CCNYC Tasting Event

Posted on August 10, 2015 by ccnyc10168

Creative Concepts NYC hosted our annual summer Tasting Event! We partnered up with one of our favorite venue spaces 287 Gallery (check out their Instagram!) , in Chelsea, on a beautiful summer night. This was an opportunity for our Executive Chef, Miguel Urrego to try out some new recipes as well as showcase some of the team’s favorites. Our Creative Director, Benjamin Lester, and Director of Catering, Julie Sommers both worked to create a beautiful space and atmosphere that was reflected from the food to the decor.

Here’s what others had to say about our event:

“@1CCNYC you spoiled us …” (Michael-Ann Rowe, Twitter)

“Wonderful service, were very attentive… The food is fantastic! …was completely blown away. I would have bribed the waiter to leave me a plate of the guava and Brie phyllo rolls!” (Maria K., Yelp)

“The details in the decor from CCNYC was immaculate, even the bar was made gorgeous! ” (Jonathan B., Twitter)

Check out more photo’s on our Twitter , Instagram & Facebook pages!

Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 24, 2013 by ccnyc10168

Happy Holidays from CCNYC! What a year we have had moving full speed ahead! Look out for our new sleek branding, amazing new website, and fantastic events, of course! Here is to a happy and healthy New Year from our family to yours.

Late Night Snack Attack with CCNYC!

Posted on January 31, 2013 by ccnyc10168

Our clients are always loving their selections of late night snacks at events: BBQ, Sliders, Grilled Cheese, Mac & Cheese stations, and so on. People often mention that we are so lucky to be able to snack all the time at events. HA, that is so far from reality of an event for us worker bees! The snack attack happens on the regular when in the event business, but not till after some long days! The result of our team arriving home late brings some fun ‘go to’ snacks.

Nikki Lazar

Nikki Lazar, CCNYC New Business Development Coordinator, goes to a snack that’s whack, but delish in it’s own way. She loves frozen cinnamon graham cracker and cool whip sandwiches. Nikki says “it all about them being made in bulk and ready to enjoy right out of the freezer, they are especially good in the summer!”

Miguel Urrego

CCNYC Executive Chef, Miguel Urrego, has a snack that is pure delight. Arequipe con obleas, which is Colombian dulce de leche on thin wafers. Miguel does not claim to be a ‘sweets freak,’ but says “it just hits the spot, total comfort!”

Benjamin Lester

The Creative Director, Benjamin Lester is a ‘sweets freak,’ but surprisingly his choice is savory. Toasted english muffin with smashed avocado and bragg liquid aminos (soy sauce). He says, “I like something substantial before sleep otherwise I wake up on the cranky side and no one wants to see cranky Ben!”

Julie Sommers, CCNYC Director of Catering, gets the award for most healthy selection. Her go to snack is yogurt with fresh banana, berries, nuts, and a touch of honey. She says, “…it’s just the perfect light snack and is not too heavy before going to bed.”

Julie Sommers

Happy Holidays

Posted on December 18, 2012 by ccnyc10168

“Event Planning Maestros”

Posted on October 23, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Creative Concepts NYC teamed up with Gotham Magazine, Dominique Ansel Bakery, and Karlsson’s Vodka to produce the after party for the kick off of the New York City Wine & Food Festival. The event benefited Share Our Strength and the Food Bank for New York City.

Garden and Bakery

The CCNYC team received much acclaim for the event. Gotham Magazine referred to the CCNYC team as “…event planning maestros…!” Creative Director, Benjamin Lester explains his design for the event, “ I was interested in encompassing the bohemian feel of the Dominique Ansel Bakery with the complexity of Dominique‘s modern approach to pastry, ‘bohemian chic’, if you will!” Fall was in full force with 20 foot tall fall foliage arrangements on top of mirrored tables. The bohemian mood was set by strung vintage lights with paper lanterns and tons of candlelight.

display, sweet treats, and CCNYC gift box

Foodies, and guests alike enjoyed sweet treats including Dominique’s signature Warm Madeleines and Sweet Croissant Ice Cream Sandwiches. CCNYC’s savory crowd-pleaser, Chipotle Cotija Cheese Popcorn was given as a parting snack to end the the evening of culinary delight. A fantastic evening indeed!

