Bakers Best Caters to Boston Brunchers

Last weekend, I got a message from Renee of Boston Brunchers around 9:15am, asking if I wanted to attend a brunch that morning at 11. Kevin and I had planned to make an elaborate breakfast and have a lazy start to the day, then I had family visiting in the afternoon, but when I got her message I just couldn’t say no! Bakers’ Best would be hosting 12 bloggers at their kitchen facilities in Needham, and it sounded like it would be amazing time. So I got myself together fast, and joined 11 fellow bloggers not even two hours later.

This brunch was a unique one, in that it wasn’t held at a restaurant, but at a busy catering kitchen facility. And it wasn’t hosted by a restaurant either, but by a catering company! Upon walking through their doors, everyone was so welcoming and hospitable, and I immediately felt at ease. Within minutes I had a glass of prosecco in hand and a tangy Bloody Mary Shooter (with jumbo poached shrimp and pickled green beans) to go with it.

The set-up in our dining area was beautifully done by Peterson Party Center. The colors were bright and springy, and made the space feel so warm and happy!

While we toured the impressive kitchen space, there were several passed appetizer bites, which were all phenomenal. The first was an “Everything” bagel Gravlax with red onions, lemon pearls, crème fraiche, and frieze on a bagel crisp. It was incredible! All of the flavors played so nicely, and it was rich and refreshing all at the same time. Positively delightful.

Blogger photos! I love capturing my fellow bloggers in action, dining with others who photograph their own food is so much fun.

Our next bite was Sweet Potato Corned Beef Hash in a maple brown sugar bacon cup. The bacon was very decadent – super buttery and salty and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It was the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Another home run.

The catering kitchen was the biggest I’ve seen – so much storage, so many walk-in refrigerators and freezers – it was amazing! Seriously impressive. It’s fun to see the scale of such a large kitchen compared to my own home kitchen – everything is magnified by about 100 fold. It’s cleaner than my kitchen too!

Our third little taste was an Asian Tuna Tartare in a miso sesame cup, sriacha aioli, wasabi greens, and soy pearls. The miso cup was really different and unique – a bit chewy, with mild miso flavors and sesame seeds. It was really tasty too! I love asian flavors, they are always so bold but also refreshing and light.

Chef Phyllis Kaplowitz (who was a finalist on Chopped)!

When we sat down, there were baskets of Freshly Baked Pastries (meyer lemon blueberry scones, jelly donut muffins, cinnamon buns, and sweet potato biscuits with whipped butter and potted jam) on each table. I tried a meyer lemon blueberry scone and a cinnamon bun. They were also, of course, bite sized, so I didn’t mind indulging in two! The scones was very moist and flaky, with just the right balance of citrusy zing and sweet blueberry. The cinnamon bun was also good – nice and cinnamon-y.

Soon after we were seated, we were served a Bite Size Waffle Egg Sandwich with quail eggs, turkey sausage, tomato jelly, and camembert. First of all, I LOVE small and miniature things, so this was about the cutest breakfast I’ve ever seen or eaten. It was also really delicious, with fun elements of flavor and texture from the sausage and the egg, the cheese and the tomato jelly. It was fantastic!

And then as if all of that wasn’t enough, they put out a huge spread of food, and let us have at it. It all looked amazing!

There were Mini Flaky Quiches, (1) spinach, mushroom and leek with goat cheese, (2) bacon, potato and caramelized onions, and (3) tomato, asparagus, and feta. I tried one of each, and they were all really good. Nice buttery crusts with tender and flavorful filling.

And then there was also mile-high Challah French Toast with bananas foster, fresh berries, and Vermont cider maple syrup. I intended to only have a little bite of the french toast, but ended up devouring an entire slice. It was perfectly caramelized on the outside, with a soft and chewy interior.

Fresh berries.

Bananas Foster!

There were also “Beet Ravioli” with queso valdeon, field greens, shaved fennel, blood orange, and Spanish vinaigrette. These I thought were extremely inventive, and also quite beautiful to look at. This salad was a home run – really light and flavorful, with hints of citrus and licorice, and lots of fresh leafy greens. It felt good to eat something like this in between bites of the french toast and quiche.

Below is my filled plate – and while it looks like I ate enough for 5 people I assure you they used appetizer sized plates so it wasn’t too much food! Everything was totally fantastic, and honestly so much better than I’ve ever experienced from a large-scale catering company before. I was thrilled to be a part of this brunching experience.

A big thanks to owner Michael Best and his staff at Bakers’ Best, for an incredible brunch! If you’re ever in the market for a caterer, I would suggest checking them out first.

Disclaimer: This brunch was provided to me free of charge by Bakers’ Best Catering. As usual, all views and opinions expressed here are all my own.