Cultural Heritage for Your Wedding Menu

 

 

One of my favorite weddings involved a Jewish bride and a Korean groom. We came up with serving a Brisket and Korean barbeque side by side. On the surface, it might seem intimidating or uncomfortable to blend an intercultural event, but you just take a deep breath and factor in all the different backgrounds. We have tried to take the lead in the niche of blending cultures and creating a reception or party enjoyed by all.

 

 

Many options come into play when creating a cultural wedding. Brides may choose to go all out with the ethnic theme or they might decide to remain traditional yet incorporate cultural elements. Food stations featuring ethnic food spice up a more traditional dinner. Adding colors and decor representing a particular heritage is a simple choice, but adds a lot. Finding a balance between the cultures is important to the success of the event. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For example, if the family comes from Southern India, we work to create a menu that features the boldest spices and chiles. A Central Indian family incorporates more rice dishes paired with seafood.

 

 

Rehearsal dinners provide another great way to showcase a bride or groom’s heritage. We have created many custom menus for the sophisticated modern bride by adding “old world” flair. The Italian reception or rehearsal dinner remains our most popular menu. Because my background and our executive chef’s background is Italian, we might take ingredients from a family recipe and add a twist to make it modern or chic. Or we might choose to keep the first-generation recipe alive by keeping it exactly the same.

 

 

The barn/rustic wedding has brought the traditional American menu popular again. A Cut Above highlights American flair food by keeping a slider and a pulled pork station elegant with gourmet sauces and toppings. We have been able to create dishes using local fresh ingredients from farmers markets and other local growers. All of this reflects a local heritage.

 

 

So go ahead and give it a try – embrace different cultures, faiths and ethnicities. The diverse perspective will add interest to your big day and you’ll honor your heritage and your groom’s heritage. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hors d’oeuvres

• Eggplant Parmesan Skewers

• Shrimp Scampi Crostinis

• Wild Boar Ragu on Fried Polenta

 

Stations

• Antipasti Salad, grilled Vegetables and Caprese Salad

• Summer Farfalla Pasta with lemon zest, fresh basil, peas, goat cheese pearls and white wine sauce

• Artisan Breads w/ Tuscan dipping oils

 

Dessert

• Italian Cookies with lemon and blood orange Gelato cart

 

Hors d’oeuvres

• Tandori Chicken Samosas w/ Coriander and Tamarind Chutney

• Mini Seekah Kabobs w/ Raita sauce

• Paneer Tikka

 

Entree, Family Style

• Chicken Korma

• Lamb Curry

• Vegetarian Biryani

• Palak Dal

 

Dessert

• Carrot Halwa, miniature chocolate truffles with vanilla scented whipped cream

 

 

 

 

 

Hors d’oeuvres

• Mini BBQ Pulled Pork on toasted corn bread

• Watermelon gazpacho shooter

 

Buffet Entree

• Baby greens w/ southern Style goat cheese, cornbread croutons and creamy peppercorn dressing.

• Honey Strung Fried Chicken Tenders

• Popcorn Shrimp w/ Spicy Mayonnaise

• BBQ Short Ribs

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• Southern Style Green Beans w/ Bacon

• Truffled Macaroni & Cheese

 

Dessert

• Blue Bell Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

• Mini Apple Crisp