Patina Catering returned for the 24th year as the official caterer of the Television Academy’s exclusive Emmy Awards after-party celebrations: The Governors Ball on Sept. 22 and the Creative Arts Governors Ball events on Sept. 14 and Sept. 15.
World-renowned chef and Patina Restaurant Group Founder Joachim Splichal, Vice President of Culinary Gregg Wiele, Patina Catering Executive Chef Alec Lestr, and Patina Catering Executive Pastry Chef Frania Mendivil created a tasting menu of chef-driven small-plates. Inspired by the celebration’s theme of “Brilliance in Motion,” they moved away from a sit-down dinner and instead prepared a flowing feast, with tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, small plates and select stations throughout the room.
“The 2019 menu was truly unique and each dish was artfully crafted to be visually stunning, containing elements reminiscent of motion while maintaining the exquisite flavor Patina is celebrated for,” Splichal said. “We carefully curated and designed the menu to satisfy guests with an eclectic range of tastes and culinary preferences.”
During the festivities, servers flowed throughout the ballroom with 150,000 tray-passed hors d’oeuvres and small plates comprised of 30 different items, all handmade from scratch. The menu offered a diverse mixture of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Preparing for these events took a year of choreographed culinary planning and dedicated preparation. Among the 20 chefs from Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group that came together for the Governors Ball events were Fernando Darin, executive chef of Ray’s and Stark Bar; Greg Stillman, executive chef of Leatherby’s Café Rouge; Rui Wang, regional executive chef for Greater Los Angeles; and Ernesto Hernandez, executive chef of Tortilla Jo’s. The culinary team included a staff of 160, in addition to 600 servers.
PHOTO CAPTION (above): Executive Pastry Chef Frania Mendivil puts the finishing touches on a dessert station at the 71st annual Primetime Emmys Governors Ball. Her “Brilliance in Motion”-themed confections included miniature milkshakes, verrines and chocolate cup tarts.
PHOTO CAPTION (below): Patina Restaurant Group Chef and Founder Joachim Splichal led the culinary efforts at the Emmy Governors Ball for the 24th time.