Midlands Business Profiles
Midlands Profiles
Tronco's Catering & Special Events
If you've lived in Columbia for any length of time, you likely either have heard of or enjoyed the food at Villa Tronco, Columbia's oldest Italian restaurant. Known for their outstanding cuisine, it was only natural that Tronco's eventually would get into the catering business.
"It started 17 years ago basically from customer requests," said owner David Martin. "After some successful events, we started a catering division which quickly grew into a large special events company. "Our growth has just been phenomenal; we started with only me and one truck, and now we have a team of catering professionals, which swells to about 40 or 50 in season.
"Tronco's does more than just cater — it also specializes in event planning on every scale. Whether it's as simple as an office party or as elaborate as a large wedding, Tronco's can handle everything from flowers to bar service to linens to staff. Tronco's really gets very involved in every event we cater. Our event planners enjoy assisting our clients find the venue that is perfect for their event.
"We do a lot of weddings, corporate grand openings, client appreciation functions," Martin says. "We also travel statewide for many of our clients. Catering for sporting events has become a large part of our business, including USC football, the Masters golf Tournament, and polo in Aiken.
"Whether it's a simple luncheon for 50 or high-end food and heavy hors d'oeuvres for a thousand, there's nothing too large or too small.
"We can prepare whatever the customer wants," Martin says. "We're fortunate to have an excellent culinary staff that can conjure amazing items for themed events or just roast some of the best barbecue or fried chicken that you've ever had.
"We take pride in creating unique menus specifically for each customer. It's a very personal, detailed process. We don't just sell menu A, B or C; we like to customize each menu for our clients, familiarizing ourselves with our clients likes and dislikes, and entertainment style … so much goes into creating just the right menu that makes the event truly memorable."
While there may not be one generic menu from which to choose, the following are just a few mouthwatering samples of what Tronco's Special Event Catering is capable of: Duck Breast Mousseline with Lemongrass; Petite Veal Chops with Asiago; Bacon-Wrapped Prawns with Lemon Essence; Carolina Crab Cakes with White Truffle Oil; Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb Encrusted with Dijon and much more.
And besides traditional butlered hors d'oeuvres, they also feature stationary hors d'oeuvres, including pasta, stir fry, chicken satay, shrimp and scallop and dessert stations complete with all the requisite trimmings. And if you need a centerpiece for the event, Tronco's can create antipasto, exotic fruit, vodka and caviar ice bar, citrus and sesame ceviché, coconut shrimp or smoked mahi mahi torte displays that are sure to leave an impression.
"We want people to know that when they hire Tronco's, they don't have to worry about a thing," Martin says. "We'll handle all the details, from tents, tables, chairs and china.
"We're a one-stop shop for entertainment, and we take pride in letting our customers be guests at their own party." When it's your name on the invitation, it's your good taste on the line…trust your reputation to Tronco's.
