By Marcy Schveibinz, VRG volunteer

My daughter got married last May and we contracted with Green Plate Catering, a farm-to-table catering company based in Silver Spring, Maryland which serves the Baltimore and Washington DC areas. We requested all vegan menus and Green Plate did not disappoint. Green Plate started as a small brown bg vegetarian catering business 30 years ago and does full service for events large and small.  Catering to special dietary needs such as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free is their specialty.  

Their philosophy is sustainable, seasonal, local, and organic. Green Plate uses Veteran Compost to divert their food scraps and waste from the landfill to healthy soil. They work closely with ECO City Farms to source their produce. ECO City Farms is a non-profit educational farm in Maryland that trains farmers and local children in sustainable, all natural farming techniques. Their founder, Kit Wood, has been doing organic catering for over 30 years (before it was cool). They donate their leftovers to Martha’s Table, a local food bank. Also, they specialize in Zero Waste events, where everything is either consumed, composted, or recycled, leaves nothing going to the landfill. 

Steve Hurley is the head chef at Green Plate Catering and was the point of contact for our event. I can’t say enough about how wonderful it was working with him. Steve was easy to communicate with, responsive, and flexible during the entire planning process. He worked with us on every detail to ensure the event went smoothly and that we were totally satisfied. He takes great pride in the food creations and service that Green Plate provides. From the initial proposal, to creating a varied menu, making adjustments, food tastings, and selecting tableware, Steve made the experience painless and enjoyable. His service was highly personalized and customized to our preferences and the tastes of our guests.  

Our wedding event at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland included 3 different sites for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, along with a totally different site plan in case of rain. Green Plate helped us to plan for each part and possible scenario of our event.

Our menu consisted of Vietnamese spring rolls, asparagus crostini, and twice baked potato croquets for appetizers. A buffet dinner included a falafel bar, Seitan Asada, and a Gnocchi station with a choice of tomato basil marinara, arugula pesto, and mushroom ragout. The favorite among the guests was the gnocchi station, but every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. Green Plate’s cake chef created a yummy vanilla cake with white vanilla maple buttercream frosting decorated simply but elegantly.

A couple of weeks after the wedding, Steve followed up in an email from his staff: “We were all very proud to be a part of such a well-executed and beautiful wedding.” Steve and the entire Green Plate staff played a key role in the beauty and wonder of our special day.

You can reach Greenplate Catering here: https://www.greenplatecatering.com