Artistic Soul Catering Blog

One of our valued clients, John contacted us to set up an Intimate Dining experience for his wife Tracy’s Birthday. As a first-time client, he admitted to us up front that he had no idea what to expect. All he knew was that he wanted to surprise her with something special. We assured John that their experience with Artistic Soul Catering would be nothing short of remarkable.

John had an array of dining choices at his disposal. Upon consulting with him, it was clear he wanted to have seafood as the Main Course. He chose the Creole Crab-Stuffed Salmon with Shrimp. This contained a richly seasoned jumbo lump crab and shrimp sauce in between a succulent pan-seared/oven baked salmon, truffle mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, and freshly sautéed green beans.

Based on our wine pairing expertise, he went with our suggestions for the evening; Biltmore Estate Pinot Noir, and Barone Fini Pinot Grigio. Our desert selection definitely set the occasion off the right way, with a decadent chocolate covered strawberry cheesecake. New York style with chocolate ganache drizzle, and juicy chocolate berries. We rounded off the night with a Café Bustelo coffee with Cream.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Antoine and Farah Artis.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, and spent my teenage years in Virginia Beach, VA. At a young age, I developed an affinity toward cooking. Spending countless hours in the kitchen with my mother, grandmother (dietitian and chef), and grandfather (an Army chef), I developed the passion which later sparked my decision to enter the culinary world.

I’m a Navy veteran of 13 years. I’ve lived abroad and traveled to many different countries. My natural creativity in the kitchen was further inspired by the different cuisines I ate abroad, and sometimes even learned to cook them from natives. After my time in the military came to an end, I received formal culinary training at The Art Institute of Virginia Beach. In 2013, I accepted a job position and moved to Asheville, NC. While working, I enrolled in college courses to complete my Bachelor’s Degree, which I’d been working toward since before joining the Navy. In a 3-year time frame, I’d earned process improvement certifications, and Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Quality Systems Management (Business Degrees).

Whether it be a wedding reception, graduation party, or perhaps even a networking event with light bites, there are a few identifying factors that will decide the best type of service to tailor your event around. Leave it to us to provide flawless execution of whichever style is chosen, but we’d like to educate you to best choose the style to make your event a success. 

Reception Service

Light bites which are served buffet-style on a table, usually self-serve. This style is ideal for events followed by a full meal, and to keep your guests socializing and moving about the venue. For example: a cocktail hour

Passed Hors d’ Oeuvres

Food is placed on trays and passed by servers. Guests serve themselves with cocktail napkins provided by the server. This is a typical style of service used for upscale receptions, and could also be used in tandem with the Reception Service option.