Guests and CCNYC's Nikki Lazar, Benjamin Lester, and Julie Sommers

Creative Concepts NYC’s Local Summer Inspirations

Posted on June 5, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Earlier this year there was an exploration of the favorite tropical inspired dishes of the principal’s at CCNYC. It was such a hit, so here is another common thread, summer inspired dishes and adventures too!
Julie Sommers, Director of Catering
Julie’s most resent summer ‘staycation’ adventure was a short ride away to Island Park near Long Beach. There she found an amazing off the road seafood joint called Peters Clam House. No fuss no muss, but amazing all on it’s own! She enjoyed old standbys: Blue Point Oysters, Cherrystone Clams, and a Lobster Roll. “They certainly were not glamorously served over a bed of ice, but rather a paper plate, but it didn’t matter because they were so fresh and amazing! The Cherrystone Clams had a nice cold sea flavor and the Blue Point Oysters had an amazing sparkle with salinity. Of course, we didn’t stop there, we had to have a Lobster Roll too. We ate so much we had to roll out of the place!” A true summer adventure with some amazing fresh seafood right here in NYC’s back yard!
Miguel Urrego, Executive Chef
Over Memorial Day weekend, Miguel enjoyed some quality family time while camping at Wildwood State Park in Wading River, New York. The annual family adventure involved several other families as well, “…we took over the place which meant the need to feed a ton of people. One of my favorite meals I made was a simple menu with things that were readily available and literally at arms reach, like BEER! We had Beer Braised BBQ Chicken with Garlicky Chinese Broccoli. Very kid friendly and tasty with an ice cold Modelo Especial. I will be making this again and again, it was out of this world!”
Benjamin Lester, Creative Director
Benjamin took the ‘staycation’ to heart and did exactly that. After a lovely afternoon at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens he was inspired to stay in and cook up some of his favorite summer dishes. “It was so hot out that weekend, I instantly needed Watermelon and beer!” He enjoyed a simple meal of Watermelon Salad with fresh mint, Kale Salad with Chickpeas, Pecorino Romano Cheese, with a Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette, and grilled Flank Steak with a dry rub of Pepper and Salt. “It was an evening of breaking out my favorite easy summer dishes and BBQ corn chips and Negro Modelo, of course! It’s official, summer is on!”

Creative Concepts NYC at The New York Magazine Wedding Event 2012

Posted on May 8, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Creative Concepts NYC worked the floor with their sublime interactive booth, by Benjamin Lester, at New York Magazine’s 2012 New York Wedding Event! The event took place at Metropolitan Pavilion and was dazzling thanks to touches of creative bliss by Taylor Creative Inc.

Guests had an opportunity to meet with the CCNYC team including, planner extraordinaire, Julie Sommers, while tasting exquisite bites by Miguel Urrego, CCNYC’s Executive Chef. The menu included:

Smoked Chicken Salad with Almond Slivers, Cranberries and Chives Served on Dill Corn Edible Spoon

Wild Salmon Tartare with Caviar on Wonton Crisps

Seared Foie Gras with Sour Cherries on Toasted Brioche

http://weddings.nymag.com/photos.html

All the ‘who’s who’ of the wedding industry attended and participated including CCNYC friends from Curtain Up Events,Generation Events and Sugar Flower Cake Shop. The entire evening was a huge success thanks to the New York Magazine event staff.

THE OUT NYC Urban Resort, Hosts CCNYC Spring Tasting Event 2012

Posted on April 30, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Creative Concepts NYC was thrilled to have teamed up with THE OUT NYC Urban Resort for their 2012 Spring Tasting Event!

THE OUT NYC Urban Resort is New York’s first, straight-friendly, gay urban resort located in Hell’s Kitchen just steps from Times Square and Chelsea. Boasting the best of lodging, dining, nightlife and design all in one place! The property offers several amazing event venues that are available for private events.

The stellar event was held in the atrium and sun deck of the property where guests enjoyed a live sushi station, cocktails and, Chef Miguel Urrego’s, delectable passed hors d’ overs.

The mood was set by CCNYC’s Creative Director, Benjamin Lester, offering a fresh simple spa like design with cozy seating, lounge areas, and gorgeous florals.

No detail was left behind and all ran smoothly with, CCNYC’s Director of Catering, Julie Sommers’ flawless leadership. The event was bursting at the seams with key industry players, major corporations, and future and prospective clients all in thanks to, CCNYC Representative and social butterfly, Nikki Lazar.

