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The Simply Fresh Events Story

It started with a little passion, hard work, a few bright, young minds, and Simply Fresh Events was born! The Maryland-based catering and event planning business is the labor of love created by two couples, the Phelans and the Barkers, who are blessed to live out their dream of bringing people together through delicious food every day.

  • Passion and Partnership

    Simply Fresh Events was started by two couples and a group of close friends. We grew up working events together in various areas of catering, from picnics to galas and weddings to disaster services. Matt and Jocelyn both began in the catering industry at the age of 14 and have not looked back.  We officially launched Simply Fresh Events in 2015, but really it is the culmination of working toward a business we’re proud of and teaming with others who inspire us.

    We strive to partner with local businesses and people throughout our community. Hard work and authenticity are what we stand on at Simply Fresh. We are truly building something together that we are excited to share with you!

Who Are We?

Integrity matters

We take pride in our brand and what we do. This means that we prioritize what’s right over what’s profitable. We’re in this business because we love it. At the core of everything we do is a passion for helping people, and it’s important to us that it stays that way. This also means that we don’t cut corners at the expense of our partners and clients. We’ll always do right by our people.

It’s all about the team

We foster growth first and foremost. Once a week, we all sit down together, spread encouragement and look for ways to improve. It’s essential that we’re all on the same page, as it has a direct impact on every relationship. We count on each other and have built an incredible support network together. It’s easy to get infected with the energy we generate, and this filters through to our clients.

We like to have fun

Catering, after all, is a high-energy and oftentimes demanding career, so it is important to hire people who understand this. This never means we sacrifice fun. From regular team outings to celebrating the births of our children, we appreciate the big and little moments together. We are a small but mighty team, and we do what it takes to keep each other happy.

Meet our team

Our Values

Service

Providing exceptional service to our clients, our team and our community is the foundation of everything we do.

Teamwork

Our team members and the sum of it’s parts allow us to go above and beyond for our clients and each other. #teamsfe

Reliability

We operate with the highest level of integrity and honor our commitments with a positive attitude.

Innovation

We encourage creativity and collaboration to consistently exceed expectations.

Versatility

We understand that it takes flexibility, patience and a “whatever it takes” mindset to delight our clients.

Excellence

Our goal is to deliver an outstanding, culinary driven experience that will “wow” our clients and their guests.

#teamsfe

We Support Our Community Partners

Everything we do can be traced back to our passion for people. This is why we strive to share our talents and resources with our fellow community members, partnering with trustworthy people-centered organizations like Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland and Nourishing Bethesda. These organizations’ missions to combat poverty and reduce homelessness and food insecurity are important to us. They align with our values and our desire to make a difference where it’s needed the most.

Local, Sustainable Ingredients

We pride ourselves in our ability to provide sustainable food solutions to our clients. That’s why we partner with businesses and vendors that have the same kind of goals when it comes to the betterment of our environment. We make sure to use ingredients that are as close to the original source as possible, meaning we use local suppliers and sustainable foods.

Reducing Food Waste

Catering should aim to help the planet. This is why we do our own composting and use kitchen equipment aimed at reducing resource consumption. As members of the Maryland Green Registry, we’re always on the lookout for new, practical ways to generate less waste and reduce our carbon footprint.

Our Mission

It’s our mission to provide clients with high-quality culinary experiences and exceptional creative planning. We want to be known for the value we bring to every table and the support we show our community. We’re committed to building trustworthy relationships with our clients, staff, vendors and suppliers and doing so in the most ethical, transparent ways possible.