“Scott and his team at BITE are extraordinary. He is deeply passionate about his craft, and together with his team, they are detail-oriented, possess phenomenal style, and have caches of patience. As a culinary industry professional, with cooking being what brought me and my husband together, we envisioned our wedding revolving around the dining experience. I intended to include personal touches in everything from the welcome spritzes to the passed desserts on the dance floor. While most industry professionals would understandably feel daunted by such a task, Scott matched my level of enthusiasm as if it were his own wedding. For every idea and whim I came to him with, he delivered with such grace that underscored how well he interpreted my taste. We planned our wedding for two and a half years during the pandemic, so there were many unexpected changes along the way. Ultimately, Scott guided me to make the decisions that would create the most cohesive event. To make a wedding feel opulent and yet ebullient is one of the rarest of abilities - Scott and his team achieve this with thoughtful, contemporary taste and a laser focus on the guest experience. There were fig leaves and rose geranium that Scott personally retrieved from my dad's garden and infused into the passed dessert bites and cocktails and an edible tablescape that emulated a Dutch oil painting. Guests continued to be awed by the beautiful first course of colorful, seasonal vegetables served individually in perfect unison. The main event was a standing rib roast ornamented with pheasant feathers and a shimmering salt-baked bass elaborately presented on vintage rolling carts, then served in traditional French-style service. Our ceremony was intended to take place in the private gardens of the historic General Theological Seminary in Chelsea, but an unexpected impending storm led to a change of plans. Scott recognized that the rain plan that our wedding planners contrived would not be feasible with the live band and dining table set up before it was too late. He rearranged every aspect of the day, starting with proposing a new ceremony vision that I was just as thrilled with, even though it meant his team would have only one hour to turn over the reception room. I can only imagine the complexities and back-and-forth that pulling off the culinary experience this event no doubt required. Yet, during the week of the wedding, Scott handled everything while providing emotional support every step of the way. Despite the challenges the storm brought, all the technicalities were impeccably executed, and our taste and vision for the evening came alive in the most enchanting way. Now, when I look at the pictures of our ceremony in front of the rose-adorned fireplace in the refectory room, it feels almost preordained. I can still hear Scott’s wise assurances, “It won’t always be what you wanted, but it will be exactly what you need.” Our wedding far exceeded what we envisioned and we credit all the magic to Scott. Thank you, Scott and the BITE team, for not just executing a fantastic meal we will always treasure but for also taking on the planning where it was so needed. Without Scott and his team, we never would have had the opportunity to live the moment so fully. xx Jillian Canaj”
