How a CT entrepreneur became this year’s Caterer of the Year

Paul Kilman said he called numerous catering companies when trying to arrange a hybrid gala in a location without kitchen facilities during the pandemic, but “all of them told us what they couldn’t do or didn’t want to do. “I was focused,” he said.

But when Kilman visited Louise Alvin at Café Louise in West Hartford, he encountered the startup’s enthusiasm and the expertise of a caterer that Alvin had actually been in business for 31 years.

In the midst of an unprecedented crisis affecting the restaurant industry, Alvin not only pulled off a successful fundraiser, but also “absolutely had the best event food I’ve ever had,” Killman said.

Alvin, who recently catered a luncheon for the President of the Czech Republic and 32 diplomats in Hartford, was named Connecticut’s Caterer of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association and is a fashionable Fairfield restaurant with regular customers. It outshined other finalists, including caterers. In New York.

Alvin said he was “incredibly honored, humbled and excited” to win the title. “About catering,” she said, “I love the human interaction. I love the essence of this business: nourishing people in a beautiful and delicious way.”

According to his clients, Alvin was committed to his clients, worked with a vision, had an eye for detail in their events, and never backed down from a challenge.

Customers say she is “polite”, “kind” and professional, but also has a good sense of humor, and that the executive chef’s cooking is excellent.

Sheri Miller, chief executive officer of Colts Manufacturing Company in Hartford, recently gave two weeks’ notice that the president of the Czech Republic and 32 diplomats would be holding a luncheon at the Colts subsidiary. When he received the call, he called her “Going to the Caterer” Alvin. Czech holding company. They had come to this country on work for the United Nations.

“I’m telling you, Louise really knocked it out of the park,” Miller said. “They couldn’t rave enough about the food.”

Miller said it was complicated because Alvin had to bring in ovens and other equipment to run it.
In keeping with the New England theme, Chef Alvin created a surf and lawn entrée and potato gratin, and she brought in a pastry chef to create maple leaf cookies with apple mousse. They had another bartender and florist, but Alvin was in charge of the entire event so she helped out.

“Our event was extraordinary…probably the most spectacular I’ve ever encountered, and it was all because of Louise,” Miller said.

Alvin, a West Hartford native, had the most grassroots start in the business.

After graduating from Trinity College, where she trained as a secondary school teacher, she turned down job offers in the food, fashion, or make-up industry as she wanted to eventually own a business in that field. . During her college years in the 1970s, she spent time in Paris.

After college, she moved to Oregon and worked in a “front-of-house” position rather than in a restaurant kitchen.

An entrepreneur at heart, Alvin wondered if he could serve people who didn’t have time to cook, so he created small menus and distributed them to wealthy neighborhoods.

Her menu included soups, chili, stews, and lasagna hotpots.

It worked, but then one of her clients asked Alvin to cater a party. She asked her friends to help her peel potatoes and cut carrots to buy a six-pack of beer.

It was in that catering job that the then 32-year-old found her career sweet spot.

“It was an epiphany for me,” she said of the event. “I thought, ‘This is too much fun.’ I finally knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.”

She returned to Connecticut and opened Café Louise outside her home, securing a location at 1156 New Britain Avenue, where she remained for 31 years.

“I started this business out of passion and the seat of my pants,” she said.

Alvin described his attention to detail, flexibility, customer service, creativity, consistency and being a “great chef.”

“It’s my passion. I love what I do,” she said.

Alvin is a French-Canadian who grew up on a farm and was born into a family of bakers and chefs.

Alvin said he likes to mix different types of cuisine in one spread for events, including Italian, French and Asian cuisine.

She tastes every dish that comes out.

Alvin sells take-out items such as meals and desserts at its in-store Cafe Louise.
She said she sells “tons” of double chocolate zucchini bread and chocolate raspberry torts that she is “dying to eat.” ”

Kilman, who volunteers at the Charter Oak Cultural Center and organizes galas and other events, said she has seen Alvin in the store, but she said, “People are willing to spend $10 or $20,000 (on an event).” Dollars as well,” he said, giving the same attention to his customers.

Dennis Dolan, administrative and operations coordinator at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, has worked with Alvin for many years on church functions, weddings, funerals, luncheons and other events, and said Alvin “always made everyone happy.” He will go above and beyond to make this happen.”

“What I’ve noticed about catering with her is that she comes into the conversation with an open mind. She always works with me to make it a fit,” Dolan says. I did. “I say, ‘This is what we’re thinking about,’ and she always works within budget without compromising on the food.” ”