Here at Catered by Design, we’ve been cooking up something delicious! Well — actually many delicious things! We have added a plethora of new items from salads to desserts to our full-service menus that are sure to make your event memorable.
A huge initiative was to add even more inclusivity and sustainability where possible with more dietary-conscious and vegan items.
Let us take you through some of our new favorites that you should try at your next event.
Hors d’Oeuvres
Hors d’Oeuvres are the introduction to your event, and these little delights pack a lot of flavor into tiny packages.
We have added a few new inclusive and delicious options, such as:
- Gluten-free Crispy Salmon Rice – we can also make it with tuna for tuna lovers out there. Rachel, one of our incredible Catering Sales Specialists, had this newcomer as one of her hors d’Oeuvres at her wedding last year!
Crispy Salmon Rice | GF | DF
- Vegan “Sausage” Roll made with lentils and topped with Red Onion Chutney. We debuted this new delight this year at the Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity Gala.
Vegan “Sausage” Roll | V | DF | VGN
- Vegan Mushroom “Meatball” Bite on a colorful Ube Bun that has a little kick thanks to a dab of Sriracha Sauce. This colorful addition also debuted at the First Look for Charity Gala.
Vegan Mushroom “Meatball” Bite | V | DF | VGN
We can’t wait for you to find your new favorite appetizer among our tasty assortment. Whether you’re planning a simple cocktail reception or preluding the night for your special event or wedding, don’t forget the hors d’Oeuvres!
Salads
For our main courses, we’ve added quite a few new elevated dishes that are sure to be crowd-pleasers. We’re excited about our new, elegant Composed Salads that are as tasty as they are eye-catching!
Our new Composed Salads include:
- Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Golden & Red Beets, Balsamic Vinaigrette, garnished with Micro Greens. This sumptuous salad was recently featured in Chicago Style Weddings’ latest summer issue in the Featured 2025: Give my Compliments to the Chef alongside a profile of our incredible Executive Chef, Carlos Orozco.
Beet & Goat Cheese Composed Salad | V | GF
- Caprese Salad is comprised of Yellow & Red Tomatoes, Basil Pesto with a Balsamic Glaze. This colorful spin on a classic salad is perfect for summer weddings, upscale social parties, or an annual corporate gala.
Caprese Composed Salad | V | GF | CN
- Shrimp & Crab Salad with Avocado, and a Micro Flower Garnish & Accompanied by a Sesame Tuile. This dairy-free delight is a perfect pick for adventurous seafood lovers.
Shrimp & Crab Composed Salad | DF
Try these beautiful salads at your next gala, wedding, or fundraiser. Love the beautiful china and glasses accompanying our new salads? You can rent them for your next event! We partner with rental companies like Hall’s and Tablescapes to help you customize your celebration to your exact preferences.
Entrées
We also have two new gluten-free entrées that we are excited to add to our impressive repertoire of both traditional and innovative plates.
- Bourbon Pecan Chicken glazed in a bourbon, soy sauce reduction and topped with pecans. Chef recommends pairing this entrée with our Rainbow Carrots and Roasted Garlic & Ruby-Red Sweet Potato Swirl, which are also gluten-free.
Bourbon Pecan Chicken | GF | CN
- Pistachio-Crusted White Fish topped with lemon and parsley. The recommended pairing for this dish includes our Garlic Redskin Mashed Potatoes and Broccolini, which are both gluten-free as well.
And of course, an entrée always needs a delectable pairing, so we crafted up two new sides ~ one completely new and the other a reimagining of a classic:
- Quinoa & Pomegranate Seeds is our brand-new side mixed with grilled vegetables and tossed in a Citrus Dressing. This new creation can pair alongside our heartier offerings, such as our Premium Angus Sirloin Steak.
Quinoa & Pomegranate Seeds | V | GF | DF | VGN
- Haricot Vert Bundle with Carrot Wrap is a reenvisioned version of our Haricot Verts & Baby Carrots with Greening. This beautiful side is perfect alongside our Hand-Carved Tenderloin of Beef.
Haricot Vert Bundle with Carrot Wrap | V | GF | DF | VGN
These new elegant additions are perfect for special events such as galas and fundraisers and weddings. When it comes to planning your perfect event menu, our Catering Sales Specialists work alongside you to build your menu and customize it to your specific vision.
Desserts
Who doesn’t love a tiny, decadent bite at the end of a great meal? We have so many new and exciting sweet treats you won’t know which to try first!
From the new, fan-favorite Red Velvet Cheesecake Bite to the inventive Orange Dreamsicle Truffle, you’re sure to find the right sweet for you ~ and they’re all vegetarian! To view all our sweet treats, peruse our full Decadent Dessert menu.
- Ice Cream Taco dipped in Dark Chocolate and drizzled with White Chocolate in a crisp wonton shell. Feel free to customize this cold treat with any ice cream flavor.
Ice Cream Taco | V
- Mini Victoria Sponge Cake filled with White Chocolate Mousse and decorated with thin strawberry slices. These cute little cakes are a wonderful treat you can customize to match your aesthetic.
Mini Victoria Sponge Cake | V
- Orange Dreamsicle Truffle with a Grand Marnier filling. This innovative sweet is a delicious selection for your decadent trio for those who love citrus desserts.
Orange Dreamsicle Truffle | V | GF
- Passionfruit Curd Tartlet with Coconut Milk Whipped Cream and garnished with Toasted Coconut. This new decadent delight was first introduced earlier this year at the First Look for Charity as well.
Passionfruit Curd Tartlet | V
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Bite with a Chocolate Cookie Crumb bottom and Whipped Cream to top it off. We unveiled this new fan-favorite at The Summit trade show earlier this year.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Bite | V
- Mint Chocolate Cupcake with Mint Buttercream and garnished with Chocolate Shavings. Mint lovers will adore this new specialty cupcake with its rich flavor and chocolate accompaniment.
Mint Chocolate Cupcake | V
Late Night Snacks
Looking for the perfect way to say goodnight to your wedding guests? We have even more savory selections to cap off the celebration with our Late Night Snack offerings.
- Breaded Chicken Tenders accompanied by BBQ sauce and Ranch. You can never go wrong with some chicken tenders!
- Pizza Muffins with the choice of vegetarian, pepperoni, or sausage. These small yet flavorful treats are perfect for pizza lovers.
- Empanadas accompanied by Tomatillo Green Sauce. You can choose from the following flavors to spice up your after-party:
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean | V
- Chicken & Cheddar
- Beef & Cheddar
- Staff Attended French Fry Bar with fries, cheese curds, gravy, and a plethora of savory toppings to choose from.
- Choice of fries from regular French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Blue Potato Fries, and Yuca Fries | V | GF
- Choice of cheese curds from Wisconsin Cheese Curds and Goat Cheese Curds | V
- Choice of gravy from Brown Gravy and Poultry Gravy
From hors d’Oeuvres to after-party selections, we are excited for everyone to try our new offerings across our full-service menus. These new and exciting additions are sure to leave a flavorful impact on your guests.
Contact Us for More Information
Stay tuned for our upcoming holiday menus for the rest of the year that will feature even more new treats for you to choose from! In the meantime, explore our blog to see how Catered by Design can take your event to the next level.
If you have more questions to ask regarding your catered event experience, send us an email at [email protected], or if you’re ready to get started planning your event with us, contact us here. We look forward to helping you bring your event to life!
