Today we’d like to introduce you to Vivian Morgan.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My husband and I met while we were both working in the hotel industry. The first event we did together was my bosses retirement party. He was the Executive Chef, so we worked closely on the menu and I took care of the decor, floral, etc. Sparks flew and we ended up getting married about a year later. We had both left the hotel by that time and he had been doing small catering jobs on the side for years. He is by far the most creative person I had ever met and I knew that he should be doing catering full time, so we finally decided to take the leap of faith and open a full-time business. I took on the marketing and sales and he would create the menus and execute the events. We worked from a small kitchen in a private school that we leased out on weekends, providing the school lunch program during the week. We just put our noses to the grindstone and kept working at it. Our business doubled the second year and continued a rapid growth pattern for years to come. We eventually rented a storefront kitchen location in Addison and our business really shot up like a rocket afterward.
My focus has always been “front of the house” management and his “back of the house” and event management. Six years ago we purchased our first building and moved our catering facility there. The building was large enough to section off a banquet space which we named Nuvo Room. Three years later we were able to acquire our second building and open Vouv Event Space. Our catering company has remained our main business and we, of course, provide exclusive catering for these two spaces. However, we still continue to work in partnership with the top area event venues as well as private and corporate clients. In 2015 we were named one of the largest independent catering companies by the Dallas Business Journal. It is the greatest thing in the world to have the freedom to do what you love doing and a true blessing to make a living doing it. We are both perfectionists and we work extremely hard to ensure that no matter how many events we have going on, we have a hand and a knowledge of every single event we do and ensure that our clients are happy with the products and services we receive.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The most challenging part of our journey has been our rapid growth and finding the right team to manage our high standards and higher expectations. We have a habit of mentoring and fostering so much growth with our employees that they move on to work independently or at other companies in leadership roles.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
From the very beginning, over 20 years ago, our passion has always been providing the most amazing and delicious food possible. The food, however, is just a piece of our puzzle. We cannot provide the best food without providing the best service and hospitality. Which leads to providing an overall commitment to each and every event to ensure that they run smoothly, flawlessly and just as planned. We are extremely proud of the care and attention we give to every event. Our goal is the success of the event and we take that role very seriously. I think what sets us apart is that we are not concerned with what our competition is doing, we are constantly looking at our processes and trying to find ways to improve our service and the client experience.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been very domesticated. I used to daydream of being a grown up and having dinner parties. My mom had a Betty Crocker cookbook and I would skim the pages planning the menus that I would serve. When we started Culinary Art Catering, I found myself doing the same thing, planning the perfect menu for each event. I have a team of salespeople now who assist with these things. However, I do create most of the menus with our Executive Chef, Yossi Ohayon (who is also my hubby – and, no, he doesn’t do the cooking at home).
Contact Info:
- Address: 4241 Sigma Road
Dallas, Texas 75240 - Website: www.culinaryartcatering.com
- Phone: 972-744-0660
- Email: info@culinaryartcatering.com
Image Credit:
Headshot: Kendall Crosson Photography
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