Dionysus Kitchen

I wanted the most sustainable, local & organic menu possible for our wedding - and Dionysus served it up for us perfectly! Our guests were blown away at the quality and taste of the food! Many of our guests were skeptical of a green menu - Paul made only the finest dishes from quality and local ingredients and everyone was so enthralled with how delicious and filling everything was on our big day. They were so amazing, flexible with details, willing to work with us on making it exactly what we wanted yet offering their best advice and input one what they do best - catering along with event details. We are so happy to have worked with Paul & Rebecca - Fabulous people, fabulous food & Green!!!!

Paul and Rebecca of Dionysus Kitchen were beyond exemplary! We were confident our event would have magnificent catering from our first planning session right up to the reception. We were especially impressed with the commitment that Paul and Rebecca showed to catering our wedding reception--despite facing an impending hurricane--and working with us to change the timing of the event right up to the day of the wedding. The wedding execution turned out flawless. The food was beyond expectations, which were high, particularly since Paul took the time to personalize our menu and use locally sourced ingredients. Our guests especially enjoyed Paul's short pre-dinner presentation of the menu. The food was scrumptious; we loved all the courses, and our guests raved about the food.We would unequivocally recommend Dionysus Kitchen for anyone looking to host an event in the Baltimore area.

We cannot say enough about the quality of food and service that we recieved from Paul and Rebecca for our wedding. We were originally drawn to them because of their committment to using local growers and having the dinner served 'family-style'. We received many positive comments about the food-which was incredible- and some guests wanted Paul's pasta as thier 'wedding favor'! Paul listens to your ideas and then tweaks them to the next level. It was a terrific experience dealing with them and I would use Dionysus again for any event. 6/25/11

We were so excited when we found Dionysus Kitchen. We LOVE food and wanted the food at our wedding to be unique and delicious. Paul was a pleasure to work with and helped us to design a menu that was seasonal, creative and included all of our favorites. He is a great chef and all of the food tasted incredible. Rebecca thinks of every possible detail and made us feel so comfortable throughout the entire planning process. They were both available if we had questions and I always knew they had everything covered. If you are looking for a high quality of food with an emphasis on seasonal and local foods - all at a great value and impeccable level of service - you have found it with dionysus kitchen. I would highly recommend them to anyone and everyone.

Received plenty of compliments on the food - by far the best catering we've ever had at a wedding! Paul & Rebecca are very informative, flexible, and creative. They're easy to work with and full of great ideas. They also offered a lot of necessary guidance to us during the planning stages. We felt completely confident having our wedding in their hands and they truly helped to make the day as beautiful and successful as it was!

Paul and Rebecca are wonderful people and made our day very memorable. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for wonderful food and great service.

One would think that when choosing a caterer the most important consideration would be the food. I found in planning my daughter’s wedding that there is a lot more to think about than that! From our very first conversation, Dionysus Kitchen was head and shoulders above any other caterer that I spoke with. Paul and Rebecca Dongarra are great at what they do. They handled so many of the details pertaining to food, set-up, rentals, etc. that it made my job as Mother-of-the Bride/Wedding Planner so much easier! Prior to my daughter’s wedding I was clueless about what I was getting myself into!Dionysus Kitchen really made us feel as if our event was important to them. While I’m sure they had many other clients, they always made time for us, responded to calls and emails promptly, and made sure that we were aware of all the details of our contract from soup to nuts – no pun intended! The coordinated details with our venue, The BMI, and provided what was needed by the DJ.Everything went seamlessly the day of the wedding. Their staff was efficient and courteous, everything was ready on time, and of course I must mention that the food was exactly as promised, well presented, and absolutely delicious!I highly recommend Dionysus Kitchen for your catering needs, and I hope I will have the pleasure of working with them in the future. Natalie Boecker

