Our Story
About Chef Jeff and the Crew

Well, in a sense it began in 1979. I organized and prepared my first meal for the public.  It was a roast beef dinner held as a fundraiser for a youth group. It was a success and I surprised people with my capabilities at 17 years old. I studied Food Service at Cayuga-Onondaga B.O.C.E.S. during my junior and senior years of high school and I was hooked.
 

I floated in the restaurant business in my early years, gaining experience, and graduated from a 700 hour hotel/restaurant management course. Somewhere along the line, I decided to try the airline business and that’s where I would stay for over 25 years. During this time, I still kept a toe in the business and attended the Culinary Institute of Charleston in Charleston, SC. I continued to cater small gatherings and the like for friends and neighbors.
 

Since my early retirement from American Airlines, I have pursued my cooking passion and formally organized Cayuga Catering in 2019. Many friends have given their time (or worked very hard for very little) to help me get started. Carole B.; Todd and Brenda L.; Jim G.; Harriett S.; I am forever grateful!

As a result of a great deal of success since 2019, I have decided to grow the business even more, bringing my Niece, Hannah Bedell, into the business with me. Though not directly involved in the food side of the business, Hannah has proven to be a valuable resource in the “front office” side of the business. Hannah comes with a great deal of experience in social media; creative and artistic ability; and Internet savvy and is proving to be a valuable asset.
 

For nearly every event in the last two years, I have been fortunate enough to have been assisted by Valerie W. Val is key to the continued success of Cayuga Catering and easily handles any task, great or small. Recently Cayuga Catering has been doing larger banquets (more than Val and I can handle) and because of that, we have added two additional assistants for the bigger events. Cindy W., Laura K. and Sandra R. are hardworking, reliable, and gracious people whom you may see at any given event.
 

Cayuga Catering is looking forward to 2023 and providing you with the best food possible for your event!

Jeff Bedell