If a producer hires Jenn Egatz of gourmet craft-services company Reel Chow (reelchow.com), the video, film, or photo shoot crew’s food choices go from mundane and generally unhealthy to exciting and healthful: mini cups of butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds; warm crêpes topped with fresh fruits and organic jams; and crostini with homemade pesto. Not a bad selection, especially coming from a self-taught chef. “I learned to cook when I was living on my own in Los Angeles,” says Egatz, 35, who started the Peekskill-based business in 2010.
The key to producing a craft-service table that will make a crew happy? “You need caffeine and sugar, of course, but I try to provide these elements as healthily as possible,” Egatz insists. “For instance, you can substitute agave for refined white sugar.”
Among Egatz’s most popular items are non-alcoholic “mocktails,” such as virgin Mojitos and strawberry Daiquiris, and non-alcoholic sangria. For early morning sets, Egatz will make a breakfast table featuring gourmet egg wraps with herbes de Provence and a splash of almond milk (to make the eggs fluffy).
Locally, she’s done an Ilford paper ad in Peekskill, a General Mills cereal commercial in White Plains, and an X-Rite ad in North White Plains. She’s also worked for Armani on campaigns featuring Rihanna (shot in the Bronx), as well as Banana Republic and JCPenney.
If Egatz’s menu options have made you hungry, you’re in luck—recently, she has expanded her services to include high-end catering of corporate events and even private dinner parties.
R5 Jenn Egatz’s Craft-Services Company Reel Chow Keeps Crews Happy and Healthy
