1. December 2, 2014
Greetings,
I work for a non-profit organization which produces, among other things, two film festival events annually. In
November 2014, we presented our 8th edition of the Short Short Story Film Festival, an international film festival.
Beyond just films, we include activities such as live music or DJ performance, audience voting, and in this case, a
catered reception. We procured the services of Dante Burns to provide hors d'oeuvres for to serve 40-60 people.
This request had a few wrinkles, however. First of all, because of the venue logistics, we had no heating or
refrigerating ability. Therefore, the food had to be both storable and palatable at room temperature or slightly
cooler. It also had to be delivered and set-up in between screenings, as we had an afternoon session, then the
reception, then the evening session.
The larger challenge in designing the menu was having several ingredients restrictions. These included being
gluten-free, rice-free, vegetarian (and primarily vegan), and mostly paleo-friendly.
Dante exceeded both my partner’s and my own expectations with his menu, and in particular exhibited notable
skills in the following areas:
Communication – Dante made an effort early on to understand the several restrictions to plan and refine the
menu. On the other hand, he did not bog us down with too much back-and-forth; he was able to work
independently. This was valuable, as we were quite busy with other logistics leading up to the festival.
Creativity – In spite of the many restrictions, Dante designed a menu that was appealing (not “it’s good for
vegan” but just “it’s plain good”) and balanced (both between savory and sweet and between the
“everyday” and the gourmet). It earned rave reviews from the attendees.
Attention To Detail – Tracking and delivering on the many restrictions mentioned above for several dishes.
Time Management – Despite having a short time off between exams and a new semester, and it being the
week of Thanksgiving, Dante had no trouble delivering the menu on time and on budget.
Customer Service – In spite of the many constraints, Dante always projected enthusiasm, even engaging the
crowd of attendees who were interested in finding out more about the food.
Overall the festival was a huge success, with the reception being a large part of “creating a moment” that we
strive for in our productions. Given that success, and given the attributes outlined above, I would unhesitatingly
engage Dante’s services again, and I would highly recommend him for your organization.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Paul Elsnau
Managing Director
MergingArts Productions
paule@mergingartsproductions.com
52 Cedarcrest Drive Pawtucket, RI 02861 USA http://www.mergingarts.org