Catering by the Family

What Catering by the Family does

Catering by the Family (Catering By The Family, Inc.) is a family-owned, full-service off-premise catering company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company was founded in 1976 as The Family Sandwich Shoppe and incorporated as a dedicated catering operation in 1982. It operates from a 17,500 square foot facility on Cypress Street comprising a 3,500 sq ft kitchen, 2,000 sq ft administrative office, and 12,000 sq ft warehouse. The company employs 25 full-time professionally trained chefs, event managers, and kitchen/wait staff, supplemented by 75-100 part-time event staff. Chef Steven Gonzalez Jr. leads culinary development, drawing on training with the Brennan Group in New Orleans and apprenticeship under Michelin-starred French Master Chef Rene Bajeux.

The company's core offerings span wedding and social event catering (plated dinners, buffets, family-style service, chef-attended stations), corporate catering (breakfast, boxed lunches, hot/cold packages, holiday meals available for delivery or pickup), custom chef-driven menus, BBQ catering via a Cookout America partnership, bar service, and an Elite Division for private in-home fine dining. A food truck service is listed as forthcoming. CBTF holds exclusive caterer status at The Mahaffey Theater (2,031-seat venue, since 2017) and preferred caterer relationships with over 30 Tampa Bay-area venues including City of Tampa facilities, Duncan McClellan Gallery, and Covington Farm.

The business operates on a transaction-based pricing model with quote-driven pricing per event, no publicly disclosed rate cards, and direct sales through phone inquiries (813-875-2000) and website contact forms. The company targets four primary customer segments: weddings and social events, corporate events, private home dining (premium), and nonprofits/community organizations. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales (event catering), inside sales for recurring corporate accounts, and venue partnership channels. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the company is privately held with no external investors or funding rounds identified.

Name

Catering by the Family

Legal name

Catering By The Family, Inc.

Website

https://cateringbythefamily.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Catering by the Family is a family-owned, full-service off-premise catering company in Tampa, Florida, serving weddings, corporate events, social celebrations, and private home dining across the Tampa Bay region since 1982.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232), Food Service Contractors (722310)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB), Corporate & Office Catering (THAFAIAA), Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE), Wedding & Reception Catering (HSACAGAD)

Keywords

• Off-premise catering
• Wedding catering
• Corporate catering
• Event catering services
• Private home dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Catering: Full-service off-premise catering for weddings, corporate events, private home dining (Elite Division), and social celebrations. Revenue is transaction-based per event, with pricing varying by guest count, menu selection, service style (buffet, plated, family style), and event complexity. Menu offerings include wedding/catered events, corporate breakfast/lunch/dinner, BBQ, and custom chef-driven menus.
2. Corporate Delivery/Pickup: Recurring corporate catering orders for breakfast pastries, boxed lunches, hot/cold lunch packages, and holiday meals. Delivered directly to offices or available for pickup. Supports regular corporate client relationships with per-order transaction pricing.
3. Elite Division (Private Home Dining): Exclusive culinary-forward menus delivered to private residences, featuring classically trained chefs bringing five-star dining experiences to clients' homes. Premium pricing for personalized chef services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Catering by the Family is a full-service off-premise catering company based in Tampa, Florida, providing chef-driven cuisine for weddings, corporate events, social celebrations, BBQ events, and private in-home dining experiences. The company operates from a 17,500 sq ft facility and serves as the exclusive caterer at The Mahaffey Theater (since 2017) and preferred caterer at 30+ Tampa Bay venues, delivering customized menus, display cooking, floral design, and custom party planning.

