The Events by Classic Team
Our melting pot of personalities and talents begin with the owners (the lucky ones), who maintain a grand vision for their company and promote an atmosphere of warmth, excellence and expertise for both their clients and staff. Together with an enthusiastic and gifted crew from management to dishwashers, the Events by Classic Group is excited and ready to take care of you and your guests for your special occasion or corporate event! Get to know some of the team:
Our Mission Statement
To consistently excel for our clients through quality cuisine, professional service, attention to detail and genuine enthusiasm, and to provide our employees a comfortable and professional team environment of respect, integrity, leadership, interpersonal growth, AND FUN!
Meet the Lucky Ones — to have such a Dedicated Team!
Can’t live without: My wife-y, family, business, tennis, hikes, laughter & our sweet dog’s love.
Dean is the driving force behind everything creative about our menus and food, and, believe it or not, he loves to jump in as on-site chef when he can; he’s an adrenaline junkie and can make a kitchen out of a desert. We call him MacGyver, after the epic action-adventure TV series.
Can’t live without: Hikes in the forest with our dog, fires in the Fireplace, Pinot Noir & Family
Being the heartbeat of our culture, Debbie reigns with kindness and caring! Her personal goal is not about sales (don’t tell the CFO), but about our client’s experience; and it shows in the long and passionate reviews the company receives.
Can’t live without: My immediate family to our growing “catering family,” they all bring me great happiness.
Jim loves keeping our venues beautiful including coming up with ways to enhance your customer experience, from lighting to canopies. He equally enjoys seeking out that “hard to find” special mix or liquor a client wants for their signature drinks. Finding the best for our clients is always part of what he continues to improve on.
Can’t live without: Jesus, holding hands with my hubby, family vacations, BFFs & wine.
Cheryl is as equally passionate creating a spreadsheet to help stay on top of the company’s business affairs as she is about property design and decor, and fortunately that creative need gets satisfied each time we need to renovate one of our properties.
Meet the Dedicated Team!
Can’t live without: Love & Laughter.
Susan joined the team after working in sales and catering for local hotels and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Experienced with a vast variety of events, from weddings to conferences and non-profit fundraisers, she enjoys assisting each of her clients in making their event a super successful one. Susan tells us she enjoys working with the Events by Classic Group because of the diversity of events and locations that we serve, “it keeps things fresh and exciting!”
Can’t live without: My ever-loving family, Nespresso, hikes in Big Sur, veggies and champagne.
Having held various roles in hospitality for over 10 years (from food & beverage to group sales in hotels), Amanda is a well-rounded professional who is passionate about building client relationships and providing genuine hospitality. Amanda’s focus is on impeccable service, creativity, teamwork, innovative change, complete ownership and follow-through. Amanda feels fortunate to be a part of our dynamic team and excited about the future growth of Events by Classic.
Can’t live without: Dinner parties, soup, cheese, bedtime, and my constant best friends.
After attending school for hospitality and culinary, Rosie found herself at the famed Mission Ranch in Carmel as a Wedding & Event Coordinator. She quickly fell in love with the event world and her knowledge helped her become a natural. Her favorite part is the excitement at the events and building relationships with the clients. She is excited to be part of a team filled with such driven, intelligent, and amazing people where everyone is unique and brings something different to the table.
Can’t live without: Music, a full-bodied Cabernet and my Old-school Coffee Percolator.
Beverly loves the fast-paced world of event planning! An award-winning theatre director, chef, singer, playwright, special events producer & military spouse, Beverly’s path to EBCG has been an eclectic one. From Monterey to Boston to Germany & back, she has produced events of all sizes and types. “It’s exciting and creative,” she says. “I love bringing to life our client’s visions for their perfect event!” Beverly is happy to be back in Monterey where she has found a great work/life balance between her family who are her inspiration, and her incredibly talented work family at EBCG!
Can’t live without: The beach, that first cup of coffee in the morning, play time with doggies (ANY dogs, ANY where!), and my weird, eclectic family.
Mary began her hospitality career in Tucson at El Conquistador Resort moving up to Banquet Captain. After 18 years, she gained more hospitality experience opening for a large Westin Luxury Resort, as a partner in a restaurant, and then as the Catering Manager for one of Bon Appetit Management Company’s top-rated venues, Scottsdale’s Musical Instrument Museum. We couldn’t be happier that Mary decided to move “back home” to Monterey and has now found her “final” resting spot with us as our Catering Manager!
Can’t live without: The mountains, traveling, avocados, a good latte & my friends and family.
Right after attending school for Sustainable Hospitality, Sami helped manage the diverse amount of restaurants at the Hyatt Regency. While there, she started realizing she had a heart for events, and that’s where The Events by Classic Group came in and happily gave her the opportunity to pursue this new passion, and Sami tells us she is loving every minute of it.
Can’t live without: Fluffy doggos, running, In-n-Out, coffee, wine, and family & friends.
Working at several different restaurants and resorts within the Central Valley & Monterey area, Mandy quickly realized her passion for hospitality. After graduating with a Sustainable Hospitality degree from CSUMB, she decided to pursue a career in events and we were excited when she accepted our invitation to join The Events by Classic Group. Mandy is thrilled and grateful to be working alongside a great team who can mentor and grow her knowledge in events.
Can’t live without: God’s word, my supportive husband, adorable grand-kids, sunshine, the beach & yoga.
Her start in events began at Tarpy’s Roadhouse where she worked as Banquet and Catering Manager before taking a break from management, which is when she joined us a “Rock Star” server and captain. It was hard not to notice Corinne’s “management” skills, and are so fortunate she agreed to get back in the saddle and join us full time. She loves special events, especially weddings, and is excited to be able to add to our team’s efficiency by giving support both operationally and administratively. Corinne tells us she is blessed to be part of a team that works together and has unbelievably delicious food every time.
Can’t live without: My 2 wonderful children, patient husband, cooking, gardening & a glass of wine while watching Food Network Channel & HGTV.
As Director of Finance & Human Resources, Kathleen focuses from the fiscal and employment law arenas. Overseeing the coordination of our payroll/benefits and risk management programs, Kathleen provides guidance and assistance to the owners and her co-workers with questions regarding business best-practices, payroll, accounts receivables/payable , and employees’ work-life balance. She feels very fortunate to be a part of the Events by Classic Group corporate staff!
Can’t live without: The ocean, fishing, nature and my daughters (everything I do is for them).
“BC” (Before Classic), Enrique ran the kitchen for the acclaimed Mission Ranch and Crème Carmel. While Chef Enrique has many talents, you especially want to have a tasting spoon in hand when he’s whipping up his sensational sauces & sautés. Enrique is very passionate about his work and takes great pride in each and every dish that comes out of his kitchen.
Can’t live without: My Wife and 2 Kids, then Food, Work, Friends and Sports.
Elias has 13 years experience, 10 of them managing the kitchen of a high volume restaurant. Having joined us 3 years ago, Elias’ cooking talents and meticulous attention to detail quickly moved him up the ladder to sous chef for our intimate venue in Pacific Grove, Gatherings. We consider him very important to our team, and he is loved and respected by his coworkers.