Joshua Charles Catering

We enjoyed this catering at a friend’s get together. The presentation and food was outstanding. It was really creative and the staff was terrific. We are likely to hire them for our next event!

Joshua Charles Catering was superb. Their service exceeded my expectations in every way. The food was excellent, and the service phenomenal, but that isn’t even the best thing about them. Without Marian Ashworth, the party planner that works with them, I would have been lost and the party would have been a flop. Marian guided us through parts of the planning that I hadn’t even thought of, performed several site visits to plan set-​up, liaised with several of the vendors and worked closely with me on the rest, and most importantly brought her crew to perform hours and hours of decorating. She even helped us cut costs by providing her own supplies where she could to keep us within budget. The food was delicious, the staff was cheerful, the party was a success, I got numerous complements on how it was much better than in previous years, and everything went off without a hitch. All the thanks and praise go to the JCC team, and they were worth every penny at every step of the way.
I give them all the stars, and then 5 more.

Just hired Joshua Charles to cater a memorial luncheon for 225 people. The menu selections were fabulous and the food was superb. Joshua was directly involved in the planning and his coordinator, Marian, worked with us on the actual table layout and arrangements. It could not have been better. Our friends were asking for cards on the spot. Thank you so very much, Joshua and team!

Dependable, professional, helpful and delicious. I have worked with Josh on several events and every time they deliver top quality product. They take care of a ton of the planning and logistics making it easier for me to concentrate on the rest of the event planning. They are always willing to work with me and are super flexible. I will not work with any other caterer.

Just finished planning two more events with Marian — Parents 50^th wedding anniversary and a backyard family bbq. We worked with their chef Mark to come up with another unique and tasty menu that maps to all the places my parents lived together and for the bbq did two different menus, one for the kids and one for the adults. Over the last 8 years JCC has pulled off every event spectacularly in every aspect.

About a month ago, JCC catered our wedding, which was a bit different than a traditional dinner. We held the event at a park and served gourmet boxed dinners (panini, salad, sweet potato chips, and rice krispies treats with a twist). We also had JCC provide cocktail hour snacks (watermelon slices and furikake chex mix). They staffed a self-​service bar, handled chair/​table rentals, and set/​cleaned up.
Unfortunately, we had major issues with the food delivery time and service. In short, dinner was served late and we had a big misunderstanding about our service level expectations. The staff and coordinator onsite struggled with the «crisis» situation.
Mistakes happen, and the true character of a company is tested in these circumstances. The morning after the event, we promptly received an apology from Joshua (the owner) and set up a meeting to discuss. We met in person and were able to come to a mutual resolution and have a constructive conversation, which we appreciated. We were so disappointed by the level of service we received, but we believe they will learn from our event to provide a better experience for those in the future.
Should you work with JCC, here are the pros:
–The food was delicious and unique. Chef Mark had great ideas and was able to provide food that we were excited to serve our guests. Despite issues with time management, he was able to execute the food well.
–The team gave us a lot of flexibility with the menu, presentation, and additional items.
–They don’t provide alcoholic beverages, but can serve them. Providing our own beer/​wine saved us a couple thousand dollars (vs. using a beverage caterer or per person alcohol package).
–No markup on rentals or additional items.
…and here’s our advice:
–If you are holding a unique event, mandate an in-​person planning meeting with Joshua, your coordinator, and your chef so you are on the same page about what is expected. Walk through the details of your menu and quote, day of timeline, and backup plans.
–Ask detailed questions, and make sure they get back to you with concrete answers.
–Diligently review your contract and quotes, including any rental quotes for mistakes. Be sure you know what additional items will add to your total cost. As mentioned earlier, they won’t upcharge you, but there was a lack of communication and timeliness about these items.

Having been a concierge at Rosewood Sand Hill hotel for 5 years, I have seen some pretty amazing parties. One, a gourmet tailgate held at Stanford for the Big Game really stood out in my mind and I knew when I needed a caterer– Joshua Charles would be the one I called. JC surpassed my expectations. I called him at 8am on a Sunday morning and he got back to me with in the hour! He was so wonderful to work with and the appetizers he provided for my cocktail party were both delectable and beautifully presented. Several people commented that his house smoked salmon was the best they had ever tasted– better even then Zabar’s! I can’t wait for the next party and Joshua Charles will be the first one I call.

