Critic’s Choice Catering & Event Production

I cannot say enough positive things about Lorraine, her staff and Critic’s Choice. They catered our Christmas party last year and this year, and they are the consummate professionals with fantastic food and service for our annual corporate event.
We had four different food stations for our party this year — Mashed Potato Martini Bar, Carving Station with Tri Tip, Ragin Cajun with Jambalaya with Red Beans and Rice, and Gazpacho. They also provided a dessert station and served at a hosted bar. The food was spectacular. I switched it up this year and our employees thought it was the best selection and quality of food that we’ve ever had. We also had appetizers (cheese platter, crudité, antipasto skewers) and chicken satay with peanut sauce was brought out and served to our employees while the bar was open.
There was no shortage of food. They approximated the quantities accurately so that at no point was a station missing any component. This is an accomplishment for a large party of 150 people. It’s very difficult to make a large group happy — there are always some Grinches in any group — but the compliments I had during and after the party were 100% positive. Oh, and did I mention that the food was awesome?
The staff is courteous, accommodating and very hard working. Our party is on the second floor of our building and there is no elevator. They haul everything up and down without complaint. Our employees look forward to seeing the same staff every year and we consider them part of our family.
Like an idiot, I didn’t take enough photos of the party. I was mesmerized by the Buche de Noël and snagged a photo of it. It was almost too gorgeous to eat… almost.
I highly recommend Critic’s Choice for any event, but more importantly, ask for Lorraine specifically for your parties. She makes me look like a genius, yet she does all the work. How great is that?

This is now the second big corporate party I’ve been to where Critic’s Choice did the catering and provided the servers. The food was great and the service was incredible! Highly recommended.

Last weekend Michelle, the owner of Critics Choice Catering personally delivered a meal to my home in Valencia. We had discussed what happened and I accepted her apology. I understand that a single person’s bad decision can make a company look bad. I could not be happier with the response. Once again, the food was fantastic. Great job!

POST WEDDING REVIEW
It’s been over 6 months since the wedding and I still can’t get over how wonderful Critic’s Choice Catering were! Their entire staff were a joy to work with and Lorraine was attentive and bent over backwards to make sure we were happy. They also work with your budget which is the #1 reason why I first did my tasting appointment. Once I tasted the food I booked them immediately.
We had a BEAUTIFUL wedding and reception and Critic’s Choice helped us along the way. At the reception everyone raved about our food and Lorraine was everywhere making sure everything went smoothly. A special staff member was appointed to waiting on my husband and me for the entire night. He was very good, serving our food first (so I wasn’t a hungry aka crabby bride lol) and refilling our drinks.
We had almost 500 people at our wedding and everyone left full and happy. The food was served piping hot and even though our wedding was in City of Industry and they were over an hour away, the tri-​tip was cook to perfection– medium rare! Check out our pic if you don’t believe me! I am in love w/​their balsamic fig reduction definitely order that if you love sweet sauce. The chimichurri was also just as delicious!
The only criticism I have for the night was during our cake cutting the staff didn’t pass out the cake. Unfortunately due to miscommunication the cake was left sitting on the side dessert table which went unnoticed =(
I will definitely hire Critics Choice again for other events! Order their wedding package it’s incredible how much they will give you for such a small fee. Totally worth every penny!
THANK YOU GUYS and have a great holidays!
Love,
Ann & Geremy

As the bride, I want to add to Stephane’s review: CC was also extremely sensitive to our food needs. I was unable to drink alcohol, several of our guests had allergies, and one kept kosher. They had made all the adjustments necessary and made sure I only got the alcohol-​free drinks before I’d even asked for them.

We hired Critics Choice to cater and pretty much run our wedding. It was seriously the best choice we made. Our venue required us to bring in all outside vendors which meant we needed everything from food and servers to forks and plates. We also were looking for a menu that was not your typical chicken or fish option for a wedding and we needed to stay within in specific budget. After meeting with Patti at Critics Choice all my stresses about the weddding and figuring out how to make the wedding happen were gone. I knew right away everything would be perfect!!! Not only is their food absolutely amazingggggg but they worked with us to create our unique menu which included empanadas, taquitos, lomo saltado, and a cilantro lime salad. Everything was delicious and all our guests loved the food. On top of amazing food Patti and her crew provided the best service. I am very type A and I didn’t have to worry about a thing on the wedding day. Patti worked closely with me to make sure she could carry out our wedding as if we were doing it ourselves. We were in constant communication in the months leading up to the wedding and we even took a field trip together to meet with our other vendors. SHE IS THE BEST!!! She went above and beyond. I seriously want to have another event just to work with her again and eat some more delicious food. I highly recommend Critics Choice and Patti for any event you are planning. Great service, great quality, great price, and great people.

