Published: November 21, 2009 10:19 pm      

As You Like It Catering

Special events made personal by Beaver business

As You Like It Catering on Ritter Drive in Beaver is a place where personal visons for special gatherings become a reality for clients, owner Darlene Warden and event coordinator Brooke Borg-Finney said.

As You Like It transforms clients’ ideas into unique, personal events that feature the client’s tastes in decorating and favorite foods.

“We are not limited to much of anything,” said Borg-Finney. “With Darlene’s experience as far as the food goes, we can pretty much cater to anything anybody needs.

“That’s why we’re As You Like It,” she said.

As You Like It offers full, on-site catering and books parties for up to 45 people at the As You Like It wireless Internet cafe on Ritter Drive.

The business recently made a transition from a cafe and restaurant to one that focuses exclusively on catering, said Warden.

Warden and Borg-Finney teamed up after meeting at church and realizing they both enjoy creating one-of-a-kind events.

Weddings, kids’ birthday parties, company dinners, business luncheons, baby and bridal showers, family reunions, and other special events are made personal with just a call to As You Like It, Borg-Finney said.

“We offer special attention to detail,” added Warden. “We just are really concerned about how things look, and how they taste.”

As You Like It offers clients an established selection of menu items that includes popular soups, cheeseballs, meatballs, quiche, pork tenderloin, seafood, filet mignon, and a popular favorite, slow-roasted sirloin tip with mushroom gravy.

But clients are also encouraged to share their favorite dishes with Warden.

“If somebody wants a meatloaf, for example, we can do that,” said Warden.

Folks who attend a family gathering or dinner catered by As You Like It may be amazed to discover the array of family recipes covering the table.

Warden said that clients are welcome to bring their favorite family recipes to her, and she will make their dishes to order.

All of the food is freshly prepared and homemade.

“We prepare everything from scratch,” said Warden. “It’s fresh.

“We do fresh herbs, when possible.”

The full-level personal service extends to the decorating aspect of the business, too, said Borg-Finney.

On-site decorating is overseen by Borg-Finney, who said she strives to create the client’s vision for the special day.

Parties in the party room also become magical events where the host’s personality is perfectly reflected with the decor, theme and food.

“We can do the luncheons for moms,” she said. “With our wireless Internet, we can cater to the pharmaceutical representatives and local businesses with a full menu and our wireless service.

“It’s a wonderful, relaxing environment.”

As You Like It hosts a coffee bar and serves up specialty coffees, muffins, cookies and pastries.

“We also do ladies’ teas,” said Warden. “We have a variety of teas and finger foods like scones, different breads, and tea sandwiches.”

Kids’ birthday parties are always memorable at As You Like It, Warden said.

“We can do a full theme or just a regular party with the festive, primary colors,” said Finney-Borg. “I know what it’s like to have to throw a birthday party for your child.

“If you have it at home, you have to get your house cleaned, get invitations and before you know it, for a 7-year-old’s birthday party for 10 to 15 kids, you’ve spent $300, and you don’t actually get to spend time with your child and enjoy the party because you’re too busy hosting,” she said.

Finney-Borg said that at As You Like It, birthday parties are fun and hassle-free.

Parents bring a guest list and a theme.

The women at As You Like It send out invitations and decorate the cafe according to the kids’ personal themes.

“We do everything,” she said. “The food, the cake, the games setup, so on that day, the parents can walk in with their child and actually experience and enjoy the birthday party with their child.

“Then, they get to leave and not clean up,” she added. “Our price for all of that is comparable to what they would be spending (anyway), if not less.”

Fun birthday themes for younger kids include a pizza-making party with a “chef” theme, a princess theme or pirate theme.

“If a little girl wanted a princess party, we can decorate the whole area in the cafe like a little princess castle,” she explained. “We also do teen parties.

“We have wireless Internet and satellite radio for the teen-agers,” she said. “If they wanted to come up here and have a rock band party, we can make it look a little bit of a grungier cafe and have a rock band set up and have ‘munchier’ foods.”

As You Like It will also be offering some after-hours networking nights for business people.

“We’ll cater to local businessmen and women, not only Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce members, but those who might not be chamber members but are trying to network,” she said.

With the Christmas season approaching, As You Like It is celebrating in several ways, including gingerbread house classes, she said.

“We’re going to supply them with all the necessary things they need to make fresh gingerbread houses for the holidays,” said Borg-Finney.

Personal Christmas parties are currently being booked, and orders are being taken for personalized Christmas baskets.

“We’re doing gift baskets from small to large with baked goods or themed baskets,” she said. “For example, if somebody’s got a husband who loves golf, we can do a golf-themed baskets with his favorite foods or his favorite knickknacks.”

Basket orders may be placed at the shop, located beside Dairy Queen on Ritter Drive, or by calling 304-228-0707 or 304-237-2546.

— E-mail: jfarrish@register-herald.com