Chef Vincenzo Betulia's New Catering Endeavor

Each of the Naples chef's ventures is better than the last—and his formal expansion into catering may be his best move yet.

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I magine a five-course meal catered from the kitchen of a Port Royal mansion, yachts bobbing in the bay out back. Here, Vincenzo Betulia—alongside his trusted roster of chefs (including company pastry pro Maria Selas and chefs Shane Rossbach and Amado De Paz)—prepares lobster with burrata and pickled eggplant. He spoons dollops of housemade ricotta for a runny egg yolk ravioli before moving to Wagyu steak, finished in a red wine reduction and paired with a round of layered spun potato. Guests end the evening with butterscotch pot de crème served on Versace plates—a chef’s kiss ‘goodbye’ to season.

Vincenzo never intended to start a catering company, despite countless requests to his restaurant quartet. On the occasions he accepted a gig, attendees always approached him, complimenting the food’s freshness. It sparked a realization. “Holy cow, we’re actually pretty good at this,” he remembers thinking. So, the chef launched Tulia Catering last October.

The Sicily native was the first in Naples to host a Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner—a covetable nod from the institution that’s been the premiere judge of culinary excellence—back in 2015. Through Tulia Catering, he crafts bespoke menus and personalized experiences. He may collaborate with event organizers to facilitate a cigar-and-bourbon nook for a golden birthday or perhaps even a grappa-and-limoncello station to toast the launch of a luxe dealership.

While Vincenzo’s hands-on approach means he’s often onsite for events, he relies on his trusted team to coordinate the culinary delights. (You can also request Vincenzo’s on-staff sommelier, Marcello Palazzi, to attend to all your vino needs.) “Whatever they’re envisioning, it’s what I’m trying to make come true,” he says. “The client is in the driver’s seat.”