My husband and I were looking for an interesting and creative French/Mediterranean menu for our wedding at a family farm. We were referred by friends and family to three of the larger caterer’s in the area, Linwoods, Classic, and Chef’s Expressions. After a bit of research on wedding wire, I found Paul and Rebecca and after reading their profile we decided to add them to the short list. We answered a few questions for each of the caterers over the phone and they sent us sample menus in our price range. Linwoods and Dionysus were the only ones in the group that really seemed to listen to what we wanted, but Paul went above and beyond. His menu was a creative 5 course menu with everything from quail to cured meats instead of the standard salad, filet mignon and dessert. So we scheduled tastings with Dionysus, Linwoods and Chef’s Expressions. The paring down process began. Chef’s expression’s wine dinner made us physically ill, with half of it deep fried and badly paired, so that was an easy decision. Linwoods’s food was great, our contact was friendly, helpful and detail oriented, but we didn’t love that we were still choosing from a list of dishes whose ingredients weren’t necessarily seasonal or local. Then we arrived at Paul and Rebecca’s home in Ellicott City. The tasting was spectacular, each dish was delicious and creative, paired perfectly with wine, with ingredients from his own garden and local farms and the menu he came up with was perfect. My husband and I considered our options and we decided that the personal and detail-oriented approach of Dionysus was the right choice for us. We had a thorough walk-through of the farm with our wedding planner, florist and Paul and Rebecca about a month before the wedding and hashed out all of the details for the day of. Everything was pretty much a blur from that point on but it all went very smoothly. Paul and Rebecca definitely lived up to our expectations. Christian and I were greeted with glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres immediately following the ceremony. Our guests raved about the cheeses, cured meats, and hors d’oeuvres selection during the cocktail hours. The dinner was wonderful; well executed and timed, and our guests loved the four part antipasti plate, the gazpacho, and braised short ribs, rockfish, and quail entrees. We couldn’t have hoped for a better catering experience! Thank You Paul and Rebecca :)

Full disclosure: we actually knew Paul and Rebecca from our church before we hired them to cater our wedding. However, that's not why we hired them. We shopped around and found that:1. Dionysus' Kitchen has the most DELICIOUS food! Our tastings with other caterers couldn't compare! We've received many compliments on the food from our guests. My husband and I enjoy cooking and going out to nice restaurants, and having delicious food at the reception was very important to us. We were looking for something a little bit different, since so many times you go to a wedding and it's the same old meal of chicken or beef with green beans. We did tastings with a couple of other caterers who offered a set menu and were sorely disappointed by their offerings -- it seemed like everything was straight out of the freezer and into the oven. No such worries with Dionysus' Kitchen -- all of their food is fresh, in-season, and local whenever possible. The tasting occurred at the home of Paul and Rebecca and had more of the atmosphere of a dinner party with good friends. It was winter-time, and Paul had prepared a root vegetable soup and roast pork with sauteed greens, all of which were outstanding. Once we decided to book them, we went back in for a second consultation where we did more general planning work and put together a menu. None of this "choose 2 items from this list and 3 from that list..." for us -- our menu was customized by Paul to our personal tastes. Our menu consisted of a Mediterranean-themed appetizer station and passed hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour; a salad course (beet salad with almond-crusted goat cheese); a pasta course (in tomato sauce with eggplant and other veggies); and a main course (roast pork loin with apples and stuffed summer squash), all served family-style to the tables. At no extra charge, they had prepared individual meals for those of our guests with dietary restrictions, which was nice because they didn't have to feel like second-class citizens.2. Dionysus' Kitchen is a great value. They were cheaper than comparable caterers, probably because of #3. At the beginning of the planning process, we agreed that good food was the one area where we were willing to splurge and go a little overboard. In the end, we didn't need to. For the level of quality and service that we enjoyed, we got excellent value on our money. 3. We loved Dionysus' focus on using local, sustainable ingredients. While we did serve pork, the meal was not meat-heavy and emphasized in-season produce. We're also recycling fanatics and loved that Dionysus' Kitchen always includes a nominal fee ($50) to recycle, since many venues do not provide recycling.4. Paul and Rebecca are great to work with! In addition to being a talented and creative chef, Paul is just a fun and engaging guy to have around (Rebecca very capably handles the business side of things). The fact that they're a smaller operation than many others meant that we got plenty of personal attention from the ones actually in charge. Closer to the wedding date, we had a logistical walk-through at the reception site where Rebecca talked us through all of the day-of details, including timeline, room set-up, deliveries, etc. She was very helpful in identifying specific things that we needed to do in preparation. On the day of, everything went off almost exactly according to plan. Paul took the microphone, welcomed the guests, and announced the menu, which saved us the expense of printing menu cards. They also provided bartenders (we provided our own alcohol). The food and service were excellent, and we got lots of positive feedback from guests to that same effect. The only thing that went remotely wrong was we were behind schedule, but that's not at all unusual for a wedding and wasn't entirely the caterers' fault since we started late anyway.I enthusiastically recommend them for anyone looking for good, fresh food with a personal touch!