We hired Critics Choice to cater at our annual company picnic.
Michelle and David, the catering staff, were a pleasure to work with — very helpful and adaptable! Food (bbq — burgers, hot dogs and chicken) was very delicious and fresh.
They also set up games for our employees– we had so much fun. CC staff made sure that everyone participate in the games. I highly recommend Critic’s Choice Catering — you will be so pleased!!!

AMAZING!!! I hired Michelle over the phone for a birthday party without tasting any of her food because I had complete confidence in her. She had an EXTENSIVE menu list with many options and was very willing to make whatever we needed and create a special menu. They did great décor and the food was EXCEPTIONAL. Also, Michelle worked within our budget. Did I mention the food was FANTASTIC??? HIRE CRITIC’s CHOICE!

Nothing but great service from these guys! Patti was a life saver coming in and taking charge of the party! Patti took care of everything for the party except music and the magician. We had a full bar, food buffet, candy buffet, rentals, a photo booth and so much more. Patti took it into her own hands to make sure everything was great. She was the first to arrive and the last to leave. The food was amazing, and everyone is still talking about it. We did the Fiesta buffet and she went above and beyond what I thought was going to be there. The party I had was to celebrate graduating college and I was drinking quite a bit and only wanted a quesadilla, Patti’s worker told me they were out of propane (this was the end of the night) and she went inside and cooked for me because I asked for something. I did not want them to do that, but she did anyways. Patti also went out of her way to get me a special card holder because it was the one I wanted and when I found out she didn’t have it, I just let it go. Patti definitely surprised me and I am so glad that we went with this company. They worked with my budget and made the party so easy to enjoy. Patti wouldn’t let me lift a finger. She puts the customer first. I could not have asked for better service from her.

My bride and I would just like to thank Lorraine for her wonderful service! she and the rest of the staff were outstanding. the food was hot and tasty through out the night. the service was attentive with out being obtrusive. the whole night was a great success due in no small part to Critics Choice Catering. thank you for making our wedding dreams come true. you have a customer for life!

Patti and the crew at Critic’s Choice,
I wanted to sincerely thank Patti and the rest of her team at Critic’s Choice for their hard work at our holiday party on December 12^th! Patti knew exactly what I wanted as far as decorations for the buffet tables went and kept in touch with me every step of the way. Her organization and attention to detail throughout the event was impeccable. The group was fast, efficient, polite and not to mention the food was awesome. I will definitely be passing along the information of this catering company and specifically mentioning Patti for future events we have. Thank you so much for everything!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Critics Choice! They catered our recent wedding at the Palos Verdes Beach Club, and everything was absolutely perfect.
We worked other Michelle, who made us feel so confident in her every step of the way. She is extremely helpful, organized, and thorough. And on our big day, her and her staff did a stellar job. They kept things running so smoothly, were gracious, and went above and beyond to make the event perfect.
And the food was delicious. My wife and I already knew this since we had tastings, but our guests have since been raving about the various appetizers, buffet options, and desserts.
Also, Critics choice provided our linens, table settings, and even our centerpieces (they did a beautiful job with these– exactly what I had hoped for). And Michelle does an amazing job of coordinating between the rental company and the venue coordinator. We are beyond grateful for having such a capable and caring person to look after so many aspects of our wedding.
Again, I cannot recommend this company enough!!!

