BEST CATERING SERVICE
Trends

By Julie Fadda Eastman
NorthBay Biz Magazine, April 2006

“I'm always honored,” says Trends Catering owner Sue Borowicz of being voted Best Catering Service for the second time. “I'm baffled. We're such a small caterer.” But this is one small company that can do big things. From business gatherings of 25 people to huge events catering more than 1,000 guests, Trends caters to the personal needs of each client.

Borowicz says her love of food stems from her big family, which always cooked together. “The women ran the show,” she remembers fondly. As a teen, Borowicz worked as a cowgirl at Disneyland 's Frontierland, where she says she “got hooked” on enchantment and transformation.

Hmm , maybe that's where the frog statues come in (they'll greet you at any Trends event). Borowicz says she'd been collecting eclectic garden items for years, and when she came upon the frogs she just had to have them. “It just felt like the right look for me,” she says. “They had these little bowties, and they started going to all my events.” To Borowicz, the frogs represent adaptability and the constant change toward something new. “It was a perfect fit for the (Trends) name,” she says. “I'm always striving to create something fresh and new.”

Trends specializes in showcasing the North Bay's bounty by using local, seasonal, fresh produce, meats (grilled entrees are often on the menu) and cheeses that are beautifully displayed.

They've also presented themed events, including Moroccan feasts (where guests sit on

pillows on the floor), sushi bars and even an Austin Powers party. “Last December we did a Guadalajara street market theme for a Christmas Party. We brought in food and tropical décor, sangria: things you wouldn't expect in December-things that made people feel warm,” Borowicz says.

Borowicz, who went from an art major at Cal State Fullerton to earning a degree in molecular biology at UCSD and likens the pairing to the Italian Renaissance when artists and mathematicians gathered to share ideas, enjoys using both sides of her brain. “It took me a long time to find my medium,” she says, “but now I love creating art with food.”

Borowicz created Trends in 1985 and says she experienced success almost from the start. “It was absolutely magical,” she says. “You know when you're on the right path.” A woman who clearly enjoys what she does, Borowicz happily involves herself in all aspects of every event, from writing the menus, to ordering and helping prepare the food, to designing the presentation. “Mine is a small, custom business. This translates into very few things going wrong. Everyone involved plays a big part. It's a more personal approach.” In other words, Trends caters to your needs.

“Thank you to all the readers and clients for their loyalty,” says Borowicz. “It's been such a great experience. I certainly couldn't do it without them. Some of my freshest, newest ideas come from them.”

NorthBay Biz 17th Annual Readers' Poll April 2006