Suddenly Simple
So much more than just catering!
Our Story
Suddenly Simple was founded by Boston-area Wellness Chef, Melissa Peralta, in 2016.
Having grown up in a traditional Italian family, where wholesome, homemade food was the at the heart of every family gathering, Melissa always understood how important having good food is to hosting a memorable event - and how much work goes into creating those memories made around the table.
With that in mind, Melissa founded Suddenly Simple, as a way for her clients to enjoy wholesome, homemade food at all of their events, without having to do it themselves.
What started as a small chef service on the South Shore, has grown into one of the Boston area's premier boutique catering companies, with a growing family of loyal clients, located throughout the greater New England area.
While the business has grown, Melissa still continues to work one-on-one with her all of her clients, and oversee each aspect of every project herself - and always will!
Real food.
Fresh Ingredients.
Melissa likes to keep it simple - especially, when it comes to what she's working with in the kitchen!
Every ingredient is thoughtfully selected by Melissa herself, and purchased as close to the service date as possible, often the day of, to ensure optimal freshness and quality at the time of service.
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Melissa loves to source ingredients from seasonal farmers markets, and her favorite artisan and local vendors, which include Saltery in Duxbury, Hale Bone Broth and Previte's in Hanover, Maple Street Farm and Mullaney's Fish Market in Scituate, and Rugged Ridge Forest in Worcester, VT.
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Melissa is also passionate about creating recipes that leave you feeling even better than before you've enjoyed them - which means avoiding overly processed and inflammatory ingredients, like seed oils, binders and artificial preservatives, as much as possible!
Meet, Melissa!
Melissa is on a mission to prove that healthy food should never have to look or taste like "health food" with her vibrant dishes, made with whole, healthy ingredients. She loves to work with local farms and artisan vendors, that share her passion for minimal processing and letting the high quality of their ingredients shine!
Melissa began cooking at very young age, taking her earliest instruction from the seasoned home-chefs in her traditional Italian family - where she developed her love of working with high quality, whole food ingredients. As soon she was able to work outside of her family's kitchen, Melissa immediately found herself learning from the professional chefs that took her under their wing during her 10+ years in the restaurant industry.
When Melissa isn't working with Suddenly Simple, you can find her hosting her health conscious, cable-access cooking show, Mood Food With Melissa, launching her paleo-friendly bakery line Mood Food Bakehouse or working on one of the many other wellness initiatives that she is a part of.
In the past, Melissa has also hosted a number of pop-up public dining events, including her signature farm-to-table dinners and wellness retreats, and still loves to be involved as the chef for these types of events when hosted by others!
At this time, Melissa is no longer hosting public dining events and can only be booked for chef services via Suddenly Simple - although, you may still find her popping up for a rare public offering or promotional event from time to time!
Follow @melissamakesitsimple on Instagram or view our event feed for updates on where she may be popping up next.
Our Signature Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I order food for drop off or pick up?
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No, all food is fully prepared on site and cannot be ordered for drop off or pickup.
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How does your catering service work?
Our catering service scales the same on-site preparation techniques utilized by personal chefs to provide full service catering without any advance food prep. This means that all of the food you order will be full prepared on site just hours before the service time.
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Do I have to make my menu sections from the sample menus and a la carte items your menu page?
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No! We simple encourage you to get inspired by our signature offerings and let us know exactly what you have in mind for the menu during your consultation call. Special requests are more than welcome!
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Are you able to accommodate allergies and/or special diets?
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Yes! We have become especially known for our allergen and diet friendly menu options. Some of our most frequent requests include: dairy free, gluten free, nut free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, low FODMAP, farm-to-table and organic.
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Are all of your ingredients locally sourced and/or organic?
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While we do use many locally sourced/organic ingredients and always work with high quality ingredients that are hand selected by Melissa herself, not all of our ingredients are locally sourced/organic. All organic and/or locally sourced ingredients can be used upon request.
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Will all of the food I'm ordering really be fully prepared on site just hours before the service time?
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Yes! Depending on the specifics of the menu, we will typically arrive 3-6 hours prior to the service time to begin transforming raw ingredients into a freshly prepared meal for you and your guests to enjoy. While we do work with outside vendors to obtain prepared items like bread and baked goods, everything else that we offer will be freshly prepared on site by our team of professional chefs.
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Do you work in event venues, or only home kitchens?
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We are more than happy to work in any space with an adequate kitchen available on site.
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What type of kitchen is required for you to work in?
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Most menus only require a standard home kitchen with a range, oven, sink and counter top.
You would be surprised by how much food we can produce out of a small home kitchen!
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What areas do you service?
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We work most in the New England area, but are happy to accommodate requests in all areas!
Travel fees apply for all locations beyond a 30 mile round trip from our location in Scituate, MA.
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Do you provide service staff and/or bartenders?
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Yes, both bartenders and servers are available as part of a custom catering package.
We do not offer service staff or bartending services on their own.
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How big is the Suddenly Simple team?
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The Suddenly Simple team, led by hands-on Chef and Owner, Melissa Peralta, consists of multiple Sous Chefs and Service Mangers, many Servers and a team of TIPS certified Bartenders.
We do not work with third party staffing agencies.
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Is there a minimum or maximum number of guests that you will accommodate?
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No, we work with groups of all size - from two person dinners to two hundred person parties!
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How much do your services cost?
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Our services typically begin in the range of $100-$150 per person, although we do not charge per person. The total cost of your booking will be determined by your menu, service and material selections. ​Detailed pricing will be provided in a formal proposal following a consultation call.
There is a $1,000 minimum for all services - higher minimums may be required for peak dates.
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What is included at the $100/per person price point?
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With the way our pricing is structured, it's not possible to say what exactly would be included at a certain price point before a consultation call is scheduled and a proposal is put together.
Are gratuities included in the cost?
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Typically, no. In almost all instances we ask for your our clients to tip in reflection of the service they have received. Gratuities are only included upon request or for large-scale events like weddings and corporate functions. You will see the gratuity clearly listed as a line item in your proposal if it has been included.
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How should I tip my staff?
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Most guests provide a gratuity for all staff on site, including chefs and kitchen staff. Some clients like to tip on a percentage of the total cost, while others tip based on a percentage of the labor only. Many guests simply provide a random dollar amount that they feels reflects the service that they have received. Typically each staff member receives an average tip of $100-200 per service...that being said, some clients have been so thrilled with the services they received that they have tipped up to $1,000 pers person - that is certainly not expected though!
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