Catering By Uptown

From: Rob G***< [redacted] @cateringbyuptown.com>Date: Fri, Jun 24, at 3:PMSubject: Re: cid [redacted] / [redacted] To: [redacted] < [redacted] @myRevdex.com.org>Thank you [redacted] , for the email Here is my confidential reply.We pride ourselves on taking care of the details of our client's events thoroughly We have the most comprehensive and inclusive system for managing details of any caterer I know It includes a private planning web site for the client to check the details for their event.We were saddened to see [redacted] 's complaints after the event We have reviewed the details and concluded that we provided salmon (not an unknown white fish) as it was the only fish we purchased that week Perhaps there was some confusion owing to the nature of grilling salmon which does tend to lighten the color of fresh salmon significantly.We were also unable to confirm her assertion that the cake was wrong, as we use pictures to make each of our 700+ cakes per year, and we have record that we made the cake as requested by the client We requested from her a picture of the cake on the day of the wedding to show what was wrong with it, but no clear picture has been provided by the client.We received word back from our dcoordinator that there were no complaints about missing specialty meals.We believe the rice was served with the peas as per the contract.The guest count, once given, is final We send the correct number of staff, place settings, linens, and food based on that count The party was off-premise The food can not be sent home at the end of the night, nor the costs reimbursed.In spite of not finding very much that could support a refund claim to our management team, we did make an offer of $600.00, which we feel was more than generous.We would be happy to receive additional information from the client in order to help bolster a claim for the additional funds she is requesting.Perhaps there is a miscommunication, and we stand ready to listen and correct for it.Rob G [redacted] ***

