Hospitality Holidays, What FDRG employees Bring to Festive Parties

11/20/2018

‘Tis the season for holiday parties filled with friends, family, twinkling lights and, most importantly, food.  Being in hospitality, around this time of year we are often asked what we bring to the holiday table when we’re dining with friends and family.  In honor of this, we’ve compiled a list of the who, the what and the why of which delicious dishes Fine Dining Restaurant Group leaders bring along during the holidays.

Drew Hayes, Manager at Bodega  

“I always bring deep fried turkey and eggnog.  Because when else do you get to eat deep fried turkey and eggnog?”

Natalie Hayes, Executive Assistant/Office Manager

“I’m usually with fried turkey and eggnog man, so I will bring bubbles or baked brie.  Both are easy, tasty crowd pleasers.  Also, I’ve brought sweet pigs in a blanket – mini hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough, with honey and nuts on top.  Yum!”

Iwona Cherry, Manager at Rendezvous Bistro

“I always bring something Polish! I think it's fun to share the traditions I grew up with, so I make pierogi, golabki or zrazy zawijane. My American family and friends love it, even if I produce something foreign to their tastes. For them, it's a touch of adventure among well-known comfort food.”

Luis Hernandez, Executive Chef at Bin22

“I like to bring tamales or pozole because everyone in my family loves to eat both those dishes. For dessert I’ll make a chocolate flan.”

Park Dunn-Morrison, Director of Operations

“I usually ask what others are bringing and try to bring a unique appetizer that is easy to make and I feel compliments the rest of the dishes people are bringing.  For drinks, I like to bring something that can be shared and isn’t all that common. It could be a wine from my cellar or a large format beer I can give everyone a taste of. If it’s a casual event, sometimes I’ll bring ingredients to whip up a cocktail for everyone.”

Kyle Nordli, Manager at Bin22

“I like to make albòndigas (traditional Mexican meatballs) in the crockpot. Along with the albòndigas, I will often make a crocktail (a hot cocktail that is prepared in a crockpot).  I bring them because they are easy to make and who doesn’t like a hot whiskey drink when it’s cold outside?”

Kendra Alessandro, Director of Communications

“My husband holds all the culinary talent in our family, so he usually whips up some amazing recipe (my favorite dish is his take on a Brussels sprout salad), but I stick with the wine. For me, it’s either a dry white wine or a festive holiday cocktail using a million ingredients that I probably won’t use until I make another seasonal cocktail.”

Sean MacReynolds, Area Director of Food and Beverage

“I bring a snack dish (like a simple meat/cheese/cracker plate). It seems like an easy out, but I bring a snack so people can enjoy something right away and not have to wait for the main meal to be served!”

Sage Jackson, Communications Coordinator

“My mother used to make the most amazing roasted vegetable dish.  I’ve since stolen this recipe and now bring some variation of it to every Friendsgiving and pot luck that I go to.  It’s so easy to make in large quantities, requires very few extra ingredients besides the chopped vegetables (read: olive oil and kosher salt) and people tend to love it!  Plus, I love bringing something to the table that can be considered healthy amongst plates and plates of desserts.”