Cuisines Gourmet To Go: Gourmet Caterer Makes New Home Sweet Home

By Janie-Pritchett-Clark

Don DeSpain moved to Northwest Arkansas to open a major hotel. “Northwest where?” he asked his boss.

When the project was on a successful launch trajectory, his job was to move on to open another hotel elsewhere. This time he said, “No, Northwest Arkansas is my home.”

“So now what?” he asked of himself and wife, Susan. “I realized that what I really enjoyed in the hotel industry was interacting with the culinary team and addressing food needs and issues,” says Don. “I remembered that when I was looking for a catering company to serve my needs as a hotel, I was disappointed with my options. I decided I would create a catering company that really addressed the needs of the client.”

A passionate man, Don DeSpain is exuberant about food. Catering, by definition means catering to the needs of the client. “All their needs,” he adds. “Our menu doesn’t give them 25 items to choose from—our menu is endless. Whatever they want to serve, we will provide it. Everything is on the menu.”

To accomplish this he draws on the talents of his staff. Even his waiters are culinary-trained. “That’s how we deliver what we promise and offer our guarantee.”

Now moved to their sweet new Metro Park bistro in Pinnacle Hills, Cuisines Gourmet to Go has exciting plans for 2009. The new kitchen is a dream come true for the catering group, who didn’t miss a beat through a busy move and even busier holiday.

The new location includes a quaint dine-in bistro. For the on-the-go break¬fast crowd Cuisines Gourmet To Go offers a limited menu of bakery items and coffees. Although not in place at press time, plans also call for a dine-in or togo lunch menu and dinner – served gourmet to go.

“Every day we will offer a dinner menu of gourmet meals to go. These will be fresh, chef-prepared gourmet foods to take home to finish and serve in the comfort of your home,” Don explains. He wants to rotate favorites, offer special orders in advance, and provide healthy alternatives for light eaters or special dietary needs.

As an entrepreneur, Don DeSpain recognizes the need to “draw the line to the customer,” making sure that no matter what business you are in you have to help the customer understand why you are their best choice for the job.

“You have to make it easy for them to do business with you, and be glad they did in the end.”