Rothchild Catering

What Rothchild Catering does

Rothchild Catering is a privately held, family-owned catering and event venue business founded in 1984 in Knoxville, Tennessee, operating under multiple trade names including Rothchild Catering & Event Center and Rothchild Catering & Conference Center. The company provides full-service catering and venue rental for weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings across East Tennessee. Its core facility at 8807 Kingston Pike houses seven private banquet rooms — anchored by the 10,900 sq ft Grand Ballroom (seating 600+ dinner, 1,000+ theater-style) and six additional rooms ranging from ~1,000 to ~4,300 sq ft — and the company reports hosting 365+ events annually. Beyond the in-house venue, Rothchild offers off-site full-service catering (with delivery, setup, service staff, and equipment) across Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Morristown, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Crossville, plus drop-off catering and licensed/bonded bar services through the Rothchild Event Center and the sister-brand Dara's Garden venue and Event Rentals by Rothchild rental business.

Revenue is generated on a per-event professional-services basis, with pricing quote-based and a 35% deposit required to reserve a room; private banquet rooms are bundled free of charge when a full catered meal is purchased. Customers engage through website quote requests, phone (865-690-0103), or through top-of-funnel discovery channels including WeddingWire, The Knot, and WeddingRule, where the company has earned the WeddingWire Couples' Choice Award (2022) and The Knot Best of Weddings (2024). Operations are supported by Tripleseat private event management software for bookings and contracts; founders Nathan and Susan Rothchild remain owners and two of their children work in the business. Headcount is 11-50 employees, no external funding, M&A, or parent-company activity is recorded, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Rothchild Catering

Legal name

Rothchild Catering

Website

https://rothchildcatering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rothchild Catering is a family-owned Knoxville, TN catering and event venue operator founded in 1984, serving weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings across East Tennessee via its seven-room Rothchild Event Center, off-site catering, the Dara's Garden venue, and Event Rentals by Rothchild.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catering and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH)

Keywords

• Event catering services
• Wedding catering services
• Corporate event venues
• Banquet and reception
• Off-premise catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Catering Services: Full-service catering for events including weddings, corporate functions, and social gatherings. Services include menu planning, food preparation, on-site service staff, and event coordination. Revenue is generated per event based on guest count and menu selection.
2. Event Venue Rental: Private banquet room rental at Rothchild Event Center. Rooms are provided free of charge with the purchase of a catered meal for a generous timeframe (3-6 hours depending on event type). The venue includes tables, chairs, linens, and basic AV equipment.
3. Bar Services: Licensed bar services for events. Rothchild Catering is licensed and bonded by the state of Tennessee and may operate cash bars or hosted bars. Due to state law, alcohol must be purchased through state-approved distributors by Rothchild Catering.
4. Related Business Operations: The family operates related businesses including Event Rentals by Rothchild and Dara's Garden venue, expanding the hospitality ecosystem beyond core catering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Rothchild Catering & Conference Center operates a full-service catering and event venue business in Knoxville, Tennessee, providing on-site banquets in seven conference-center rooms and off-site catering for weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings. The company also runs licensed bar service and an in-house rental division under the Event Rentals by Rothchild brand, with a sister venue operation at Dara's Garden.

Product overview

Rothchild Catering operates as a family-managed catering and event venue business founded in 1984. The company offers two complementary venue options: Rothchild Catering & Conference Center (the primary venue with seven private banquet rooms accommodating up to 600+ guests) and Dara's Garden. Core services include on-site catering at the venue and off-site catering throughout East Tennessee. The product portfolio encompasses wedding catering, corporate event catering, and social event catering, each available in various service styles (buffet, plated, stations). Additional offerings include Event Rentals by Rothchild for décor and equipment upgrades, and licensed bar services. The company hosts over 365 events annually and provides complimentary private room usage, tables, linens, chairs, parking, and WiFi with catered meals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Event Rentals by Rothchild: Rental services for events operated by the Rothchild family business
• Dara's Garden

