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Business & Tech

Young Entrepreneur Launches Catering Business

Growing up in a restaurant inspired a taste for cooking

At just 4 years old Brendan Chapman would accompany his mother, a waitress, to work at a restaurant where he would help make pizza in the kitchen and eventually fall in love with cooking. Chapman, now 23, has been passionate about cooking his entire life. In March 2009, he launched a catering business, Chapman Hospitality.

“I always wanted to have my own catering business,” he said. Chapman’s mother Lois, a food service professional herself, assists her son when he needs help with catering events. “I always wanted to follow in my mom’s footsteps. When I was younger and she worked in the restaurant business, I would love going with her to work,” he explained.

Chapman has catered six events on his own since he launched Chapman Hospitality. His clients have been mostly friends and friends of family, but he hopes to expand his clientele.

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“He has been cooking a variety of things from an entire backyard BBQ to desserts for holidays. I think he's still feeling out the market to see where to go next,” said Chapman’s girlfriend Sarah Paolucci.

The young entrepreneur’s first catering event was for a private party of eight people in Unionville on Memorial Day in 2009.

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“There was supposed to be a party of 20, but only eight showed up,” Chapman said. Although he was disappointed, he is proud that it was Chapman Hospitality’s first catering event and it gave him valued experience.

“I hope to expand my catering business and have a high-end deli in the future where customers can pick up mainly prepared lunch items,” Chapman said.

“I see Chapman Hospitality growing. Brendan has great determination and drive and is just in love with being in the kitchen,” said Paolucci. “If you can dream it up, he will cook it and it will be amazing.”

Chapman’s blog http://eatbuddy.wordpress.com has helped him get Chapman Hospitality’s name out in the public. He has received phone calls from interested customers and networked with other chefs.

“Farm to Chef Program even contacted me through my blog,” Chapman said.

The Farm to Chef Program helps connect Connecticut chefs and food service professionals with growers, producers and distributors of CT-grown products.  It helps the public locate restaurants and other dining facilities that serve foods prepared with CT-grown ingredients.

Chapman’s clients and customers have several favorite Chapman Hospitality dishes including vegetarian pasta salad with whole grain penne and his homemade marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes. Chapman not only makes traditional cuisine, but also enjoys coming up with new recipes.

“I love experimenting with French and Asian cuisine because it gives me more of a chance to play with food,” he said.

As for Chapman’s top dishes, “There are so many!” Paolucci said. “He makes a killer cheesecake. He makes an amazing sausage too! He loves experimenting with meats, and it shows. His lentil soup is to die for. And his chili — he made the best chili last night and he put every possible meat imaginable in there. Delish.”

Chapman began taking cooking classes at Manchester Community College when he was just a freshman in high school. He received three certifications form MCC in Food Service Management, Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts.

Visit Chapman’s blog http://eatbuddy.wordpress.com to learn more and get in touch with Chapman Hospitality.

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