For nonprofits, gala season is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s an opportunity to inspire, to connect, and to raise critical support for their missions. As expectations continue to rise, the pressure to “get it right” has never been greater. From programming and ambiance to cuisine and service, every element must come together seamlessly to honor the cause and engage guests on a deeper level.

At Thomas Preti Events to Savor, we understand that a successful gala doesn’t happen by chance—it’s the result of thoughtful planning, skilled execution, and the right partnerships. When every detail matters, our team delivers experiences that are not only memorable, but mission-driven.

A Celestial Night at the Parrish Art Museum

One standout moment this season was the Parrish Art Museum’s Midsummer Gala: Echoes of the Cosmos on July 19, 2025. On an evening that captured both imagination and generosity, Thomas Preti Events to Savor was honored to support the museum in raising nearly $1.4 million for exhibitions and educational programming.

The evening’s celestial theme was woven throughout every detail—Parsons Dance captivated guests with a gravity-defying performance, while live art installations offered moments of surprise and wonder. Our menu reflected the spirit of the night, culminating in a showstopping finale: a reimagined tiramisu, served in a custom-branded caviar tin. It was playful, elegant, and instantly beloved. Guests tucked them into their bags as souvenirs—some to be shared with weekend house guests, others simply too charming to leave behind.

The gala was featured in the New York Times article, “How to Host a Hamptons Gala for the Super Rich” (July 24, 2025), which spotlighted the event’s impeccable design, thoughtful details, and the art of creating experiences that resonate long after the final toast.

Purposeful Experiences at Every Gala

Whether at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Spring Gala at the Central Park Zoo, the United Way’s Grid Iron Gala at The Glasshouse, we approach every event with the same commitment to excellence. Our culinary storytelling, intuitive service, and program support are tailored to reflect the nonprofit’s unique mission.

Gala events are an investment in a nonprofit’s future. They’re a chance to not just raise funds—but to raise visibility, deepen relationships, and celebrate impact. The right event partner understands that.

At Thomas Preti Events to Savor, we don’t just cater events. We bring missions to life—with food, with feeling, and with finesse.

Whether you’re planning your first gala or looking to elevate an annual tradition, we’re here to help you get it right—beautifully, thoughtfully, and memorably.

Photo Credit: Parrish Art Museum, BFA, NYTimes

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Check out the article here!

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Over the past few years, we have had the pleasure of collaborating with one New York City’s most sought after, up-and-coming Event Planners. The rising generation of female “event-centric” entrepreneurs brings a fresh perspective to NYC’s celebration scene, and we could not be more excited to have Event Planner, Lifestyle Blogger, and Founder of All the Best Moments, Kaitlin Donaldson, as Thomas Preti Events to Savor’s partner!

In 2020, Kaitlin’s passion for the editorial world fueled the launch of her own blog, All the Best Moments. She writes on the subjects of Event Planning & Lifestyle; providing guides, insight, and hacks to help others plan their own special and memorable occasions, encouraging them to celebrate All the Best Moments that life has to offer.

Kaitlin notes, “As a professional event planner, my job is to bring my client’s vision to life… To create moments of surprise and delight, moments of high energy, and moments that inspire others. I hope to inspire you to cultivate your own moments that stand out from the rest, as you bring your vision to life.”

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As part of our highly anticipated Preti, Set, Go! launch this year, we shared three-course Set Meal kits with a select group of our closest event partners and Kaitlin filmed our very first #unboxing Instagram reel. We are so excited to share it with our clients here! Kaitlin also interviewed our Director of Sales & Marketing, Carl Dean Hedin, answering all the best questions surrounding our new line of branded meal kits!

Check out the Reel below, get to know Kaitlin Donaldson, and let’s plan a fabulous event together!

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A post shared by Kaitlin Donaldson (@kaitlin_donaldson) on Sep 30, 2020 at 12:08pm PDT

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Meet Kaitlin!

The post Thomas Preti x All The Best Moments first appeared on Thomas Preti Events to Savor.

Earlier this month marked my 18^th anniversary at Thomas Preti Caterers. I can’t forget my first day of work, as it was an annual recognition dinner we catered for PepsiCo at the company’s Purchase campus. I remember driving up to the maze of parking lots, navigating to the large sail tents. I was introduced to so many people all at once (clients, waiters, chefs, bartenders, colleagues…) and was a deer in headlights, amazed at all the activity, the complex set up, the kitchen tent, the multiple lines of waiters running to designated sections of tent, handling dozens of dietary restrictions and menu selections. My memory of the details are fuzzy (I have a horrible memory in general), but I clearly remember how I felt. Excitement, mixed with anxiety about the weather and the timeline for service. Overwhelmed by so many faces, and determined to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could.