Products and services

• Rothchild Catering & Conference Center (On-Site Venue Catering)
• Off-Site Catering
• Wedding Catering
• Corporate Event Catering
• Licensed Bar Service
• Event Rentals by Rothchild
• Dara's Garden Venue

Quantifiable outcome

• 35+ years of culinary and hospitality experience
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Event Rentals by RothchildcoreOthersSister company under the Rothchild family umbrella providing event rental equipment and supplies. Allows cross-promotion and bundled services for catering customers needing additional rentals beyond the venue's standard offerings.
• Dara's GardencoreOthersSecond event venue operated by the Rothchild family, complementing Rothchild Catering and Conference Center. Allows the family business to offer multiple venue options to customers and capture a larger share of the East Tennessee wedding/event market.
• WeddingWireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeddingWire Couples' Choice Award Winner 2022. WeddingWire is a wedding planning marketplace where Rothchild Catering maintains a business profile to reach couples planning weddings in the Knoxville area.
• The KnotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Knot Best of Weddings 2024 Pick. The Knot is a leading wedding planning platform where Rothchild maintains visibility through their Best of Weddings recognition and vendor listing.
• WeddingRuleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeddingRule Featured recognition. WeddingRule is a wedding vendor directory where Rothchild Catering appears as a featured caterer for the Knoxville/Tennessee market.
• JoPhotominorOthersPhotography partner credited on Rothchild Catering's website for professional event photography including food shots, venue images, and wedding receptions. Photography is featured on the company website and marketing materials.
• Mandy Hart PhotominorOthersPhotography partner credited for various food and event photography on the Rothchild Catering website, including chocolate truffles, sliced beef, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and custard cups.
• Shane Hawkins PhotominorOthersPhotography partner credited for banana pudding and food photography featured on the Rothchild Catering website.
• Classic PhotographersminorOthersPhotography partner credited for wedding reception photography featured on the Rothchild Catering website venue pages.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Guckenheimer: Corporate food service and event catering contractor serving workplaces and corporate events. Comparable in catering fundamentals but broader B2B focus and significantly larger scale.
• Compass Group: Global leader in contract food services and event hospitality through subsidiaries including Levy Restaurants and Morrison. Provides overlapping corporate and event catering at national scale.
• Aramark: Large global food service and event hospitality company operating across sports, convention, and corporate event catering. Broad incumbent providing overlapping event catering capabilities at much greater scale than Rothchild.
• Sodexo: Global food services and facilities management company with substantial event catering and corporate hospitality operations. Operates at significantly larger scale but competes for overlapping corporate event work.
• Centerplate: Specialized event hospitality and catering provider (Sodexo subsidiary) focused on sports, convention, and large-scale event venues. Direct overlap in corporate and large event catering services.

Direct peers

• Wolfgang Puck Catering: Premium full-service event catering brand specializing in weddings, corporate galas, and social events at both owned and partner venues. Mirrors Rothchild's positioning as a high-touch event caterer with a venue-adjacent model.
• Abigail Kirsch: Long-established, family-built premium full-service catering and event company based in the Northeast. Operates multiple owned/historic venues alongside off-premise catering for weddings, corporate, and social events — directly analogous to Rothchild's venue-plus-off-site model.
• Affairs to Remember: Established off-premise and venue-based full-service caterer specializing in weddings, corporate, and social events with comparable menu customization and event-day service staff model.
• Sterling Catering & Events: Full-service event caterer providing on-premise, off-premise, and corporate catering with a similar customer mix of weddings, galas, and corporate clients. Direct competitor in the regional full-service catering category.
• Tom Roberts Catering: Mid-size, long-running family-owned full-service caterer serving weddings, corporate, and social events in the Midwest with both on- and off-site capabilities. Comparable scale, family-led operating model, and service breadth to Rothchild.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RothchildCater
• Facebookfacebook.com/rothchildcatering
• Instagraminstagram.com/rothchildcatering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rothchild-catering

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rothchild Catering