Product overview

Catering by the Family is a full-service catering company operating as a single unified service rather than a modular platform. The core offering consists of event catering menus organized by occasion type: wedding and catered event menus, corporate/delivery/pickup menus, custom chef-driven menus, BBQ menus, and a bar menu. Additional services include a food truck (coming soon), special delivery/pickup family meals, and the Elite Division for private in-home fine dining experiences. The company also maintains preferred caterer partnerships with over 30 Tampa Bay venues. Menu categories span brunch buffets, hors d'oeuvres (elite, standard, basic, hot/cold platters), plated dinners, dinner buffets, à la carte items (entrees, salads, sandwiches, desserts), and holiday menus. Chef Steven Gonzalez Jr. leads culinary development with regionally influenced, chef-driven cuisine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wedding and Catered Event Menus Full-service wedding catering menus featuring chef-driven cuisine for ceremonies and receptions, including plated dinners, buffets, family-style service, and chef-attended food stations. Targeted at couples hosting milestone celebrations.
• Corporate Delivery and Pickup Catering Business catering including breakfast pastries, boxed hot/cold lunches, plated dinners, and holiday meals available for delivery or pickup. Targeted at corporate clients needing recurring or one-time office catering.
• BBQ Menus Barbecue catering packages featuring smoked meats, grilled options, family favorites, and side dishes for outdoor events, cookouts, employee picnics, and beachfront weddings.
• Custom Chef-Driven Menus Bespoke menu creation led by Chef Steven Gonzalez Jr., tailored to specific client tastes, dietary requirements, and event themes. Targeted at clients seeking personalized culinary experiences.
• Elite Division (Private Home Dining) High-end in-home dining experience featuring classically trained chefs bringing restaurant-quality cuisine to private residences. Targeted at affluent clients seeking five-star dining in their homes.
• Bar and Beverage Service Beverage and bar service offerings for events, including cocktail parties and receptions.
• Food Truck Catering Mobile catering service featuring a food truck for events (currently listed as coming soon).
• Special Delivery and Pickup Family Meals Family meal options available for delivery or pickup, including lunch and dinner selections with many freezer-friendly choices. Targeted at families seeking convenient prepared meals.
• Venue Partnership Catering Services Preferred caterer services at 30+ Tampa Bay venues including The Mahaffey Theater, Duncan McClellan Gallery, Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Covington Farm, and various wedding and event spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• 44+ years serving Tampa Bay since 1976
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• The Mahaffey Theater (Duke Energy Center for the Arts)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017CBTF has served as the exclusive caterer for The Mahaffey Theater since 2017. The 2,031-seat live performance venue in Downtown St. Petersburg hosts a grand ballroom, plaza, and atriums for events. CBTF provides chef-driven cuisine featuring high-quality ingredients and regional influences for all events at this premier waterfront venue.
• City of TampacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe City of Tampa selected CBTF as a preferred caterer for the River Center at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. This government partnership enables CBTF to serve civic events and community gatherings at the city's waterfront venue.
• Covington FarmcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCovington Farm in Dade City named CBTF as their preferred caterer. The 75-acre venue with lakefront views hosts weddings and community events. CBTF delivers chef-driven cuisine matching the scenic venue.
• Duncan McClellan GallerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDMG in St. Petersburg added CBTF to its preferred vendor list. The venue features the largest glass art gallery in Florida, chill lounge, sculpture gardens, and hot glass workshop—creating unique event opportunities for CBTF.
• Mary Help of Christians CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBTF Owner Steven Gonzalez Sr. collaborated with Fr. Franco Pinto to create a special events package benefiting the Catholic institution. The package encourages venue rentals with CBTF catering, with a percentage of each catering order donated back to the church.
• #TogetherTampaBay CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBTF partnered with the #TogetherTampaBay campaign, which raises money for local restaurants and caterers to feed Tampa Bay hospital workers, first responders, and nonprofits. CBTF supplies meals to Memorial Hospital of Tampa and other organizations in need.
• Memorial Hospital of TampaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAs part of #TogetherTampaBay campaign, CBTF supplies meals to Memorial Hospital of Tampa healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
• Cookout AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBTF and Cookout America partnership brings down-home barbecue flavor to Tampa Bay Area events including employee picnics, birthdays, family reunions, and beachfront weddings for almost four decades.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Levy Restaurants (Compass Group): Premium event and venue catering arm of Compass Group; competes for premium entertainment-venue catering relationships similar to CBTF's Mahaffey Theater exclusive.
• Aramark: National contract foodservice and event-catering giant competing for large venue, stadium and convention catering contracts — relevant benchmark for CBTF's enterprise venue partnerships.
• Sodexo Live!: Global event and venue hospitality caterer (formerly Centerplate) competing for exclusive contracts at performing-arts centers, stadiums and convention venues comparable to Mahaffey.

Emerging players

• ezCater: Online corporate-catering marketplace aggregating local caterers for office meals; represents a digital-channel disruption to CBTF's phone/website corporate order flow.

Regional players

• 4 Rivers Smokehouse: Florida-based BBQ and event-catering brand competing with CBTF's BBQ and corporate catering menus across the Tampa/Orlando markets.
• Columbia Restaurant Group: Iconic Tampa Spanish restaurant offering off-premise catering for weddings and corporate events; a heritage Florida brand competing for the same premium event segment.
• Yummy House China Bistro Catering: Tampa-based Asian cuisine restaurant group offering event catering services; overlaps with CBTF on corporate and social event bookings in the same geography.

Direct peers

• Puff 'n Stuff Catering & Events: Tampa-based full-service off-premise caterer serving weddings, corporate and social events with similar venue-partnership and chef-driven model in the same Tampa Bay market.
• A Catered Affair: Local Tampa-area wedding and event caterer competing head-to-head with CBTF for venue-referred business across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
• Affordable Catering Tampa: Regional Tampa caterer focused on weddings, corporate and social events with overlapping customer base and value-tier positioning versus CBTF's premium segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CateringByTheFamily
• Instagraminstagram.com/cateringbythefamily
• Xx.com/cateringfamily
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catering-by-the-family

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Catering by the Family