When asked what has changed since she opened the doors of The Casual Gourmet in April of 1986, Olive Chase says simply, “Everything.”
When asked what has stayed the same, specifically of the hundreds of couples she and her team have worked with, Olive is also succinct. “Couples still love the romance that is Cape Cod. They want their toes in the sand.”
One driving force in the monumental change in the region’s catering industry is the type of couple getting married on Cape Cod today versus those of the mid-1980s, a change Olive attributes almost exclusively to the availability of the internet that began in the mid-1990s.
Olive was, and still is, one who is always looking to the future and mindful of evolving market trends. She immediately saw the internet as an opportunity to attract couples from around the world to Cape Cod. Before many even knew what the internet was, The Casual Gourmet had a website, and the business was able to reach potential customers everywhere.
It is this knack for recognizing early on what will become a driving market trend that Olive credits, in part, for The Casual Gourmet’s longevity. She has also devoted significant resources to training and research, and continues to do so today, as do members of her team.
“I’ve invested a lot of time and effort on education, attending tradeshows such as Catersource, and being active in the International Caterers Association and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association,” Olive explains. She has also visited caterers throughout the country, speaking with other owners and gathering information. “This allows us to innovate within our own style and marketplace,” she says.
When Olive says “us” rather than “me,” she means it.
“We wouldn’t still be here without our terrific staff,” she says of her employees, many of whom have been with The Casual Gourmet for decades. Her sister, Mary Di Rienzo, director of catering, has been there for more than 30 years, as has the company’s head steward. The chef and baker aren’t far behind in longevity.
Olive also says that The Casual Gourmet’s growth and longevity wouldn’t be possible without the continual support of her husband, Dave. “He’s been there every step of the way.”
As she has been for nearly 40 years, Olive Chase remains deeply involved with day-to-day operations: meeting with couples and doing tastings; responding personally to nearly every one of the booking inquiries that pour in; being on site for events; and ensuring quality control for all facets of the business.
And as has been true for almost four decades, Olive Chase and the team at The Casual Gourmet are focused on a singular goal: creating truly memorable events for each and every one of their customers.
