What venues is Wooden Paddle a preferred caterer at?

Wooden Paddle is a preferred caterer at many top Chicagoland event venues including Warehouse 109, Firehouse Chicago, The Joinery, Wilder Mansion, Elmhurst Art Museum, The Crawford Chicago, Community House Winnetka, Palmhouse Chicago, Bridge 410, and Aurora Civic Center, among others.

What does it mean that Wooden Paddle is a preferred caterer?

Being a preferred caterer means the venue has vetted and recommends Wooden Paddle based on quality, reliability, and past event performance. We have an established working relationship with their staff, know the kitchen logistics, and can deliver a seamless event experience at that location.

Can Wooden Paddle cater at venues not on this list?

Absolutely. Wooden Paddle is a fully mobile caterer and can bring our wood-fired ovens to virtually any venue in the Chicagoland area — whether or not we are on their official preferred vendor list. We travel up to 50 miles from our kitchen in Lemont, IL.

Does Wooden Paddle do weddings at these venues?

Yes — weddings are a core part of what we do. We provide full-service wedding catering at preferred venues across Chicagoland, including staffing, bar service, rentals, setup, and cleanup. Our wood-fired approach makes every wedding feel unique and memorable.

How do I book Wooden Paddle for my event at a preferred venue?

Contact us through our website or call (630) 296-4674 to check availability for your event date and venue. We recommend reaching out as early as possible — popular wedding dates fill up quickly.

Does Wooden Paddle Catering do corporate events?

Yes — Wooden Paddle Catering is available for corporate events of all sizes across Chicagoland. We cater team lunches, company galas, client dinners, holiday parties, and office events. We roll up with mobile wood-fired ovens and cook everything live on-site.

What types of corporate events does Wooden Paddle cater?

We cater all kinds of corporate events — team lunches, holiday parties, client appreciation events, company galas, product launches, meetings, and more. If you want your team to actually look forward to the company party, we're your people.

How far does Wooden Paddle Catering travel for corporate events?

We generally travel up to 50 miles from our kitchen in Lemont, IL, covering most of Chicagoland. Have an event a bit further out? Reach out — we make exceptions for the right fit.

How much does corporate event catering with Wooden Paddle cost?

Our pricing depends on guest count, menu, and services needed. Corporate clients typically spend between $50–$100 per person. We'll put together a custom quote — just tell us what you're working with and we'll make it work.

What food does Wooden Paddle serve at corporate events?

Wood-fired pizza is our signature, but we go way beyond that — think pasta, live-fire proteins, seasonal appetizers, and craft cocktails, all cooked on-site by our Chicago chefs. It's the kind of food your team will actually talk about on Monday.

Does Wooden Paddle Catering handle setup and cleanup for corporate events?

Absolutely. We handle everything from setup to breakdown — staffing, equipment, cooking, serving, and cleanup. You focus on your guests; we'll handle the rest.

Is Wooden Paddle Catering a full-service wedding caterer?

Yes — Wooden Paddle Catering is a full-service wedding caterer serving Chicagoland. We handle staffing, bar service, rentals, coordination, cooking, and cleanup. Our team of Chicago chefs cook absolutely everything on-site using mobile wood-fired ovens.

How far does Wooden Paddle Catering travel for weddings?

We generally travel up to 50 miles from our Wooden Paddle kitchen in Lemont, IL. Is your event a little bit further away? Let's talk anyway — we do make exceptions for the right fit.

How much does wedding catering with Wooden Paddle cost?

Our menu is fully à la carte and our pricing is transparent. Couples typically spend between $75–$150 per person. We'll create a custom quote for your event — if you share your budget, we'll work with you to make a plan that fits.

Does Wooden Paddle Catering work with my wedding venue?

We've catered at over 60 event venues around the Chicagoland area. Even if we're not on your venue's preferred vendors list yet, there's a good chance we can still make it work. We've done it before!

Does Wooden Paddle offer wedding catering tastings?

Absolutely! We love having couples come in, get to know us, and taste what we have to offer. Just come hungry!

What food does Wooden Paddle Catering serve at weddings?

Wood-fired pizza is just the beginning. We serve steak, pasta, seasonal appetizers, stunning desserts, and artsy cocktails — all cooked live at your venue by our Chicago chefs using mobile wood-fired ovens.

Our story

Wooden Paddle was founded in 2013 by a couple of married college drop-outs with almost no restaurant knowledge and even less money. Since then, we’ve learned a bit and, thankfully, hired a team that’s much smarter than us, so Wooden Paddle continues to grow.

BOOK HERE

Meet our people

These are the people who make it happen everyday. They’re scrappy, they come with batteries included, and while they take their work seriously, they don’t take themselves too seriously. This here’s the dream team.

Wanna join us? Apply here!

Jonathan Cowan

Co-Founder

First Job: Cashier at Taylor St. Pizza of McHenry
Fave Pizza: Pepperonly

Brianna Cowan

Co-Founder

First Job: Riverside Chocolate Factory
Fave Pizza: Full of Bulgogi

Juan Alvarado

Director of Operations

First Job: The Clubhouse
Fave Pizza: Grandma’s Pie

Joshua Janovsky

General Manager, Lemont

First Job: Chicago Tribune Paper Boy
Fave Pizza: Gettin’ Figgy Wit It

Angelo Gallegos

Chef-de-Cuisine, La Grange

First Job: The Clubhouse
Fave Pizza: Smoke & ‘shrooms

Josiah Sirek

Chef-de-Cuisine, Lemont

First Job: Dish Washer
Fave Pizza: Eggs Benny

Connie Vavra

Catering & Events Sales Manager

First Job: Smoothie Slinger
Fave Pizza: Buzzkill

Tris Wang

Marketing Director

First Job: Copywriter
Fave Pizza: Smoke + ‘Shrooms

Steven Orlic

Warehouse Manager

First Job: Car Wash
Fave Pizza: Margarita

Dailen Quibot

Executive Assistant

First Job: QB Software Support and Payroll Expert
Fave Pizza: The Original Mr. Beef

The nitty gritty details

Lemont Location

212 Stephen St.
Lemont, IL 60439

(630) 326-8150
hello@woodenpaddle.com

Hours

Monday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday: Brunch 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: Brunch 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

La Grange Location

23 Calendar Ave
La Grange, IL, 60525

(708) 571-2345
hello@woodenpaddle.com

Hours

Monday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday: 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday: Brunch 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday: Brunch 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Order Takeout

Reserve Your Table

Our story

Meet our people

Jonathan Cowan

Brianna Cowan

Juan Alvarado

Joshua Janovsky

Angelo Gallegos

Josiah Sirek

Connie Vavra

Tris Wang

Steven Orlic

Dailen Quibot

The nitty gritty details

Lemont Location

Hours

La Grange Location

Hours

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Lemont Location

La Grange Location