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 (her words ?).
Can’t live without: Playing at the beach, in my home town of Santa Cruz, with my family.
Victoria tells the story of her very first event — her son’s 6th birthday party. She spent two days turning their garage into Gotham City and found she loved every minute of it, and most importantly, she loved how much her son was wowed as he entered Gotham City. As a result of that party, many years later, to her surprise and support from her entire family, planning and designing became a part of her everyday life. She was with the Monterey Beach House for a while and has now brought her passion for designing events that best express her clients vision to The Events by Classic Group.
Can’t live without: My husband, 2 children, cooking, wine, gardening & watching old Doris Day & Rock Hudson movies.
As the Finance & Human Resource Manager, 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: Family, Podcasts, Anything on Bravo, Water, Harry Potter, and a Beautiful View.
Amanda is a transplant from the East Coast. We are slowly converting her to the West Coast ways! After managing restaurants in DC for years, Amanda moved west to explore life beyond the Mississippi. She managed a luxury yurt camp in Montana and attended pastry school in Oregon. Her combined experiences in Front of House and Back of House made her the perfect fit for our Staff Manager role. Amanda has a passion for people, laughter and helping others achieve their potential.
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: 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: Family, Chiles Rellenos, Chocolate and Music.
Nilton is one of those “1 in a thousand,” and we pinch ourselves to be so fortunate to have him on our team. Skilled in many arenas, Nilton is just as at home being in charge of the kitchen as he is at using his incredible talents as a builder. He helps Jim keep our venues in tip top shape, and even builds props as needed — and what about that smile; he’s always smiling!
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.