Meet Anthony Waller of Catering Out The Box in North Lawndale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Waller.

Anthony, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started with a simple concept: offer a delicious lunch that is a meal with quality ingredients and presented with simple elegance. When I founded my company in 2003, my vision was clear: produce great quality food at even more affordable prices for the masses. First experience working in the food industry was as a bus boy at the Chicago downtown Hyatt hotel restaurant while attending Luther South High School.

After graduation, I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which primed me to work in the sales industry in Chicago. I found himself employed as a sales accountant at U.S. Foodservice, a major foodservice distributor. While learning the trade of sales in the food industry, I rose in the ranks from entry-level sales to District Manager, to Vice President of Sales in the corporate branch. I was eventually recruited by the Sara Lee Corporation to increase product distribution. I began to observe my clients operating in their companies and recognized a potential niche for myself to create.

So I decided to parlay my sales and cooking experience into a lunch box catering service, naming the company Catering Out The Box. I started with a simple concept: offer a lunch with quality ingredients, simple elegant presentation, and at a better value in price. I involved myself in every detail, including designing the lunch box. In a short time, Catering Out The Box evolved into a full-service catering business for a variety of dining venues and events.

Has it been a smooth road?
Challenges include when a client comes up with a new concept or idea that we have to be creative in bringing to life, logistics with multiple events and normal peaks and valleys of being an entrepreneur.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Catering Out The Box story. Tell us more about the business.
As a full-service catering business, we have enlarged our services to accommodate corporate events, buffets, weddings, and other large-scale venues, while still featuring our specialty box lunches, breakfast and dinner menus.

What sets us apart is our attention to detail and commitment to go above and beyond for every client.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
In the next 5-10 years we will see more multicultural and ethnic offerings. In Chicago event spaces are popping up left and right so being able to engage with where individuals and businesses are hosting their events will be key.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2443 W. 16th Street (16th and Western) Chicago, IL 60608
• Website: www.cateringoutthebox.com
• Phone: 312-226-2601
• Email: cotb@me.com
• Instagram: catering_out_the-box
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catering-Out-The-Box-1473021982986646/
• Twitter: @COTB_Chicago

Image Credit:
Anthony and Angela Waller