Critic’s Choice catered our wedding at the Norris Pavilion in Rolling Hills Estates on July 19, and they did an amazing job throughout!
When we first started scouting for caterers, we met with Michelle and had a first tasting at their facility in Redondo Beach. She was very helpful, the food was good and we were surprised to find out they took care of more than the food, namely the place settings, bar tending, and such. This was a nice thing, and on top of it their prices were not bad at all — which actually became clear after comparing quotes from all the caterers. They struck us as the best choice because of these factors, it just seemed like it would be a safe choice, and we were not disappointed. We had a second tasting to help us narrow down our final menu and ended up settling on an assorted desserts table in addition to our wedding cake.
Michelle was very helpful with the planning, even helping us come up with a drinks order: we ended up ordering everything from BevMo and CC provided a dedicated bartender. They were with us every step of the way and worked closely with the venue and our day-​of coordinator.
It is hard for us to say exactly how setup went considering we were not on site when it happened, but by the time we got to the venue for the ceremony, everything was ready exactly as we had planned and the room looked absolutely beautiful! They provided coordinated table settings with linens, flower centerpieces, tablecloths, and more. It all fit together perfectly along with the wedding cake we had ordered from the Torrance Bakery, the flowers from the florist they recommended (who did a splendid job too), etc…
My family is from France so they had some rather high standards for food. We only had stellar feedback from our guests about the quality of the food, many people telling us it was much better than your average wedding catering fare — several people even told us they went back for seconds. We of course got to try it ourselves, and it was excellent. But the benchmark here was that it passed muster with French people, and that’s a high bar indeed!
We have only good things to say about our experience with Critic’s Choice for our wedding, and highly recommend their services!

Critic’s Choice, with Tracy as our coordinator, catered our wedding this past week, and my family and I have nothing but compliments for them! The quality of food and service was excellent. After the first caterer we were supposed to use refused to so much as return my calls for four months, let alone schedule a tasting (we obviously did not end up using them), working with Tracy was a breath of fresh air! Though Critic’s Choice does work with large companies as well, they have a personal touch and take great pride in the quality of their food. The meal and appetizers were very high quality, and were a tremendous value. We actually saved money using them over the non-​responsive caterer. Thank goodness they never called back!
Tracy and the chefs at Critic’s Choice were extremely warm, responsive, and accommodating throughout the planning process. They had a great amount of flexibility in helping us create our Southern menu. When Tracy said, «Don’t worry, the chefs can do whatever you want,» she was not kidding. They worked with us on our taste preferences, accommodating vegetarian guests, and creating shrimp and grits appetizers that were nowhere on their menu, but I thought them up and they were created… and delicious.
And on the day of our wedding, they truly went above and beyond. Tracy ensured everything ran perfectly smoothly, saw to it that little details like purple flowers (our wedding color) were on the passed appetizer trays even without our asking, and made sure that my husband, myself, and our immediate family members were fed and happy while we took photos and signed the marriage license. And the food was absolutely wonderful: perfectly grilled chicken and tri tip, collard greens, black-​eyed peas and rice, salad, cornbread… plated and served to all the tables. Somehow, even when cooking for 100 rather than for 4, the quality of the meal was even better than it was at the tasting. And that was impressive to start with.
My mother is very particularly about quality and presentation… as is my husband… and we have any number of family and friends who would not hesitate to complain about anything they did not like. And we had nothing but praise for the meal. So many people said it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. I agree. We’re so glad to have had Critic’s Choice as our caterer and Tracy at the helm!

Michelle Paul and Critics Choice Catering catered our wedding in mid-​May 2014 at the Norris Center for the Performing Arts in Palos Verdes, above Redondo Beach, CA. We really do not have enough positive feedback to share on Critic’s Choice, and Michelle herself. When you book Critic’s Choice as your caterer, you are really booking an event planner in addition to a caterer. Michelle acts as the general for your entire reception, helping with planning, interfacing with other vendors, interacting with the venue, and obviously coordinating your food. The statement that my wife made more than any other during the planning phase was «whenever I am stressed out, I talk to Michelle, and she makes me feel SO much better!». You really have nothing to worry about once you start working with this caterer. We had 2 different tastings, met the chef, get to know the staff and really let Michelle just take care of everything. And when it comes to the food — our guests stated that it was the best wedding food that they had ever had. And we agree. The menu is so loaded with options that it is impossible not to find the perfect combinations for your event. The presentation is amazing — they take care of decorations, table settings, linens, etc. The servers were extremely professional and attentive to our guests. The best part was that we were able to utilize their bartenders, but purchase our own alcohol at CostCo. The amount of money that this saved on this aspect alone was in the thousands of dollars. All in all, we cannot recommend Michelle and Critics Catering enough. We cannot imagine what our wedding would have been like without her. She was absolutely amazing.

