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A year's worth of planning went into the event, which required a staff of more than 500, including 250 contract chefs, event and kitchen staff in addition to Culinary Capers' regular staff.
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The crew came in three waves a day, for a total of 396 shifts.
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The "five-star" level of catering included such entrees as braised lamb with saffron risotto pave.
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Over the course of 18 days, the catering team prepares 130 individual catered experiences for 5,550 high-profile guests. Here, New York strip loin with warm potato salad, leeks and wild mushroom jus.
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The daily dessert buffet included treats such as cheesecake pops dusted with pistachio nuts.
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A chef finishes sablefish with preserved lemon. Evening service focused on risotto, sushi and carving action stations.
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Chef Jonathan and team.
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Chefs plating smoked albacore.
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Foodservice operations were spread over three floors in the office tower. The ninth floor balcony served as the hot kitchen under a 20-by-20-foot tent. Empty space on the 16th floor was set up as the cold kitchen with a service area, dishwasher and warehouse. All hospitality events took place on the 17th floor--reached via only one freight elevator.
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Chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies.
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A dazzling dessert buffet.
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An exterior view of the outdoor kitchen setup.
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Each day featured an Olympic-theme "treat of the day," such as the Team Canada ice skate and hockey stick sugar cookies shown here. Other treats: gold, silver and bronze glitter truffle pops and an "adult" hot chocolate station serving shots of liqueur and house-made mashmallow kabobs.
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Afternoon and late-night snack menus featured passed trays such as these jumbo prawns with Aztec spices, tequila and lime.
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Luscious lemon kisses.
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Lunches included a cold take-away lunch station and a dessert buffet.
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Miniature molten chocolate caramel cakes with vanilla bean ice cream.
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Along with a focus on West Coast foods, the 50 custom menus included dishes such as this Moroccan rack of lamb with almonds.
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With frequent changes requested by the client, the event team coordinated work via wireless head- and handsets. Here, chefs at work in the outdoor kitchen. Twenty-hour days were the norm for senior staff.
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More from the dessert buffet: passion fruit cheesecakes and chocolate coconut tartlets.
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Petite brownie bites with Black Forest cream.
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Pretty, small: Petite lemon almond dacquoise.
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Reverse strawberry shortcake with strawberry salsa, strawberry cream and citrus sugar.
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Roasted lamb with gnocchi in a smoky tomato sauce.
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Pan-roasted sablefish with carrot shiso, shiitake mushrooms, edamame beans and scallion-ginger rice cake.
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Sablefish with preserved lemon, tarragon, brown butter gnocchi and crispy Oyama schinkenspeck.
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Smoked albacore tuna with scallion oil, new potato salad, ciabatta croutons and local organic greens.
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A gorgeous array of sushi.
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Truffle pops with hazelnut praline dust.
