News

By popular demand Gabe’s Downtown will now be open for dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday nights starting July 31st. Go tell your friends, bring in your clients, and enjoy our delicious food 5 nights a week. We can’t wait to see you.

Employee appreciations, company picnics, family reunions; does any of this sound familiar to you?

Gabe’s Downtown would love to take away the stress of cooking by catering these or any other events for you. Not only that but for the first 10 customers Chef Gabe will hand pick an hors d’oeuvre to perfectly accompany the menu you select for free.

Don’t wait to long though this offer expires 6/30/2012 and is only available for new events.

Minimum purchase is required.

Looking for helpful cooking tips? Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @gabesdowntown.

Due to the recent invasion of privacy to our site we have been unable to get our new/current menus posted to the site. We do apologize for the inconvenience this may be causing for you. Please know we are working as fast as we can to get this problem fixed.

To any one who has recently searched for our site and found a malware site we are deeply sorry. We have resolved this problem. Please know we are taking every precaution to insure this doesn’t happen again. Once again we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused for any of you.

In today’s world new ideas are getting harder and harder to come by. It seems someone has done it before and you know what that is ok. As a matter of fact it’s great! When you are on a tight budget this is an area you can really save on. One new idea I’m loving is the do it yourself center pieces. If you need to cut spending there is no need to spend a fortune on elaborate floral arrangements when there are so many easy things you can do yourself.

The best way to find something that fits your style or wedding theme is to google the theme topic like for instance nature centerpieces. Then click on images to the left. This will pop up so many different ideas of things you can do. Some may end up to costly or time consuming, while others may end up being super cute and way cheaper.

Take for instance a simple rock candle arrangement. You take a couple clear votives of different heights and sizes then place enough rocks to cover the bottom of the votive. Maybe more if it’s larger. Then take a small candle matching the colors of your wedding or event and place it in the middle. Take your secondary or accent color and tie ribbon around the votive. Place them in the center of the table and there you go; cheap and simple yet elegant at the same time. You can even add a little height by placing something under one of the votives under your table cloth or overlay.

So if you have the time this is a good way to save a little cash. For those of you still searching for the perfect something be it venue, caterer, or photographer come to the Vinewood Bridal Show this Sunday from 2-5. We’ll be there and if you mention this blog there we will give you an additional $100 off your event.

So I don’t know about you all, but sometimes I get in a creative funk. Maybe going to a bridal show or browsing through Michael’s just is not in the time line. Juggling life can make planning a wedding or big event even harder. Maybe you have seen a cool thing, but how do you do it?

Well in case you haven’t heard there is a fun new site called Pinterest. Oh my my. It is full of so many ideas. The cool thing is it is all about doing it yourself things. So you can look and find relatively inexpensive ways to do something beautiful. You can do this in the 10 minutes of down time between meetings and see tons of ideas.

The best part is these events are happening right now. People pin items from their weddings or events the day before or last week. So they are current. You are getting fresh ideas to play with and information on how to do them cost effectively.

Yes there are many wedding planning sites out there, but this is not just for weddings. It has things for every area of interest. You can use that cool idea for a spice rack and translate it into a fabulous way to display pictures.

Let me warn you though it can be addicting, so use with care.

Until next time,

Happy Planning

Your event or wedding is something you put a lot of time and energy into. For some the last thing they want is the same thing everyone else is doing. As a mom of 2 small boys I’m always getting creative with the food I serve them. The cool thing is these fun kid foods are great for adding special touches your event.

If you are having a spring event and looking to have a cute finger food. Why not try sail boat deviled eggs or flower shaped sandwiches? Dinosaur sandwiches are the big hit in my house. What little boy doesn’t like biting off a dinosaur head?

Summer is always so hot. So you can take the crisp cool cucumber and stuff it with all kinds of different and fun things. There is also the very cute green apple frog.

Food and fall are best friends. There are so many cute and fun things to do. Try mini caramel apples with a twig as the stick or apple pie pops.  What is better than one bite of that delicious pie when you are already so full from Gabe’s catering?

After getting through the fun of the holidays finding cute fun ways to prepare winter foods can be challenging. That is until you have fried macaroni and cheese? Fun and creative by itself you can go even further by making them into cool shapes like snowflakes or hearts.

Eye catching displays are fun, but you may not be able to afford that. Most caterers are willing to get creative with you. Make sure to relay all your wants and desires to them so they can make your event just like the picture in your head.