Critics Choice Catering and Salwa Kabboul catered the «daddy/​daughter» dance at Jefferson Elementary just last night and I must say that it was the best food I’ve had in the four years previous of going to this dance. Kudos to Jefferson for finally delivering top grade food for this evening. The food was delicious, dessert was fabulous and the catering staff was very nice and professional all helping to make this annual event a memorable one. I’ve had many years of experience in throwing Hollywood premieres and Salwa and her Company have now moved to the top of my list for catering choices.

Well organized
Wonderful menu
Our server Shelly was really on top of everything
Overall a very nice experience

Critic’s Choice did the catering for my wedding last weekend at The Point Vicente Interpretive Center. They did a great job! The food was great, and we got many compliments from our guests. The service was attentive and genuine. I broke my ankle 3 weeks before my wedding and was stuck in a wheelchair. The servers made sure I always had a drink and that I was comfortable. All in all it was a seamless evening that was my favorite day ever, and Critic’s Choice was a large part of that.
Thanks Michelle!!!

As a vegetarian, I am always disappointed with my meal options at weddings. So, for my wedding I wanted to make sure there was good vegetarian food. I have many friends who are vegan, so I wanted to cater to them as well. Luckily, we found Critics Choice.
They are FANTASTIC. I don’t even know where to begin. Stephanie stayed in contact with us leading up to the wedding to make sure everything was organized and set. Such a relief to have someone on top of things while we were running around with our heads cut off. She gave us so many suggestions and tips of ways to make the day run smoothly.
At the wedding, Stephanie personally brought out a tray of appetizers for me and my husband while we were taking pictures! It was so great since we barely had time to eat once the reception started. Once the reception started, I was brought my vegetarian plate. IT WAS DELICIOUS. I am still craving the portobello mushroom that they made.
All of my friends who had RSVPed as meat wanted to taste the vegetarian option. It was THAT good. Critics Choice did an excellent job of feeding my vegan friends too. And when a few friends were skeptical, the chef came out and told them all the ingredients and how it was cooked. What great customer service and a great experience! My friends haven’t stopped talking about how this is the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding.
Another thing, Critics Choice really works to give you what YOU want. We picked a package from their list, but were able to substitute it and work with them to match our budget. I don’t think any other catering company is willing to work with you so much.
I highly recommend Critics Choice, without them, my wedding wouldn’t have been as perfect as it was. Thanks Stephanie!

They catered our wedding a few weeks back. Here’s the report.
THE GOOD: The appetizers were solid. And Michelle was very sweet in our follow-​up call and sent our refund check promptly.
The servers were very attentive and conscientious. (Though a bit, um, older than your typical catering staff. They were all in their 50s-​60s. But they did a fine job.)
The prices are also much more reasonable than most of the caterers in town. Why, you ask?
THE BAD: So we initially tried a mushroom chicken breast (which was just ok) as one of our entrees. We decided to switch to a pesto chicken. The only thing communicated to us was the change in sauce.
Imagine our surprise when we see these hard-​as-​a-​rock breaded monstrosities covered in creamy green sludge. It looked exactly like the Friday lunch at my high school cafeteria.
(Michelle later said: «Oh, well it’s crusted. So it needs to be breaded.» To that, Michelle, I refer you to the dozens of pesto crusted chicken recipes on Google that look nothing like your dish.)
THE SHADY:
So we primarily dealt with David, one of the employees there. Not a bad guy, but he definitely shouldn’t be dealing with customers at any step in the process. We all have our strengths in life — customer service is not one of his. His demeanor, way of speaking, and clothing all said «line cook» instead of sales consultant.
The first red flag was when he offered a cash discount. Now, to everyone in non-​shady corporate America, this means sending a check instead of paying with a credit card. That way the business saves on the credit card transaction fees, which can be considerable.
In this case, they wanted ACTUAL CASH (thousands and thousands of dollars) brought to their office. Not a cashier’s check, not a personal check, not a bank wire. Why would anyone not intent on dodging the IRS want to do that?
The second was when we had a few cancellations and were owed a refund. I sent specific instructions to David to either mail a check or give it to our wedding planner, whom he dealt with extensively.
Instead, he walks up to my bride in the middle of the reception and says «Uh, I owe you some money.» And then opens his wallet and tries to hand over cash.
WHO DOES THAT? Do you see pockets on a wedding dress?