Being Honored at the 2015 Tri-State Family & Private Business All-Star Awards

For 42 years, the team at Raffel’s Catering has become such a close-knit catering company, we consider ourselves to be one big family. So when these Cincinnati caterers learned in July that we were selected as one of the finalists for the Family & Private Business All-Star Awards, we were thrilled! Among more than 500 applicants, this Cincinnati catering business was one of 75 finalists for the Goering Center’s 2015 Tri-State Family & Private Business All-Star Awards.

University of Cincinnati’s Goering Center for Family & Private Business hosted their 16th annual Family & Private Business All-Star Awards with a gala at Music Hall on August 26, and the Raffel’s Catering team was pleased to have a change of pace by not being in charge of the catering (for once). As a part of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, the Goering Center provides both family businesses and private businesses with education, resources, and leadership opportunities to help countless local businesses grow and succeed. The Goering Center is the largest educational resource center of its kind. Other prominent local businesses that have utilized the Goering Center’s aid include Graeter’s, LaRosa’s Pizzeria, and Scherzinger Pest Control.


  Generations of the Raffel's family represented this Cincinnati catering group on August 26.

When these Cincinnati caterers learned that we were chosen as finalists among this year’s nominees, the excitement around our banquet halls was palpable. Though we received word of our finalist status in July, we were awaiting August’s arrival with bated breath.

Armed with a camera and stomachs full of butterflies, our founders, Pat and Emily Raffel, and other members of this Cincinnati catering family attended the 2015 Tri-State Family & Private Business All-Star Awards event. Eager yet anxious, we mingled and dined at the Family & Private Business All-Star Awards gala, waiting to see if we’d move beyond the status of “finalist.”


Our founders and owners, Pat and Emily Raffel, with the award.

With Johnny Rivers’ “Secret Agent Man” blasting through the speakers, the names of the winners and runners-up were “snuck” up on to the stage in an attaché case. Fingers crossed, this Cincinnati catering team was hoping to hear our name be announced. … And it was! While we weren’t the first place winners, we did come in the top three in our category. In the 16-49 Years in Business category for family businesses, Raffel’s Catering was one of the 2015 Tri-State Family & Private Business All-Star Awards’ runners-up. You can see the complete list of this year’s award winners and runners-up for both family and private businesses here.

With the help and support of our loved ones, patrons, guests, and employees, it’s a distinguished honor that we can share the news of our award with you. At Raffel’s Catering, we’re proud to be a part of whatever event you’re hosting by preparing delicious, handmade food and having our picturesque banquet halls available to host said event. Thank you, Cincinnati, for being an amazing city that has had several generations of patrons returning to our facilities again and again. Here’s to another 40 more years in the Queen City!