After 20 years in the industry, we will be closing our catering kitchen for good on May 31, 2022. This is our choice. Not a necessity.
We are so proud of what we and our team, and this community of vendors, have created these last 20 years. We are honored that we have been part of making Asheville a top wedding market.
We are walking away from catering as gracefully as possible. We are going to work through our close date with every ounce of professionalism and expertise we can muster. Any booked clients beyond our closure date have already been notified, received full refunds and have been connected with other caterers who are available on their date. We have full confidence in our Asheville food community and know that our colleagues will take good care of these clients in our stead.
As we are sure you can imagine, this is an incredibly tender time for us. We finally gave into the fact that there will just never be a perfect time for us to "retire," but after much consultation with mentors and advisors, we have come to the conclusion that this Summer is our moment. This business has been our lives for basically our entire adulthood. And while we always planned to have "second" careers at some point, we never realized just how hard it would be to walk away from The Colorful Palate, for so many reasons, the greatest of which is the impact it could have on our team, clients and vendor friends.
We know many of you understand how tough and intense this industry is. And also how incredibly rewarding it can be. We have loved this work. Been challenged by it. Supported by it. And been (often painfully) honed by it. We feel we have made our mark and are ready to see what else we can do. Learn. Be. And help bring into the world.
What an experience we have had. We thank each of you for the part you played in making The Colorful Palate a success. We simply cannot imagine having made something so meaningful in any other place. With any other people.
From business plan notes on cocktail napkins to a 20-year career. It's almost like magic. Or a miracle.
Thank you all!
Ragan and Tara
