Ken's Creative Kitchen

Catering

Ken Upton, owner of Ken’s Creative Kitchen in Annapolis, and his family have built a premier catering reputation with an intensely loyal following of staff and clients. Family is at the center of everything Ken does and the reason he is so successful. Ken’s wife Doran and their children David and Lauren work in the catering side of the business along with running The Back Porch Café.

In business since 1977, Ken is grateful to all his clients’ families who have turned to Ken’s Creative Kitchen throughout the years. On more than one occasion, Ken has been the wedding caterer for brides whose mothers’ weddings he catered 20 or 30 years earlier. “It was an honor when Ted Koppel called us to cater his daughter’s wedding, but an even greater compliment when we were subsequently called to cater weddings for his two other daughters,” he says. “Life is a circle of celebrations.”

“We consider all the little nuances that will make an event great, so the family can enjoy a lifetime looking back on that wonderful celebration.”

“We consider all the little nuances that will make an event great, so the family can enjoy a lifetime looking back on that wonderful celebration,” Ken explains. Because he and his staff provided such a tailored, beautiful and personal experience, the client’s friends, family or guests who attended the party often seek him out months or even decades later for other celebrations. “We will cater siblings’ bar and bat mitzvahs, or a guest at one of the events will call us a few months later asking if we can cater his corporate holiday party,” he says. Ken’s corporate clients use him so frequently that his staff has been given a key to their offices or homes.

His family-oriented mentality shines through when he speaks about his staff. “My employees are mostly women with children, so I thank those fathers for babysitting all those weekends while their wives worked,” he says. Ken prizes his hand-picked, talented staff and says one of his methods for keeping them around so long – most have college degrees and have been with the company for more than 20 years – is to allow them to balance family and work life. “We are overprotective of our employees so they don’t miss important events in their own lives,” he explains.

“I don’t just sell people food, I consider how we are going to help them bring as much happiness and joy to their event as we can,” Ken says. “We know how to design the perfect party.” Many of our clients are repeat clients and it is very comfortable for them when they see our familiar staff greet them. “Our ladies know where they store the extra leaf to their dining table and know what brand of vodka to mix their drink with,” he says. They listen well and pay meticulous attention to the details. “It’s all in the details,” Ken says.

Ken’s menus are designed for each client individually and created using only the finest ingredients available. Many of his food suppliers and other purveyors have been with him so long that they are considered family. They share Ken’s high standards and often, his family dinner table.

Ken’s Creative Kitchen
980 Awald Road, Suite 201
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-268-3222

www.kenscreativekitchen.com

Pictured from left: Lauren Upton, Doran Upton, Ken Upton and David Upton
Photography: Kevin Kennedy