If you've ever attended a gallery opening, bridal shower, book signing, rehearsal dinner or even a bar mitzvah, you've probably had a catering experience.

When you attend an elegantly appointed wedding reception or a plated fund-raiser with food as tasty, if not tastier than the local dining hot-spots, you almost definitely have a catering team to thank. Catering seems pretty straightforward and simple: You cook some food and serve it, right?
That is the basic idea, but there's more to it. A whole lot more. From the initial client-caterer meeting to the big event, catering involves a lot of planning and preparation, teamwork, creativity and some pretty cool equipment. First, let's consider what defines catering today.
Food is definitely the star in the catering world, but it's only one part of the equation. Chef Joel Dondis of Joel, a full service catering and event-planning company located in New Orleans, Louisiana, agrees.