Bennie Ferrell Catering Anniversary

Bennie Ferrell Catering has often been referred to as The Cater to America’s First Families.

“Our parents started the company in 1959,” stated Sharp, who handles the business side of the organization. “It was our mother, Norma Lee Parhms Ferrell, who talked our father Bennie into quitting his full time job and starting his own catering company. You see, Norma’s father, Dempsey Parhms, was the private chef for Mr. and Mrs. Wesley West for more than thirty years, and often cook for their best friends, President and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson. “As the story goes, our father was a bartender for a small caterer whose clientele included an elite social group in River Oaks. One day the caterer vanished, leaving a party with 1,000 guests and no chef. To avoid a disaster, Bennie took over the preparations, with Norma doing the cooking, and the party was such a success that Bennie Ferrell Catering was born.”

“And, we still follow Mommy and Daddy’s recipe for success,” added Sample, the company’s executive chef, “we serve only the best quality food with the finest service.” Many of their cooks have been with them for twenty-plus years and their service staff sometime exceeds three hundred during the holidays.

Bennie Ferrell Caterers’ clients have included President and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush, President and Mrs. George W. Bush, King Hussein of Jordan, Secretary of State James Baker, Dr. and Mrs. Denton Cooley and Mr. and Mrs. George Mitchell, as well as the 1990 Economic Summit, the 1992 Republican Convention, the 2004 Super Bowl, the 2006 NBA All Stars, and many local and international businesses, dignitaries, congressmen and governors.

In 1988, Sample created a Chocolate Truffle, coated with edible 24-karat gold, to cap a six-course lunch for then Presidents-elect George H. W. Bush and Carlos Salinas de Gortari of Mexico, held at NASA. The 1 ¼ ounce, 225-calorie orb made headlines around the world when Bush gave his to Mr. James Baker, future Secretary of State. Sample said at the time, “He’s a health nut.” As reported in USA Today, “the dessert set staffers and the 24 lunch guest abuzz – not to mention the metal detectors.” “The gold ….. kept setting off the alarm,” said Cynthia Ferrell Sample. Today, the Golden Chocolate Truffle is the single most requested item from their menu, and retails for $20 each.

Over the years, Sample and Sharp have seen a lot of changes in the way Houstonians entertain. “In the 50s, everybody entertained in their homes, even corporations. Those who entertained, also had all their own china, flatware and stemware,” said Sharpe. “Remember, this was way before hotels had ballrooms. The Shamrock Hilton was one of the first hotels in Houston to have a ballroom, and the ability to cater large functions. Oh, and boy did they drink. They loved their Gin Martinis.”

“During the 60s, it was still about entertaining in the home, with massive meals laid out like Sunday Supper at Grandma’s,” added Sample. “Whiskey Sours were the hot drink at that time.” “The 70’s brought a change in the way people entertained,” stated Sharp. “Rental companies sprouted up because insurance companies stopped paying for broken china and stemware, so people started locking up their six and seven sets of china and their sterling service for a hundred. That was also the decade of office buildings. I can’t tell you how many parties we catered in lobbies still under construction. Any liquor on the rocks was the drink of choice.” “The excessive 80s brought fajitas and Margaritas, and everything had to be over the top!” said Sample. “Until the oil bust.” “Homebuilders we the big party throwers in the 90s,” stated Sample. “Sumptuous and lavish were the buzz words for both food and drink. That was when everybody started drinking wine and imported beers.” “And today, it is simple, not complicated, clean and green,” stated Sharpe. “Every party has to have Sushi, brand name liquors, and hosts want to impress and wow their guests.” “And while the presentation styles and recipes may change, like today, people want healthier foods, less fat and all that, and yet they still want food to taste good and be presented in a beautiful way,” stated Sample. “Food presentation has followed the trends in interior design,” added Sharpe. “I remember in the 80s when Gold Lame’ was hot, and we used it in our table decorations. Today, people want earth tone colors, olive green not Kelly green, and natural, ‘green’ elements – cooper, granite, the same things they are using to decorate their homes. And they want their food to be vertical, stacked and cascading, and square plates, not round one, just like in restaurants. And wheat grass is very hot now too.” “As is lighting,” stated Sample, “we use spots or lamps to create the mood. Presentation can make all the difference when it comes to setting the mood. As we all know, we feast with the eyes first.” Over the years, Bennie Ferrell Catering has won numerous awards, including awards from The Houston Urban League’s Gerald Hines Outstanding Business Award, Texas Restaurant Association’s Restaurateur of the Year Award, and Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Outstanding Business Woman Award. The Houston Business Journal has also listed them as one of the top Caterers in Houston for the past twenty years. For more information please call 713-460-0480, or visit BennieFerrell.com.

See Bennie Ferrell at the Bridal Extravaganza Show. www.BridalExtravaganzaShow.com