sum Dumpling Bars and a Burger Shack Bars with mini burgers, franks, milk shakes and French fry cones.  Our signature cocktails including white cranberry margaritas and pomegranate bellini’s will also be making appearances at several holiday parties. 

What foods, wines and munchies are always the safest to serve when a host is uncertain about the taste buds of those attending? 

For food, I think it's important to give guests plenty of options at an event—not too much of one kind of food.  An hors d'oeuvres menu should have 50% vegetarian and 50% non-veg. Kicked up comfort food like our Fresh Ricotta Crostini with Honey & Lemon and Shrimp Summer Rolls with Arugula are always crowd pleasers.  Also, stay away from very specific foods like foie gras, oysters or stinky blue cheese. For wine, keep it simple and tasty with an easy to drink red such as a French or California Syrah/Grenache blend and a white such as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. 

What is your opinion on Gourmet Magazine closing this year while Food Network Magazine from Hearst was recently cast as the most notable launch according to Folio? Is the gourmet lifestyle over?   

I blame Rachel Ray for the death of Gourmet.  No seriously, when Conde Nast made the announcement, I was shocked and felt like I lost a good friend. As a monthly resource for ideas, inspiration and recipes, the magazine was as important in my culinary life as it was worldwide.  I disagree with some critics saying that Gourmet was out of touch with real cooking or just plain snobbish. It intelligently covered everything from street food to haute cuisine with the best ingredients, proper cooking methods and beautiful photographs.   

I think there is certainly a place for the popularity of the “thirty-minute-meal magazine”, but the classic Gourmet lifestyle will never die.  It lives on in cookbooks, the internet and on our bookshelves.