I had left my previous life as an internet entrepreneur/pioneer in the hopes of being a part of something more “concrete.” Of building something tangible that would bring people together in meaningful ways…I always loved entertaining and creating experiences -from book club dinners, to networking groups, to salon conversations for my alma mater, to fundraising meet-and-greets. So transitioning to the events business was my big career “pivot” 18 years ago.

And now, here I sit, reflecting more than I typically do as I am used to running from event to event. Never have I had so much time to pause and think. Not in 18 years…It is not lost on me the significance of 18 in the Jewish religion as it represents “Chai” and Life. How applicable to me in this moment of time. The world of events we designed, created, and built, and the lives we will continue to celebrate, are forever changed. We wait (…patiently?) and wonder when we will be able to get back to the business of celebrations.

I am thankful for these 18 years of growing and learning. For my many mentors and for Thomas Preti Caterers for the constant support. For the hundreds of talented friends and creative partners who teach and inspire me every day, I am forever grateful. I look forward to what tomorrow will bring…to the beauty and meaning we will create together.

L’Chaim!

The post A Toast to 18 Years of Celebrations! L’Chaim, Jessica! first appeared on Thomas Preti Events to Savor.

Our hearts are heavy here at Thomas Preti Events to Savor, after the loss of our Chef de Cuisine, Brian Fruge. During Brian’s 12 years with us, he helped to grow our strong team of kitchen members and helped shape the culinary vision of our company. We will miss the way Brian made every single person feel special, his energy and passion for food, and most of all, his friendship, which was so pure and kind to every person he met. 

We want to honor Brian’s Legacy, and share with our clients how incredibly special Brian is to all of us.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brian was born in on February 15, 1974 to David Wayne Fruge and Deborah Kneidinger Fruge. He graduated from Lafayette High School as a first chair saxophone player in the marching band. He briefly attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and began working full time in the culinary field early on at Spazio Trattoria, Lafayette Hilton Hotel, Prejean’s Cajun Restaurant, and as Chef de Cuisine at Tsunami Restaurant.

Brian grew up with the great culinary traditions of Lafayette, Louisiana. After graduating from the ICE, he interned at Jean-Georges where he was hired full-time after two weeks. Fulfilling a childhood dream to live in New York City, he worked with two of the city’s top chefs, Grey Kunz and Gabriel Kreuther. His expertise grew while working at fine establishments such as Jean Georges’ Nougantine Room and Spice Market restaurants, and The Modern, the restaurant inside the Museum of Modern Art.

After a job as a private chef in Lyons, France, he was hired at Preti as Sous Chef in 2007, and in 2014, promoted to our Chef de Cuisine.

Brian is survived by his parents, and his wife Chunmei Liu.

Brian loved being with his family, friends and pets. He also liked playing music, as he was adept at several instruments. He was known and loved by many who were drawn to him by his kind nature.

BEST KNOWN FOR

My ability to cook many different ethnic cuisines. Being from Louisiana and growing up around great culinary traditions. Pushing the kitchen through the most chaotic times while still being patient keeping my composure—well …most of the time.

MOST PROUD OF
Leaving my hometown to come to live my dream of cooking in NYC.

JOINED PRETI
2007

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Jean-Georges, Modern at the MOMA, Spice Market, Private Chef in Lyon France & graduate of ICE, 2003

PERSONAL
Currently live with my wife, dog, tortoise, and 6 fish in NYC. I play drums and scream in a noise rock band called DINNER.

FAVORITE PASTIME
Fishing, playing the drums, seeking out and eating the most interesting and bizarre foods I can find across the globe. Cooking with my Mother and Father-In-Law on my visits to China.

HEROES
My Mother and Father

UNFULFILLED AMBITION
To travel to Thailand, Vietnam, and India and Taste everything in my path.

The post In loving memory of Chef Brian Fruge first appeared on Thomas Preti Events to Savor.

About Fabio

Fabio’s journey toward living his dream as an event designer began a long way away from the glitz and glamor of New York, in the modest outskirts of Recife, Brazil. Born into a working-class family where his father managed a local steakhouse and his mother owned and operated a cozy, fifteen-table restaurant that offered a rotating menu of rustic “$10 Plates,” Fabio was working hard waiting tables, curing meats, and chopping vegetables by the age of ten.

Although Fabio grew up as the youngest of four siblings with three older sisters, he was never lucky enough to be given the spoiling usually reserved for the baby of the family. As the only boy, he was put to work in his mother’s restaurant as soon as he was big enough to wield a frying pan.

