About Us
Call us at 704.333.1060, email us or fill out our contact us form.
Founded in August of 1998, Occasions Catering and Event Planning Inc. is a full service, off-premise catering company. We pride ourselves on our excellent service level, our dedicated staff and our wonderful food.
Our Mission
To do whatever it takes to serve our customers the freshest products with the friendliest service. To create a work environment that values team strategies, principles and loyalty.
Meet Our Management Staff
Melissa Swanson - Owner/General Manager
Born and raised in Northern New Jersey, Melissa is a 1995 graduate of West Virginia University, where she received a degree in Journalism Public Relations. Before starting Occasions Catering in 1998, Melissa worked at First Union Bank as an administrative assistant and the Bank of America Stadium as a catering supervisor. During high school and college she worked in the hospitality industry, from bartending to restaurant management. Melissa is also a part time instructor at CPCC and the Community Culinary School. In her spare time she enjoys her friends, yoga, reading, dining in nice restaurants and managing her rental properties. Melissa enjoys living in uptown Charlotte.
Raul Rivera - Executive Chef
Raul Rivera, originally from Laredo, Texas has come to Occasions from the Ballantyne Resort, where he was the Executive Chef. Raul specializes in International and Ethnic cuisine, with a background in high volume catering and banquets. Notably Raul was the chef at the Rainbow Lodge where he was a pioneer to wild game dishes. In his free time Raul enjoys fishing, his family and of course food trends.
Charles Lowe - Catering Manager
Charles is a native of the Bronx, New York. Before he joined Occasions in 2005, Charles worked at the Hilton as a front desk supervisor. His hard work and dedication to the service industry has made him a huge asset to our team. In his spare time, Charles enjoys playing basketball, following sports and watching movies.
Community Service
Occasions Catering is a solid fixture in the Thomasboro Neighborhood. We have started our own charity and community outreach program, feeding the less fortunate in the neighborhood. In addition to providing free meals every other Thursday, our employees support Thomasboro School as mentors and role models. Giving back to Charlotte and the community is a very big part of our organization. When hiring, we are certain to bring team members on board who have a strong desire to give of their time and resources. If you are interested in learning more about what we do, just ask one of our team members!