For my wife’s 40^th birthday, I wanted to throw her a surprise party she would never forget. My quest was to find a Paleo friendly caterer and came across Joshua Charles Catering. They were in my area and had great Unilocal reviews so I thought I’d give them a try. Boy was I glad I made the decision to go with them! From the start, Josh was a pleasure to work with. Warm and friendly over the phone and he promptly sent me over a quote with a fantastic menu choice. I honestly had a hard time deciding because everything sounded so delicious. JCC also offers organic meats btw.
With my menu set, I worked with JCC’s event planner, Marian, for the party details. She was a pleasure to work with. Being a guy, I had no clue what to pick for tables, chairs, dishes, silverware, etc. Marian helped me with all the details, big and small, and even picked out flowers and balloons that complimented the table and décor fabulously.
The day of the party, the JCC team showed up on schedule and had the house set up in a blink of an eye. My living room was turned into a 5-​star dining room… it was beautiful! The house permeated with wonderful smells as guest trickled in. Marian and team worked their magic in my small kitchen, and magically whipped out tasty temptations. They were such a pleasure and provided such great service that I felt like I was in a fine establishment and not in my own house. We had 25 people in total and everyone gushed at how incredible the food tasted and how amazing everything looked. Most importantly, the birthday girl was so surprised and happy with everything:)
Thanks JCC for making my wife’s big day an incredible event to remember! You guys went above and beyond and I couldn’t have had a better party

I decided somewhat belatedly that I needed a caterer for a celebration/​thank you party for 45 work colleagues. I wrote to several. Josh got back to me promptly with clear explanations of menu, procedures, services. Compared to others he was warm, patient, helpful and responsive throughout our discussions. We chose JCC, and we are so glad we did!
Josh turned me over to Marian for the logistics — she came down, viewed our somewhat awkward site, ensured she knew what we wanted, and was gone in less than 30 minutes. On the day of, the team (Marian, 2 cooks, barkeep and additional server) showed up promptly. David and Ryan helped my husband I set up out back, Amanda and Jimmy set to work in the kitchen. By the time our guests started arriving 2 hours later, food was starting to stream out. The team made everything run smoothly, and were awesome with my friends. Any time I thought of something I’d forgotten, Ryan jumped in to help. People need to stash wraps? He’d already scoped out the spare bedroom. Bugs starting to bother people? he was there to light the citronella candles. My husband and I both had time to socialize and enjoy the party — not our typical experience! By the time we’d finished saying goodnight to our guests, the team had everything cleaned up, packed up, and in the van, leaving us a few fabulous leftovers (but not too many — the quantities were generous but not wasteful).
But really, when you hire a caterer, you want good food, and JCC wowed us. We had all finger food/​small plates, since our property wouldn’t really incorporate everyone sitting down. From the melon gazpacho to the sabayon, everything was sensational. My friends were snatching up their business cards right and left, and were still oohing and aahing at work today. Our favorites, in addition to the gazpacho and sabayon included the slow roasted pork shoulder, the gravlax, the AMAZING wile mushroom risotto skillets (we had some left over, and it’s just as good the next day) and the Grasshopper Bars for dessert. There was nothing wrong with the turkey meatballs, the peanut butter pork belly, goat cheese or ceviche either. In fact, we enjoyed everything.
We will definitely call JCC next time we need a caterer!

As an intern, I was assigned the task of planning the firm’s annual dinner party. I must say that Joshua Charles catering made the whole planning process easier. I was pleased that Josh allowed me to be flexible with my menu choices. If I had a specific dish in mind, he was able to put it on the menu.
The day of the event, I had the lovely pleasure of meeting his staff. They were all friendly. Our bartender/​server provided the best service. He was so friendly and never missed a chance to help someone or offer them a drink.
Our guests seemed to really enjoy themselves and the food. My collegue joked that she could smell the delicious truffle oil coming from the mac n cheese. What seemed to impress guests the most was the open grill the caterers used to BBQ the chicken and steak. The guests munched on appetizers while the smell of BBQ excited everyone for the main course.
What impressed me the most was that Josh did not hesistate to make last minute changes. I called him the day before the event, and he made a change to the guest list right away. I would recommend his services to anyone. They are happy to work with your budget.

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Josh from Joshua Charles Catering and his team recently and I can’t say enough about my experience. I am an event producer (25 year veteran) based in San Francisco and found myself faced with a very last minute event for a client in the South Bay. Normally I would personally vet a caterer that I had had not worked with before as I am VERY picky. Joshua Charles did come recommended by a fellow producer, but it still makes me nervous if I have not had first hand experience. Josh and his team worked with me and my crazy deadline and ever changing numbers for service for a cocktail reception, a breakfast and lunch. Team work not withstanding, the best news over all was that the food was delicious! My client and their guests were raving about it and several asked if there were any leftovers to take home it was so good. :)
A ++ for Joshua Charles. I look forward to working with you all again!
~ Michele

We picked Joshua Charles Catering to cater a 50 person Memorial Service at a private residence, I chose them because of their quick reply time and professionalism. They knew exactly how to assist with this emotional type of event. Marian, the event planner was amazing and took care of all of the details, including the furniture rentals.
They were on time and the food was very good, the guests enjoyed it and wanted to know more about them, that says they did an amazing job. This catering company is attentive and conscientious and goes the extra mile to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Thank you JC Catering for the fantastic job, we will definitely use you for future events and I recommend them for your catering needs.

