LAVISH DINE CATERING
Lavish specialises in roast beef, rack of lamb and gratin. Its menu also includes local fare such as nyonya laksa and mee siam. The 11-year-old company catered for the CEO Summit at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Address: 20 Bukit Batok Crescent, 11-13 Enterprise Centre
Website: www.lavish.com.sg
Tel: 6392-2688
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: Christmas menus range from $28 to $38 per head; standard menus are priced from $12 to $35 per head and barbecue menus are $28 to $38 per head.
Order: Minimum 50 persons for the festive season, at least five days in advance.
OSO RISTORANTE
This five-year-old restaurant has a catering arm which specialises in Italian dishes such as pastas, risottos, Italian cheeses as well as meat and seafood dishes. You can also hire a chef to cook and serve.
Address: 46 Bukit Pasoh Road
Website: www.oso.sg
Tel: 6327-8378
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: The buffet menu costs $78 to $168 per person, finger foods are $48 to $88 and sit-down dinners are $78 to $168. The Christmas menu, which offers luxe fare such as poached lobster, costs $98 per person.
Order: Minimum 10 persons, at least two weeks in advance.
This is the catering arm of the home-grown Creative Eateries group, which runs 20 restaurants including Italian restaurant Al-Dente. Their cocktail canapes, Thai food and Western fare are the most popular.
Address: 211 Henderson Road, 05-03 Henderson Industrial Park
Website: www.creativeeateries.com.sg/catering/index.htm
Tel: 6411-4990
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: Thai and Italian buffets cost $30 to $45 per person, international buffet from $40 to $55, sit-down menus from $55 to $85.
Order: Minimum 30 people for buffets, and 10 people for set lunch and dinner.
DJ DAVE
Dave Tan, 33, the frontman of local band Electrico, has been sidelining as a DJ at clubs and private functions for 10 years.
He recently spun for the Formula One parties and has also been hired for private parties in Hong Kong.
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: From $1,000 for a two- to four-hour gig. The rates double on public holidays such as Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Order: E-mail your bookings at least a week in advance. Clients should have their own music equipment, including at least two CDJ players, two turntables, mixers and sound system.
BAND ON THE RUN
This year-old entertainment company has a stable of full-time and part-time professional musicians from Singapore and overseas.
They include vocalists, piano and guitar soloists as well as jazz ensembles and pop bands who play at functions from birthday parties to weddings to corporate events.
Tel: 9839-0881
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: Charges vary according to factors such as the size of the ensemble and duration of the performance. For instance, charges for a four-piece jazz band hired for two to three hours start from $2,500.
Order: Bookings should be made at least a week in advance.
JACKMAGIK
Magician Jack Seet specialises in tricks using everyday objects such as cards, coins, stationery and lighters. The 29-year-old, who has been a full-time magician for the past seven years, performs twice weekly at restaurants such as Brussels Sprouts, One Rochester and The White Rabbit. He also entertains at corporate functions and home parties.
Website: www.jackmagik.com
Tel: 9066-5546
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: On average, he charges $450 for an hour-long performance. Call to get a specific quotation.
Order: E-mail or call to check his availability.
ZING ENTERTAINMENT
The events company opened two years ago and organises private parties as well as corporate events. It can take care of everything from venues and caterers to decorations and entertainment.
Website: www.zingentertainment.com.sg
Tel: 8157-9707
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: A party for 50 with food and sound system costs about $900.
Order: Minimum order of 50 persons. Book a month in advance.
TWISE
You could say Olga Iserlis combines work with pleasure. The Russian-born American in her mid-40s, who is a regular face on the social circuit, also runs an events company.
She organises arts-related parties, charity events and bespoke parties usually for the high society.
'Every party I organise has a surprise element,' says the mother of two. She once designed a personalised wine bottle label bearing a photograph of the birthday boy. 'He keeps it to this day,' she says.
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: A party for 50 guests costs from $75 to about $1,000 per person, depending on the theme, food and wine served and other requirements.
Order: Book a month in advance.
C.R.E.A.M. ENTERTAINMENT
This two-year-old events company caters for both private and corporate events including festive parties and club bashes. It also takes special requests such as providing luxury transportation like yachts and preparing door gifts.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 9060-4220
Website: www.cream-singapore.com
Prices: A basic party for 50 with sound and production requirements starts from $400.
Order: Book at least four days ahead.
PETER ROSE
Owner Peter Rose, 44, a floral and landscape artiste from Cape Town with 16 years of experience, worked in London and Sydney before setting up a floral boutique here seven years ago.
His former clients include former South African president Nelson Mandela and pop singer Janet Jackson.
Besides floral arrangements, his five-man team can also dress up a venue for everything from cosy house parties to grand weddings at five-star hotels.
Address: 37 Blair Road
Website: www.peterrose.net
Tel: 6726-2747 or 9101-4737
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: From $80 for a hand bouquet; big focal pieces cost between $500 and $1,000. Charges for venue decoration start from $4,000, on top of professional fees of between $1,000 and $3,000.
Order: Place your orders by Dec 15.
VALENFLEUR
Valenfleur provides floral decoration for all events from simple home parties to gala dinners.
'Nothing is too small-scale for us,' assures owner Valen Chia, 43, who set up shop in 1997.
Top-end clients include jewellers Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels and luxe labels Burberry and Christian Dior.
Address: 133 New Bridge Road, 01-42 Chinatown Point
Website: www.valenfleur.com
Tel: 6738-7384
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: A hand bouquet starts from $65 and a floral stand from $150.
Order: Order a week in advance; some seasonal blooms may require advance booking of up to a month.
FLOWERS BY SEBASTIAN
The upmarket arm of Sing See Soon Floral & Landscape has a production team of 30 which it shares with the parent company. The family-run nursery has been a key supplier of plants and flowers here for the last 90 years. Flowers By Sebastian is headed by Sing See Soon's creative director Sebastian Ee, 42, who is known for his dramatic and avant garde arrangements and designs.
The company was the appointed florist for this year's Singapore Grand Prix.
Address: 32 Punggol East 01-01
Website: http://singseesoon.com
Tel: 6285-2777
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: From $500 for decorating a small party venue to a few hundred thousand dollars for large-scale events.
Order: For floral table centrepieces, the minimum order is 100 pieces. Order at least two days in advance.
FLEURLICIOUS
The nine-man team does everything from styling to project management to on-site floral decorations.
Founder Justin Koh, 35, is a floral stylist with more than 10 years of experience.
He has designed displays for a bevy of famous clients including Victoria Beckham and George W. Bush during their visits to Singapore.
Exotic blooms and unusual designs are his trademark.
Address: 26 Boon Teck Road
Website: www.fleurlicious.com
Tel: 6736-0036
E-mail: [email protected]
Prices: Floral bouquets start from $200 and arrangements for tables and parties start from $150.
Order: Orders should be made at least three days in advance.
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
