Cost Saving Tip of the Week #2

Decide on the most important features of your event, and budget around them.

If food is important to you, Select Service is your caterer. We cook everything on site at your event, and we never sacrifice on food quality. What is the most important part of your event to you? Is the food the focus? The party? The entertainment? Allocate your budget around the focus of your event and spend the money where it counts.

Although you may be quoted different prices for food, service, etc, in our experience, a wedding reception ends up being about $100 per guest, for food, service, and rentals, unless you are planning something truly extravagant. There are plenty of ways to trim your budget elsewhere, but when you hire the best, you are letting us know that you care about the food, the presentation, and the service of your event.

Select Service at More Than Just Desserts fundraiser for the Arthritis Society

On Sunday March 28, 2010, Select Service participated in a fundraiser for the Arthritis Society called More Than Just Desserts. Along with five other restaurants, we served bite-size hors d'oeuvres and sweets to the attendees of the gala event.

Select's table features our own pulled pork in a Waterloo Dark beer and chipotle barbecue sauce served in miniature tart shells, and our signature chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and profiteroles. Our pulled pork was a big hit, and it was a close run for "Best hors d'oeuvre".

Event Cost Saving Tip of the Week #1

Offer a signature drink.

Whether planning a wedding, or a simple dinner at home, offer a signature drink to limit the selection at the bar. The drink can be a simple non-alcoholic punch or a fun cocktail, and you can offer the drink all night long or as guests arrive. Your guests will drink what is offered to them; an event is no different than inviting friends to your home and offering what you have prepared. A fairly simple bar with beer, wine, soft drinks, and a signature drink will go a long way.

New location

We are up and running in our new location at the corner of Cherry Blossom Road and Fountain Street in Cambridge. Our new kitchen is everything we've been looking for, and our building came with a beautiful storefront that we are putting to use.

Stop by the Hungry Olive Monday to Friday from 7-2 for house-baked pastries, coffee by the Waterloo Coffee Company, grilled to order paninis, soup of the day, and deli sandwiches.

We’re moving!

Select Service is moving our operation to a new building starting in February.  After almost 10 years on Park Street in Kitchener, we’re getting ready to say goodbye and move on to a purpose-built facility.  We will remain at 109 Park Street until the end of this month, then we’ll take a few days to ourselves to get everything unpacked and organized.  We’ll be back on line on February 8 at our new location at 35 Cherry Blossom Road, Unit 3, in Cambridge.

We’re also excited about a new venture for us – Select Service is opening a take out lunch shop called the Hungry Olive at our new location.  Stop in and grab your freshly grilled panini to go, or pick up an oven-ready meal to take home for dinner.

Our contact information will remain the same, you can still reach us at 519-745-4597 or by email at info@selectservice.ca

Corporate Holiday party at the Kitchener City Hall Rotunda

On December 11, we catered an annual corporate holiday party held at the Kitchener City Hall Rotunda. There were 130 guests, and the menu featured four station buffets. Breaking up the buffet cuts down on lines, and allows guests to wander around to the stations they are interested in. The beautiful linens were supplied by Posh Rentals.

View of the 17 round tables from above the Rotunda

The Steakhouse Carving station featuring ribeye and carved turkey with all the trimming


Kelvin and Neil set up the pasta stations. Three kinds of pasta and sauces were sauteed to order with a variety of add-ins to customize your dish.

The seafood station. Glass blocks frame the display for jumbo shrimp with dipping sauces

Sushi and maki were provided by Sakura Island in Waterloo


Mussels steamed to order and fresh oysters complete this chef-attended buffet station.


Select's signature chop salad buffet station. Crisp lettuce is chopped in front of you with tomato, cucumber and bacon bits, then tossed with a creamy dressing.

Client Appreciation at the Children's Museum in Kitchener

On November 12, we transformed the Children's Museum in downtown Kitchener into an elegant dining room for an annual client appreciation dinner. The extra-large tables seated 10 guests and took this event out of the ordinary.

Linens were provided by Primrose rentals in Stratford.