Simply Special Catering serves the greater Columbus, Ohio area. We can handle social events featuring a variety of cuisines for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and corporate meetings. We specialize in made-from-scratch cakes and fancy pastries.
We also specialize in Kosher foods for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Bris, and other Jewish special events. Our kitchen in Gahanna, Ohio features dairy and pareve sections, and we can also work out of area temples and synagogues as needed.
OWNER
Simply Special Catering was created by Leticia Escobar in 2007. She wanted to realize her life-long passion of making well-prepared foods with high-quality ingredients that look great and taste even better!
Leticia was born in Chile in a sleepy little town called Cauquenes that is south of Chile's capital city, Santiago. At the invitation of an uncle living in Miami, she came to the United States in 1991 to study English. She met her husband, Mauricio, while attending the church where his father was the pastor. They were married in 1994. Just a year later, they left warm and sunny Miami for Mauricio's new job in Columbus. Unfortunately, it was only 16º F when they got here! For Leticia, who was used to the Spanish-speaking culture of Miami, the move proved difficult at first and forced her to put her new English-speaking skills to work.
Leticia met Paula Weinstein here in Columbus, as Paula was about to open up shop doing catering and take-out menus. Paula taught Leticia all about the catering business, and after learning the basics from another friend, Leticia became a specialty and wedding cake designer.
A few years ago, Paula closed her business to pursue a less hectic lifestyle. Although each of them went to work for someone else, Leticia wanted to learn more about cooking and baking. In 2005, she enrolled at the prestigious French Pastry School in Chicago, where she learned about baking and pastries from renowned French culinary experts, Chefs Sebastien Cannone, MOF, and Jacquy Pfeiffer. “I loved school and truly enjoyed the experience of learning traditional French baking and decorating methods in a fast-paced but creative environment,” Leticia says of her French Pastry School experience. After graduating, she brought home with her ideas for beautiful and tasty treats and began planning how to start her own company. Simply Special Catering arose from years of experience working in the catering industry and her passion for creative and flavorful pastries.
Call us to help you plan an amazing and luscious spread for your next event!
STAFF
Simply Special Catering is blessed with an amazing and hard-working staff!
Paula Weinstein
A Columbus institution unto herself, Paula has been a professional caterer for more than 30 years, mainly with the Jewish community around here. Ask anyone and they probably know her! She still loves working with people and putting on great events, so in a role reversal, she now works for Leticia, helping her plan and organize events.
Julie Remer
Paula's niece Julie has worked alongside Paula and Leticia for many years. Bringing her own years of experience, Julie helps Simply Special turn out the extensive menus of fabulously yummy items in our now-famous event spreads around town.