Meet Karen Rasmussen | Creative and special event caterer with a background in Foodie Publishing

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Rasmussen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, what do you attribute your success to?
I had to believe in myself. I had to believe I could do what I set out to do. My business had also evolved over time and grown but I took the small steps initially to get to the larger picture. I also didn’t try to be someone else. I wasn’t competing with other caterers or trying to be something I wasn’t. I wanted to create a business that was fun and enjoyable, something that represented who I am. I wanted to create delicious quality food that was creatively displayed! I wanted to make events SPECIAL. Every event I do is customized to meet the clients vision for the event. I always add additional touches with my grazing concepts like for instance I just decided to order custom cookies with there theme on them as a surprise for an upcoming event. It’s just fun to do, to elevate an event!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started in print media as an independent contractor in sales. It took 4 months before I sold my first ad and I think I was about to get let go. I knew I could do it but it was just taking tooo long! I managed to build that business to a six figure plus income and eventually I moved on after 10 years and developed my consulting company Adsavvy Inc. I consulted with magazines, did sales and eventually became Publisher with a dining guide. This however didn’t turn out as I had expected when the economy changed the next day. It was still a lot of fun being a part of the foodie scene for 10 years and going to some of the most exquisite events. I wanted something more however for me. I was working 3 times as hard to do what I had done before and wasn’t fullfilled. I started to do restaurant marketing and started my Savory & Dessert Crepe business on the side when Covid hit and my restaurants had to close. This is when everything changed and I began my work as a caterer, full time, developing those charming recipes and creative layouts people so love for their showers, parties, gatherings events etc.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Depending on where we began I think I may find a concert at the Hollywood bowl, a day in Manhattan Beach. A visit to Malibu and Geoffrey’s (a little hoity-toity but beautiful view and somewhere I enjoyed while growing up in Burbank) May take a trip to OC to the Ranch in Laguna Beach and stay over. Back to LA to visit some fun new restaurants after a day in Hollywood maybe Visit The Arden or a rooftop experience off Sunset like Harriet’s Rooftop. Or visit Santa Monica and go to EATALY!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I started in Publishing, My degree is in Advertising and I started multiple magazines and worked as Publisher with a foodie magazine. I found myself cooking a lot as a creative outlet when things changed in print media. I found so many fun & charming recipes that I thought people may really enjoy and I wanted to find a place for them.

As a kid growing up in Burbank, we used to feed the neighborhood. My Mom is Italian and my great grandmother owned an Italian restaurant in Los Feliz. My Dad came over from Denmark with his father who was a pastry chef. So I suppose this may have been meant to be from the start and I can contribute my success to my family!

Website: https://www.thecateredkitchens.com

Instagram: @thecateredkitchens