Party of One: Joe, the Garage, and a Whole Lot of Baked Mac and Cheese
Celebrating the Journey of Partyman Catering
Issue 2: The Origin Story
This is The Issues of Partyman—our behind-the-scenes blog series tracing the flavorful, feel-good path we’ve traveled over the past 25 years.
Now we’re rewinding to the earliest days. Before the weddings, the awards, or the venues—there was just Joe, a garage, and a big-hearted vision fueled by food, family, and a whole lot of drive.
This is where it all began.
The Spark: Joe’s Dream & The Birth of a Vision
Every story has a spark. Ours? It started with Joe Yantachka III and a whole lot of heart.
“My love for food started early, cooking alongside my mother,” Joe shares. “I’ve always loved to eat, but it was the connection through food that truly sparked something in me.”
After culinary school, Joe came back home to Avon and began cooking wherever he could—local kitchens, community events, and friends’ parties. But the magic really started to simmer when he set up shop in his parents’ garage and began catering small events for people he knew. It wasn’t long before the food, the laughter, and Joe himself became the stuff of local legend.
He adds, “I was drawn to catering because I couldn’t stand being stuck in a windowless kitchen—I craved change, movement, and interaction. Off-premise events gave me that. Each one is different, and that variety keeps me energized.”
Guests started calling him “The Party Man”—not because of a flashy brand, but because he brought big energy and unforgettable flavor to every gathering. So when it came time to make it official, the name Partyman wasn’t a decision—it was a reflection.
This wasn’t about being the biggest caterer in town. It was about being the most memorable. Creating events with soul. Building something joyful. Leading with integrity, hard work, and a little bit of mischief. And showing up with heart every single time.
From Scratch: Where the Recipe Began
In 2000, Partyman Catering and Rentals officially launched—out of a garage in Livonia with a few tents, a growing collection of prep lists, and a whole lot of hustle. Back then, we weren’t just cooking. We were hauling chairs, setting up tables, and turning any patch of grass into a party.
“The business never would’ve happened without the support and belief from my parents and family,” Joe reflects. “My father helped me build a commercial kitchen in our house, and my mother was creating menus and websites—several years before the first Apple MacBook ever came out.”
Sisters and friends joined in too—helping cater events, chop, prep, and cook long into the night. And by the end of that first season, we were handling 2 to 3 events a weekend. Our gear inventory grew to 30 tents and over 5,000 chairs. And our team? A group of friends and believers who rolled up their sleeves and made it work.
Some of those early team members are still with us today—just with new titles, bigger ideas, and the same unbeatable energy.
Then vs. Now— Staff Edition
From menus sketched by hand to meals built through real conversations with clients, everything was done from scratch—literally and figuratively. Joe poured his culinary know-how into every single dish, and many of those original recipes still have a home on our menus today (just with a few extra flourishes).
When asked about those first few events, Joe laughs, “I don’t necessarily remember my very first event—because I was catering before I even knew that’s what I was doing. But I remember one early event that I wasn’t as prepared for as I should’ve been. That stress—of not delivering something flawless—set the stage early for how I wanted to operate. To this day, there is very, very little we don’t plan for or obsess over.”
And then came a moment we’ll never forget: Our first official wedding.
That day didn’t just feel like a win. It felt like the start of something real.
We weren’t just making food. We were making memories.
And even in those scrappy, make-it-work years, we knew this was only the beginning.
See you next time,
The Partyman Team
🔥Up Next in Iss. 3: Where the Heat Turned Up
Next time, we’ll take you from garage days to growth mode. Our first official kitchen space, the bold decision to drop rentals, and the unexpected dishes that became Partyman icons—this is when the flame really starts to rise.
