Wedding and vow renewal are major milestones in our lives— to stand before your friends and family for the first time or in the case of a vow renewal, the second time and pledging your life, love, and appreciation to one another. This month we are going to explore the ageless tradition and all things associated with weddings.
The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies was in 2350 BC in Mesopotamia. Hunter-gatherers began to settle into more stable arrangements. Hundreds of years later this evolved into a widespread institution; however, it had little to do with love or religion for that matter and more so for the male to continue its lineage. Today marriages are performed all over the world. They can be as simple as two people and a witness to hundreds of guests with elaborate themes and ultimate fairytales fulfilled.
Exclusive Chefs knows how important this day is for the happy couple and we have assembled an extraordinary team to provide any and all requests. This can range from a modest ceremony to an over-the-top cake, cocktails and entertainment. There are no two weddings alike and we at Exclusive Chefs have seen over the years imaginations flow with ideas for their perfect wedding. Pop culture plays a huge part in planning and has been challenging and exciting every time. Could you see yourself going back in time with a Game of Thrones feast complete with dragon eggs and invitation scrolls or fast forwarding into the future to have the Imperial Leader of the Dark Side officiate your vows? From the traditional and elegant to the supreme and outlandish, we are here to check every box on your list. Take a look at some of our themed events here.
Prime Rib Crown Roast
You want to impress your guests? There is no better way than a crown roast. PREP TIME: 15 minsCOOK TIME: 3 hrsTOTAL TIME: 3 hrs 15 mins
INGREDIENTS
- 0.5 cup Thyme
- 0.25 cup Fresh sage, chopped
- 2 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup Olive oil
- 10 lbs Prime rib, bone in
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a bowl, mix together thyme, sage, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
- Rub mix generously all over the meat.
- Using a Chef knife, make incisions between each bone allowing the rib to make a circle joining end to end bone up. Tie using butcher’s twine the bones together to hold the shape while cooking.
- Place rib (bone up) in roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees. Roast for 2 hours and then remove the foil for the last hour.
- Remove once the internal temperature is 120 for medium rare. Allow the meat to sit and rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice the beef between each rib.
Renewing your vows are particularly special as you gather longtime friends, family, maybe even your children and grandchildren. There is no rule as to when you can celebrate and reaffirm your commitment to one another. While your initial marriage vows mark the beginning of your lives together, a renewal is a celebration of your marriage. Many of these celebrations tend to be more relaxed than the first. The couple is thinking more about sharing this moment with the guests and the years together. This doesn’t mean there will not be an abundance of food, libation and entertainment. In many cases they have a second chance at reliving the highlights of their years. Exclusive Chefs strives to bring these precious memories forward for all to share. Our social media department excels at taking videos and photos to provide a mini movie of your life. The birth of your children, first Christmas or family vacations, all that this family has loved, brought to life. Our chefs will prepare foods recreated from you moments in time. Entertainment, luxurious accommodations savoring splendid cocktails and sweet treats.
Seafood Paella
Need to feed a crowd? Try this saffron-infused Spanish dish. PREP TIME: 30 minsCOOK TIME: 35 minsSERVINGS: 2 people
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups Chicken stock
- 0.16 tsp Crumbled saffron threads
- 0.08 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/3 each Finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 clove Finely chopped garlic
- 1.5 oz 1/2 moon chopped chorizo sausages
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 oz fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/3 cup frozen green peas
- 4 oz p & d shrimp
- 4 oz rinsed and scrubbed mussels
- 4 oz rinsed and scrubbed clams
- 0.16 cup chopped parsley
- 1/3 Finely chopped onion
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat grill on medium high heat (375)
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a boil. Add the saffron and salt. Turn off the heat and let the saffron steep for at least 15 minutes.
- In a 12 inch skillet heat oil over medium heat on top of stove. Add the onion and red pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chorizo.
- On a table next to your grill, set the skillet with the sofrito, rice, tomatoes, infused stock, salt, peas, shrimp, mussels and clams.
- Set the skillet with the sofrito on the grill. Add the rice and cook, stirring often (4-5 minutes). Stir in the stock, tomatoes and peas. Season more if needed. Spread the rice evenly over the bottom of the pan. Close the grill cover and simmer rice (no stirring) for 15 minutes.
- Nestle the mussels and clams into the rice with the hinged side up. Arrange the shrimp around the shellfish.
- Cover the pan with foil, close the grill and cook for 6-10 minutes longer or until the shrimp and shellfish is cooked through. Discard any shellfish that did not open.
- Slip a spatula under the rice and check to see if you achieved the golden brown socarrat, if not, remove cover and continue until you have lightly caramelized the bottom.
- Garnish with parsley.
Nutella Shots
The perfect pre-game from Danielle Tullo, known for her boozy desserts! Equal parts vodka and baileys shaken over ice and poured in a shot glass rimmed with Nutella and sprinkles.
INGREDIENTS
- Nutella
- Sprinkles
- Baileys
- Vodka
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rim a shot glass with the Nutella and sprinkles.
- In a shaker filled with ice, add 1 tablespoon Nutella, 1 ounce Baileys, and 1 ounce vodka.
- Shake and pour into the shot glass. Enjoy!
In case you missed it, back in February our event designer Leslie Sellers wrote this insider piece on how she plans events. Check out #2 and #3 to for stories on a beautiful wedding and a crowd-pleasing bachelorette party.
