Cuisines Catering.

Owner: Don DeSpain

Address: 113 W. Walnut St., Rogers 72756

Phone: [phone]

Hours: For the bistro, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Monday-Saturday; Available to cater

24 hours a day, seven days a week

Startup: January 2006

E-mail: [e-mail]

Web site: www.cuisinestogo.com

Don DeSpain has big plans for his new catering business in northwest Arkansas. If his success thus far is any indicator, then he has every reason to believe he can pull it off.

"We are very happy with the amount of business we have today," DeSpain said. "It's exceeded our expectations."

Since opening in January, Cuisines Catering has catered 250 events, according to DeSpain's estimates, and cultivated a solid, diverse client base including big names such as Beaver Lake Aviation, Summit Aviation and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

DeSpain said many clients came by way of his community connections through organizations such as the Rogers chapter of the Rotary Club, which he currently serves as president. He also earned a lot of valuable contacts through his 25 years of experience in the hotel, restaurant, catering and hospitality industries. Most recently, he served as the opening director of marketing for the new convention center built at the Embassy Suites in Rogers from before construction of the center began until it opened last August.

Cuisines Catering specializes in corporate catering, aviation catering and special event catering. DeSpain said that what sets his business apart from competitors is its comprehensive approach to service.

Presentation, for example, is emphasized. Rather than typical fruit trays, customers can get a fruit "presentations," each a series of elevated marble tiles with fruit cut into artful shapes.

Also, full-service catering for Cuisines Catering means covering every facet of an event, from delivering the food to cleaning up the dishes afterward.

"A lot of catering companies are very good on food but not necessarily focused on the presentation, the delivery, and on the sales and marketing sides," DeSpain said.

With all of these elements nailed down to an art form, DeSpain is now working to expand his current business model. Cuisines Catering is now also operating a lunch bistro out of its location in downtown Rogers, serving a lot of the same freshly made dishes catering customers can get.

The next step will be a new "gourmet-to-go food market" that DeSpain hopes to have open by next fall. He is already looking at a new location just off of Interstate 540 that is being developed by Collins-Haynes.

At the gourmet market, customers will be able to order individual meals to go. DeSpain said this service will cater to people on special diets and those who just want the convenience of picking up a freshly prepared meal.