The Eat & Smile Difference
Since 2007, our goal is to create an incredible client experience while maintaining our high standards for ecological sustainability and local sourcing of ingredients. Rather than have set packages that include services you don’t want or need, we provide our services a la carte, allowing you to pick and choose what you want us to take care of, and leaving off what isn’t important to you. Let us know what your budget is, and we will walk you through the process, letting you know what we’re capable of doing for that amount, as well as how much it would cost to provide all the services you’d like. As a boutique catering company, we aim to create memorable experiences that reflect our clients' needs, so your event doesn't feel like anyone else's event except your own. We work closely with our clients through all stages of the planning process, from perfectly curated menus to careful guidance during event planning, all the way to amazing events that run smoothly and seemingly effortlessly.
To catch a glimpse of our team in action, check out our short video.
event types
Weddings
Parties &
Social Events
Corporate Events
“They were wonderful, detailed, patient, filled with great ideas, and always very positive. Our wedding guests raved about the food!”
photo courtesy of Samba to the Sea
Our History
We are proud to be the first and original locally sourced caterer in the Washington DC area, with strong support of local farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, fisherfolk, and other producers. Our meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, and bread are purchased from farmers within 175 miles of the city.
Active since 2007, Eat & Smile Catering continues to grow as a boutique business, working with clients to create unique events that meet their culinary and budgetary needs. Adding to this repertoire, the team also hosts an occasional supper club in our commercial kitchen space: The Bespoke Kitchen, where food-loving diners can find the freshest and best seasonal produce finessed into memorable dining experiences.
Contact Us to tell us about your event! We look forward to hearing from you.
Why Local Sourcing
We believe that local ingredients are more ecologically friendly, economically sustainable, better for you, and taste fantastic!
More and more, consumers are learning about where their food is coming from, and how it was raised or grown. This attention to locally-sourced items is very important to us, not only because every dollar spent with a local farmer and producer goes directly to them, circulating within our community many times and strengthening our local economy, but also because the ingredient that was picked locally and recently tastes so much better than the one picked a week ago in South America. We maintain a number of relationships with local producers — please take a look at Our Partners page to learn more about them!
Going Green
Our business is founded upon the many principles of Local, including a strong core of environmental friendliness and sustainability. In addition to sourcing our ingredients locally whenever possible, we’ve incorporated the following practices into our business:
We buy direct from our producers whenever possible. Buying directly ensures that more income goes directly into the hands of the producers themselves, which is great for them as small businesses and also a great contribution to strengthening our local economies.
We avoid using disposables at our catered events, but when required or desired to do so, we use biodegradable and compostable cups, cutlery, and plates.
We compost all of our organic waste, as well as most of our serviceware, and are working with local business Fat Worm Compost to streamline and make more sustainable all of our waste streams. We also recycle our used fryer oil into biodiesel.
All of our electric power is sourced from renewable wind and solar energy sources via great local company Ethical Electric.
We encourage our staff to carpool to events and provide incentives featuring our other local partners (like Zeke's Coffee & District Doughnut) to do so!
2017 Best Use of Local Ingredients:
Judges' Choice
edible dc
award
winner
Winner of the 2017 Staff pick & 2018 Reader's choice
best local caterer
As Seen In
proud to be
LGBT Ally