Business Details
46 Years
experience
Your Trusted Chicago Catering & Event Planning Experts
Inspired Catering & Events has been creating extraordinary events for over 25 years, building on a family tradition that began in 1980 with Phil Stefani's flagship restaurant. As a certified WBE, ACDBE, and DBE company, we combine decades of hospitality expertise with a commitment to quality and personalized service. Our team specializes in Chicago catering services and event planning, offering customized menus, venue placement, and full-service event design for corporate, social, and wedding events. With a network of top-tier vendors and a focus on attention to detail, we bring legacy-driven excellence to over 100 off-premise venues and Chicago street fairs.Led by Karen and Gina Stefani, our leadership emphasizes community engagement through initiatives like The Stefani Children's Charities, supporting organizations such as Special Olympics and Make-A-Wish. Our dedication to innovation and client satisfaction ensures every event reflects the unique vision of our clients while maintaining the highest standards of culinary and service excellence.
Services
Catering Services
Corporate Events
Wedding Ceremonies
Social Events
Details & Decor
Details
- Year established: 1980
Highlights and features
- We offer over 25 years of event planning expertise in Chicago.
- Our certified WBE, ACDBE, and DBE status ensures quality service.
- We provide access to Chicago's top-tier vendors and venues.
- Our family tradition of excellence dates back to 1980.
- We specialize in personalized event solutions for all occasions.
Associations and certifications
- WBE
- ACDBE
- DBE
What people say
WONDERFUL Team
Polite
Go beyond
TRULY grateful
Services
Catering Services
Our catering services provide customized menus and culinary expertise for any event size or theme. Clients work directly with our culinary team to create personalized dining experiences while our event managers coordinate rentals, staffing, and decor. With access to Chicago's premier venues and vendors, we ensure seamless execution from concept to completion.
Corporate Events
We specialize in corporate events ranging from product launches to executive retreats. Our team aligns every detail with business objectives, handling logistics from venue selection to branded decor. With experience serving major corporations, we deliver professional events that reinforce company culture and achieve strategic goals through exceptional execution.
Wedding Ceremonies
Our wedding services create personalized ceremonies and receptions reflecting couples' unique stories. From cultural traditions to modern themes, we coordinate menus, floral arrangements, and vendor partnerships. With access to Chicago's top venues and a focus on stress-free planning, we ensure weddings that exceed expectations while maintaining budget control.
Social Events
We plan social gatherings including galas, birthdays, and milestone celebrations. Our event designers create immersive experiences through thematic decor, entertainment coordination, and customized menus. With expertise in both intimate and large-scale events, we handle logistics for occasions ranging from 50th anniversaries to charity fundraisers.
Details & Decor
Our event design services connect clients with Chicago's premier vendors for lighting, florals, and entertainment. We curate cohesive aesthetics through linen selections, table settings, and ambient elements. With established relationships in the industry, we source unique decor and technical equipment to transform venues into memorable event spaces.
People
Karen Stefani
Co-Owner
Karen Stefani leads daily operations at Inspired Catering & Events. As a certified WBE business owner, she focuses on corporate events and charity initiatives through The Stefani Children's Charities, supporting organizations like Make-A-Wish and Special Olympics.
Gina Stefani
Co-Owner
Gina Stefani co-owns Inspired Catering & Events after starting her hospitality career at DePaul University. She opened MAD Social restaurant in 2016 and brings extensive event planning experience from working with high-profile clients including Hillary Clinton's campaign events.
Tom Kokinakos
Senior Catering Sales Manager
Tom Kokinakos manages catering sales with deep knowledge of Chicago venues and client needs. He coordinates logistics for complex events, ensuring seamless execution across corporate, social, and wedding functions while maintaining the company's service excellence standards.
Rolando Gonzalez
Field Chef
Rolando Gonzalez serves as field chef, bringing culinary expertise to event execution. He works directly with clients to develop customized menus and oversees food preparation for off-premise events, ensuring consistent quality and presentation across all catering services.
Questions
What types of events do you cater?
We cater corporate events, weddings, social gatherings, and private parties with customized menus and full-service planning.
Are you certified as a minority-owned business?
Yes, we're certified as WBE, ACDBE, and DBE companies by Chicago authorities.
Can you help with venue selection?
We offer venue placement services with access to 100+ Chicago locations including exclusive partnerships.
Do you provide event design services?
Yes, we coordinate decor, lighting, florals, and entertainment through trusted Chicago vendors.
How far in advance should I book?
We recommend booking 6-12 months ahead for weddings and major corporate events.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Chicago and surrounding suburbs with off-premise catering and event management.
Reviews (5)
Sandberg Jewelers
Nov 05, 2020
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Inspired Catering and Events catered our 100 Year Gala and we were very satisfied with not just the service, but the food as well! Everything was amazing and the presentation was remarkable! Highly recommend this company for all your catering service and event needs. High class company and superb customer service! Karen Stefani is THE BEST! :
Nick Fleck
May 11, 2020
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My wife and I just got married on Saturday and used Inspired Catering and we were blown away. The food was top notch and to die for. The service was extremely professional, punctual and the care and effort was on full display throughout the entire catering process from start to finish. Typically you have your worries and stress during the wedding planning process, but I can honestly say that Inspired made the catering portion of the wedding process so easy. I highly recommend Inspired Catering and Events. You won't be disappointed!
Katherine Kogut
Mar 23, 2020
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Liz and her team recently provided catering for a milestone anniversary event for my company. We all loved the food and everyone had a great experience with the food service team during the event, as well as great communication leading up to it. The variety of the menu was great and pricing was very reasonable. I would definitely work with Inspired Catering and Events again in the future!
Suzy Birdsall
Mar 09, 2020
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We had Inspired Catering for my daughter's wedding this past weekend at Columbus Park Refectory. The food was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, with everyone indicating it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding reception. From passed hors d'oeuvres to cheese station to plated dinners to drinks to late night snacks, everything was REALLY good. They offered many options and ideas that we were able to make our event unique and had everything that the bride and groom had imagined. Liz was extremely professional, helpful, and accommodating throughout the entire process, making sure that any special requests were attended to. She made sure that the food, service, linens, rentals were just what we wanted and that everything ran smoothly. I would most definitely recommend Inspired and especially Liz for any event!
Jill O'Sullivan
Jan 19, 2020
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I can only speak from festival experience, as they were at Riot Fest. The food I had from their stall was absolutely delicious, albeit a little but overdone. They were lavender infused chicken strips served with peach BBQ sauce and coleslaw. The coleslaw was fine, pretty standard. The chicken strips (ignoring the touch over cooked) had a really nice flavor. I was afraid it was going to be super floral and weird, but it balanced out really nicely.
The BBQ sauce was absolutely delicious, and I would put that on absolutely anything. I don't know much about this place as a caterer, but if this sampling is any indication of their skills, they're a safe bet!
The BBQ sauce was absolutely delicious, and I would put that on absolutely anything. I don't know much about this place as a caterer, but if this sampling is any indication of their skills, they're a safe bet!