From: Rob G***< [redacted] @cateringbyuptown.com>Date: Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 7:57 AMSubject: [redacted] additional response...To: [email protected]: Sandra B [redacted] < [redacted] @cateringbyuptown.com>I wanted to provide a response to the client's rejection of our response...there was no way to do it on the web site as I had just responded to an incorrectearlier BBB email stating that we had not made an additional response. This processcould be made much easier by allowing additional emails.Here is our response.There are complaints listed...with responses in-line for clarityMy guests were not served Salmon as per the contractThey most definitely were. I have been a caterer for 30 years, and the fish pictured in the photo is absolutely, without doubt, unquestionably, salmon.Not only that, but as mentioned previously, we only purchased salmon that week.My guests were not served rice and peas as per the contractThank you for the picture. I can understand your point here and you have our apologies on this.My guests were not served wedding cake with a strawberry shortcake tier as per the contractThe details for the contract are included below...it does not specify strawberry shortcake. We make every effort to provide a site for you to review all final details. I am sorry that there was a miscommunication and that you did not notice that it wasn't present on the site.My guests were not served warm/hot appetizers as per the contractThat is not our understanding of the evening.My guests were not served salad with dressings on the side as per the contractThat is not specified in the contract.My food was not packed in a sanitary manner. There was a dirty plate put on my food.I do not know how/when the plate, which does not appear dirty in the picture, was placed on your food. If there was anything incorrectly done by staff, you have our apologies.My guests were not seated properlyOur information was that there was 1 guest that brought something to our attention and we addressed. Seating is generally done via place cards or seating charts provided by the client. We would be happy to have more detail on this issue from your perspective. On your planningbyuptown site, you indicated the number of guests per table, and we placed that number of place settings at each table. We did not Some guests received vegetarian meals when they were supposed to get regular meals.This was not brought to our attention on the night of the event. We always have additional regular meal plates in case of any plates dropping, and those plates are later served to staff or vendors typically. That would have been much later than dinner service, though, and any problem of this sort could have easily been remedied. As you may notice, there were no names associated with the special meal requests below, nor were there any notations made by you in the available places on the planning web site where the number of guests per table would be placed. We executed the floor plan as per the diagram on your site as well. The place cards would have been provided by you, and then it would have been up to the guests to sit at the appropriate table.Some of the www.planningbyuptown.com site details below...we have made a significant offer of refund for the apparent rice style discrepancy and the possibility of any other problems which are not adequately reflected for full consideration. In a settlement negotiation, you propose something (which you did) , then we propose a counter-offer (which we did). I also feel we have provided significant additional information here. Please know that the fish was, in my experience, salmon...without any doubt. The other items, addressed above, are not errors based on our final paperwork to which you had access during the entire planning process. See this page on our main web site for details about our planning process including a video about the planningbyuptown.comsite...http://www.cateringbyuptown.com/weddings/planning/I hope you will feel that we have responded thoroughly and thoughtfully to your concerns. Details for your wedding were executed in large part exactly to the detail of your site, and there are no original contractual details from the original contract which contradict these details, to my knowledge. Your wedding details are vitally important to us, which is why we have an industry-leading planning site which contains all of them, along with a check-off at the top of each page for you to review and sign off on the details. It can certainly be the case that you would be upset if you felt that we didn't care about the details, but I hope you will now feel that this is not the case.ClientName: [redacted] Phone: [redacted] Fax:Address: [redacted] ***Gaithersburg, MD ***EventDate of Event:05/08/2016Number of Guests:145Location 1:Address: [redacted] ***Mitchellville, MD ***Start/End Time:5:00 PM/11:00 PMLocation 2:Address: [redacted] ***Mitchellville, MD ***Start/End Time:5:00 PM/7:00 PMContract Number:***MenuGuests to be Greeted with Raspberry LemonadeThe CeremonyFollowing the CeremonyThe Cocktail HourClient's Alcohol, Uptown to ProvideSour Mix, Bloody Mary Mix, Grenadine, , Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grapefruit Juice, ***, Diet ***, ***, Ginger Ale, Tonic Water, Club Soda, [redacted] , Bottled Water, Ice, Lemons, Limes, Cherries, Olives, OnionsPassed Hors D’OeuvresPlease Select Four(other choices available)Jerk Chicken “Sandwiches” Between Plantain Crisps Wrapped with Leek RibbonSesame Orange Tartlette Shells with Curried Chicken SaladCrostini with Veal MarsalaSpanikopitaStationary Hors D’OeuvresChoose Three of the FollowingSpinach and Artichoke DipServed WarmOffered with Assorted Flat BreadsFruit DisplayA Beautiful Array of Fresh Seasonal Fruits such as Strawberries, Blackberries, Pineapple, Honeydew, Cantaloupe,Red and Green Seedless Grapes served withUptown’s Famous Amaretto Crème DipElegant Vegetable DisplayBlanched and Raw Vegetables such as Asparagus, Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Yellow Squash, and Red Bell PeppersOffered with Roasted Red Pepper DipThe Dinner ReceptionSymphony SaladMesclun Greens and Bell Pepper Gathered in a Sliced CucumberRound drizzled with a Delightful Ginger and Soy DressingBaskets of Petit Pains and Butter RosettesA Dual Entree of: Select Two of the FollowingGrilled Salmon Marinated in Lime and Cilantro Topped with a Tropical Pineapple and Mango SalsaChicken MarsalaMedallions of Chicken Lightly Breaded Sauteed to Golden Brown Topped with Wild Mushrooms and Served with a Marsala Cream SauceAccompanied by:Bundles of Asparagus in Yellow Squash RingsTraditional Peas & RiceSweet Endings....International Coffee StationColombian Coffee, Brewed Decaffeinated Coffee, a selection of Herbal Teas, Chantilly Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings, Lemon Zest, Orange Zest, and Cinnamon SticksA Beautifully Decorated Wedding Cake "Serenade", Yellow Cake w/RaspberryYellow Cake w/ Raspberry Filling in our "Serenade" design. Client can instead use a voucher with our selected bakery for $2.00 per person towards any other design and/or flavor upgrades.Special Meals1 Chicken Marsala and Crab Cake for the bride1 Chicken Marsala & Filet w/Cognac Sauce for the Groom2 Gluten FreeDualBourbon-BBQ Glazed Chicken Breast & Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa, served with Roasted Red Skin Potatoes and Asparagus Bundles - NO WHEAT, FLOUR, ETC2 Vegan NapoleonVegetable Napoleon- NO CHEESELayers of Fresh Grilled Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Carrots and Red PepperBrushed with Olive Oil and Basil with and topped with a Tomato Coulis5 Kids TendersKids Salad Plate with carrots, celery, cheese sticks and crackers and ranch dressingChicken Tenders, Mac N Cheese, Corn on the Cob, Apple Sauce and ketchup-- Rob G***, Jr.VP, Catering by Uptownwww.cateringbyuptown.com###-###-#######-###-#### fax###-###-#### cell

