Carlton's Journal

Cooking with Chef Carlton

Carlton And Chef GarvinRecently I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the highly acclaimed… Chef G. Garvin. Acclaimed chef, cookbook author and TV host Gerry Garvin (aka G. Garvin) is most widely known for his television series, Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin, which ran for seven seasons on TV One. Garvin also appeared in a Cooking Channel special, Georgia Roadtrip with G. Garvin. He is America’s most down-to-earth chef, and his claim to fame is showing everyday cooks how to keep it simple with a Southern twist. Read more…

We just catered the freakin Super Bowl LIII Ya’ll

Superbowl LIIIIt was about 2 years ago when I first heard, that as a diverse certified company, there was possibly an opportunity of being selected as a catering vendor for the Super Bowl in Atlanta for 2019. The team that coordinated this effort of vendors (Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee) were seeking diverse companies to work with. Read more…

It’s a Slam Dunk!

slamdunkSo a funny (yet incredible) thing happened. I received a call from a catering company in DC. They were in search of a local catering company in the Atlanta market that they could partner with for an ongoing project. Amongst other achievements, this company provides in-flight meals for teams like… The Washington Wizards, The Sixers, Detroit Pistons, New York Rangers, The Sox, Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and so on, and so on, Well… long story short, they asked us… Read more…

Flea Market treasures

I was recently on a trip driving to Lexington Kentucky to spend a couple of days with my business coach and some of her other clients for a “work on your business” forum. If you hadn’t driven from Atlanta to Kentucky, it is really a beautiful and breathtaking drive. I wanted to stop several times just to take some incredibly gorgeous pictures, and to take in all of Gods glory. I was about 2 hours into my 5.5-hour trip, and I started to feel a little sleepy behind the wheel, so I figured I’d stop for a few minutes just to revive myself. So ½ hour further into my drive, I saw this sign that caught my attention, and I figured that this was a good enough excuse to stop and stretch my legs. Read more…

Thanksgiving Turkey Secret

Holiday TurkeyIf you’re looking for something a little different for your Thanksgiving dinner, consider our herb roasted turkey with chardonnay gravy. It is incredible. I’ll tell you a little secret that you can use in preparing your own turkey this season. I actually discovered this method by pure accident many years ago. My parents were coming to Atlanta for Thanksgiving many years ago when I just started trying to expand my cooking skills. Read more…

MARTA coming AT YA!

Marta CarltonRecently, I was accepted to participate in an open call pitch tank for MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rural Transit Authority) for their supplier diversity program. The presentation was awesome if I must say so myself! There were 10 companies pitching to Marta. Out of the 10, Marta was tasked with selecting the top 5 out of the group to move on to the next level of presenting. Each of the top 5 companies will have their company name, logo and headshot wrapped on a MARTA bus, as well as possibly receive a contract to work with MARTA. Read more…

Outsourcing…

So recently I went on a business trip. The airfare to my destination was outrageous, and it was only a 5.5-hour drive, so I decided to rent a car for the commute. I had booked my rental through Expedia about 30 days prior. My rental pick up time at the airport was 8:00 on a Sunday morning. What could go wrong with this scenario? Well, apparently A LOT. Read more…

NaVOBA and Capital One Announce the 2018 LGBT Veteran’s Business Enterprises® of the Year

vbeoy logo

Honorable Mention: Carlton Brown, Occasional Occasions by Carlton “NaVOBA’s Veteran’s Business Enterprises® of the Year is a prestigious honor bestowed annually to an elite selection of America’s veteran business owners working as supplier partners to NaVOBA’s Corporate Allies.” “The Veteran’s Business Enterprises® of the Year demonstrate the finest attributes crucial in leading a flourishing business; … Read more…

The importance of feedback

A week ago, I went to a local tire and maintenance shop here in Atlanta for a routine oil change. I’ve taken my vehicles to this shop for close to 10 years, for minor maintenance work, and have been very satisfied with their services overall. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a difference in the quality of their work. I had been such a regular, that they knew me by name when I would come in. It wasn’t long before I realized that the lull in customer service and quality of work only happened when the long-time manager had been assigned to another location. Read more…

Small details make all the difference

The reputation of Occasional Occasions has been built not only on great food, creative presentation and outstanding staff members, but the base of our foundation has always been customer service, customer experience and attention to detail. Fast forward. Back in the Spring, I arrived in Las Vegas for my annual catering conference (Catersource) that I have been attending over the past several years. I attend this awesome show each year to get new ideas, learn new techniques, see new trends and to learn how to run my company better. Read more…

JSI Cabinetry Grand Opening Event

JSI Grand OpeningLast week we catered an event that we had been working on since 12 August of 2017. It was a showroom grand opening for JSI Cabinetry. The making of this event was full of twist and turns and rescheduled opening dates, but it finally came to fruition, and oh did it produce grand fruit. The showroom was gorgeous, and I can understand now why the date was postponed. It was to reveal a showroom that was truly stellar. My contact there was coordinating the completion of the showroom and the event from her office in Fall River Ma. In designing the menu, we went through several menu concepts starting with a grand cocktail reception, to multiple action stations. Read more…