The Real McCoy Catering

Chef Lavell and his team are masterful in the kitchen; our food was so delicious!

Chef Lavell worked with us to come up with an original, delicious pescatarian menu that incorporated all of our favorite foods—blue cheese, salmon, and truffles. The Moroccan spiced salmon was a big hit, and the chef’s homemade smoked Jamaican jerk sauce could pair well with anything! Another comment on the jerk sauce—it provided our wedding menu a bbq option—an experience we wanted to provide to our out-of-town guests. In addition to the main fish options, the creamy risotto side with Romano cheese, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, and pine nuts was so delicious I could have made a meal of it alone! Even my vegetable-averse parents liked the roasted Brussel sprouts and the salad (a beautiful combination of candied pecans, roasted squash, and pickled red onions). Chef Lavell also sourced our favorite desserts—crème brûlée, chocolate mousse, and pecan pie. Unfortunately, my wife and I were so busy at the wedding that we barely had time to taste the food brought to our table; however, Chef Lavell very thoughtfully and generously provided us with a some prepped meals to-go—we otherwise would have missed out on our own wedding menu!

The food was delicious—and so too was the price! The quote from Real McCoy Catering came in at almost HALF those dished out by other Austin caterers. Chef Lavell had suggestions for how to cut costs without significantly impacting the experience, like bringing in our own alcohol and serving buffet-style. He was also attentive to details like making sure the tables were set beautifully—even having the servers' ties match the color of the tablecloths! Chef Lavell is cheery and reassuring; I got a big smile on my face every time I spoke with him leading up to the wedding—no easy feat considering the stress that planning a wedding can bring. Real McCoy Catering is the real deal; do yourself a favor, and give Chef Lavell a call!

Cheers,
Daniel & Johanna

We recently celebrated my Step Mother's 60th Birthday! The guest list included over a hundred people. The location was the 360 High-rise Luxury Condo Buildings Clubhouse and Pool Area. No expense was spared and everything had to be perfect. We took bids from multiple caterers and tasted potential dishes from them as well. The Real McCoy's cuisine was absolutely divine. The Executive Chef prepared a variety of options for us to try. He also expressed a willingness to work with us in regards to the details necessary to get the maximum value for the budget we had allotted. Upon the night of the big event they were in constant communication ensuring peace of mind as all the other details unfolded from the decorator, to the florist, to incoming guest from various airlines and hotels. His team was on site and set up ahead of schedule. Dinner service went off without a hitch. Everything was excellent and they exceeded all expectations. I highly recommend them for any event.

Review feedback Real McCoy







As most mothers do, I looked forward to the wedding of my daughter with great anticipation. We are members of a private club which allowed us use of their ballroom for her wedding. However, having never taken on such an affair, I naturally became overwhelmed as the date neared.



We participated in a few 'tastings' offered by local restaurants and caterers. After tasting so many versions of "rubber chicken" I knew we needed to find something much better! In my search for something better, I came upon a website with absolutely beautiful and artistically presented food. The photo showed a large filet mignon covered with a prawn next to fresh asparagus and a stuffed mushroom. Wow! This is more like it!



I sent a message for more information with trepidation. Surely these photos would prove to be taken under 'artistic license' with disappointment headed in my direction. My trepidation dissolved once I spoke with and later met the very charismatic, Chef Lavell! Chef Lavell listened to my needs and produced exactly what I was seeking. Not only would Chef Lavell produce art, that art would taste like the best meal ever eaten. His attitude and professional self confidence filled me with glee.



We had 100 guests and 100 people raving about the meal enjoyed by all at the wedding. To serve that many filet mignon dinners with such grace and quality is a miracle of creation. Magically, all guests were served simultaneously to perfection. Each and every guest felt as though this magnificent meal was made just for them.



Chef LaVell promised he would bring professionally trained wait staff and bartenders. He did not disappoint. The attire of his staff complemented the formal atmosphere of our wedding party and guests. The grace of serving our guest rivaled the finest restaurants anywhere in the world.



