About Us

Summit Catering

The Story of Summit Catering

Summit Catering officially opened its doors in 1991. Dory, the seventh child of a German Immigrant, grew up around the food business. From early on, she recalls standing on milk crates, behind buffet lines, serving her father’s clients. She enjoyed the smiles on their faces, and the gratitude they had for a job well done. Dory met her future husband, Joe, at Stockton State College in the fall of 1989. Joe was the son of Robert and Jane Valeriano of West Berlin, NJ. He was an incredibly hard worker, that achieved success in whatever he did. The two began dating, and soon became inseparable.

Joe began working under Dory’s father, who achieved master culinary training in Munich, Germany. As with everything Joe attempted, he mastered the culinary skills and creativity to approach Dory about opening their own business. The excited couple decided between Joe’s talents behind the scenes and Dory’s passion for planning perfect events, they truly had a “recipe” for success!

Joe and Dory got married in 1993, and their business really began to take off soon after. The couple were able to cease working their other jobs, and commit to Catering full time. Clients became family- as Joe and Dory were working repeatedly with them, servicing their yearly events, creating tasteful traditions, and ever catering numerous siblings weddings. During the years, they have even had the honor of being invited to clients celebrations and many couples wedding receptions.

In 1998, the couple welcomed their first son Gus. Soon to follow were siblings Jake, Tori, and Nina. The children all are involved with the business in one way or another. They are right there, along with Mom and Dad, continuing the efforts to make Summit Catering a continued thriving Family Business.

In April of 2018, Executive Chef Kevin Jennings, Jr., joined the Summit Team. His Culinary talents are award winning, and he has taken our cuisine to a new level of greatness. Also, advancing from working weddings to becoming a full time, enthusiastic event planner, daughter Tori decided to make Summit Catering her career. Also, joining the team in 2022, Aaron Stewart and son Jake joined the Team full time as a Chef and assistant chef, respectively. Our customers have the comfort of knowing they have, quite simply, the BEST team in the business!

Although Summit Catering is available for any type of catering, their upscale creative cuisine has made Weddings and Home Parties their main events. Joe and Dory decided that quality over quantity will sustain a business for years and years. Summit Catering is not a restaurant attempting to cater nor or they a "mass producer" with many facilities that cannot possibly maintain consistency. At Summit Catering, Joe, Kevin and Aaron are the ONLY chefs and they oversee all final products.

Every Hors D'oeuvres, Entrée, and Side are prepared fresh to order with only the very best ingredients. Summit Catering has become known as the Caterer to the "Educated Consumer"; those who dine out frequently on GOOD food and wish to replicate this at their own catered function. They treat your guests to an unsurpassed culinary journey, not just a meal.

Summit Catering does not stop with giving your taste buds mouth-watering treats. The hard working, dedicated Summit staff, are there to see your event from the beginning planning stages to the final, perfectly executed event that their clients yearned for. You do not just get a Caterer; you get an event planner

Dory and Tori are available 24/7 for clients, and passionately work to give Summit Catering clients everything they desire for their celebrations. They make it a point of having an answer for anything and everything that could possibly happen. Your dress tears, we have a sewing kit, a stain from your red wine, we have a stain stick available to remove it.

Dory is even an Ordained Minister, so if your ceremony officiant does not show up, the show will go on! With Summit Catering at the helm, those planning an event can rest assured it will be everything they hoped and dreamed it to be, and more!

After 30 successful years serving Southern New Jersey, Joe, Dory, Kevin, Aaron, Jake, and Tori are ready and eager to make your next event a memorable, culinary experience, not just a catered event.