Our Staff

Catherine Buford, Event Planner

Catherine Buford has been with Food in Bloom for over ten years and brings an extensive culinary background to her position. Catherine relocated to Portland after completing her degree at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. During her time in the Bay Area, she cooked with several top chefs in restaurants in both the Napa Valley and San Francisco. Her love for food began in the South, with family roots in Texas and Louisiana. Catherine has a passion for food and planning events that is shared with her clients, developing relationships that last many years.

Elizabeth Hardison, Marketing & Sales

Born into a family of travelers, Elizabeth grew up sampling the world’s cuisines, from China and Australia to Mississippi and Argentina. Eventually finishing up her formative years in Southern Oregon, Elizabeth took jobs in the food industry as soon as she was old enough: back of house, front of house and even running community gardens in between. Marketing and event planning is a job that taps into her prior experience in baking and managing bakeries (Pearl Bakery and Little T American Baker), handling marketing and product development for an organic beverage company, running sustainability programs, and even teaching, which she has a Masters in. She feels fortunate to work with some of the best chefs around and is happy to bring their cuisine to Portland tables.

Erin Hight, Event Planner

Erin is a native to Oregon and has a deep appreciation for what makes the Northwest one of a kind. Starting in hospitality as a front desk supervisor she learned the basics of events and hospitality and quickly moved into catering with a specialty in weddings. Working at various event locations in the downtown Portland area, Erin has had the pleasure of working with large scale non-profit auctions, high end weddings, corporate conferences and is the Regional Director for the Portland Wedding Network USA chapter. A professional appreciator of food and all of its glory has given Erin a dedication to high quality and remarkable dining experiences for all events. She enjoys uncovering hidden treasures in the city for a great meal and time with loved ones.

Krystal Kelch, Event Planner

Being Italian and raised by a father who loved to cook, Krystal took an interest in fine cuisine from an early age. She often took the role of chef within her family particularly focusing on desserts and comfort foods. Her favorite memories are those of cooking with her family and exploring magazines like Bon Appetite. In 2005 Krystal put her love of food, events and detailed organization into practice by joining an elite catering company in Orange County, CA. She worked as a wedding coordinator there for 5 years, assisting with and executing numerous flawless events. Then in 2010, Krystal and her husband moved to Portland where Krystal immediately began coordinating and executing weddings, corporate socials and private events, joining the Food in Bloom team in late 2011. Her passion is to see stunning events executed flawlessly and works hard to ensure your vision for your special day comes to life.

Kris Kremers, Event Planner

After coordinating her own birthday party at the age of 9 to include a scavenger hunt, hot dog eating contest and Barbie fashion show, Kris’ family knew that she was destined to be a party planner. Kris has been planning events for Food in Bloom since February of 2007, after relocating to Portland from San Francisco.As a former Marketing and Events Director of a popular San Francisco tourist destination, Kris brings extensive experience in event planning, marketing & public relations to the Food In Bloom team. In her spare time, she enjoys perusing antique stores, exploring the Oregon Coast, and cooking for her family and friends. With her dual passions for culinary and decorative arts, Kris puts her talents and enthusiasm for creative menu planning and décor to work for your special event.

Ellen McNerney, Office Manager

Ellen’s love for all things edible began at an early age. Growing up in Napa Valley, she was exposed to a culture of culinary creativity and experimentation. Her most cherished memories are the meals she has shared with friends and family, both at home and abroad. Spending all her savings at dining destinations, Ellen realized that the food and wine industry was something she wanted to explore further. Majoring in hospitality and tourism, working in restaurants, and cooking at home has brought her one step closer to this goal. Ellen is happy to have landed in Portland, where she continues to spend her free time wandering specialty markets and indulging in conversation at local cafes.

John Merrill, General Manager

From the age of sixteen, John was drawn to the energy of the food and beverage world. He began his career on the Las Vegas Strip, working his way up through every position in restaurants and rubbing shoulders with some of the most famous chefs in the country. After graduating from UNLV with a degree in Hospitality and Business Management, John quickly found himself traveling the country, consulting and opening new venues with a variety of cuisines. Settling back home, he took over the reins as the Catering and Operations Manager for all of the Wolfgang Puck restaurants and off-premise events in the Las Vegas area. He went on to become the General Manager for Steve Wynn’s new restaurant, Society. Inspired by the outstanding cuisine and fresh, organic products of the Northwest, John recently relocated to Portland with his wife Carrie, a Pastry Chef, to seek out the next chapter in their exciting careers.

Colleen O’Neil, Staffing and Operations Manager

With a lifetime of experience in fine dining, catering and event production, Colleen works to insure the success of your event by coordinating our team of skilled professional servers and bartenders to serve your guests with grace and enthusiasm. Her behind the scenes efforts in coordinating various aspects of Food in Bloom’s events for the past decade, has helped to earn Food in Bloom the reputation as one of Portland’s most reliable and exceptional caterers. Downhill skiing, live theater and the blues are at the top of her favorite things list!