Be My Guest Catering is your go-to destination for all things meal prep and more. John Manzo has found a niche market in the meal prep category creating meals like Muscle Builder, Protein Power Bowls, Cuban Mojo Pork, Maple Ginger Chicken, Lean Machine, and many more options. He also caters large and small events where he offers homemade pasta, vegetarian dishes, chicken, meat and many other add-ons as well as international fare.
Mary Abitanto had the pleasure of talking to John Manzo more about his business and how he got into this niche market and eventually branched out into dinner party events and catering at various venues.
Abitanto: How long have you been a chef? What inspired you to become a chef? Where did you attend culinary school? What restaurants have you worked at?
As a young boy, John started cooking with his Italian grandma in her kitchen making pasta. This is where the joy of cooking was ignited in him. He started in the restaurant business at age 14 as a dishwasher. At age 16, he was introduced to food prep. John was educated at Hudson County Culinary Arts Institute which laid the foundation for his classic cooking skills. His first restaurant experience as a trained chef was working for his family at the Manzo Family Restaurant when he was 21. Restaurants and hotels were where he continued to work throughout the years.
John Manzo of Be My Guest Catering has found a niche market and is your go-to destination for all things meal prep and more.
Eventually, John left the restaurant business. He recognized a niche market for the health conscious and gym goers and started a meal prep business. At first, he mainly offered these services to people he knew, but it grew into a thriving business, and he even upgraded to a commercial kitchen space to accommodate it. Unfortunately, once COVID hit, meal prep came to a screeching halt because people were home more and prepared their own meals. He thought quick on his feet and had to take a pivot and started a daily familymeal service to help families during COVID. Meal service included things like pasta dishes, salads, and desserts which he collaborated with other local businesses. John did all the shopping, cooking, and delivery.
Abitanto: Tell me more about your catering company? How many guests can you cater for?
Once COVID ended, he restarted meal prep and started dinner party services since people were now more accustomed to home entertaining. John custom designs menus for clients based on their needs. He will do the shopping and cooking right at your home and serve a four-course dinner. He serves a minimum of 2 people and has served over 30 guests for a sit-down dinner party. Clients started to request catering services and that is how catering services evolved. This adds an extra level of service to his already successful and booming business model.
He does cocktail-style catering events which include grazing tables consisting of platters of different heights and something hot and cold. It’s an elegant and more elevated affair and boutique catering service which he offers. This also includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options if the client requests it, as well as international foods. Indian, Portuguese, Cuban, Italian and Thai foods are other options as is a fusion menu.
Abitanto: How far do you travel?
He travels to the Jersey Shore, North Jersey, Central Jersey, New York, even as far as Florida where he coordinates with other vendors and offers full-catering services.
Abitanto: What are some of your most requested catered dishes? What’s your specialty?
John specializes in homemade pastas (classic Italian) pappardelle, tagliatelle, orecchiette, offers fresh ingredients like fish, beef or pork which hauls from the Midwest. Truffles and caviar are sometimes on the menu depending upon the client’s budget. Most dishes are specifically designed, however, for each client. Some examples, a potato mousse cup, burnt onion powder, and an egg yolk “jole gel” style. Or Madagascar vanilla whipped goat cheese with Luxardo cherry paired with lemon and mint. John is very good at creative twists and turns and will go above and beyond to please his clients. One client loved homemade beignets which John made and then guests could stuff these pillowy doughnuts with whatever filling they choose, so the customer experience can be interactive. All elements of what they love he curates into one delicious menu.
John Manzo of Be My Guest Catering has found a niche market and is your go-to destination for all things meal prep and more.
Abitanto: What local resources do you use?
He loves using fresh in-season fruits and vegetables. John visits the local farmer’s market in June which goes through Thanksgiving. In spring, he chooses: peas, ramps (scallion-garlic crossover), and asparagus. Everything is lighter and brighter. In summer, he loves using Jersey fresh produce: blueberries, corn, and tomatoes to be featured on his menu.
Abitanto: What venues have you catered at? Do you cater for weddings?
He does cater weddings and some venues are: an old mansion in North Jersey where he catered a wedding of 160 people, a farm wedding in North Jersey for about 120 people, and even a wedding on Thanksgiving outside under a heated tent in someone’s yard. Some other local venues he has catered: Suite Metuchen, Green House Lofts in Highland Park, The Studio Ligaya in Metuchen which is a woman-owned business. No number is too big or too small, John is adaptable and wants his client’s dreams to come to fruition.
Abitanto: What types of meal prep do you offer? Do you deliver?
John offers a well-rounded menu for meal prep including gluten-free options. Vegetarian dishes, health-conscious menu, salads, soups and some are also vegan. They deliver across New Jersey.
Abitanto: What’s something exciting and fun you want people to know?
John offers cooking class up to 16 people taught by John and local area chefs and bakers. Courses like pasta making class, fresh mozzarella classes, couples cake decorating classes, and a French macarons class. He also teaches techniques like braising foods, or knife skills.
John has come full circle, from working in his grandma’s kitchen as a young boy making pasta to now customizing menus for professional athletes on the New York Jets and Giants.
Be sure to check out his meal prep menus and plan your next event with John. It will be a great success, maybe even consider using “one of our local area venues to host it.”
