Catering by Michaels Wins ACE Award for Progressive Dinner

Chicago catering company honored for Twilight-to-First-Light event at Leading Caterers of America summit.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:31am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a carefully arranged display of elegant catering equipment and serving pieces, such as silver trays, crystal glassware, and polished flatware, set against a clean, monochromatic background and dramatically lit to highlight their premium materials and craftsmanship.Catering by Michaels' award-winning progressive dinner event showcased the company's commitment to elevated service and creative presentation.Chicago Today

Catering by Michaels, a member of the Leading Caterers of America, received the ACE Award for Best Off-Premise Catering for its Twilight-to-First-Light progressive dinner event created for the organization's annual summit in Chicago. The event featured a twilight cocktail hour, a synchronized dinner service, and a finale under the city's iconic Tiffany glass dome, all executed with precision and creativity in just one month's time.

Why it matters

The ACE Awards honor the nation's top caterers, making Catering by Michaels' win a significant achievement that showcases the company's ability to deliver an exceptional, large-scale event experience. The progressive dinner format and synchronized service also highlight Catering by Michaels' commitment to innovation and raising the bar for catering experiences.

The details

For the Leading Caterers of America summit's culminating event, Catering by Michaels created a Twilight-to-First-Light progressive dinner through the Chicago Cultural Center. The event opened with a twilight cocktail hour featuring grand bars, passed bites, interactive stations, caviar bumps, and edible cocktails. Dinner unfolded at king's tables with musicians in trees, synchronized service, and color-shifting cocktails. The finale had guests following a saxophonist to 'dawn,' gathering beneath the world's largest Tiffany glass dome for dessert, music, and dancing, ending the night with Chicago dogs served in the alley.

  • In late September, the Catering by Michaels team began planning the event.
  • In just one month, Catering by Michaels sourced 19 vendors, designed the menu, crafted specialty cocktails, curated decor, coordinated A/V and music, secured sponsors, and handled all event logistics.
  • The event took place during the Leading Caterers of America Executive Summit in Chicago.

The players

Catering by Michaels

A member of the Leading Caterers of America, a consortium of top catering and event planning companies in the United States and Canada.

Lisa Ware

A representative from Catering by Michaels who spoke about the event in the awards submission.

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What they’re saying

“Hosting the best caterers in the nation should feel like a challenge, but instead, it became our north star. This was for our friends, our community, our chance to showcase the best of our company.”

— Lisa Ware

“When we opened the massive doors to the dining room and guests saw the long king's tables, the full trees with musicians tucked inside, the incredible decor, the lighting, the music swelling, and the entire Chicago skyline glowing beyond the windows...it took their breath away.”

— Lisa Ware

What’s next

Catering by Michaels will likely look to build on the success of this event and continue pushing the boundaries of catering experiences at future industry events.

The takeaway

Catering by Michaels' ACE Award win for its Twilight-to-First-Light progressive dinner demonstrates the company's ability to deliver innovative, large-scale catering experiences that captivate guests and raise the bar for the catering industry.