About Us
Caterer to the Stars
Shanghai ‘s Caterer-to-the-Stars is now your bespoke private chef in the greater Seattle area.
Out of bucolic Bainbridge Island comes a unique feast tailor made to your particular specifications,
for an exclusive in-home social event.
Flavor Explosions
The flavors are authentically Asian using outrageously luxurious ingredients with European influences & a contemporary approach.
Ours is a special prearranged order that takes days of preparation beforehand, like family banquets of the past. Brining, curing & air-drying, 24-hour water-baths & slowly simmered au jus.
Thai chilis can be sweet and tangy or pack a punch, Malaysian curries aromatic and spicy, delicate and bright Chinese steamed fish meets smoked meats that exude earthy, sticky, crazy rich umami flavors.
The menu is crafted to present to you and your guests an uncommon & sensational eating experience.
The Hush-hush Feast Everyone WANTS to be Invited to
The grazing menu is a dining affair where the food keeps coming. Inspired by family-style dining, our plates are designed to be shared. We believe food is best enjoyed freshly made, so they will be served to you as they are prepared, as your foodie friends mingle or buzz around your open kitchen.
Choose from Ginseng or Oolong martinis, exclusive small production wines from around the region, finish with ports or delve into a sake tasting.
This hush-hush feast is a passionate eating experience everyone will talk about and the people who weren’t there end up wishing they were.
Your exclusive bespoke experience is awaiting you.
Meet the Cook
SOK
A Singapore native and real estate major, Sok went to Shanghai 20 years ago with one of Asia’s largest serviced apartment & retail developers to launch a premium property in the city of 20 million people. The assignment led to a unique opportunity for Sok to launch and manage a premium wine bar, which was the first of its kind then.
As Shanghai became progressively prominent for international businesses, the city also became a top destination for global elites. Seizing the growing demand for professional galas, corporate banquets, cocktails and dinners, Sok self-started the Party People, the city’s first licensed event & catering company backed by its own central kitchen. She also gained the reputation as the ‘caterer to the stars' serving the likes of Nora Jones, Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones, Tom Cruise & the Mission Impossible crew... essentially all the A-listers who came through Shanghai, Beijing & Guangzhou.
During the times of conspicuous consumption, Sok & her team at the Event People became the go-to team when luxury brands and financial institutions wanted a signature event that was creative & uniquely theirs.
In 2004, she merged her company with Simply the Group which is the company behind lifestyle brands including Simply Life & the award winning Simply Thai restaurants. Together with her partners they built a brand that was truly ‘made in china’ and ultra modern.
Sok left that business to start a family in 2007. She returned to the scene in 2009 for the World Expo Shanghai 2010, where she operated a profitable 300 seat restaurant and café at the Indonesia Pavilion.
In 2013, she created where’s my lunch?® - an affordable, food focused, no-frills cafeteria serving a healthier Chinese lunch & global cuisine to a growing set of white collar workers. The cafeteria currently operates 4 locations in Shanghai serving close to 4,000 meals daily. www.wheresmylunch.co
She now lives on the beach in Bainbridge Island Washington with her husband of 15 years and 2 tweenage children. When she's not testing recipes, cooking at your event or cooking up new business ideas, she golfs!
Famous last words...
“My mother was a good recreational cook, but what she basically believed about cooking was that if you worked hard & prospered, someone else would do it for you.”
- Nora Ephron
Sample Menu
Help Yourself at the Chef's Table
AROUND THE HOUSE * Vanilla & Pu-er Tea Cured Salmon Gravlax | Crispy Fried Chicken Skin w Ichimi Togarashi & Toasted Kaffir Lime Leaves CHEF'S TABLE * Steamed Fresh Fish w Ginger Scallion in Superior Soy | Yum Sum O, Thai Pomelo & Shrimp Salad | Tenderloin w Anise & Clove Au Jus | Broccoli in Chicken Broth & Goji
Fish
Canton Style Black Cod w Ginger Scallion in Superior Soy
Veggies
Broccoli in Superior Chicken Broth & Goji
Thai Pomelo/ Mango & Shrimp Salad
Family Style
Indonesian Chicken Salad w Wonton Crisps
A Tenderloin w Anise & Clove Au Jus
The Food Keeps Coming...
GRAZING TAPAS STYLE * Opulent Chawanmushi | Cantonese Charsiew | Porcini & Truffle Wild Mushroom w Onsen Duck Egg | Peking Smoked Duck Breast | Grilled Pork Neck w Jaew SHARE THE GUILT * Chocolate Tart w Hazelnut & Dark Berries | Pinenut Tarte Au Citron | Crème Catalan w Raspberry
Grilled Pork Neck
Melt in your mouth Thai Style Grilled Pork Neck served with Spicy Tangy Jaew & Crunchy Toasted Rice
Opulent Chawan Mushi
Outrageously Opulent Steamed Egg Custard with oversized Clam, Conpoy & Shiitake AND topped with Uni, Crabmeat & Ikura!
Tarte Au Citron
Delicate Lemon Custard in a Homemade Digestives Toasted Pinenut Crust.
Served w Whipped Cream and a Medley of Fresh Berries.
Services
Service Style
From rustic cook-with-the-chef familiar style, to glamorous mixers, we can staff you accordingly. From bartenders to waitstaff & specialty chefs to wine experts, we come ready to serve & dressed for the occasion.
Food & Beverage Style
Chef's Table, Tapas grazing menu, sit-down formal or raucous hot pot feasts. Martinis, cocktails or wine & champers, tell us what you'd like catered.
Let us know everyone's dietary needs in advance, whether there are separate children's meals and any other special circumstances.
Loading In & Out
We provide private cheffing but often bring our own specialized crockery & equipment including some flatware.
We insist on a site inspection if yours is a new venue to us, to understand logistics & how you'd like us to present the event.
We also clean up the kitchen before we go!