On a brilliant late November afternoon amidst trees, a lake and the sounds of nature I asked Abby to marry me. I knew I found the woman for me, but how to plan a wedding was a whole different matter. As we approached early December we both knew that we wanted to have a wedding that reflected our vision of such an amazing and momentous life decision. This meant that any semblance of a cookie cutter ceremony and reception was out of the question. Abby and I envisioned our wedding encapsulating many of our shared values and ideals: community, authenticity, sincerity and joy. We also understood that any company involved in our wedding had to be local and independent. This would be a tall order for any company in a world that has largely chosen profit over meaningful and sincere human interaction. After a few weeks of considering various caterers, Abby found the web-site for Dionysus Kitchen. Their web-site is not only easy to navigate, but offers a plethora of choices that could titillate any palate. In our initial correspondence with Paul (co-owner of Dionysus Kitchen, magnificent Chef and all around amazing fellow), we asked him if he could create a vegan menu for our wedding. Paul not only heartedly embraced the challenge, but was genuinely excited about the possibilities of a full-course vegan dinner. Paul's enthusiasm not only told me that me loved the art of cooking, but that he had chosen his profession wisely. This was the first of many conversations where Paul's sincerity and dedication tempered the rising stress of planning a wedding. All along Abby and I worried we might find ourselves working with a cold and detached corporate caterer. Paul and Rebecca Dongerra of Dionysus Kitchen are entirely removed from this portrait. We could not have been happier to find them. One concept that drew us closer to Dionysus Kitchen is their dedication to green philosophy. Dionysus is not simply another company hoping to attach themselves to a new idea. Both Paul and Rebecca's body of work shows their belief in all things green and local. While discussing our menu, Paul emphasized what would be locally available in June. Not only were we going to have the freshest vegetables available, we were also supporting local farmers. Huzzah! As winter set in, Paul invited us to a tasting. That evening, Abby and I met another couple that was also planning a summer wedding. Beyond the amazing food, I was most impressed by Paul's ability to make both a vegan and meat-based entree. While Abby and I raved over the vegan entree, the other couple had similar reviews for their meat-based entree. This clearly shows Paul's versatility as a chef. Throughout the evening, Paul talked about how he prepared the evening's selections and how many of the meal's ingredients were supplied by local farmers. Again, this showed Paul's dedication to all things local, green and independent. Abby and I could not have had a more enjoyable evening. As the wedding got ever closer...Abby and I stayed in contact with Paul and Rebecca. Prior to choosing Dionysus, Abby and I were worried about the logistics of putting together a wedding. As our wedding coordinator, Rebecca put all of our concerns to rest. Rebecca not only ordered the linens, plates, tables and chairs, but was more than happy to coordinate information with our other vendors. Our walk through with Rebecca at the church was extremely helpful. In short, Paul and Rebecca's pre-wedding assistance allayed our stress and made planning a wedding a joyous and manageable experience. At long last, our wedding day arrived! I arrived at the church an hour prior to the ceremony. I was blown away by Rebecca's arrangement and use of the space. Abby and I wanted our wedding to reflect our belief in community. Rebecca arranged the chairs so that two long rows on each side enveloped us as we walked down the aisle. It was not only beautiful, but allowed us to feel surrounded by our loved ones. Beyond this, Rebecca handled all the other details of making the space gorgeous. I could not have been more pleased. After the ceremony, our guests were invited into another room for a cocktail hour. As with the ceremony, Rebecca's flair for detail and excellence continued to reveal itself. During the cocktail hour, Rebecca's catering staff set up the tables and prepared the space for the dinner that followed. The table arrangements could not have been more spectacular. Prior to dinner, Paul came out from the kitchen to tell our guests a little about the food for the evening. Abby and I requested this, and could not have been happier with Paul's excellent description of the evening's fare. As for the food... our guests were about to set their eyes upon a feast! For the salad course, Paul prepared a local lettuce with asparagus, strawberries and balsamic vinagrette with sliced baguette and olive oil. The soup course included a carrot and parsnip soup with coconut milk, lemongrass and ginger. The entree offered our guests two options: patty pan squash stuffed with mushroom-pecan cornbread stuffing with a strawberry rhubarb drizzle / pasta with mixed spring early summer vegetables diced and sauteed with garlic and carmelized onions with olive oil, fresh local herbs and toasted homemade bread crumbs. Our friends and family members not only loved the food, but were impressed by the polite and professional service. Throughout the night, dozens of folks passed on to me their kind words about Paul, Rebecca and the catering staff. If I had the opportunity to marry Abby a hundred more times...I would choose Dionysus Kitchen a hundred more times. There is no doubt that Abby and I chose wisely. Dionysus Kitchen did a magnificent job and elevated a glorious moment in our lives to one that was purely sublime. It is my personal pleasure to have met and worked with Paul and Rebecca. They are not only good people, but folks who are dedicated to planning and carrying out spectacular weddings. Placing one's wedding in their hands is not a roll of the dice, but a sure fire way to guarantee the evening of your life.