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered] Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: Rob G [redacted] was not at my wedding so HE cannot vouch for what was and was not at my presentI have several witnesses (all my guests) that can testify that my assertions are true and accurateAs I said before, I have several documents but am only permitted to upload at a time using this siteThough you have not provided proof that you served salmon, I will accept your response due to none of my guests providing me pictures I have attached proof that the cake was to be lemon and strawberry shortcakeAlso, it was NOT the image I sent to ShondaI told Shonda, literally times, what my flavors were and she confirmedI’m not surprised there was an issue because, like I said, I confirmed with her timesThe appetizers were not served warm as per the contractI’m not surprised because my tasting was not what was agreed uponThe plantain appetizer was not at all as describedWould you like me to provide written testimonies of the appetizers being cold? If so, how many do you need? I have attached proof that the salad dressing was to be on the sideShonda said that despite the website not being correct all of my issues would have been rectified for the weddingThe food was packed in an unsanitary mannerI did not steal a plate and put it in the package myselfAn apology will not sufficeI could have and may be sick from the plate being on my foodThat is disgustingMy guests were not seated properlyI am unable to attach a video of my mother-in-law’s location because the site will not permit I notified my day of coordinator of my dissatisfaction and she apologizedAfter connecting with my guests after the wedding, other issues were brought to my attention so I could not have told the day of coordinator everything at that pointI did send an email to Shonda, Michael, and SandraAt this point I have made my assertion and asked several times what additional information is needed to have this issue resolvedRob G [redacted] seems to be offering petty cash and many apologiesApologies and petty cash will not fix the damage that was doneI have spent much time compiling documents and proof for things that should have been noted or researched by catering by uptownI request that MrG [redacted] tell me what additional information he needs for me to prove my claimI am willing to consider another counterofferIf MrG [redacted] does not feel 30% if reasonable then I am amendable to another percentage but $will not be acceptableI am truly hoping we can avoid legal actionIt would be a shame to waste MrG***’s time, my time, and the time of several of my guestsI have attached a few more documentsPlease review Regards, [redacted]

Contract states all payments non-refundable. We also made many updates and changes on the client's behalf.  See attached email trail.

re-submitting uploaded fileWe have sent documentation of our emails to try to help our client.  And, "All payments are non-refundable" means "All payments...

are non-refundable."  We make a serious commitment to have the space reserved for our client for the day/time/room they contract...we can not book that to another event that requests it subsequently...it is fair that the deposit be non-refundable, therefore.  There is no discussion of a time frame in the contract (attached) as to when the monies are non-refundable.  They are simply non-refundable.  If the client had wanted to negotiate that prior to us reserving the space, she could have asked.  Our answer, would have been that we do not negotiate this.  We were unaware of any concern of hers prior to signing the contract, however.  That said, we've made a lot of efforts to re-schedule, and accommodate beyond the terms of the contract.  We are sorry that this is not working out.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  Rob G[redacted] was not at my wedding so HE cannot vouch for what was and was not at my present. I have several witnesses (all my guests) that can testify that my assertions are true and accurate. As I said before, I have several documents but am only permitted to upload 4 at a time using this site. Though you have not provided proof that you served salmon, I will accept your response due to none of my guests providing me pictures.  I have attached proof that the cake was to be lemon and strawberry shortcake. Also, it was NOT the image I sent to Shonda. I told Shonda, literally 4 times, what my flavors were and she confirmed. I’m not surprised there was an issue because, like I said, I confirmed with her 4 times. The appetizers were not served warm as per the contract. I’m not surprised because my tasting was not what was agreed upon. The plantain appetizer was not at all as described. Would you like me to provide written testimonies of the appetizers being cold? If so, how many do you need? I have attached proof that the salad dressing was to be on the side. Shonda said that despite the website not being correct all of my issues would have been rectified for the wedding. The food was packed in an unsanitary manner. I did not steal a plate and put it in the package myself. An apology will not suffice. I could have and may be sick from the plate being on my food. That is disgusting. My guests were not seated properly. I am unable to attach a video of my mother-in-law’s location because the site will not permit.   I notified my day of coordinator of my dissatisfaction and she apologized. After connecting with my guests after the wedding, other issues were brought to my attention so I could not have told the day of coordinator everything at that point. I did send an email to Shonda, Michael, and Sandra. At this point I have made my assertion and asked several times what additional information is needed to have this issue resolved. Rob G[redacted] seems to be offering petty cash and many apologies. Apologies and petty cash will not fix the damage that was done. I have spent much time compiling documents and proof for things that should have been noted or researched by catering by uptown. I request that Mr. G[redacted] tell me what additional information he needs for me to prove my claim. I am willing to consider another counteroffer. If Mr. G[redacted] does not feel 30% if reasonable then I am amendable to another percentage but $600 will not be acceptable. I am truly hoping we can avoid legal action. It would be a shame to waste Mr. G[redacted]’s time, my time, and the time of several of my guests. I have attached a few more documents. Please review
Regards,
[redacted]

