crave catering austin

What crave catering austin does

Crave Catering Austin is a full-service catering and event execution company founded in 1999 in Austin, Texas, by co-owners Kim Price (Executive Chef) and Leslie Lasorsa (General Manager). The company provides custom menu development, professional service staff, rentals coordination, and on-site event management across four primary use cases: weddings, corporate events, social events, and galas/fundraisers, with supplemental specialized offerings in breakfast, lunch, and hors d'oeuvres catering plus full bar service. Pricing is quote-based and customized per event with no standardized menu pricing publicly disclosed; the typical engagement is a multi-step consultative process that includes an initial discovery conversation, a custom written proposal, an in-person tasting, and on-site execution with chefs, servers, bartenders, and an event manager.

The underlying operating model is a traditional labor- and culinary-execution business rather than a technology platform. There is no proprietary software product, no public API, no app, and no disclosed AI/ML components; differentiation is delivered through in-house culinary expertise, 25+ years of Austin market presence, and a curated network of venue and vendor partnerships. Revenue mechanics are professional-services based: each event is scoped to guest count, service style, menu complexity, and logistics, with revenue recognized per booking and a variable labor force scaled to event-day needs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and B2B via website inquiry, phone, wedding marketplace listings (The Knot, WeddingWire), and a referral network spanning venues, planners, and industry associations (Leading Caterers of America, ILEA, ICA, NACE, WIPA).

Crave Catering serves a bifurcated customer base. On the corporate side, the company counts Apple, TikTok, Capital One, Charles Schwab, Visa, Facebook, Audi, Lamborghini, Buick, Louis Vuitton, Restoration Hardware, Kendra Scott, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, University of Texas, and others among its clients, serving "hundreds of corporate clients" in the Austin metro. On the consumer side, the wedding and social event segments provide a long-tail base of individually lower-value but high-volume engagements. The company maintains a small core staff of approximately 10-15 members supplemented by variable event-day labor, and operates from a single headquarters at 14611 Burnet Road in North Austin while servicing the greater Austin metro and Texas Hill Country destination-wedding market.

Name

crave catering austin

Legal name

Crave Catering

Website

https://crave-catering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB), Corporate Catering & Refreshment Services (HSACADAD), Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH)

Keywords

• Event catering services
• Wedding catering
• Corporate event catering
• Gala and fundraiser catering
• Social event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

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 Services: Full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, social events, and galas. Revenue is generated through custom menu proposals based on guest count, service style, and event scope. Pricing is quote-based per event with no standardized menu pricing publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Crave Catering is a full-service catering and event company operating from Austin, Texas since 1999. It provides custom-designed menus, professional culinary preparation, on-site service staff (servers, chefs, bartenders, on-site managers), rentals coordination, and full event execution for weddings, corporate events, social celebrations, and gala/fundraiser events. The company delivers each event through a consultative four-step process: story intake, custom proposal creation, proposal walkthrough, and booking with tasting.

Product overview

Crave Catering is a full-service catering company operating as a single unified offering rather than a modular platform. The core product is comprehensive event catering spanning weddings, corporate events, social gatherings, and galas/fundraisers. Supporting services include customizable menus across multiple service styles (plated, buffet, family-style, stations), specialized breakfast/lunch/hors d'oeuvres catering, and beverage/bar service. The company also provides event coordination support including vendor partnerships and rental coordination. All services are delivered through their in-house culinary and events team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wedding Catering Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple five-star reviews and testimonials praising food quality and service