If you want your guests complementing the food weeks after the affair, hire The Real McCoy! You will not find a better caterer in Texas! Chef Lavell is a rock star! He is the real deal. I am so happy to have found this gem of a chef before he became so famous. I am looking forward to his new book sharing so many of his secret recipes!



Any affair in our family's future will be created by Chef Lavell.

Lavell did an amazing job on everything. He was patient and made sure we got to try about 10 different things on our tasting (which probably took him the whole day to prepare, including prime rib).



The day of the wedding he was on point and everyone was complimenting how delicious the food was and every one got their fill. For 200 people all of the food was consistent at the perfect temperature and prepared. We had 3 side along with chicken and prime rib and four cocktail appetizers. Nothing ever ran out, but the leftovers were minimal (great job estimating the amount needed).



One big detail that put Lavell over the top is the after party. The father of the bride wanted to have a little after party at his house with menudo, tamales, and tacos (attended by about 50 people). Lavell and his crew worked over time to continue cooking and get the additional food ready. The menudo (usually an acquired taste) was by far the best anyone had ever had (and this was a big Mexican family) (the tamales dipped in the menudo was the best part). Lavell finally got to take a break at about 2 AM (starting at 2 PM).



Dedicated, honest, and overall a great chef. Cannot recommend Lavell McCoy enough.

The Real McCoy recently catered our wedding at The Long Center and we could not have been more happy with the results. Our original caterer backed out on us less than two weeks before the wedding and we were extremely fortunate that Lavell and his team were able to step in to help out. He listened to what we had envisioned for the reception, took our basic ideas for the menu, and then transformed them into truly wonderful dishes. The macaroni and cheese they created was sensational and the guests loved it (including me and I am very hard to please when it comes to that dish). He even made vegan baked beans taste amazing, and that's a nearly impossible task to accomplish! There were nearly 150 guests in attendance and not one of them had anything negative to say about the food, the service or the staff...in fact everyone had many nice things to say about the quality and taste of the food. Working with The Real McCoy Catering was extremely easy and I only wish we had started out with them; our stress levels would have been lowered considerably! Lavell is a true professional and exceeded our expectations, all at a very affordable price. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for an exceptional caterer.

Wow… where do I start. I had the pleasure of working with the Real McCoy catering this spring. I was planning an Anniversary Dinner for my brother and his wife. This was an outside event that was catered. We wanted an elegant yet casual feel to it. Lavell worked with me to get the menu I needed, assisted with the floral arrangements and preparation of the table setting. The staff was very courteous, professional and willing to go above and beyond to make this event perfect.



Once our guest arrived the Severs "didn’t miss a beat" in making them feel welcomed. Before a glass was emptied, a server was there to fill it. The meal was served just as we requested and the portion sizes were definitely worth the price. The taste was "MARVELOUS". It was HOT and the presentation was BEAUTIFUL. We were served a three course meal as if we were sitting in a restaurant. I can’t RAVE enough about the EXCELLANT service.



I would definitely work with Lavell and his team again. He definitely receives an A++ in my book. Please tell your friends about this catering company... I surely will.



Thanks again for the GREAT Service "The Real McCoy", your name speaks for itself.



Ms. Val

I had The Real McCoy cater my company's holiday party. First of all he was able to accommodate a very tight and small budget while still delivering 3 different menu choices along with sides! Every other caterer I contacted told me it wouldn't be possible for the amount of people and my budget. They all told me to stick with BBQ. LaVell worked out a menu which included stuffed chicken with potatoes and broccoli, a vegetarian lasagna (on my request) and a vegan pad thai. Upon confirming the details for our event he asked about a DJ and when I informed him we'd rented a PA and thought we'd give it a go with an iPod, he offered me DJ service for under $200!!!! I would highly suggest hiring the Real McCoy to do your event and will use him as my "go to" caterer from now on.