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  Uptown Catering is unprofessional and aggressive.  I still have yet to receive a resolution from them as indicated in this message.  I'm not satisfied with their lack of service.
Regards,
[redacted]

From: Rob G[redacted]<[redacted]@cateringbyuptown.com>Date: Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 7:57 AMSubject: [redacted] additional response...To: [email protected]: Sandra B[redacted] <[redacted]@cateringbyuptown.com>I wanted to provide a response to the client's rejection of our response...there was no way to do it on the web site as I had just responded to an incorrectearlier Revdex.com email stating that we had not made an additional response.  This processcould be made much easier by allowing additional emails.Here is our response.There are complaints listed...with responses in-line for clarityMy guests were not served Salmon as per the contractThey most definitely were.  I have been a caterer for 30 years, and the fish pictured in the photo is absolutely, without doubt, unquestionably, salmon.Not only that, but as mentioned previously, we only purchased salmon that week.My guests were not served rice and peas as per the contractThank you for the picture.  I can understand your point here and you have our apologies on this.My guests were not served wedding cake with a strawberry shortcake tier as per the contractThe details for the contract are included below...it does not specify strawberry shortcake.  We make every effort to provide a site for you to review all final details.  I am sorry that there was a miscommunication and that you did not notice that it wasn't present on the site.My guests were not served warm/hot appetizers as per the contractThat is not our understanding of the evening.My guests were not served salad with dressings on the side as per the contractThat is not specified in the contract.My food was not packed in a sanitary manner. There was a dirty plate put on my food.I do not know how/when the plate, which does not appear dirty in the picture, was placed on your food.  If there was anything incorrectly done by staff, you have our apologies.My guests were not seated properlyOur information was that there was 1 guest that brought something to our attention and we addressed.  Seating is generally done via place cards or seating charts provided by the client.  We would be happy to have more detail on this issue from your perspective. On your planningbyuptown site, you indicated the number of guests per table, and we placed that number of place settings at each table.  We did not Some guests received vegetarian meals when they were supposed to get regular meals.This was not brought to our attention on the night of the event.  We always have additional regular meal plates in case of any plates dropping, and those plates are later served to staff or vendors typically.  That would have been much later than dinner service, though, and any problem of this sort could have easily been remedied.  As you may notice, there were no names associated with the special meal requests below, nor were there any notations made by you in the available places on the planning web site where the number of guests per table would be placed.   We executed the floor plan as per the diagram on your site as well.  The place cards would have been provided by you, and then it would have been up to the guests to sit at the appropriate table.Some of the www.planningbyuptown.com  site details below...we have made a significant offer of refund for the apparent rice style discrepancy and the possibility of any other problems which are not adequately reflected for full consideration. In a settlement negotiation, you propose something (which you did) , then we propose a counter-offer (which we did).  I also feel we have provided significant additional information here.  Please know that the fish was, in my experience, salmon...without any doubt.  The other items, addressed above, are not errors based on our final paperwork to which you had access during the entire planning process. See this page on our main web site for details about our planning process including a video about the planningbyuptown.comsite...http://www.cateringbyuptown.com/weddings/plannin...⇄ hope you will feel that we have responded thoroughly and thoughtfully to your concerns.  Details for your wedding were executed in large part exactly to the detail of your site, and there are no original contractual details from the original contract which contradict these details, to my knowledge.  Your wedding details are vitally important to us, which is why we have an industry-leading planning site which contains all of them, along with a check-off at the top of each page for you to review and sign off on the details.  It can certainly be the case that you would be upset if you felt that we didn't care about the details, but I hope you will now feel that this is not the case.ClientName:[redacted]Phone:[redacted]Fax:Address:[redacted]Gaithersburg, MD [redacted]EventDate of Event:05/08/2016Number of Guests:145Location 1:Address:[redacted]Mitchellville, MD [redacted]Start/End Time:5:00 PM/11:00 PMLocation 2:Address:[redacted]Mitchellville, MD [redacted]Start/End Time:5:00 PM/7:00 PMContract Number:[redacted]MenuGuests to be Greeted with Raspberry LemonadeThe CeremonyFollowing the CeremonyThe Cocktail HourClient's Alcohol, Uptown to ProvideSour Mix, Bloody Mary Mix, Grenadine, , Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grapefruit Juice, [redacted], Diet [redacted], Ginger Ale, Tonic Water, Club Soda, [redacted], Bottled Water, Ice, Lemons, Limes, Cherries, Olives, OnionsPassed Hors D’OeuvresPlease Select Four(other choices available)Jerk Chicken “Sandwiches” Between Plantain Crisps Wrapped with Leek RibbonSesame Orange Tartlette Shells with Curried Chicken SaladCrostini with Veal MarsalaSpanikopitaStationary Hors D’OeuvresChoose Three of the FollowingSpinach and Artichoke DipServed WarmOffered with Assorted Flat BreadsFruit DisplayA Beautiful Array of Fresh Seasonal Fruits such as Strawberries, Blackberries, Pineapple, Honeydew, Cantaloupe,Red and Green Seedless Grapes served withUptown’s Famous Amaretto Crème DipElegant Vegetable DisplayBlanched and Raw Vegetables such as Asparagus, Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Yellow Squash, and Red Bell PeppersOffered with Roasted Red Pepper DipThe Dinner ReceptionSymphony SaladMesclun Greens and Bell Pepper Gathered in a Sliced CucumberRound drizzled with a Delightful Ginger and Soy DressingBaskets of Petit Pains and Butter RosettesA Dual Entree of: Select Two of the FollowingGrilled Salmon Marinated in Lime and Cilantro Topped with a Tropical Pineapple and Mango SalsaChicken MarsalaMedallions of Chicken Lightly Breaded Sauteed to Golden Brown Topped with Wild Mushrooms and Served with a Marsala Cream SauceAccompanied by:Bundles of Asparagus in Yellow Squash RingsTraditional Peas & RiceSweet Endings....International Coffee StationColombian Coffee, Brewed Decaffeinated Coffee, a selection of Herbal Teas, Chantilly Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings, Lemon Zest, Orange Zest, and Cinnamon SticksA Beautifully Decorated Wedding Cake "Serenade", Yellow Cake w/RaspberryYellow Cake w/ Raspberry Filling in our "Serenade" design. Client can instead use a voucher with our selected bakery for $2.00 per person towards any other design and/or flavor upgrades.Special Meals1 Chicken Marsala and Crab Cake for the bride1 Chicken Marsala & Filet w/Cognac Sauce for the Groom2 Gluten FreeDualBourbon-BBQ Glazed Chicken Breast & Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa, served with Roasted Red Skin Potatoes and Asparagus Bundles - NO WHEAT, FLOUR, ETC2 Vegan NapoleonVegetable Napoleon- NO CHEESELayers of Fresh Grilled Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Carrots and Red PepperBrushed with Olive Oil and Basil with and topped with a Tomato Coulis5 Kids TendersKids Salad Plate with carrots, celery, cheese sticks and crackers and ranch dressingChicken Tenders, Mac N Cheese, Corn on the Cob, Apple Sauce and ketchup-- Rob G[redacted], Jr.VP, Catering by Uptownwww.cateringbyuptown.com###-###-#######-###-#### fax###-###-#### cell