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Fair MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair Market is a primary venue partner with 16,000 square feet of indoor space and 15,500 square feet of landscaped gardens. Crave Catering regularly provides catering services for events hosted at this East Austin venue, with the venue team recommending Crave to clients. The partnership is bidirectional with strong referral flow.
• Brazos HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric downtown Austin warehouse venue that hosts corporate events and weddings. Crave Catering is a preferred caterer for events at this venue, featuring the space prominently in their portfolio.
• The Arlo AustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerModern wedding and event center featured in Crave's real wedding portfolio. Venue recommends Crave Catering to booking clients and showcases their work on venue marketing materials.
• The Long CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier downtown Austin performing arts venue and event space. Crave Catering provides catering for corporate events and galas at this landmark venue.
• Ma MaisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-style event venue in Dripping Springs wine country on 23 acres. Featured prominently in Crave's wedding portfolio with strong collaborative relationship for Hill Country destination weddings.
• Woodbine MansionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas historical landmark venue near North Austin. Crave Catering has catered multiple high-profile weddings at this venue, featured in their portfolio.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUT-affiliated event venue with spectacular architecture and botanical gardens. Crave has catered weddings and events showcased in their portfolio.
• Mother's Milk BankminorOthersNon-profit organization supporting infant nutrition. Crave Catering has partnered with Mother's Milk Bank for their events, demonstrating commitment to Austin's non-profit community.
• Central Texas Food BankminorOthersRegional food bank addressing hunger in Central Texas. Crave Catering supports through event catering and community involvement.
• OutYouthminorOthersAustin non-profit supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Crave Catering catered the OutYouth Glitz Gala fundraiser, demonstrating community commitment.
• Chive CharitiesminorOthersNational charity supporting veterans and first responders. Crave Catering has partnered with Chive Charities for events.
• Austin Sunshine CampsminorOthersNon-profit providing camp experiences for children. Crave Catering has supported Austin Sunshine Camps events.
• Leading Caterers of America (LCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of independent catering companies. Crave Catering is a member, enabling collaboration, best practice sharing, and referral opportunities with catering companies nationwide.
• International Live Events Association (ILEA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for live events industry. Crave Catering holds membership and has won ILEA awards, actively participating in the local Austin chapter.
• International Caterers Association (ICA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for catering companies. Crave Catering is a member, providing networking and industry development opportunities.
• National Association for Catering & Events (NACE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for catering and events professionals. Crave Catering maintains membership for industry education and networking.
• Wedding International Professionals Association (WIPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for wedding industry professionals. Crave Catering holds membership connecting with other wedding vendors and planners.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Fig Catering: Austin-based full-service catering company serving weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings with a chef-driven, custom-menu approach closely parallel to Crave's model and Austin footprint.

Regional players

• Pappas Catering: Houston-based catering arm of the Pappas restaurant group offering full-service event catering across Texas. Comparable service model and Texas footprint, but Houston-centric rather than Austin-anchored.

Broad incumbents

• Fogo de Chão Catering: National Brazilian steakhouse brand offering off-premise catering for corporate and private events. Comparable in catering delivery and event-style execution, but operates within a much broader restaurant portfolio.
• Maggiano's Catering: National Italian-American restaurant chain offering full-service event catering for corporate and private gatherings. Comparable in event catering delivery and brand-driven marketing, but anchored to a national dine-in concept.

Emerging players

• ezCater: Tech-enabled corporate catering marketplace connecting businesses with local caterers. Comparable in serving corporate event catering demand, but competes via a marketplace/aggregation model rather than a single-branded full-service operator.
• Fooda: Tech-enabled corporate food service platform providing on-site and pop-up dining programs for employers. Comparable in workplace food service delivery, but operates a recurring daily-meal model rather than event-based full-service catering.

Others

• The Knot Marketplace: Wedding vendor marketplace where Crave holds a Hall of Fame listing. Comparable as a customer acquisition and discovery channel for wedding catering, complementing rather than competing with Crave's direct sales motion.
• WeddingWire: Wedding vendor marketplace where Crave holds a Couples' Choice Award listing. Comparable as a discovery and lead-generation channel for wedding catering inquiries, complementing Crave's direct consultative sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cravecateringaustin
• Instagraminstagram.com/cravecateringtx
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cravecateringtx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crave-catering-austin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 crave catering austin