On June 13 and 14, noon – 6 pm, InLiquid presents Art for the Cash Poor 16.
Go Mad for Gourmet as the three-day event includes all the elements that drive us crazy-in-love with Philadelphia’s creative sector. Sweet and savory bites will be sold by seven local food vendors, including Chewy’s, Jerry’s Kitchen, Kung Fu Hoagie, Mom-Mom’s Polish Food Cart, Farm Truck Philly, Foolish Waffles, and Weckerly’s Ice Cream, while Crave Caterers provides light refreshments for the Friday night preview.
Crave Caterers brings a taste of farm-fresh Jersey ingredients to Philadelphia’s arts community, thanks to their donation to the AFTCP16 preview night. President John Williams answers some questions on the importance of staying local and staying fresh.
Can you give me some background on how Crave started out?
Crave Caterers is the off premise division of our parent company Landmark Hospitality. Although it has been around for quite a while, we re-launched it in late 2013 and have created great relationships, particularly within the art and fashion industries.
What is your role there?
I am partner and president.
You’re based in New Jersey – and most of your ingredients come from farms in NJ. Do you think loyalty in terms of locality is important for industry?
As a company we are committed to fresh and in season ingredients. As many know New Jersey has an abundance of really great farms and smaller producers of cheeses and meats and we have a sense of loyalty to them. Wherever we cater or produce food, we look to use ingredients that are local.
You provide catering for a range of events – from corporate parties to weddings. Do you have a favorite event story?
There are so many events that come to mind, however the freshest is an event we did for a wonderful client in Miami for ArtBasel. It was somewhat impromptu and we went to Miami without much planning and had to put together two events for over 700 guests each. We went down with a huge team, sourced the food, set up an entire kitchen in a warehouse and produced two outstanding events. It was some of the hardest work we have done in a long time, but worth it in every way.
Close-up of salmon appetizer by Amesse Photography.
You’re donating your services to our preview party fundraiser. Do you think it’s important for local businesses to support arts organizations?
If you support the arts, you are supporting your community!
Do you have any menu items planned yet for Art for the Cash Poor?
We are still kicking around some ideas, however they will be based around fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from our local purveyors.
What are you looking forward to most about AFTCP?
We are looking forward to working in the Philly market and making connections with the arts community there. It’s a natural fit for our brand and we enjoy the vibe.
The weekend-long fair invites attendees to navigate the Crane Arts space, which will be bursting with art vendors, live musical performances, culinary curiosities, and an outdoor beer garden. The addition of a Friday night ticketed preview party on June 12, 5:30 – 9 pm, serves as a meet-and-greet with the artists and a fundraiser for AIDS Fund, offering guests an exclusive sneak-peek at the festivities to follow.
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