From: Rob G[redacted]<[redacted]@cateringbyuptown.com>Date: Fri, Jun 24, 2016 at 3:03 PMSubject: Re: cid [redacted] / [redacted]To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>Thank you [redacted], for the email.  Here is my confidential reply.We pride ourselves on taking care of the...

details of our client's events thoroughly.  We have the most comprehensive and inclusive system for managing details of any caterer I know.  It includes a private planning web site for the client to check the details for their event.We were saddened to see [redacted]'s complaints after the event.  We have reviewed the details and concluded that we provided salmon (not an unknown white fish) as it was the only fish we purchased that week.  Perhaps there was some confusion owing to the nature of grilling salmon which does tend to lighten the color of fresh salmon significantly.We were also unable to confirm her assertion that the cake was wrong, as we use pictures to make each of our 700+ cakes per year, and we have record that we made the cake as requested by the client.  We requested from her a picture of the cake on the day of the wedding to show what was wrong with it, but no clear picture has been provided by the client.We received word back from our day-of coordinator that there were no complaints about missing specialty meals.We believe the rice was served with the peas as per the contract.The guest count, once given, is final.  We send the correct number of staff, place settings, linens, and food based on that count.  The party was off-premise.  The food can not be sent home at the end of the night, nor the costs reimbursed.In spite of not finding very much that could support a refund claim to our management team, we did make an offer of $600.00, which we feel was more than generous.We would be happy to receive additional information from the client in order to help bolster a claim for the additional funds she is requesting.Perhaps there is a miscommunication, and we stand ready to listen and correct for it.Rob G[redacted]