Classy Caterer blessed with its own kitchen
“This is very much a blessing,” she said of the location at 10621 Kingston Pike, beside New Outlook Beauty Shop near Farragut. “It’s definitely a God thing. I give Him the glory.”
Recognized for catering events for Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce and other corporate and individual clients, she has been in business for five years.
Kelly was based out of Loudon County before venturing into Knox and other counties.
”It’s really hard to believe it’s been five years and we’ve done what we’ve done,” she said. “We started out by sharing a shared catering space. We did that for many years.”
However, “last year, we had to move from space to space until we could find our own space,” Kelly said. “We spent February to June 1 getting it built out. We’re not 100 percent there yet.”
She had been looking around the area for such a location.
“Because we do so much business in Oak Ridge, Blount County, Loudon County and Knox County, we really needed a centralized space,” Kelly said.
Kelly tried to acquire a space near Bullfeathers, but didn’t find anything there. However, Cliff Helton, the owner of that shopping center property, offered the space next to the beauty shop.
Finding this space “saves on time a lot,” she said. “Because I have everything under one roof, it will help me with inventory.
“It just makes things flow better because now I have a place large enough for anyone on my team to come and work,” Kelly added. “Whereas before, depending on the space we were renting, it would limit on how many could work at one time.
“I think this will streamline our business a lot more. We’ll be better organized and more efficient — both on time and costs. I’m just tickled to death.”
After 32 ½ years spent in the financial services world, Kelly has organized a lot of lunch-and-learns.
“So many times, the service would bring the food and just plop it down on a table,” she recalled. “They didn’t do anything to help us out; so as the one in charge of the office, it was my responsibility to get it all set up, open it up and get it ready.”
During the Christmas holidays in 2017, a friend planned a party for a mutual friend, but the friend was unable to finish organizing the party, so she asked Kelly to pitch in.
“So, I put on a Christmas party for 100 guests, and when it was over, the couple I was co-hosting this for mentioned, ‘Why aren’t you doing this for a living?” she recalled.
“I got my license, got my insurance and a kitchen and went from there,” Kelly added. “We treat it like a party. We want to have a good time.
“I feel God always gives us talents. Mine is hospitality; it’s not singing.”
She tries to make the experience easy for the client, making sure there is a tablecloth and making sure her presentation is nice in addition to presenting quality food.
Her team — two full-time and four “really good friends on standby” — also will set up, serve and clean up afterward. “I wanted it to be an elevated experience,” Kelly added. “We want to be a blessing, Let it be a treat to those who bring us into their office.”
Regarding her fare, “if we can say it, we can cook it,” she said. “Primarily, we do breakfast, lunch and appetizers.”
Classy Caterer’s primary target clients are corporate, but she also does parties, showers — baby and wedding — ribbon cuttings, grand openings and open house events.
For more information, call 865-406-5477, visit www.classycaterer.com or e-mail trisha@classycaterer.com