If you would like more information on THE OUT NYC’s venues or would like to be involved and or attend the next tasting event, please contact CCNYC at info@creativeconceptsnyc.com or (646)308-1243.

Cherimoya, the Best Kept Secret!

Posted on March 23, 2012 by ccnyc10168

By Creative Concepts NYC‘s Executive Chef, Miguel Ureggo

My first experience with Cherimoya was when I was in Ecuador visiting a good friend for his wedding, congratulations Diego and Jaclyn! As we toured throughout the countryside we stopped by a stand on a dirt road where local farmers and villagers were selling the delicious fruit. Our friends insisted that we try the Cherimoya and bring some for the road.

Cherimoya is a tropical fruit also known by the native people as, “chirimoya”. The delicious fruit is known to originate from the Andes of South America and is grown naturally in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. It is now harvested through Central America, California, and the Eastern Hemisphere.

At first, I was a bit hesitant to try the fruit due to the odd rough green appearance. It has a greenish hard cover skin which is not edible, it resembles a fresh artichoke. It seemed like the fruit was unripe and not ready to eat. The treasure of the fruit is in the inside (when ripened properly) which has a sorbet like texture. Once we split it in half and I took the first bite, I was blown out of this world!! The tasty fruit is known to be a ‘custard fruit’ to locals because of the creamy, fresh and sweet flavors. The flavor is a combination of banana, pear, white peach and strawberry. The fruit is absolutely out of this world, It’s one of the best tasting I’ve ever had in my lifetime!!! Once you have one bite, you won’t want to stop eating the delicious fruit!

Garbage Can Becomes DIY Event Furniture

Posted on February 27, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Creative Concepts NY C‘s creative director, Benjamin Lester, was looking for a cheap alternative for some side tables for an event to be added to a small lounge area. He came across these amazing garbage cans at CB2 and the light bulb came on, BINGO side tables. Not so far off form the famous Knoll Platner Table. Just a quick trip to Target and presto gorgeous side tables, so gorgeous they now live in his very own living room and they only cost $26.00 a piece!

Very simple to do, all you need is the garbage can and glass topper. Don’t forget to get some Self-Stick Rubber Pads to keep the glass balanced and safe! You can also switch up the surface to give the table an entirely different look, try a round tray! Happy table making!!

DIY Place Card Holder

Posted on February 8, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Often times, place card holders are an after thought at events and become a last minute item. The team at Creative Concepts NYC was in one of these last minute situations and figured out a crafty and frugal way to make DIY place card holders. The simple solution was to use stainless silver binder clips! The result was perfect for our clients need of a modern, sleek, and industrial looking style. The CCNYC team liked the place card holders so much, that it has become a permanent item in the many crafty tricks they have up their sleeve!

Here is how you can make your own place card holders!

1) You will need Binder clips: Binder clips come in a variety of colors, sizes, and patterns. Pick clips that represent your style and or the theme of the event. It is important to get at least a medium- large sized binder clip so that they can hold the weight of the paper while standing upright.

2) Print cards: CCNYC uses card stock, but the options are endless! Be sure to leave space at the bottom to attach the clip.

3) Cut out: When CCNYC is doing signs rather then seating they laminate the cards this way they can be used multiple times.

4) Attach clip: Be sure the clip is centered.

5) Remove clip handels: Simply squeeze to release the clip handles. Be sure to save the handles, so that you can adjust, remove, and re-use the clip.

This is a huge money saver, looks great, and is a simple solution for all you ‘DIY enthusiasts’ out there. Happy place card making!

Creative Concepts NYC Scores with WeddingWire.com !

Posted on January 23, 2012 by ccnyc10168

We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012!

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding Marketplace, announced that Creative Concepts NYC has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Catering!

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, Creative Concepts NYC was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

Creative Concepts NYC is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Creative Concepts NYC for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that Creative Concepts NYC is one of the very best Caterers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at

http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/creative-concepts-nyc-new-york/826d412bac0a4298.html.

Creative Concepts NYC Gives Back!

Posted on January 18, 2012 by ccnyc10168

CCNYC is dedicated to giving back and this past holiday season we chose Hope Lodge NYC. Located in midtown Manhattan, Hope Lodge NYC is the House of Hope. The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Jerome L. Green Family Center offers lodging and support services at no cost for cancer patients receiving outpatient treatments in Manhattan, while away from home.

