Elements Fine Catering is a full service exclusive catering and event planning company that successfully coordinates the four key elements of catering… ambiance, cuisine, beverages and service. We’ve united the skills and expertise of several experienced and passionate hospitality professionals who approach catering and event planning with a fresh perspective.

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George L. Ricciardi is the owner of The Hills Restaurant in Waterbury, Connecticut, a full-service restaurant and banquet facility. George has an extensive background in the hospitality industry. He has worked his way through most positions in the restaurant industry, from dishwasher to pizza maker, to bartender and server, to manager and owner of several establishments. He is well versed in hospitality by spearheading such establishments and events as a quick service gourmet takeout facility, a full service restaurant, banquet facilities specializing in wedding service of up to 600 guests, and even off-site catering coordination in excess of 1,000 people.

While working his way up the ladder in the hospitality industry, George achieved a bachelor’s degree in finance, supplying him with the educational background to complement his hospitality experience. He has a strong commitment to ensuring that each and every guest at his restaurant or guests attending any event he and his team have coordinated come away with the feeling that they were guests in his home. Although he is extremely proud of his past and present accomplishments, he is most proud of the caliber of talent he has assembled to facilitate the creation of his newest vision… Elements Fine Catering.

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John “JT” Testa, Director of Operations, along with his experienced professional staff, will personally see to it that your individual desires are not only met, but exceeded.

JT has achieved a lot over his twenty nine years in the hospitality industry. At a young age, he moved to California where he was an “apprentice” in a family-owned restaurant. JT worked every station in the kitchen and the floor and has extensive knowledge of just how to run the front end of a restaurant (the service), and the back end of a restaurant (the food preparation). His dual expertise doubles your guarantee of an event that will go off without a hitch.

JT’s next stop was Nevada… Las Vegas and Reno to be exact… where he gained extensive knowledge and training of exclusive wines and table-side cooking for four-star gourmet French restaurants. While there, his well-rounded background enabled him to get rise quickly from waiter and bartender to management.

But JT missed the East Coast and accepted a position in New Haven, CT. His employment at Tre Scalini in New Haven and Il Polio in Sheldon honed his skills. He became a consultant in the Newport, Rhode Island area. Hospitality consulting allowed JT to look at his field of interest from a more global perspective.

JT has finally come “home” to his ideal job in the food industry – catering. As Director of Operations at Elements Fine Catering, he takes charge of all aspects of catering your event with care and expertise. JT takes pride in executing one-of-a-kind events and creating incredible memories for his clients… memories that will last a lifetime. He is committed to professional excellence and to building a positive partnership with all of his clients.

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Louis S. Lacman is currently the General Manager of The Hills Restaurant in Waterbury, CT and specializes in the planning and execution of all private events and catering. Lou has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years and has a degree in Marketing from Northeastern University.

After graduating from Northeastern, Lou was Sales & Marketing Manager at Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, MA. While at Hard Rock, Lou booked, planned and executed events for companies like John Hancock, Wells Fargo, Puma North America, AT&T and members of the band Aerosmith. Lou managed a wide variety of event types including product launches, marketing events, bar and bat mitzvahs, holiday parties and the grand opening of Hard Rock Cafe at Faneuil Hall.

Lou is now uniting his formal education, hospitality experience, and passion for creating unforgettable events into an exciting endeavor… Elements Fine Catering.

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