Catering To Community

Silver Spoon Specialties, a high-end catering service that once strictly operated out of two food trucks, will open a physical storefront on Tuesday, June 16, located at 19 Race Lane in the Village of East Hampton, conveniently situated directly across the street from the LIRR short-term parking and train station.

Jeanine Burge began Silver Spoon Specialties in 2010. “The trend used to be that everyone wanted a food truck. But for the last several years, the majority of the business has leaned towards more traditional catering where we supply staff and food and use the client’s kitchen,” Burge said.

In 2014, upon completion of culinary school at Gastronomicom in the South of France, her son, David Gaviola, came on as a business partner and the main chef. Gaviola brought the business to new heights as the head chef, causing the team to turn away business over the past two years due to inadequate prep space. That’s when they realized it was time make a change to keep up with the influx in demand, and sought out a permanent home to build a large prep kitchen. After searching, they found an ideal, unfinished location that had to undergo a total restructuring — a three-month labor-intensive project conducted by Burge, her husband, Charlie, and Gaviola.

“The store has been a true labor of love. It’s a costly way to reopen a business, but the up-side is that we made it exactly what we needed it to be. We added so many personal touches. It’s a very welcoming and unique space, one that we are very proud of,” Burge said.

The 1100-square-foot space has a rustic-industrial design, featuring pallet wood art, galvanized metal, cement, and glass. Beyond aesthetics, much of the design was built with their own hands. Most of the glasswork was created by Charlie himself, from his own glass shop in Patchogue; Gaviola built the pallet garden outside the kitchen, which will be used to harvest flowers and herbs for cooking; and the front counters were also created from their handiwork.

“I do think that all our hard work has paid off and we can’t wait to show it off and have customers enjoy a visual and culinary experience once they walk through our doors,” said Burge.

The new shop caters to more than just clients throwing a soiree, it aims to serve the entire community with “great food in a casual atmosphere.” Take-out options will include trays of hors d’oeuvres — mini lobster rolls, spinach-artichoke arancini, lamb meatballs, or wild mushroom flatbreads; food platters — roasted salmon, beef tenderloin; and even complete menus — lobster and clam bakes, steak, BBQ, or taco dinners. In addition, there will be lunch specials, including healthy sandwiches, smoothies, house-made kombucha, sauces, and more, that can be enjoyed from both outdoor and (when allowed) indoor seating options.

As Springs residents of 32 years, the new location acts as another anchor in their hometown. Opening a business amid a pandemic has had its setbacks, with strict building restrictions and a decreased workforce, but the plan to open came before COVID-19 did, and this mother-son team had no intention of turning back. As a catering business, they already have small events booked for the summer with larger ones in fall, and are optimistic for business ahead with their new endeavor.

“With more mom-and-pop-style locations being pushed out every year, it was really important for me to ground myself permanently in East Hampton and set up this new spot. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity and begin this new venture in my hometown,” Gaviola said. “I hope to be able to make our food more accessible for summer residents and locals alike. We look forward to collaborating with other local businesses to try and preserve as much of the native East Hampton culture as possible.”

Visit www.silverspoonspecialties.com.

nicole@indyeastend.com