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About

On WeddingWire since 2018

Culinary Excellence is an exceptional wedding catering company based out of Oakland, California. Owner and head chef, Christian H., and his dedicated team of culinary artists have been providing couples and their loved ones with exquisite catering for decades. Their sole aim is to complement your special day with a unique and unforgettable dining experience.

Cuisine

Culinary Excellence can facilitate a wide range of dining options, including hors d’oeuvres, plated meals, buffets, and family-style dinners. Their versatile menu features dishes from a selection of international cuisines, such as Indian, French, Greek, Italian, and Carribean. Gluten-free, nut-free, halal, and vegan are just some of the many dietary restrictions that the team can accommodate. This company provides delivery, set-up, and clean-up services, as well as a friendly team of servers and bartenders to serve your loved ones.

  • LGBTQ+-owned

Frequently asked questions

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$90

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$65

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$85

What is the average catering price per person for hors d'oeuvres?

$55

Which of the following are included in the cost of your full service wedding catering?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up
Cake Cutting
Cocktail Reception
Server(s)
Tastings
China
Linens
Flatware
Glassware

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast

What event services do you provide?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up

What catering services do you provide?

Breakfast / Brunch
Buffet
Cake Cutting
Cocktail Reception
Custom Menu
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What types of cuisine do you cater?

American
Asian
BBQ
Caribbean
French
German
Greek
Indian
Italian
Latin American
Local
Mediterranean
Mexican
Middle Eastern
Seafood
Southern
Spanish

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Halal
Nut Free
Organic
Vegan
Vegetarian

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Open Bar
Champagne Toast
Signature Drink

Which of the following items can you provide?

Chairs
Tables

Which of the following items can you provide?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
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Reviews of Culinary Excellence

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
31 Reviews
99% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Culinary Excellence is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for wedding catering and floral arrangements at the Brazilian Room. The food is described as delicious, with a variety of options including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes. The staff, particularly Jessica and Sierra, receive high praise for their professionalism, responsiveness, and coordination throughout the planning process and on the day of the wedding. The rental options and inclusion of linens are also appreciated by reviewers. Overall, Culinary Excellence is commended for their exceptional service and tasty cuisine.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Culinary Excellence is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for wedding catering and floral arrangements at the Brazilian Room. The food is described as delicious, with a variety of options including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes. The staff, particularly Jessica and Sierra, receive high praise for their professionalism, responsiveness, and coordination throughout the planning process and on the day of the wedding. The rental options and inclusion of linens are also appreciated by reviewers. Overall, Culinary Excellence is commended for their exceptional service and tasty cuisine.

C
Carolyn J. Sent on 03/29/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful to work with

From our first conversation everything went so smoothly. Culinary Excellence are so easy to work with, they have lots of options for dietary needs, lots of options for rentals. The food was great and everyone there on the day was so nice and helpful. Sierra helped us make a last minute rain plan and everyone on their team kept things running smoothly. Everyone we've worked with was so down to earth and easy to talk to
gweasley
Jennifer L. Sent on 12/31/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Finally, after 3.5 long years...

Where do we begin? We met the extraordinary team of Jessica and Chris at an open house in the Brazilian Room back in 2019 for an April 2020 wedding. And then the pandemic hit. Little did we know we’d wait THREE and a half long years to finally have the event, and it was so perfect, I don’t think we could have done it without them. I especially developed a close relationship with Jess as she is my sister witch (we are both Potterheads) and I am convinced she has magical powers.

Firstly, the food. CE was an excellent partner in making our vision come to life. Food was my number one priority, so it was key to have a vendor that excelled in this. Since we were going to have a daytime wedding, we worked together to create a great brunch menu. Chris knocked it out of the park and made this flavorful, juicy, crunchy, bone-in, non-greasy fried chicken, and delicious waffles with freshly made pumpkin butter–perfect for the fall! We also had a tater tot bar, a mimosa bar, their delicious red banana and papaya salad, and many more. The passed hors d’oeuvres were *outstanding,* too. My guests continue to rave about the food to this day.

Second, the decor and coordination. Honestly, if we had the budget, I would have let Jess handle everything from wedding prep. But because we didn’t, we did the day-of ala carte service where Jess would handle our day-of vendor coordination and make sure everything ran on time. I highly recommend getting CE to coordinate for you. If Jess had a magic wand, it would be a maestro’s baton, because she orchestrated everything for us from the ceremony to the very end and I didn’t have to worry about a thing. She is worth her weight in gold. For our prep, Jess provided me with honest feedback on the best ways to do things on a budget, answered all of my questions, and made a comfortable space in which I could provide feedback, too. In the end, everything was set up so beautifully and exceeded my expectations. Despite my one priority being food, the setup and decorations were simply stunning, especially considering our budget.

Thirdly, I have to sing (more) praises about Jess. Her years of experience shone and it was fantastic seeing her in her element the day of the wedding. But more than that, she’s become my friend. Not only did she earn our trust during the process, but she went above and beyond in working with us to achieve a perfect day for our family and friends. CE will now be my local go-to for any catering needs or milestone celebrations.

Should you (be fortunate enough to) work with them, my advice is to make sure to give them honest feedback as early as possible, ask for *their* feedback and approach it like a collaborative partnership, ask as many questions as you need to, and trust the process. They know what they’re doing.
J
Jordan H. Sent on 08/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Excellent experience

We had our wedding August 4th at the Brazilian Room. We reached out to Culinary Excellence because they were a preferred vendor at this venue. We are so happy we did. Right off the bat Sierra was super helpful and responsive. She scheduled a tasting with us and right away we knew that we wanted to work with her and the rest of the staff. Our big day couldn’t have been pulled off without them. The food was excellent! The staff was attentive, and Sierra was the best. She set everything up just the way we wanted it. If our guests had a question or needed something she took care of it right away. The prices are more then competitive. If you are looking for a caterer I highly recommend Culinary Excellence, you won’t be disappointed.
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Awards

31
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Fog City Entertainment Fog City Entertainment Wedding DJs

I love this team. Chris, Jessica, and Danny are great and they are my favorite caterer to work with.

Map

Culinary Excellence frequently asked questions

At Culinary Excellence, the cost of the full wedding catering service includes:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
  • Cake Cutting
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Server(s)
  • Tastings
  • China
  • Linens
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
The bar service starting price at Culinary Excellence includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Champagne Toast
Culinary Excellence offers the following event services for weddings:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
Culinary Excellence offers the following catering services for weddings:
  • Breakfast / Brunch
  • Buffet
  • Cake Cutting
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Custom Menu
  • Hors d'oeuvres
  • Plated
  • Server(s)
  • Stations
  • Tastings
At Culinary Excellence, you can find the following types of cuisine:
  • American
  • Asian
  • BBQ
  • Caribbean
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Indian
  • Italian
  • Latin American
  • Local
  • Mediterranean
  • Mexican
  • Middle Eastern
  • Seafood
  • Southern
  • Spanish
At Culinary Excellence, the following dietary needs can be accomodated:
  • Gluten Free
  • Lactose Free
  • Halal
  • Nut Free
  • Organic
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
Culinary Excellence provides the following bar and beverage services for wedding events:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Open Bar
  • Champagne Toast
  • Signature Drink
To cater to all tastes, Culinary Excellence offers the following food and beverage items:
  • Barware
  • China
  • Chocolate Fountain
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
Culinary Excellence is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.

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