About us...
Business Catering: We specialize in office, business, pharmaceutical, Dr. Office, affordable, comprehensive. turn key catering solutions for busy, professionals who have better things to do than run around the city getting food, beverages, desserts, paper products, ice, delivering and setting up a 30 minute lunch.
Corporate Catering: Crawfish boils, BBQ’s or full buffets from 50 to 1000 for your company picnics, training or safety lunches, or Christmas, retirement and anniversary parties.
Executive Lunches: Do you need a fully decked out buffet or plated sit down luncheon for a board meeting, or stock holders meeting. Just call us we can provide everything you need from grilled gulf tuna to Prime rib with all the accompaniments, table decorations, china, utensils, linen and glass ware.
Event Planning: Do you have an special event coming up a birthday, anniversary, shower or wedding. We can handle all your catering needs.
Call Sarah at 343-5706 or go to our on line store and place your orders yourself (for business packages only, for other services please call Sarah).
Our packages include everything you need, and it’s delivered fresh, hot and on time or it’s FREE.
John Caluda
Born 1960
Schools: Stuart Prep, St. Benilde, Rummel, U.N.O., Culinary Institute of America Hobbies: Cooking, Computers and Martial arts. I am a 5th degree Black belt in Shotokan Karate and won National champion in Colligate, AAU, ISKF several times in the 1980's. I also participated in 4 World Championships finishing in the top 8 in Australia JKA World Championships.
I met my wife Debbie Horn at the dojo where we trained. We married in 1986 and have two boys. Our oldest Nico was born in 1990 and our youngest Josh was born 1993. Both currently attend Jesuit High School. After graduating at the C.I.A in 1983, I started my culinary career as a pastry cook at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. I then helped a friend with a beignet shop at the Worlds Fair. When the World Fair ended I began working as the opening Chef at Flagons Wine Bar and Bistro on Magazine St. After working in the restaurant for about a year or so I was given an opportunity to get back into what I really love, baking. The pastry chef (Jeff Brooks) that I worked under at the Royal Sonesta offered me the position of Head Baker at the Hotel Iberville. I worked with Chef Brooks for a couple of years and was then offered a job at the Royal Orleans as a pastry cook. There I worked my way up to Pastry chef. After 2 years at the Royal Orleans I was laid off. It was then I decided to open my first Restaurant,Sweet Basil's Bistro in Panama City FL. I stayed their for two years. Then when we were excepting my 1st son (Nico) I sold the restaurant to my partners and decided to return home. It was not long after Nico’s birth that I opened the original Coffee Cottage on Metairie Rd.
Lesley forynski
Catering Manager
Sarah has decided to go back to school and spend more 
time being a Mom. Although we will definitely miss her but we wish her all the best.
Lesley applied during king cake season as a helper and fast became a supervisor over the king cake crew. She also helped make strudel and has strong marketing and sales skills working with such companies as Smoothie King and Elmwood Fitness. I witnessed firsthand her strong work ethic and attention to detail and know you will enjoy working with her as well.
Arthur Hindson
Catering Chef
Arthur has worked for me since 1988 at my restaurant in Panama City. He moved here shortly after I sold that restaurant and started working with me at Coffee Cottage. He has been with me since the beginning and has done a little of the baking, most of the cooking, some king cakes and all the filling for Jazz Fest.
Kathy Barrilleaux
Catering Cook
Kathy started with me in the 2008 King cake season and was such a hard worker we kept her on part time at first. Now she is an integral part of our team. She does most of the salads, sandwiches, and desserts. As well as assist Sarah with catering orders and even makes a lot of the delivers. Her children have also worked here on special occasion.
Melissa Short
Sales Associate
Is my cousin in law and we grew up in the same neighborhood and went to St Benilde together.
Dan Devun
Sales Associate
Know as MR. DAN He was one of my Dad’s oldest friends and use to rock me to sleep as he likes to tell everyone.
Debbie Caluda
Controller
Debbie ,my wife, takes care of all the money (surprise) and all the paper work. Thank goodness!
1536 River Oaks Dr. West Suite A. Call Sarah at 504-343-5706
5860 Citrus Blvd
The Citrus Store was opened in 96 or 97 as our second location. Then in ’04 ,when Metairie Rd. closed, we renovate the kitchen to make it bigger for our baking and
catering business. Business was great. Then when Katrina hit she kinda changed all that. As she did for most small business in this area. We were one of the first to reopen after the storm. Business was great for about a year. But as more restaurants opened and more people were able to get back to their own kitchens the business slowed down and it became harder to find good staff. I was no longer happy with the situation and decided to sell. I don't miss the day to day but I do miss seeing all the regulars. I still enjoy stopping in a couple of times a day to see old customers.
2559 Metairie Rd
The original Coffee Cottage on Metairie Rd. opened in 1991.
We remained their until Dec. of 2004. It was then that Omni bank took over our lease as well as three other business with plans to build a new bank. The property still sits unused and vacant. I think it maybe for sale, now. It was a quaint little cafe with its own unique atmosphere that was very calming. Customers used to love to just hang out on the porch. Saturday and Sunday mornings were always crazy. A line of customers out the door awaiting the morning coffee and breakfast. But no one seemed to mind, everyone would be socializing. It really was a neighborhood hot spot and we miss it dearly.
