From Humble Beginnings to Hospitality Without Limits
Celebrating the Journey of Partyman Catering
Issue 3: Where Growth Met Grit
By the mid-2000s, Partyman had reached a turning point. The weekends were fuller. The events were larger. And the garage that once held our earliest dreams could no longer contain them.
In the earliest days, we were producing two to three events a weekend—roughly 50 events a year—for birthdays, graduations, and backyard weddings. By the time we approached this next chapter, we were regularly producing five to six events every weekend, covering weddings, large corporate gatherings, and milestone celebrations across the region.
“When I had to move operations out of my parents’ house and into a commercial space, it got very serious, very fast.”
— Joe Yantachka III
It was a milestone moment—equal parts exhilarating and grounding. Because with growth came the real-deal side of running a business.
Managing growth while learning the ropes of business ownership was no small task. The permits, the planning, the paperwork—none of it was glamorous, but every step sharpened our resilience and refined our knack for making things happen.
Leaving the Garage Behind
In 2007, we transitioned from our Livonia garage setup to our first dedicated kitchen. It was functional, modest, and exactly what we needed to take the next step.
That move also marked a bold decision: to sharpen our focus and put every ounce of energy into what we did best.
This wasn’t just simplifying—it was laser-focusing. It was the moment we chose to lean in fully to where our heart and expertise had always been: crafting exceptional culinary experiences. Every choice from that point forward was about reinforcing our role as Upstate New York’s premier wedding caterer, known for celebrations as extraordinary as the food on the plate.
Refining the Craft
By 2010, our calendar was bursting with weddings, corporate events, and milestone celebrations across the region. In 2013, we opened our first official office space—giving our growing team a hub to collaborate, dream big, and plan with precision.
Our menus evolved alongside our spaces, building a repertoire that’s become part of the Partyman DNA—those dishes guests still light up about years later. Our S’mores Served Up has been delighting crowds since 2013, with hand‑torched marshmallows, warm chocolate, and graham‑cracker bliss served on a stick. And our Mini Chicken and Waffle Cones—introduced in 2020—quickly claimed client‑favorite status with their perfectly balanced bite of sweet sugar cone, creamy smashed potatoes, crispy chicken, and sriracha maple glaze. These aren’t just menu items; they’re part of the experiences people remember, request, and rave about long after the last dance.
And while we’ve been delivering interactive dining for years, we’ve only kept raising the bar. Guests don’t just eat at our events—they engage with them. Our Walking Gyro Station takes the nostalgic walking taco for a Mediterranean spin. Guests grab a crisp pita bag, choose their protein, and load it up with toppings for a handheld bite that travels with the conversation. Then there’s our Roaming Cannoli Station—freshly filled cannoli brought right to the dance floor during dessert hour. Sweet, memorable, and impossible to turn down.
But growth wasn’t just about what was on the plate—it was about where we were serving it. What began as catering events mostly in Livingston County quickly expanded into a much larger footprint. Today, our team regularly travels across the Finger Lakes, Rochester, and Buffalo regions, bringing our signature approach to celebrations well beyond our hometown. We might not be the closest option for every couple or host, but our clients have learned that great hospitality is worth going the extra mile for.
From timeless favorites to trendsetting new experiences, our menus are a testament to our nature: keeping the heart, raising the bar. Every addition is designed to elevate the moment, celebrate the setting, and make every bite worth remembering.
By 2015, we were trusted with our largest event yet: the 1,000-guest Nordstrom grand opening. It was a defining project—proof that we could deliver at scale without ever losing the magic.
The Venue Era
The momentum didn’t stop with menus. In the last two years, we took another bold leap: venue ownership.
We reimagined the historic Avon Century Barn into The Wells Estate, a countryside venue where timeless architecture meets intentional design. It’s where our hospitality extends beyond the plate, weaving into every detail of the day.
Soon after, we acquired The Historic German House, a Rochester landmark with moody elegance and deep character. It’s the perfect urban counterpart to The Wells Estate’s pastoral charm.
These venues have also opened doors to a broader audience—couples and clients from across Western and Central New York who seek out the caliber of service and culinary creativity that defines Partyman. Whether hosting in our own venues or partnering with others, we’ve built a reputation for delivering events worth traveling for.
These weren’t just new properties—they were the next step in a plan we’d been shaping for years. Selling rentals was the first move, giving us space to focus on the food. Adding venues was the next, giving us the stage to create all-inclusive, elevated event experiences from start to finish.
Whether it’s in our own spaces or at one of our exclusive or trusted partner venues, we’ve built a reputation for hosting events worth traveling for. Because for us, it’s never just about the catering—it’s about designing an entire experience.
Interested in exploring our venues? Visit our Venues Page to learn more about The Wells Estate and The Historic German House—as well as our Exclusive, VIP, Featured, and Trusted partner venues. The list keeps growing, each space offering a unique way to bring your vision to life.
Our journey to this point has been one of deliberate evolution. Every move—from leaving rentals behind to curating venues—was rooted in a desire to raise the standard for weddings and events in Upstate New York.
And it’s only going up from here.
The Partyman Team
In the Next Issue: The Sauce Behind the Scenes
Next, we’ll explore the culture, systems, and behind-the-scenes work that define the Partyman experience—because exceptional service starts long before the first plate leaves the kitchen.
Above photos were taken by:
