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DINNER PARTY 001 [early access]

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EH Store Tee

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HOT SOUP PARTY @ LAOBRA [MARCH 9]

HOT SOUP PARTY @ LAOBRA [MARCH 9]
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HOT SOUP PARTY @ THE HANCOCK [12.29]

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Serving Some Soup [October 29 Pre-Order]

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JUNE 27 27 Proposal: Annie + Phillip

Essential Herbs — Wedding Proposal · Annie & Alex

Annie & Alex's Ethereal + Lush Upstate Farm Wedding

Farm wedding with seasonal, heritage-driven cuisine & full bar service · Saturday, June 26, 2027 · Mama Farm, Brookhaven

Event
Annie & Alex Wedding
Date
Saturday, June 26, 2027
Venue
Mama Farm, Brookhaven, NY
Guest Count
100–120
Service Duration
6 hours (5 PM – 11 PM)

Overview

Farm to celebration.

Fresh, elevated farm wedding rooted in seasonal abundance. Food for the whole family—nourishing, delicious, and unpretentious. Big, substantive flavors that keep the celebration alive and energized throughout the night. Every plate celebrates what's at peak season, sourced from farms we know and trust.

What's In Season

June

Peak stone fruits, berries, early summer vegetables, and fresh herbs in full abundance. Local seafood at its peak. Sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, and tender greens all converging. The season is bright, vibrant, alive, and full of possibility.

About Russell & Essential Herbs

Led by intuition. Rooted in place.

Russell's cooking style balances simple, complex, and unexpected flavor combinations using the freshest local ingredients. He believes food is a vessel—accessible to all, with the potential to elevate the profoundly human experience of breaking bread together into something profound. Featured in Bon Appétit, WSJ, Vogue, Eater, and the New York Times. Co-founder of Breaking Bread NYC.

Menu

Seasonal. Heritage-driven. Intentional.

Service framework below is what Russell proposes for Annie & Alex's celebration. Full bar service (cocktails, beer, wine, spirits, non-alcoholic options) is included throughout cocktail hour and evening. Menu selections will be finalized during our Kickoff call with attention to seasonal availability, dietary needs, and what tastes best right now. Final menu confirmed 4 weeks prior to event with flexibility based on what's at peak season.

Cocktail Hour (60 minutes) Arrival through seated dinner

Passed & Station Service

  • Raw Bar — (2) seasonal raw preparations
    Premium ingredient upcharge available: uni, caviar service, and specialty crudo preparations available at additional cost. Finalized at Menu Kickoff.
  • Passed Hors d'oeuvres — Four passed bites: two meat, two vegetarian. Selection to be finalized at Menu Kickoff
  • Grazing Station — Seasonal produce, specialty items, Mediterranean influences
  • Standard Full Open Bar — Beer, wine, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic options
  • *Premium Option Bar Available Upon Request

100 guests · Celebration begins with engagement around food

Seated Family Style Dinner Plated, multi-course service

THREE COURSE MEAL -Menu Framework (to be finalized)

OPTION FOR FAMILY STYLE, PLATED, OR A MIXTURE

  • Seafood Option — Fresh seasonal preparation (1 selection)
  • Meat Option — Carefully sourced protein (1 selection)
  • Vegetarian Options — Four preparations highlighting seasonal vegetables (4 selections)
  • Starch Components — Two sides to accompany proteins and vegetables (2 selections)
  • Full bar service throughout — Beer, wine, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic options

100 guests · Family style service emphasizes sharing and community · All selections finalized at Menu Kickoff call · Gluten-free and dietary accommodations available

Dessert & Sweets Served as main clears

Essential Herbs Dessert

  • Seasonal Fruit Display + Dessert Table (ice cream, pies, cakes — to be finalized)

Dessert offerings confirmed based on seasonal availability and client preferences.

Client Responsibility
Wedding cake provided and sourced by clients. EH team will assist with plating and distribution to guests.
Late Night (Optional) Post-dinner dancing & celebrations

Late Night Bites

  • Optional (EH can help arrange): Savory snacks, light bites, or additional desserts
Client Responsibility
Late night snack costs are outside the scope of this proposal. Client coordinates timing and service with chosen vendor. EH team will help plate and share with guests as needed.
All Night — Beverages

Included

  • Hot Coffee + Iced Coffee — available after 8 PM

Responsibilities

What EH handles. What the venue & planner handle.

