01 Oct Introducing Scandylous Delights: Event Planning and Catering with a Scandalous Twist

When Donna Kochanek and Lorella Marazita first met at a school fundraiser, the two soon discovered they had far more in common than a shared school district. A love for good food and Lorella’s personal experience with Celiac disease opened their eyes to the growing need for specialty fare at school events. Finding it increasingly difficult to lay hands on a treat free of gluten, dairy, soy, or corn, the ladies rolled up their sleeves and developed their own solution. 

What started as a simple vegan cotton candy stand aptly named “Scandylous Delights” quickly grew into a full-blown sweets operation. With Lorella’s family background in culinary arts (which includes a great-great grandmother who cooked in the Italian King’s kitchen) and Donna’s experience as a graphic designer, the team cooked up delectable menus filled choice morsels. The goal? Create eye-catching, delicious food that was 100% safe for restricted diets… and boasted a taste so big, nobody could tell the difference. 

Scandylous Delights passed every taste test with flying colors and soon began landing private gigs. Donna fondly recalls a vegan baby shower they recently catered for 80 guests (most of whom were not vegan). “Everyone thought they’d hate the food, so they ate beforehand. Then, they were so mad they weren’t hungry because our food was so good! That happens to us a lot.” In fact, this very element of surprise has become a solid business model for a company whose growth has been largely powered by word of mouth and repeat clientele.

“People can’t even tell it’s vegan,” says Donna, truly the ultimate compliment for a specialty caterer, “But it’s not just about how the food tastes – we also want it to look good.” Donna’s background as a graphic designer makes her uniquely suited to crafting flavorful food with rich aesthetic appeal. Scandylous Delights prides themselves on a distinctly unique ability to recreate any theme or idea according to specific dietary guidelines, introducing clients to creative options they may not have previously considered. 

“I get a lot of joy from opening people’s eyes to new tastes, concepts, and things they haven’t tried before” explains Donna, “You can’t find a set menu on our website because we like to customize to each event and person. We create as we go, and we’re good at picking the unusual.” And when she says “unusual,” she means it – when is the last time you tried a vegan mozzarella stick or funnel cake? These are the sorts of “scandalous delights” that earn the company “best food” at vegan street fairs and further cement their solid reputation in catering and event planning. 

Visit the Scandylous Delights website to see a sampling of their creations and to request a booking for your next event.