Don’t forget to check out bridal shows to get some ideas even if you are not planning a wedding. These are great to taste, touch, and take ideas to your own event.

You can check us out at the 755 Club in Atlanta this Sunday March 18. Hope to see you there.

Michelle Pethel
Catering Coordinator

Well 2 months have officially passed since the end of the eating season or holidays as some call them. You have all had a little time to get that extra weight off to go try on dresses. Before you set out though you want to, of course, do a little research.

First figure out what your body type is. Are you a full figure kind of girl or more petite? Some dresses look great for one shape and bad for another. Take a few minutes to see what flatters your body type. This will help you focus on certain kinds of dresses and not waste your time with those that won’t work.

Next decide on the color of your dress. Do you want a traditional white? Does white look awful on you? There is no rule that you have to wear white. If blue just looks sooo good on you maybe you should have a blue dress or look for a dress with some sort of accent color.

There are some stellar designers out there right now. One of my favorites is Alfred Angelo. Although your favorite may be a little too pricy for your budget you can print a picture of the dresses and take them to a local shop. You’d be surprised what you will find comparable to your picture or designer.

Remember you are not only looking for your dress, but your bridesmaids as well. As you browse for yours keep the figures of them in mind as well. I had several brides’ maids and all of them were so different. One was pregnant, one with a full bust, and another none. Tall and short, thin and full. I had it all. So I went with something simple yet elegant that ended up working well.

With the Oscars just passing the, good, bad, and so so will hit the spotlight over the next week or so. Take a few minutes to look at them and see if anything looks appealing. Don’t think about the color of the dress that can always be changed.

Enjoy the time with your mom, maid of honor, or brides’ maids trying them on. It’s not every day you get to play princess.

Picking your colors can be so hard. So much to consider, but this is very important to set the theme of your event. Figure out which colors you and your fiancé don’t like and eliminate them first. Colors tend to set the mood for an event. So you don’t want to bring colors into your day that make either of you cringe or worse yet sad.

Once you get an idea of what you like there are very useful tools online to help you pair accent colors. Pantone is a common color cart used by many professionals across the nation. When I was doing some research on the new colors for 2012 I stumbled across this page I thought may be helpful to any of you still working out which color combos you are wanting. Follow the pantone link to see what is trending right now.

Matching Colors 101

Just because a color is popular doesn’t mean that color is you. For instance, Tangerine Tango, this deep orange color is very trendy right now, but guess what? It may be an awful color for your maid of honor. So imagine putting her in a dress that color. You don’t want anything drawing the attention away from you on your big day.

When you think you have your colors down Google them and look at pictures of them together, preferably wedding pictures. This will help you get a good visual of what they will look like the day of your wedding. Also it will help you get more ideas for décor and how to use the colors in fun creative ways.

We will be at the Atlanta Chefs Expo this Sunday February 19^th. Hope to see some of you there.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Caterer

As a caterer I know the importance of making sure you have a good one. Your caterer can make or break your wedding. There are many different kinds of caterers. Some just provide the food others will take care of all the decorations as well. It is important you ask the right questions to see what they will be providing so you don’t get surprised the day of your wedding. So here is my list of things you need to know before you book.

1. Are they available on your wedding day? What kind of deposit is required to hold the date?
2. Do they offer tastings? The food may look good, but taste awful.
3. Do they make custom menus to fit your wedding/style? If so what recommendations do they make.
4. What kind of food do they use? (Fresh/Frozen) The quality of food they use will impact the quality of the meal they provide.
5. Where will the food be prepared? If onsite is there proper kitchen equipment and if not do you have to pay any extra for the needed equipment?
6. What does the pricing include? Rentals? Service Fee? Tax? Ask for an itemized list just to be sure what you think is what you are getting.
7. How is food displayed? How much input do you have in the décor? Is buffet décor included in the pricing even if it is a special theme?
8. Do they cut the cake? Is there a fee?
9. How involved is the caterer the day of the event? Is the person you are working with pre-wedding the same one there day of? This is very important. The person responsible for the order and flow of your wedding needs to be established before your wedding.
10. How many wedding do they do in a day? You want to make sure you are getting the kind of attention you need to make your wedding day magical.
11. Do they set the tables?
12. Do they provide staff? Most caterers use their own staff because they are comfortable with them. How much do they cost? How many are needed? What do they wear? You may be going for a casual feel and not want the standard black tie attire.
13. Do they have all license and insurance? Accidents happen and you want to make sure they are covered just in case.
14. Do they provide alcohol?
15. How much time do they need for set up/take down?
16. What are the clean up duties? Each place I go the responsibilities are different. Make sure you don’t end up with a charge from the venue because your caterer didn’t empty the trash.
17. What do they do with the leftovers?
18. When do they need a final guest count? What happens if your number changes after the final count?
19. When is the final payment needed? Do they offer any discounts?