American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Jerome L. Greene Family Center NYC

On December 8, 2011 Creative Concepts NYC Teamed up with Bonne Fete Baking, and YouCake to donate their services and provided food and gifts to support the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Holiday Bash. The Hope Lodge Holiday Bash with program Emcee Diana Williams of WABC-TV benefited the programs and services of Hope Lodge NYC Jerome L. Greene Family Center.

CCNYC's Benjamin Lester, and Nikki Lazar

For more information on Hope Loge NYC and if you would like to contribute to their amazing cause and efforts, here is link to do so: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/SupportProgramsServices/HopeLodge/NewYorkCity/index

Creative Concepts NYC’s Tropical Inspirations:

Posted on January 9, 2012 by ccnyc10168

Within the principals at CCNYC are many threads of common inspiration. In hopes of lifting spirits during the cold season it only seems appropriate to share some of our favorite tropical dishes.

Julie Sommers, Director of Catering:

Julie’s favorite tropical dish are fish tacos because it brings her back to one of her first visits to Mexico. Playa del Carmen is where she recalls an amazing taco stand on 5th Avenue, “I’ll never forget that flavor of the first bite years ago! Fish tacos are now a staple and tradition in my kitchen and it’s all about the crispy batter.”

Fish Taco

w/ Crispy Battered Tilapia, Citrus and Cilantro Cabbage Slaw, Spicy Chipotle Aioli, Small Homemade Corn Tortillas, and Fresh Avocado

Miguel Urrego, Executive Chef:

Miguel chose ceviche because it reflects the essence of Latin cuisine. Miguel states that, “Ceviche is a dish that is fresh, light and appealing to my palette. It’s a staple dish served throughout central, south, and the Caribbean region. There are many variations in making ceviche depending on the country, island and/or culture, but the primary ingredient is citrus.”

Tropical Seafood Ceviche

w/ Gulf Shrimp, Baby Octopus, Manila Clams, Red Snapper, Fresh Papaya, Pineapple, Mango, Coconut Milk, Lemon Grass, Ginger, Fresh Lime Juice and Cilantro

Benjamin Lester, Creative Director:

Benjamin discovered this dish while vacationing in Puerto Rico. He recalls, “I was sitting at the bar in the restaurant Santaella, located in the LaPlacita neighborhood in San Juan PR. I was taking in the amazing atmosphere and to my surprise out came White tartare! Buttery and delicious, the asian style sauce complemented the tropical twist on the classic dish. The presentation was stacked and flawless. The dish was so amazing that I ordered it twice!”” The dish was made by Chef José Santaella.

White Tartare

w/ White Tuna & Fresh Avocado in Homemade Sesame Ponzu Sauce

Congratulations Jenn & Joe!

Posted on October 25, 2011 by ccnyc10168

An enormous congratulations to one of our favorite couples Jenn & Joe! Clients like these two are the reason why we love what we do, we couldn’t be happier to have been part of their big day! Check out what they had to say about us below

Dear Julie + Ben,

What could we say… WOW! Our wedding was outrageous! It was everything we could have hoped for + so much more! The reception we envisioned really came to life because of all your hard work. The bars, pink pillows, the table settings…. we could go on and on…LOVED it all! Not to mention the food, it was delicious. So happy with all of your choices. Our guests and Joe could not get enough of those mushroom apps. I think he ate a whole tray! And the desserts were just perfect- yummy! Your staff were polite, courteous, and attentive. I just want to say I truly appreciate the relationship we established over the past year + all your advice, tips, and calmness were a huge help!

Love,

Jenn and Joe

Creative Concepts NYC Kicked Off Annual Tasting Events

Posted on October 19, 2011 by ccnyc10168

Earlier this year we kicked off our annual seasonal tasting events. Top of The Garden, was the perfect setting for our future clients to experience what we have to offer in a full event setting. The event was co-sponsored by AFR Event Furnishings and Party Rental LTD and offered our in house decor team free range of their amazing party rental and fine furnishing products to feature at the tasting kick off event. Delish food, made by chef Miguel Urrego, was passed by our amazing hand picked staff! Take a look at the fantastic video below, produced by: Pattie Simone of Women Centric. If you would like to join us for our next tasting event drop us a line at info@creativeconceptsnyc.com and we will keep you in the loop!