Bite Catering Couture

Outside of a few exceptions (I’ll explain), we don’t allow shots to be served at our bars.

As hosts it’s our responsibility to control and ensure a positive guest experience. Shots result in rapid intoxication and can lead to a negative experience for all - and a party that spins out of control.
The exception would be for special shots - i.e. those that are a part of a cultural moment, or a planned activity with a group.
Allowing anyone to order shots from the bar is asking for problems. We want our events to be memorable for the right reasons!

Instead we love offering specialty cocktails for guests to enjoy. For a wedding, cocktails can tie to a couple’s story - their travels, a special date, etc - it’s a fun and delicious way to bring something personal into the wedding design. Specialty cocktails can also be a great option to pass to reduce pressure on the bars and ensure everybody has a drink in hand that they love!

What’s your take on serving shots at events?

 

When you get on the phone with our team one of the first things we ask about is what is most important to you as you plan your event - so often there is a special memory, story, family tradition or idea that the client wants to incorporate.
We find a great place to work in these special touches are cocktail hour hors d’oeuvres, dessert bars and late night snacks. It allows guests to have a taste of something special and different and allows lots of freedom for design elements and special presentations.
Some ideas from past events:

- The Chicago-Cubs obsessed groom so we put our servers in cubs hats, served up a ballpark inspired cocktail hour and even sawed wood bats in half to create custom trays.

- A “Back to school” event where we created an after school snack bar complete with “Apple for the teacher” cupcakes and after school s’mores bites…and Apple-tinis 🍎 🍏 🏫 ✏️

- Shark cupcakes for a Sharknado themed party 🦈

- The Korean bride and Jewish groom who wanted to fuse their two cultures - and Beef Bulgolgi Brisket sliders with kimchi slaw were born!

- Heart salad toppers and sweetheart-inspired cookies for the ultimate Valentine’s bash. ❤️

- recreating a first date meal at In-N-Out in miniature form for a late night snack complete with mini burgers, fries and milkshakes
We can’t wait to help you tell your story!

Hi There!
I’m Elizabeth Goel, Owner of Bite Catering Couture and our newly renovated historic venue, 440 ELM.

I love creating gorgeous custom menus, presentation and service that tell my clients’ stories!

If you can’t tell from my picture, I’m more smirker than smiler) 😏
I’m the youngest of five kids to parents who regularly entertained - Mom, a good cook and dad who definitely knew a thing or two about keeping wine glasses full! 🍷 I learned early the pleasure and delight people take in carefully crafted food and a beautifully set table.
I graduated from Barnard College in NYC. After meeting my (now) husband in my senior year, I happily stress-baked my way out of a marketing career into working my first job as a pastry cook at Danny Meyers Union Square Cafe. I eventually earning my Grand Diplome in Pastry Arts at The French Culinary Institute. Inspired by the incredible NYC food scene - the pinnacle of which was a 23-course tasting menu at Aquavit (with Marcus Samuelsson still at the helm) - I took my first catering clients with a focus on multi-course tasting menus. Not long after, we moved to LA, were married and I started Bite Catering Couture - kicking off my first full year in business with an invitation to compete on the Food Network…and off I went!
In 2020 with the event industry shut down, my husband and I began to look at properties and, on a whim, we scheduled a tour of an old church in Long Beach… it took our breath away! Renovating 440 ELM has been a multi-year labor of love. I love that it has always been a place of light, love and celebration - a tradition I’m proud to carry on through the incredible events we get to host!
Fun facts:

Give me a themed party - no matter how obscure - and I’m in my happy place.

When I’m not working I’m spending time with my family - my husband, five year old son and my dog are “my boys.”

I’m addicted to listening to books on audible.
Dark chocolate IS chocolate.
Cheese can most definitely be a meal.
So nice to meet you! I’d love to connect and hear your story.

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.”

– William Faulkner

Wishing you a Happy and Safe 4th of July!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

(yeok haew) Beef Tartare
truffle aioli, egg yolk gel, pickled shaved garlic, micro green

The start of summer brings us back to this gorgeous private Los Angeles home wedding - blues, whites and a touch of yellow were perfectly paired!

We think our team looks pretty great too 😊

And soon we move from Spring to Summer! 🌱 🥕 ☀️

Baby carrot and asparagus salad with roasted beets and pickled fennel with papaya vinaigrette.

Our exclusive historic venue, , featured in a beautiful feature by !

The pass… something delicious coming your way!

heart-shaped raviolo al’uovo
beet pasta, ricotta-goat cheese and meyer lemon, soft yolk, crispy artichoke heart and shaved aged Parmesan

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! ❤️

[Bite Catering] It's Super Bowl weekend (you might catch our new venue in a commercial) -

[Bite Catering] Super Bowl weekend (will you be the first to spot our venue in a commercial?) 💥 I have to say I’m not into football. The thought of big, fast people running into each other at full speed just sounds like it hurts. But my husband is, so I’ve had plenty of games on in the background over the years. And I love the social part of large games where you get the pageantry and the ...

With the Super Bowl coming up we’re thinking about our favorite game day bites… but elevated!

Deviled quails’ eggs with California caviar, creme fraiche and scallion 🏈 🥚 👏

So excited to be included in this article in which explores plated vs buffet, along with fellow industry experts:

📸 Ely Brothers
Contributors:

Fresh summer rolls

Vegan passion fruit cheesecake
passion fruit puree, coconut whipped cream, fresh mango, freeze dried raspberry crumbs. 🙌

Thrilled to be included in this article about couples deciding between a daytime and nighttime wedding - both approaches certainly offer lots of exciting options for menus, service, style and decor!

Excited to play with the new Pantone color in food this year!

Guava cheesecake tarts 🧑‍🍳😘

Steak and eggs 🙌
Steak tartare, shallots in a sesame wonton cones - finished with creme fraiche, chives and California caviar

Wishing everybody a spooktacular Halloween! 🎃 👻

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A fashionably British menu at our in-store line launch for

-Quail’s egg scotch egg with truffle
-Tsar Nikolai smoked salmon blini
-Chocolate ganache tart
-Petit lemon curd tart with toasted meringue

A gorgeous seasonal dinner hosted by the Dean

For this gorgeous Italian-themed cocktail-style event the client wanted pasta 🍝 so we designed a beautiful chef-run station serving fresh handheld pasta in a cone. Buon Appetito!

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When a client needs to incorporate their products into a breakfast and tasting pairings… we get creative - and pretty too!

Cinnamon Chia & Greek Yogurt Parfait
Chia Seed & Almond Milk Pudding, Greek Yogurt, Lager-macerated Peaches, Blueberries & Strawberries

Dreaming about filling this room with only candles and hosting the most stunning dinner…

When the team family meal looks this good, you post it!

And, yes, that is a smoked salmon pizza with local caviar and creme fraiche!

When our client wanted to go Greek we answered with the perfect sip - an ouzu, lemon honey cocktail:

“the Ouzo Buzz” 🐝
ouzo, lemon juice, honey syrup, club soda, lemon garnish

The view from our grazing table.

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Live. Love. Brownies.

What, that’s not a quote? We’ll, it should be.

Honey and gochugaru sticky chicken bao
with sesame seeds and green onions - served in a soft steamed bao bun with asian slaw and quick kimchi pickles

Yum.

Serving up gorgeous seasonal wood-fired pizzas for an Italian- themed celebration.

Fresh shucked corn with truffle bechamel and fontina - yes please!

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