Transmission

after Joy Division

Dance, dance, dance to the radio…

An earworm is what it’s called, I’m told.

The severed fingers of straightforward lyrics

and a 4/4 signature that sluice the skull,

that air out the iron taste of school schedules.

If cut it in half, would they writhe

out their own messages, something  more

like: Dance, dance, d—

with a pause for an oboe solo

from Kenny G in an old elevator

photo when he shoulders past two Mafioso

soldiers, mistakes both

for double-breasted boulders

or giant bowling balls

well-dressed as out-of-town-gophers,

but Kenny blows like a smooth jazz

flamethrower, melts retirees’

glaucoma, virtuosos notes

that beg dog attacks owner

or crams deep in the chest

like a mellowed out muzzleloader.

Easy-listening cobra fangs drip

with morning commuter pneumonia,

a tapioca supernova that drowns

Miatas and, moreover—ance to the radio…

The golden rule of the ocean… “The Captain goes down.” George Clooney, “The Perfect Storm”. “Titanic”, Captain Edward John. They all went down with the ship! Why not Captain Francesco Shettino? I think relationships with the womenly…FIGURES!!!

  Booking Your Venue

Now that you have your wedding date set, budget in line, and priorities in order you’re ready to start looking at the perfect place. Before you hope in your car and venue shop there are a few things you need know and questions you’ll want to ask.

Decide how many guests you’re anticipating and the size of your bridal party. This is very important to do before you pick a venue. Most venues have a maximum capacity available upon request. When you go look at the ceremony site make sure your bridal party can fit in the allotted space. If your ceremony and reception are at the same place ask if they have enough chairs or if they will need to be rented.

Is food at the top of your priorities list an you have the perfect caterer in mind (Gabe’s)? Make sure the venue allows outside vendors. Not only for catering, but for anything you may want. Maybe you have a BFF who is a flouriest as well. Some venues will charge a small fee for use of outside vendors. Make sure you know what that is.

What is the back up plan for bad weather? If it’s outside, do they provide heaters/air conditioners? We all hope for a perfect sunny day, but planning for the unexpected is always best.

Does the venue fit your style? Will they all allow open flame candles? Decide what theme you are going for and make sure the venue allows room for your creativity.

What are the time restrictions? Most vendors are on a tight schedule and you want to make sure you know when the venue will be ready. Also you need to know when you, your guests, and vendors need to be out to avoid any extra charges.

Are there any additional fees? All possible fees should be in your contract so read it carefully so there are no surprises later. Things like additional guest fee, corkage fees, service charges, etc. Make sure you know what is included, what cost extra, and what you are responsible for. Check to make sure the venue has all its license and insurance. Especially is you plan on serving alcohol.

Do they have a wedding planner? Who sets up the wedding décor? This can be a big part of pulling everything together for your wedding. So if they don’t provide this service make sure you find someone organized you can trust to handle this or just hire a professional.

If you love the venue, but it is a little out of your price range consider changing the time of day. Doing a lunch or breakfast wedding can save a ton. Don’t hesitate to ask for discounts. Most venues offer cheaper rates during certain times of the year or week.

The last piece of advice I have for you is to make sure you call ahead. Most venues are not open all the time and do not like drop ins. They may be working with someone else or the venue may undergoing construction of some kind. So pick a day you and your fiancée or maid of honor can go out and call your favorite places to schedule a walk through.

Considering all the information about venues I’ll leave it here for now and talk about booking your caterer for my next blog.

