Kelsey Kwiatkoski: A Hometown Girl With a Full Plate
Kelsey Kwiatkoski has lived in Thornwood for three years, but she's hardly new to the neighborhood. She grew up on McDonald Road and has been in the area for 22 years. Ask her what she loves about living here and she doesn't hesitate. "Everyone is always outside and mingling," she says. "My neighbors feel like family."
Kelsey got her start in hospitality at 14, working as a restaurant host. Since then, she's done just about every job in the industry, and somewhere along the way she fell in love with food and event planning. Today she's a Catering & Events Consultant for SBR Events Group, which brings together Sweet Baby Ray's and True Cuisine. They handle everything from drop-off catering to full-service planning, and they work with trusted vendors to pull it all together.
Earlier this year, Kelsey helped plan an event at the Paramount Theatre featuring Jerry Seinfeld. Not bad for someone who started out at the host stand! "I'm proud of the journey my career has taken," she says.
Her favorite part of the job is event day, when everything comes together and people are sitting down to a great meal. "Even when things get busy, the end result is always the best part," she says. She stays on top of things by networking, learning from other planners and, most of all, listening to her clients so each event feels personal to them.
SBR Events also supported Fox Valley Hands of Hope's Cuisine for a Cause this year, a group that's close to her family's heart.
The holiday season is always busy for Kelsey, and SBR is getting ready to start its second restaurant in Wood Dale. She says her job has also introduced her to neighbors she might never have met otherwise. "It's made me realize just how many connections are right around us," she says.
Her advice for anyone figuring out their career path is simple: do what you love. "Think back to what you enjoyed most when you were younger," she says. "Follow that feeling and stick with it. It may lead you somewhere you never expected."
If you find yourself or your business in need of catering services, Contact Kelsey: