Farm-to-Table
Catering
Chef Will Van Heuvelen
Valley View is excited to have Chef Will Van Heuvelen as our exclusive in-house chef. Will's experience with food began with farming. It was in his time as a grower that he came to appreciate that cooking is more than the sum of constituent ingredients. For Will, the process of designing a menu and preparing a meal is an act of love - for nature, for the farmer, and for the experience of bringing people closer to the land upon which their food is grown.
Months of planning and preparation precede any meal when cooking from seed to plate. It is the happenstance of the season, human labor, and the health of the soil that align to bring food to our tables; and it is in deference to that resilient choreography that Will prepares seasonally sourced menus.
After working in bakeries and kitchens from California to New York in the winter months, Will co-founded Wheelhouse in 2015, which continues its mission of cooking seasonal meals on farms and at private events throughout the Connecticut River Valley. Now you can catch Will foraging in our fields and planning with our local farmers to bring you an incredible farm-to-plate experience here at Valley View Farm.
Mission
We aim to preserve our farmland by creating sustainable opportunities for guests to gather and be nourished by food grown locally. The vast majority of our ingredients are sourced from local farms and vendors in and around Western Massachusetts. We build community around these farms by bringing together the region's finest chefs and growers in an artistic pursuit to feed our guests.
Farm Partners
"We enjoyed the Fall Tasting Dinner the year before our wedding and while it was not our exact wedding menu, it gave us a perfect experience to understand the seasonal flavors and how enjoyable our wedding meal would be."
- Bride 2022
"Curating our menu to match our food preferences and desires was so much fun, and resulted in a food spread that was very reflective of who we are as a couple. "
-Bride 2022
2024 Service Options
Buffet
Dishes are set on a long table and guests select what they’d like as they go down the line
Suggested Structure
Stationary hors d'oeuvres, 3 passed hors d'oeuvres, plated first course, bread course,
5 dish main course, stationary dessert, coffee & tea, dinnerware, serving ware, and linen napkins
Average Price
$70/person + $5,000 administrative fee + tax + fair wage fee
Family
Dishes are plated on shared plates and are designed to be passed around the table
Suggested Structure
Stationary hors d'oeuvres, 3 passed hors d'oeuvres, plated or family-style first course, bread course,
5 dish main course, stationary dessert, coffee & tea, dinnerware, serving ware, and linen napkins
Average Price
$75/person + $5,000 administrative fee + tax + fair wage fee
Plated
Courses are individually plated and served directly to guests
Suggested Structure
Stationary hors d'oeuvres, 3 passed hors d'oeuvres, plated first course, bread course,
3-option plated main course, stationary dessert, coffee & tea, dinnerware, serving ware, and linen napkins
Average Price
$75/person + $5,000 administrative fee + tax + fair wage fee
Extras
Prices vary, please inquire
Late night snacks
Wood-fired smoker
Wood-fired brick oven pizza
Food truck
Additional passed hors d’oeuvres
Additional courses
Non-alcoholic drink station
Private tastings
7% meals tax, 23% fair wage fee & $5,000 administrative fee will be added to all catering services
Small print
Administrative Fee, Tax, and Fair Wage Fee: A $5,000 administrative fee, 7% state and local meals tax, and 23% fair wage fee will be added to the food and service portion of the bill. Tax and fair wage fee will not be charged on the administrative fee.
Payment Structure: A $5,000 deposit is due 30 days from the date your 1st venue payment is received. The remaining payment and a credit card on file is due two weeks prior to your event. All payments will be made to Valley View Farm Catering.
Accepted Payments: Electronic bank transfer (e-check) or paper checks are accepted. Credit card payments are also accepted with a 4% processing fee.
Your final guest count is due two weeks prior to your event. Refunds will not be given if the guest count decreases after your final count is given.
Vendor and children rates: Vendor meals are charged at half-priced compared to regular guest meals. Children aged 6-12 are half-priced if receiving a children’s meal and full price if enjoying the regular wedding menu. Children under the age of 6 are free unless they’re receiving their own meal, in which case pricing is the same as children aged 6-12. For more information, see below.
To read answers to frequently asked questions and see sample menus, please download the documents below.
Tasting Dinners
We offer quarterly Tasting Dinners here at the farm and every catering package is inclusive of two free Tasting Dinner tickets. These dinners are the best way to experience the venue, service, and taste our food – you will dine with other wedding couples and be served a multi-course meal of representative seasonal dishes that showcase our cooking style, preferred flavors, and preparations. This is a wonderful way to get a sense of who we are, become familiar with the space, and to connect with the soul of the farm.
Tasting Dinners will begin with a cocktail hour reception of appetizer, cheese and charcuterie boards paired with seasonal cocktails. Once seated, guests will hear words from one of our chefs and one of our local farmers. Dinner will be served in courses with a paired farm-made cider and cocktails: the typical menu will feature appetizers, a seasonal bite, soup or salad, bread, a main course, and dessert. We’ll end the evening with a seasonal dessert offering and time to enjoy the evening around the fire pits.
Couples are welcome to bring guests to any Tasting Dinner, however the number of tickets sold to each event is limited, advance reservations required.
