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The business is run by Erin Cacciabaudo, a former professional lacrosse player on the Princeton University team.
She started catering in 2002, and opened Catch-y in December 2015.
In her first month of business, Cacciabaudo had more than 73 parties to cater. She turned down more than 40 holiday catering orders requests.
“I learned from a great chef — he said quality over quantity,” Cacciabaudo said.
Cacciabaudo studied culinary arts in New York and volunteered with Mom’s Night Off.
She realized she had a following when MNO would sell 150 to 200 meals at the Thursday night women's events.
"Everyone’s party is their money that they've earned,” she said. “We live in an affluent area, and some people spend a few thousand, so they expect everything to be perfect.”
Laura Crespo, formerly of Kevin Stein’s, helps instruct a kitchen of seven other rotating chefs who work with a total of four counter employees.
Cacciabaudo has grown the business a little at a time, attending to the nuances of Ho-Ho-Kus life.
Commuters were coming off the trains after 7 p.m. and grabbing food from a self-help refrigerator that is restocked with Italian wedding soup, sides, salads and entrees several times a day.
Now, with a communion dress store opening a pop-up location nearby, Cacciabaudo expects to have more orders, while adding on barbecue nights in the summer and wedding parties.
"I asked my friend where she got this soup when I was out sick," customer Barbra Kind said.
"So, I decided to stop by - the menu is not overwhelming. Just a few really fresh items."
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