Flickr/burningkarma

holiday buffet

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That glass of bubbly got you in an ebullient mood, so you invited 20 people to your place for a little holiday party. Don't panic, experts are here to help. Just think of your gathering like a theatrical production -- plus food -- and you'll have a better go at it.

That's how Lisa Field, a former theater major and founder of Catering by Field, approaches her catering gigs. Field, who created the "country food" menu for Britney Spears' wedding to Kevin Federline, offers other tips for holiday entertaining. 10 tips for party planning, after the jump:

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J. Koslow

Matthew Poley with Tad Weyland

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In the first part of our interview, Matthew Poley discusses his trajectory from washing dishes at Angelini Osteria to cooking in Umbria at Casa Vissani to co-owning the rapidly growing catering company, Heirloom-LA. In this second part, Poley tells us what he took away from cooking school, why he hates the use of the word 'chef,' what's up next for the catering company, and what he would cook for a final desert island meal. It's safe to assume that his 'Heirloom' style cooking does not stop at home. Turn the page, and check back later for Poley's recipe for summer agnolotti with pea tendrils.

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J. Koslow

Matthew Poley of Heirloom-LA

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Born and raised in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Matthew Poley watched hours of cooking shows while his athletic brother delved into sports and scholastics. His grandmother took notice and began giving Poley the yearly Christmas gift he most looked forward to -- a new cooking device. At age 7 he was making grilled cheese on grandma's gifted electric flat top, and by 20 he had staged at the then three-Michelin star Casa Vissani in Umbria, and returned to work under the tutelage of Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria. Now, at 27, Matthew Poley is the owner of a rapidly growing catering business, Heirloom-LA.

Turn the page for our interview with Poley, and check back for part two and a recipe from the chef. You'll discover Poley's passion for catering, his process behind creating the lasagna cupcake, how love can be found in a bowl of homemade pasta, and to what he attributes his business' success. One indication that needs no discussion is a visual one; a tattoo resembling the logo for Fox's 24 on the arch between his thumb and index finger of his left hand. If Jack Bauer doesn't need to sleep to complete his assignment, why would Poley?

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Catering usually means insanely long hours, mediocre pay, a big pile of worn-out cooking clogs, and -- unless you work for Wolfgang Puck Catering -- very little glamour. But who needs real life when you've got NBC. Jay Leno's home network has just picked up a new series from J.J. Abrams called Undercovers, which is about two married caterers who are secretly spies.

The plot of the show involves "a typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles," and stars Boris Kodjoe (Soul Food) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Doctor Who) as the caterers who are -- lest we forget any relevant details -- also ex-CIA. That would be the Central Intelligence Agency, not the Culinary Institute of America. A note to any current culinary school students who may still think that $50K in student loans is practical mathematics for an eventual job peeling vegetables for $10/hour: the career path from spy (maybe) to celebrity chef only worked for Julia Child.

Chocolate Weapons

if your mignardise needs to double as ammo

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Back in 2007, there was a dog food recall scare, and professional caterer Vickie McDougal noticed that her Maltese's kibble was on The List. "I figured, 'I'm a caterer,'" said McDougal. "'How hard could it be?'" She began doing research, consulting with her veterinarian and perfecting the recipe. She said the change was noticeable immediately.

"The first indication," McDougal said, "for lack of better terminology, is that it's all about the poo." The poo? "Perfect little tootsie rolls. It doesn't smell, it's easy to pick up. You can tell that the dog assimilates all the food products. There's no wasted byproduct."

N. Galuten

Do you know what your dog had for dinner?

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Elements Café, a 4 year-old restaurant in Pasadena, is opening a second location, next to the Pasadena Playhouse, in December. In the meantime, chef-owner Onil Chibas recently expanded both the original space on Fair Oaks and the breakfast and pastry menu. The new restaurant will be even larger, with a dinner menu (the café serves breakfast and lunch, and brunch on the weekends, but not dinner), a full bar, a large open kitchen and a chef's table. Chibas will move his catering operation into the new space as well.

A. Scattergood

Elements Café in Pasadena

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Photo Credit: Adam Baker

Coconut Macaroons

​While your internal clock may run on Jewish Standard Time, measuring by approximations instead of absolutes, restaurants don't. Making coconut macaroons and briskets for hundreds takes anywhere from hours to days of careful planning. So even though Rosh Hashanah is about a week away, it's important to get your holiday catering orders in soon. To make things easier, we've compiled a short list of restaurants offering special Rosh Hashanah catering menus, with their ordering deadlines. Read it over, and tell the mishpocha: you have to get your holiday orders in on time, if not earlier.

FOOD's baker Amanda Broader has taken the traditional holiday pairing of apples and honey to a higher level. This year, the bakery-cafe offers honey almond apple cake, in both full and individual sizes, traditional honey cake, and caramel panna cotta with caramelized lady apples on their Rosh Hashanah catering menu. Orders will be accepted by phone, and in the shop until 5 p.m. on Monday, September 14.

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Gavan Murphy

Care for an Irish Carrot Stick?

​Gavan Murphy, a private chef and caterer, moved to Venice from the Emerald Isle nine years ago. The Irishman is still just as enamored with the perky plums and year-round greens at the Santa Monica Farmers Market as the day he arrived. After making one too many beurre blancs abroad, Murphy has shifted his stateside culinary focus to healthier dishes. The self-dubbed "Healthy Irishman" has a glorious mess of produce forward recipes and homemade ketchup-stained stove top photos on his website (he may have given up beer battered fried fish, but chips? No way.).

We recently rang him up to find out why he's traded blaa and hearty beef stew for dill hummus and steamed mussels with star anise (his wife Christy, a Texas native, is a vegetarian, but read-on, there's more to it than marrying a reformed cattle rancher).

Squid Ink: What brought you to Los Angeles?

Gavan Murphy: It was a very basic thing called sunshine. When you have about six hours of daylight in Ireland in the middle of winter, and you come over to Santa Monica on vacation, it's hard to go back.

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Can all food be created equal? Mama's Hot Tamales, everyone's favorite MacArthur Park tamale establishment, is bringing their democratic ideals, community service and unique cooking knowledge to Pasadena. Their small business kitchen incubator provides a Health and Safety Department approved kitchen for caterers who are looking to start or support their own business. At a time when jobs are scarce and many Angelenos are looking to tap into new sources of income, Mama's Hot Tamales' kitchen incubator makes it possible for those who are culinarily inclined, but lacking the proper equipment, to prepare food in a safe space and sell it on their own.

Jerry Camarillo

Mama's Hot Tamales' Kitchen Incubator

The incubator has only been open a few months, explains Executive Director Joe Colletti, and currently 20 cooks are using the space. Plans are in development for an apprentice-operated business and job training restaurant, where people from the community can learn the skills required to pursue jobs in the food service industry. As per the Mama's Tamales' philosophy, cultivated by Colletti and program director Sandi "Mama" Romero, the education is free and geared towards entrepreneurs in the community who may not have access to the skills and resources they need to start a business.

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