One of Fabio’s fondest memories from childhood was being taken on daily shopping trips to the open-air market with his mother. Little Fabio’s head would spin amidst all the beautiful smells and colors of Recife’s rich produce, grains, meats, and flowers. The social buzz and cultural authenticity that he experienced at the market seeped into Fabio’s creative DNA and has continued to influence his work ever since.

A few years down the road, while still working hard at the family restaurant on nights and weekends, Fabio had a brief stint as a member of the Brazilian National Gymnastics Team. But as it turns out, the career window on gymnastics is relatively small, and Fabio’s thirst for creative work led him to a job with Roberto Maia, a well-known Recife architect.

Fabio spent five years with Maia, receiving a crash course in décor and formal dining. This new education was the perfect compliment to the salt-of-the-earth work ethic he’d learned while grinding away at the family restaurant. The lessons of refinement he was taught by Roberto left Fabio in the unique position of knowing how to whip up a “$10 Plate” on a “$1,000 Piece of China.”

But Fabio’s dreams soon outgrew his quaint surroundings and his heart began to yearn for the excitement and opportunity of New York. With nothing but the hope of a better future and an aptitude for working harder than everyone around him, Fabio took a one-way flight to New York with no friends or family waiting for him in the big city. During his rush to pursue his dreams, Fabio had only forgotten one thing…he didn’t speak a single word of English!

Once in New York, Fabio was faced with the daunting task of figuring out life and work without knowing the language. But he never got discouraged. After finally finding a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant, Fabio put his head down, worked hard, and was eventually noticed by the manager. Before too long, Fabio was working on the floor as a waiter and bartender, wooing customers with his homegrown charm and warm demeanor.

Although money was tight back then, Fabio began to save entire paychecks so he could dress up and eat out at the best restaurants in New York. This wasn’t an attempt at looking chic or impressive; Fabio was fascinated by what made great dining experiences work and he was willing to part with his hard-earned cash to find out.

The self-education soon began to pay off. After putting away enough money to enroll in classes at the Parsons School of Design, Fabio had the good fortune of being introduced into the world of catering. Again, without knowing anything about the business, and still learning a new language, Fabio relied on his tireless work ethic to get him by. He started out as a food passer who described every hors d’ oeuvres as “Brazilian food” through a big smile, but was soon working as a captain.

Fabio’s unique background, which now included his upbringing at the rural family restaurant in Brazil, his tutelage in fine dining with Roberto Maia, his pocket-emptying self-dates in New York, and the hours of hard work he was logging in the restaurant and catering worlds, finally converged when his bosses noticed his creative knack and asked Fabio to start designing his own events.

Within a few years, Fabio had become one of the most trusted event designers in New York, having come a long, long way from his early days in the city where he didn’t even have the words to ask how to get to the closest grocery store. Not too bad for a boy from a small town in Brazil.

After nonstop prodding from his loyal, longstanding clients, Fabio took another step toward fulfilling what has been a true realization of the American Dream when he threw open the windows of his own shop, founding Fab Arruda Events in December of 2013.

In addition to running his own company, Fabio is currently the Account Director at Christie’s Auction House, where more than four hundred breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, and cocktail receptions are held annually. He has also worked extensively with THESE PEOPLE, among others, and has seen his décor published in these interesting publications.

The down-to-earth work ethic he learned growing up and the experience he’s gained around New York has left Fabio comfortable and prepared for any situation. As so many of his clients tell him, “You’re going to be at the event, right, Fab? Then I’m not worried about a thing.”

The post Thomas Preti Events to Savor welcomes Fabio Arruda as our NEW Creative Director! first appeared on Thomas Preti Events to Savor.

We are so excited to announce that

CARL HEDIN

is back with the Preti Team as our

Sales & Marketing Director!

For those of you who know Carl, you know why we are so excited to have him back in our kitchen.

Learning his craft from the best!

 Shortly thereafter, he was hired as the Director of Sales for the Internationally acclaimed caterer Tentation, Potel & Chabot. Carl produced events for luxury goods clientele such as Hermes, PRADA, Cartier, Chanel and Bulgari. He collaborated on events with Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud, Rocco Dispirito and Tom Collichio.

Needless to say, he was on “speed dial” for many socialites when planning a dinner party.

 In 2003, Carl joined Abigail Kirsch Catering as the

Director of Sales for the Off Premises Catering Division.

Opening the doors for new opportunities and managing events for

New York’s social and corporate elites, as well as Presidents Obama, Clinton and Bush.

 This September, Carl returns to Thomas Preti Caterers as Director of Sales and Marketing.

He brings his extensive knowledge of event management & catering to our talented team.

We are so excited to have Carl back home!

Connect with Carl:

Get LinkedIn

Email Carl

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