My husband and I chose Dionysus Kitchen after trying 2 other caterers. The most important part of the day for us was the food, and after the tasting with them it was a no brainer. Immediately upon meeting Paul (the chef) you know that cooking is his passion, and that he puts his heart and soul into it. His wife Rebecca (she takes care of the logistiscs) is great to work with for getting all of the details of the day worked out. She's very easy-going and makes great suggestions to help with your decision-making. Planning a wedding is stressful, but we honestly did not worry one bit about the food...we just knew after working with them all the months leading up to our wedding that everything would be great. We heard nothing but great comments regarding the food and service. We both enjoyed everything immensely and we were so happy with the quality of the food. Their service staff was SUPERB; they were all very accommodating and very kind. They looked after my husband and I to make sure we were eating as we were trying to work the room all night. We had many foodies among our guests and they were very impressed. Paul and Rebecca truly care about what they do, and they care about giving you the very best for your event. I don't think many other caterers or other vendors have their hearts in it like they do, and that makes a big difference.

We received nothing but rave reviews from our guests for Dionysus' Kitchen during and after our wedding. We add our own rave reviews for the entire vendor selection and planning process and, of course, for the event itself. We also appreciate their use of local produce, their eco-consciousness, and the fact that they donate left-over food to shelters in Baltimore.Of all the caterers with whom we spoke, Dionysus' Kitchen was by far the most professional and responsive catering firm. The first time we spoke with Paul, we could tell the amount of thought and planning which had gone into simply developing a proposal. In contrast, although I mentioned to other caterers that we are both Indian and would like to serve Indian as well as other food, other caterers simply sent us their standard menu selections. Paul was very up front about the expectations on both sides of the contract, as were we, so we did not experience the kinds of problems mentioned by one of the other reviewers.Once we had completed menu planning, we started coordinating logistics with Rebecca, who was a dream to work with. We met at the venue and Rebecca was totally prepared with floor plans, timelines, rentals information, and super ideas. She also coordinated with all of our vendors (venue, florist/decor, favors, cakes/desserts, DJ, rentals, etc). Rebecca kept us on track and provided lots of moral support as well. We walked in on the day of the ceremony and reception with absolutely no worries, and with good cause... everything went off without a hitch. The food was outstanding, the organization was outstanding and the service was outstanding.With great happiness and without reservation, we highly recommend Dionysus' Kitchen!

