Event & Food Photographs
Please note: Unlike most caterers, who purchase
professionally made photographs for advertising,
all of the pictures on our website are of
our food taken by our employees.
Burning off excess alcohol prior to making a sauce.
Shrimp Cocktails and Empanadas at a Football Themed Party
Individual house salads.
The yellow ingredient is imported Chinese Lotus Root.
Very tasty and crunchy.
A Sunset Event on Sand Key Beach
Whether it’s a cocktail party for 35 or Dinner for 750 of your closest friends, Delectables Fine Catering can handle all of your catering needs.
Tuscan Chicken and Mushroom-Shaped Redskin Potatoes
Cæsar Salads
Key Lime Tarts - One of 3,200 we made for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship held on Clearwater Beach
Our Asian Station
Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
Grilled Scallops and Basil with Lavender Essence
Individual Chocolate Bundt Cakes
Potato Pears
Ice & Fruit Carvings
One of our owners, Chef Jeff Simpson, is a master at carving ice sculptures. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Jeff worked at several Grand Hyatt Hotels both cooking and making ice carvings for conventions, weddings, buffets, cocktail parties, etc. Before he left the Hyatt Corporation to start Delectables with Chef Nick Adams, Jeff was offered a full-time Ice Carving Position in a Grand Hyatt that hosted large convention business.
At Delectables, Jeff continues his art, sculpting ice into artistic shapes that continue to impress and amaze guests.
Many of our weddings packages include one of Jeff’s carvings at no extra charge.
Of course, Jeff would be happy to provide your event with one-or more-carvings. Even if you just need an ice carving, contact us, we should be able to accommodate you.
Below are just a few of his creations of ice as art. Additional photographs are available in our office. Call 727-781-1200 to view more of Chef Simpson’s work.
Please Note
All ice carvings are cloudy when pulled from the freezer. They clear as they sit in room temperature air.
Notes on Ice Carvings
Ice carvings look their best when illuminated from behind, and all of our carvings include use of a light. Therefore, it’s best to position your carving along a wall near an AC outlet, not in the middle of a room, nor next to a folding wall.
Ice carvings are very heavy (single block carvings run 300-400 pounds!) and a sturdy table is required. Ice carvings are placed into a special pan and a hose runs to a bucket under the table to collect drips. However, the exterior of the pans get wet from condensation, so a commercial waterproof table top is required-we will not place an ice carving on personal furniture! Delectables cannot be held responsible for damage to tables or floors caused by condensation, drips, leaks, or any water emanating from an ice carving, its container or associated elements.
If you purchase a carving without our catering services, you need several (3-5) strong people to lift the carving into position at the time of delivery. Delivery fees pay for delivery to the building where the event will occur, and do not include setup of the ice carving. Delivery fees (the same as food delivery) apply to carvings purchased without catering services. Any damage or breakage after removal from the truck is strictly your responsibility. If you purchase an ice carving without our catering services, you need to have 40 pounds or more of ice cubes (and some regular table salt) available to fill the ice carving pan after the carving has been placed into the pan, as they will freeze together to stabilize the carving.
If you obtain catering services and an ice carving for the same event, there is no delivery fee.
Fruit & Vegetable Carvings
Equally skilled, though in a different arena, is Chef Martin. He has spent years developing his talents and skills in the arena of Vegetable and Fruit Carvings. Originally developed by Thai chefs working at the Imperial Palace, fruit and vegetable carving has become an art form of its own, with international competitions. Chef Martin first learned carving while working on a cruise ship. He has continued to hone his skills while working at Delectables.
Photos on this page are the work of several people.