Essential Herbs Handles
All food & ingredients · Executive chef & full kitchen team · Passed appetizers, grazing stations, oyster bar · Seated dinner plating & service · Full open bar with cocktail service (cocktail hour through late night) · All bartenders & bar staff · Menu design, sourcing, pre-event coordination · Complete setup & breakdown for food and bar service
Venue/Planner/Client Handles
All rentals beyond kitchen (tables, chairs, linens, plateware, glassware, etc.) · Venue setup & décor · Wedding cake sourcing & service coordination

A Note on Sourcing

Seasonal. Ethical. Direct.

All produce sourced within 250 miles of Brooklyn, with priority to Mama Farm's seasonal offerings and Hudson Valley purveyors. Sourcing is a paramount pillar of all EH events. This approach ensures strong farmer-chef relationships, minimal environmental impact, peak freshness (harvested days before event), fair farmer compensation, and regional abundance.

Investment

Budget Breakdown (100 Guests)

Catering Services: Cocktail Hour, Dinner, Post Dinner (Chef Russell + 2 Sous Chefs + 3 Line Cooks + 2 Porters + 10 Servers + 1 Captain + Food & Seasonal Ingredients sourced within 250 miles) $35,000.00
Bar Service (1 Bar Captain + 2 Bartenders + 2 Barbacks + Spirits, Wine, Beer & Non-Alcoholic) $9,500.00
Sustainability Fee (3%) $1,335.00
Admin Fee (12.5%) $5,563.00
Subtotal $51,398.00
NYC Sales Tax (8.875%) $4,562.00
Gratuity (18% on base) $8,010.00
Grand Total $63,970.00
Payment Schedule
25% — Due June 20, 2027 (Booking Deposit, Non-Refundable)
$15,992.50 | Nonrefundable | Secures date and locks in June 26, 2027 catering

25% — Due December 20, 2026
$15,992.50 | Nonrefundable

25% — Due March 20, 2027 
$15,992.50 | 50% Refundable until May 1, 2027 

25% — Due May 20, 2027 (Final Payment)
$15,992.50 | Non-refundable

Payment Method: ACH bank transfer or credit card (+4% processing fee)
Included: Majority of food & seasonal ingredients (sourced within 250 miles) · Full open bar (beer, wine, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic) with service throughout cocktail hour and entire evening · Executive chef (Russell) · Full kitchen & front-of-house team (10 servers + 1 captain) · Full bar team (1 bar captain + 2 bartenders + 2 barbacks) · Menu design, sourcing, pre-event coordination · Complete setup & breakdown · NYC sales tax · Gratuity (18% on base)
Not Included: Wedding cake, rentals (kitchen needs, tables, chairs, linens, plateware, glassware, servingware)

Next Steps

Menu Kickoff & Confirmation Call

Timeline

Recommended: Early June 2026 (before Anne's medical residency begins in July)

Duration: 90 minutes

Format: Call with Russell

What We Finalize

  • Final guest count (100 vs. 120)
  • Dietary breakdown (vegetarian, gluten-free, allergies)
  • Bar package level (standard as proposed)
  • Dessert & cake coordination plan
  • Event timing confirmation
  • Cultural food direction & family stories
Deposit & Booking
25% ($15,968.52) due June 20, 2027 to secure dates and lock in June 26, 2027 catering. Remaining payments due December 20, 2026 / March 20, 2027 / May 20, 2027.
Optional Tasting
Available after the deposit is received — dinner at Russell's loft to experience the caliber and philosophy of Essential Herbs cooking (four guests, two hours).

Responsibilities

What EH handles. What the venue handles.

Kitchen Team

Russell Markus — Executive Chef, kitchen lead, plate execution
Sous Chefs — 2 senior kitchen staff, platter execution, quality control
Line Cooks — 3 cooks, mise en place, execution, teardown

Porter — 2 cleaning for flow of service execution, teardown

Front-of-House Service

Servers — 10 Essential Herbs front-of-house staff for family-style service, platter delivery and turnover
Service Captain — 1 captain for flow management and coordination

Bar Team

Bar Captain — 1 bar captain, beverage management and cocktail execution
Bartenders — 2 bartenders for cocktails, beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic service
Barbacks — 2 barbacks for bar support, restocking, and ice management

Full bar team (1 captain + 2 bartenders + 2 barbacks) provided by Essential Herbs and included in total investment.

Agreement & Signatures

Both parties agree to the terms outlined in this proposal.

Annie & Alex (Clients)

Signature

 

Date

 

Russell Markus (Owner, Essential Herbs)

Signature

 

Date

 

Essential Herbs
Russell Markus
Chef & Founder, Essential Herbs
hello@essentialherbs.com
essentialherbs.com
May 2027