Happy Hunting

Blog 1/16/12

Recently I was interested in a detox diet or body cleanse.  I actually learned a lot in the research process.  In my younger days, my friends and I would try “liquid diets” before a big event like a wedding or a beach trip.  We have tried the cayenne pepper and lemon juice diet Beyonce swears by.  And I am sure some of you remember the “Hollywood Liquid Diet.”  What I found (and already knew) was that I lost water weight with those quick diets.  What I did not consider was the fact that I was losing muscle if I stayed on one of those diets more than the recommended 24 hours.  Without adequate protein your body will take it from your muscle.  Your muscle actually helps you burn calories even when you are not moving.  So the more muscle you have the more calories you burn.  And if you dramatically slash your calories, you are actually slowing down your metabolism.  Then when you go back to eating normal, you gain weight faster with fewer calories.  On a more serious note, you can be damaging your body in the process.  Slashing calories over several days stops your body from producing a crucial growth hormone called lGF1, and reduces thyroid and other hormones as well as insulin levels.  Over time, all this can lead to problems such as bone loss and menstrual disruption.  So I found a detox diet that had enough calories to sustain my height and weight, and included fiber and lean protein.  Looking at it I was a little intimidated.  I thought, “am I really going to feel full?”  “Will I really have enough energy for my kids?”  “Can I really get through a day without drinking coffee?!”  I was very surprised that I always felt full.  And I was even more surprised when I made it through the day without coffee.  And without a headache!  The tough part was mentally telling myself I could not eat something.  My kids and husband ate pizza the first night of my cleanse.  And wow, that was hard!  Smelling that yummy pizza while I made my salad with veggies, shrimp, and olive oil with lemon juice was tough.  But I will say, I felt so much better after dinner then my husband. He was tired, bloated, and sluggish.  While I felt light and full with a good energy level.  Today was my first day back to normal eating.  I did indulge with my coffee and hazelnut creamer.  One, I was up half the night with a sick baby.  And two, that is my “treat” I look forward to in the morning before I start my busy day.  The cleanse made me realize areas I may not be eating as healthy as I thought.  I am not someone who cares about the number on the scale.  I am more concerned with how I feel.  So I do not know if I lost a few pounds.  But I do know that I feel lighter and less bloated.  My body feels more in balance.  So overall, I feel it was a positive experience.  And something that I will revisit from time to time.

Greetings, Restaurant Goers!

Blake here.  You may think that, with Christmas come and gone, the gift-giving season has come to a close.  Think again!
Another important holiday is around the corner!  That’s right, friends, my birthday is fast approaching.
I thought I might pass along some helpful hints about what gifts any foodie (Chef Gabe’s birthday is coming soon, too!) might enjoy.

An espresso machine!  Generally speaking, there are two classes: manual and auto.  The automatic and semiautomatic espresso machines can do as much as
grind, dose, and tamp your bean, then apply the precise quantity of water needed at precisely the right temperature with pressure lacking nothing in precision,
then eject the spent puck of ground coffee… all this at the touch of a button.  Efficient and boring. Personally, I’d much prefer the manual.
Spring piston lever machines and direct lever machines give you a completely hands on approach that put all of the fun romance back into making espresso.
You’ll ruin a lot of coffee, but when you figure out what you’re doing, those newfangled whatsits won’t hold a candle to your cuppa. Plus, they look really neat.

A smoker!  You’ll find endless variations here.  I’ve even seen a smoker built out of cardboard and dryer vent hose (it was pretty sweet).
Most smokers nowadays are propane or charcoal fired.  Electric smokers are starting to gain traction, too.  Nothing wrong with that.
What’s really important, I think, is the choice of wood.  Hardwood is the way to go.  Mesquite’s a big one, along with hickory, oak, beech,
alder, and maple. Some folks even use pecan, or wood from fruit trees like apple and cherry.  Another must-have is an offset firebox.
Temperature control is a big deal because, as delightful as barbecue and smoke ham are, I don’t just want barbecue and smoked ham.
No, no… smoked salmon is one of my all-time favorites. Then there’s smoked cheeses, jerky, smoked fruits and vegetables.
If I had a smoker of my very own, I’d throw all kinds of crazy stuff in there just to see what comes out.

A wine chiller!  Specifically, the single-bottle, programmable type of wine chiller.  Most of these are vaguely football shaped. Alright, I don’t actually
need one of these. My lovely fiancé, Deborah, got me one for Christmas.  It’s awesome.  Mine actually chills two bottles at once.
What’s so cool about these doodads is that they have a huge wine library. Drop your bottle in, pick the type of wine from the preprogrammed list, and sit back.
The wine chiller will cool your bottle to the exact temperature at which it’s best enjoyed, usually in about 15 minutes.I use this thing all the time
and it is my favorite Christmas gift, hands down.  If you’re a wino, I couldn’t recommend these things more.  My wine consumption has easily doubled in the
last few weeks. I still consider myself a novice when it comes to tasting wine and spirits, but I’m doing what I can to learn. And, oh, do I have a thirst for knowledge.

