How Chef Michael Garniero Enhances Every Wedding Menu at Novellas
Food is one of the things wedding guests remember long after the day is over. The flowers get packed away, the music stops, but people still talk about what they ate and how good it was. At Novellas Weddings and Events in New Paltz, NY, that conversation starts with one person: Chef Michael Garniero, a culinary professional with over 25 years of teaching experience at the CIA level.
Chef Michael Garniero enhances every wedding menu at Novellas by bringing over 25 years of culinary teaching experience, disciplined kitchen standards, and in-house preparation to each event. Couples can choose plated dinners, top tier buffets, passed hors d'oeuvres, cocktail stations, and vegetarian or vegan options shaped around their preferences.
Why the Chef Behind Your Wedding Menu Actually Matters
Picking a wedding venue means picking who feeds the people you love most. A kitchen without the right leader produces inconsistent results, no matter how good the equipment is. Our kitchen is led by someone whose entire career was built around holding a high standard and passing it on to others. That background shapes every plate that leaves the line on your wedding day.
A Career Built on Precision and High Standards
Chef Garniero spent over 25 years as a culinary professor, which means his work was never just about cooking. It was about teaching others to cook correctly, consistently, and under pressure. That kind of experience builds a different level of discipline than kitchen work alone. When he runs our kitchen, the entire team operates under the same expectations he applied in the classroom for decades. Your guests do not just get a good meal. They get the result of a career spent refusing to accept anything less.
The Plated Dinner Experience
The plated dinner gives guests a structured experience built around individual courses. Salad options include mixed greens, spinach, and arugula selections. Entree choices cover chicken preparations like Parmesan, Francese, Marsala, and Coq au Vin, fish options including herb and panko salmon, miso glazed salmon, and swordfish skewers, and beef and pork selections like tenderloin filet, braised short rib, beef bourguignon, and pork tenderloin with mustard sauce. Seasonal vegan and vegetarian options are available for every event. Each plate reflects the technique that comes from a kitchen operating at the CIA level.
The Top Tier Buffet Option
For couples who want more variety and freedom during dinner service, our top tier buffet covers every category at a high level. Guests move through salads, starches like roasted potatoes and au gratin varieties, pasta options including vodka, Alfredo, carbonara, and ravioli, and the full range of protein selections also available in the plated format. Artisanal bread and seasonal vegetables round out the spread. The difference between this and a standard catering buffet comes down to the sourcing, the preparation, and the person overseeing it all.
Passed Hors d'Oeuvres That Open the Evening Right
The cocktail hour begins with passed hors d'oeuvres, and the selections set the tone for everything that follows. Couples choose from options like Pollo Asado mini tacos, citrus shrimp ceviche, Korean pork belly BBQ, bacon wrapped Medjool dates, Angus beef sliders with aged cheddar, and fried calamari. Premium upgrades include oysters, crab cakes, and lamb chops. These are not generic appetizers from a catalog. They are prepared in house by a team that treats the first course with the same seriousness as the main.
Cocktail Stations That Give Guests Something to Talk About
Beyond passed hors d'oeuvres, we offer optional cocktail stations that add range and character to the hour between ceremony and reception. Options include a pasta station, mini taco station, Hudson Valley station featuring local ingredients, Mediterranean display, pub fare station, Asian fusion, Bavarian station, and a seafood focused Cape station. Each one is managed by the culinary team and prepared with the same standard Chef Garniero holds across every part of the evening. Guests get an interactive food experience that feels personal rather than generic.
Conclusion
At Novellas Weddings and Events in New Paltz, NY, the food is not an afterthought. It is the result of a kitchen led by someone who spent over 25 years teaching culinary excellence at the CIA level and who brings that same standard to every wedding menu he builds. Couples from Poughkeepsie, Kingston, and Newburgh choose our venue because the difference between good food and great food is the person running the kitchen.
To learn more about the culinary program or to schedule a tour, contact Bryce Gioia at sales@novellasny.com or call (845) 249-6029.
FAQs
Who leads the kitchen at Novellas Weddings and Events?
The kitchen is led by Chef Michael Garniero, a culinary professional with over 25 years of teaching experience at the CIA level.
Can couples customize their wedding menu?
Yes. Chef Garniero and the team work with each couple to build a menu around their preferences, including vegan and vegetarian options.
What dinner service styles are available?
We offer a plated dinner and a top tier buffet. Both are prepared in house and include a full range of salad, entree, and protein selections.
Are the cocktail hour appetizers made in house?
Yes. All passed hors d'oeuvres and cocktail station items are prepared in house by our culinary team.
How do I book a wedding at Novellas near Poughkeepsie?
Contact Bryce Gioia at sales@novellasny.com or call (845) 249-6029 to schedule a tour or ask about available dates.
