“Susan has combined a deeply personal love
of cooking, a voice that sounds like warm honey, and fabulous style to become
probably the most sought-after chef in the South. I always have Susan up when I
have a client who wants crabcakes like they make them in Baton Rouge, fried
chicken that's better than anything they've ever dreamt about in Kentucky, and
the freshest, most darkly delicious greens you can imagine. We were working on a
party once in an old, dilapidated tin shed in the middle of a daffodil field on
an island off the coast of Beaufort, South Carolina. Wearing an old apron, ropes
of pearls with an emerald clasp the size of a fist, and a straw hat with ribbons
tied around the brim, in a little corner of this falling-apart structure, Susan
created a feast for nearly four hundred people. When the power went out, she
cleared the brush, built a fire with it, and kept on cooking.”
—Bronson Van Wyck, event consultant and designer,
Van Wyck & Van Wyck, New York, New York
Susan Mason has
built a legendary business catering in Savannah, Georgia, and many points
beyond. Known for her creative and imaginative meals, she has catered parties
for Southern aristocracy in the most exclusive private homes and social clubs,
on airplanes, in cemeteries, on movie sets, and in secret hideaways for the rich
and famous. Tom Hanks' wife, Rita Wilson, once said that the most romantic gift
her husband ever gave her was a private birthday dinner arranged by Mason on a
yacht off the Georgia coast. Other clients include Bill Cosby, Wynton Marsalis,
and Clint Eastwood.
Susan Mason's Silver Service includes entertaining
stories and hilarious tales about her life as a caterer, more than eighty
recipes, fully illustrated, useful, and imaginative tips for creating stunning
dishes and table settings, and quotes from celebrity clients.
Ms. Mason, who grew up in Dothan, Alabama, credits her success to three things: top-quality ingredients,
abundant spreads, and elegant presentation. Her cooking has been highlighted in
two previous cookbooks and featured in numerous magazines, including Elle
Décor, Veranda, Southern Accents, Savannah Magazine,
GQ, Panache, and Saveur. |