For brevity’s sake, I didn’t go into a lot of detail here about the different types of espresso machines, smokers, and wine chillers.
I also didn’t want to hawk any particular brand names; each has their strengths and weaknesses.  Besides, I wouldn’t see a dime for my endorsement,
and that’s not how capitalism works. Bottom line, I’m sure whatever you guys get me for my birthday will be great.

Excelsior!

With the biggest engagement season of the year just passing, what do all you new bride-to-bes do next? Planning a wedding can be stressful and a little overwhelming so it is always good to have a place to start. First of all enjoy being engaged. Don’t get so caught up in the planning aspect that you forget to have fun. Then, once you have told your families and set a date, you can begin the planning.

Before you go looking for caterers or venues you need to establish a budget. Otherwise you could end up spending way more than you wanted. Figure out what is most important to you personally. Is it the food? atmosphere? entertainment?

Find a good wedding planning site like theknot.com. Sites like these offer helpful tips and ideas as well as an array of vendors in your area. They also help you keep track of what you have already done. There are a lot of small details that can get overlooked in the planning process, so I encourage you to have a wedding planner; especially if you are having a bigger wedding. They will not only make sure all the details get planned, but they will also take the stress off of you on your big day.

So once you have established your budget and organized your priorities, it is time to find the perfect place. If food is one of the top things on your list I’d suggest booking your caterer first. The venue and caterer both take up the larger part of your budget, so be cautious of this. If you spend half your budget on your venue, that will effect the quality of food you’ll be able to get. Likewise if you spend half your budget on food, it will limit your venue options.

January and February are big bridal show months. I suggest you try out a few of these. You get tons of swag and most of the shows give out door prizes by each vendor. This gives you a chance to see and touch things by many vendors all in one day.

Before I go here is a link to help you budget your wedding.

Well I hope this helps all of you newly engaged to get started. I’ll be back in two weeks with tips for booking your caterer and venue.

Until then, happy planning

1/2/12

Ahhh….the new year’s resolution.  Do we set these hoping for new beginnings and positive changes?  Or do we set ourselves up for disappointment after a few stressful weeks?  I know, personally, I have not kept a resolution for an entire year.  So I was curious as to why.  I decided to read through last years journal to review my resolutions and goals I had set for myself.  I realized that I was trying to change too many things in my life at one time.  I just set myself up to fail.  I wanted to set a resolution that would bring balance in all areas of my life.  That balance of challenging myself to achieve a realistic goal which in turn creates positive changes.  So as I walk into the new year of 2012, I can sum up my resolution with one word…..discipline.  The definition of discipline is training that corrects, molds, or perfects.  For myself with this as my resolution I believe discipline to be training that corrects, molds, or perfects balance in my life.  Discipline in my spiritual life to spend time growing in the ONE, true, living God.  Knowing at some point in the day I will sit down and spend some focused time on our relationship.  Whether that be 10 minutes or two hours.  Discipline in my physical life to incorporate a healthy balance of exercise and eating habits to gain better health.  Knowing that it is okay to rest when my body tells me to or eat a cookie without feeling defeat.  Discipline in my personal life to focus and increase the positive while learning to diminish the negative.  Knowing that some days will be harder than others and venting to your best friend is a good release to continue on your positive path.  Discipline in my business life to have faith to grow in new areas.  Knowing that making mistakes and taking risks are part of the journey.  It is all how you humble yourself in the process.  I know that this is something I need to remind myself of every morning when I start the day.  I also know that I am the only one who knows if I am disciplining (challenging) myself in these areas of my life.  That it is not the outside world that judges and sets my performance.  This discipline is to help me find more acceptance of who God made me to be on this earth.  So I feel encouraged as I start my path of discipline in 2012.  Something that I can realistically achieve everyday.  I wish everyone a blessed and fulfilling 2012.

How does Gabe make chicken taste so good?

Now’s your chance to find out how to prepare a delicious meal from
executive chef and owner Gabe Toups himself.

Each ticket will include a full meal and wine with instructions throughout the preparation.

We will be selling tickets at $45 each for a class on January 11 starting at 6:30.
There is a limited number of slots available so get yours before they sell out.