Atlasta Catering is making waves in the Valley’s culinary scene. Arizona’s second-largest catering company has moved toward expansion by creating a new parent company called Steve Short Culinary Team (SSCT). This business strategy comes as the company hits its 45th anniversary.
Founded in 1979 in Phoenix and led by second-generation Chef/COO Steve Short and his wife, CEO Kristine Short, Atlasta hosts more than 600 events a year with clients ranging from Starbucks, SRP, Amazon and the President of the United States.
Atlasta established SSCT to build upon its top-notch services. With over 30 years of experience, Steve and Kristine base their business on strong, high-quality food, hospitality and sustainability.
“After more than four decades operating with Atlasta as the public face of our company, we launched the Steve Short Culinary Team to differentiate for those who only know us as a full-service catering company,” Kristine said. “People might not realize we also own and operate restaurants, manage liquor licenses, offer casual delivered catering, consulting services and more.”
Most importantly, Kristine said, “The philosophy, values and standards are consistent across all brands.”
The catering company offers chef-driven menus that are always cooked on-site by an in-house team of chefs and hospitality specialists. Steve generates every menu and every dish alongside the culinary team.
Atlasta chefs handcraft everything they serve, from stocks and dressings to beverages and desserts. As Steve explained, the company refuses to serve any pre-made products because they believe that making food from scratch allows its intrinsic beauty to shine.
Atlasta Catering has a fast-growing division called Casual Catering. This division delivers chef-crafted, ready-to-serve food perfect for large gatherings or meetings.
Another aspect, Clear Stock Consulting, came from Steve’s year-long efforts to “reorganize all aspects of the company to create both zero-waste kitchens and events.”
Steve regularly attends national sustainability conferences and is a former member of the ASU Wellness Committee and the Sustainable Food Task Force. He consults with culinary clients nationwide, looking for time-tested techniques to improve sustainability. Their facilities divert more than three million pounds of waste that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
To book Atlasta Catering for your next event, click here.