Dionysus Kitchens were a pleasure to work with from planning our local food, green wedding to incredible service and wonderful food at the event. Our tent became a challenge when a thunder storm blew through. Staff politely, gently and competently "floated" tables into positions that wouldn't get wet, handled changes in plans with a weather-delay, and cheerfully provided lovely service. Now separately, I must say that the reception was full of our "foodie" friends and they felt that the food was absolutely delicious. It was unique, fresh, local and had such a delightful flare everyone wanted recipes. Another favorite thing was a little touch added by Dionysus Kitchens to our table decorations. The way they placed the napkins made all the decorations "POP" - clearly a good idea they added. Hire them!

We were extremely pleased with the quality of food and service from Dionysus Kitchen. The menu was exactly what I had imagined, and the day went off with out a hitch despite challenging weather. My husband and I live in New York and work long hours, but Rebecca (who does the coordinating end of things) was happy to work around our hectic schedules. If your looking for yummy local ingredients, and a more personal experience, Dionysus Kitchen is the way to go!

I really don't know where to begin. Paul made my daughter's wedding wonderful in so many ways! First, of course, the food was delicious and very special. We met with other caterers who seemed capable of putting on a perfectly fine meal, but Paul's was truly memorable and in the final analysis a much better value than the "corporate caterers" we met. Many of our family members and guests have raved about the food at the reception ever since - in fact, Paul drew applause from a table occupied by some of our "foodie" friends! Next, the service was impeccable - very unobtrusive, but everything went so smoothly. All of the waitstaff and bartenders were extremely professional and very cordial. Paul was very responsive and helpful to me, and I needed a lot of help because I was planning the whole wedding from Minnesota. I made two planning trips to Baltimore and Paul made sure that we got everything accomplished during those trips. Finally, Paul made great recommendations to us for a DJ, a florist and a bakery for the wedding cake. Each one was great, as one would expect of vendors who rose to Paul's high standards. I would recommend Paul wholeheartedly to anyone!

Small company, wonderful to work with. They use local, organic ingredients (if you want) and make delicious, unique food! Paul & Rebecca, the owners, were great. Very attentive, responsive,and flexible. Highly recommended.

Dionysus's Kitchen is where it's at! From the beginning planning stages until the end of my reception Paul and his staff gave their all to make a memorable evening for me and my partner. The outstanding food and his broad knowledge of different cuisines is the icing on the cake!

Chef Paul Dongarra and his exceptional staff prepared an authentic, 5 course, family style Italian dinner for our wedding reception of approximately 250 guests. The detail and planning which went into every course and wine selection by Chef Paul was world class. As foodies, my wife and I were not willing to settle for a mediocre, wedding dinner. All of our guests raved that it was the best wedding meal they had every had and were requesting recipes! They staff was very discreet and our guests were overwhelmed with service. I would not think of recommending any other Baltimore area caterer.

Paul at Dionysus is by far the most amazing caterer in the Baltimore area. His level of expertise, his commitment to a good product and his creativity lend for a spectacular catered event. I chose him to cater our wedding with lots of picky Italian relatives, and he delivered some of the best food they had ever tasted. EVERYONE said... "best wedding food EVER".... My husband and I are foodies, so a regular caterer would not do. I sincerely support every word of this testimony!A+++++

Without reservation or hesitation, I enthusiastically recommend Dionysus Kitchen. You will be blown away by the quality and attention to detail. I've had the pleasure of experiencing one of Paul's events. Paul develops memorable creations in the kitchen, but as important, he takes the time to develop a personal rapport with his clients. He's gregarious and engaging which helps take an event to the next level. Often times large scale events can be challenging, but Paul's work ethic and jovial attitude rise to the occasion to put the customer at ease. It's quite clear that he isn't satisfied until the customer is satisfied. Paul and Rebecca are very warm and accommodating. Everyone I've spoken with has nothing but praise for the work they do. Dionysus Kitchen is one of the top catering services in the Baltimore/Washington area. No question about it.