We hosted a dinner for my husband’s 50^th birthday and chose the services of Joshua Charles Catering for the event. Marian, the event planner, was impressive. She handled every detail smoothly and proficiently with no prompting, and knew exactly what to do. What a gem. Kelly, the bartender, made my husband’s favorite cucumber martini with muddled cucumber, which he appreciated, and served wine at the dinner table in a competent and pleasant manner. Every course of (French) Chef Scott’s dinner was delicious, uniquely flavored, and elegantly presented. The evening went beautifully, and the team did a great job cleaning up afterwards. All in all, we were delighted with the quality of the food and service offered to us, and we would definitely choose to work with Joshua Charles Catering again.

My husband asked me to find a catering company that could bring clam chowder and crab legs to a work event he was having with only a few days notice. I went with Joshua Charles catering and was hoping for the best because I knew it would be on me if it didn’t go well… but it was FANTASTIC! He said the guests raved about the food and the server was a really cool guy who made the event even more fun. He wants to use JC again for any future events he has. 5 stars!!! Thanks for making me look good! :)
P. S. My husband is from the east coast and said this was the best clam chowder he had ever had! Thanks again.

Awesome crew and food! Had a large event at my office for an open house and contracted these guys. They saved us as we had concurrently contracted with a food truck to supplement the experience for the guests. 2 hours before the event the food truck cancelled!!! After much scrambling the chef went to the store and purchased up more food and prepared it on the spot to save the day. The service and food was just fantastic. We Did not see Joshua but his crew was so professional that he did not need to be there. Great work team! Thank you!

We hired Joshua Charles for an office open house event we were hosting for around 220 people. They did a phenomenal job and were extremely attentive to all of the guests by constantly monitoring all of the food and beverages. The food also tasted very good and we received many compliments on it. I would definitely work with them again!

Joshua Charles Catering (JCC) catered my daughter’s wedding reception and after party, and executed a flawless and perfect event. It exceeded my daughter’s and my expectations and was simply beautiful.
Make sure to ask for Marian by name if you’re planning JCC services. Marian is an exceptional event planner and skillfully orchestrated the many moving parts to this successful reception. She conducted the facility walk-​through and kept in close touch with my daughter on expectations and details.
The owner, Josh, is excellent at communications and responsiveness in overall planning. His rates are unbeatable for the quality of service and beauty of presentation. You will be very delighted in choosing JCC to cater your event!

I attended a yoga workshop near Mt Shasta catered by Josh Charles and can’t say enough positive about the food and the service.
Yogis are notoriously picky eaters — no dairy, no gluten, no … And Josh and his team fulfilled everyone’s needs and delivered great taste on top of it all.

Regretfully, Joshua Charles Catering (JCC) was a complete disappointment. We hired Josh and his team to provide catering services at our wedding at the Bentley Reserve in downtown San Francisco in June 2014. There were multiple issues with the service and product, which we specify below. Overall however, the quality of the product and service were quite poor. Josh is a nice person, but the organization failed in delivering a quality event.
· Food: Lack of consistency in preparation. Beef and fish were undercooked for several guests. Many plates had to be sent back including the bride and grooms parents’. Beef appeared to be of a lesser quality than was presented at the tasting. Neither beef, fish nor salad plates had the aesthetic appearance of what was presented at the tasting.
· Service: The execution of the plated dinner service was poor. Several tables complained about receiving their entrée 45 minutes to 1 hour after their salads. We hadn’t planned an event like this before. Our advice: choose a cater that will support you in a meaningful way in planning your event.
· Integrity: We hired Josh to cater our wedding and were surprised when we learned he was not attending, despite selling us on him being «hand’s-on.» He told us prior to executing the contract he would be present at our event. In the end, he sent another chef. His excuse: he could not find a sitter.
· Conduct: Following the tasting, you are instructed to work with his coordinators. His day-​of-​event coordinator was rude to each vendor at the venue walk through. Several of our vendors reported difficulty in working with JCC’s passive aggressive coordinator.
These are just the most frustrating issues we encountered with JCC. The service and product fell far short of representations made verbally by the proprietor and in the contract. Our event was not given the care and attention we were assured. Josh himself recognized there were problems in the end — his team had reported these food and service issues to him after the event.
For a personal event as important as your wedding — we do not recommend JCC. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.

I attend A LOT of catered parties, so I immediately can tell when a caterer stands out from the rest.
Joshua Charles Catering is one such stand-​out.
From the moment that you walk in the door, the servers are there with trays in hand, doling out their creative goodies.
Whether it be butternut squash gnocchi with truffle oil to a mini chocolate torte, their creations will make your mouth sing!
I’ve been to 4 parties where they have been the caterer. If tech companies like Flickr know to hire such tasty pros when they have their pick, then you know that they’re doing something good.
*Sidenote: It’s a pleasure to see the same waitstaff at each event. It gives a trusted and personalized touch. (Shout out to Justin ;)