E76: Curated Grazing Co is reimagining what catering can be for intimate gatherings.

What if the most memorable part of your next gathering wasn't just what you ate, but the conversations that happened around a stunning display of culinary artistry? Meet Anna Ricci, founder of Curated Grazing Company, who has built a business around exactly that vision.

Anna's journey to becoming a boutique caterer began unexpectedly during her tenure as a luxury cycling tour guide. While leading adventurers through picturesque landscapes, she discovered her true passion lay in creating the beautiful food spreads that brought people together during tour picnics. This revelation sparked the birth of Curated Grazing Co in April 2025, a business dedicated to elevating gatherings through visually stunning and delicious grazing tables and charcuterie boards.

Unlike traditional catering that often fades into the background, Anna positions her creations as conversation pieces—central attractions that prompt guests to ask, "Who put this together?" She specializes in intimate gatherings of 60 people or less, from baby showers and bachelorette parties to corporate celebrations and real estate open houses. What makes her approach unique is her philosophy that food shouldn't just feed people; it should foster connection. "Creating bespoke community events, bringing people together in whatever capacity that means for you... to celebrate the people that are in your life and to bring people together as a form of love," she explains, revealing the deeper purpose behind her artful arrangements.

Anna candidly shares her current life transitions—relocating to Fort Collins knowing no one, simultaneously launching two businesses, planning a wedding—demonstrating the authentic journey of entrepreneurship with all its challenges. When she's not creating edible masterpieces, you'll find her trail running, gravel cycling, or hiking, embracing the outdoor lifestyle that complements her food philosophy of natural beauty and thoughtful presentation. Ready to transform your next gathering with food that creates not just satisfaction but memorable experiences? Discover Anna's work at curatedgrazingco.com or follow her visual feast on Instagram and Facebook under Curated Grazing Co.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Nick George.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a boutiquecatering company specializing in
custom grazing tables andcharcuterie spreads?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing Anna Ricci of
Curated Grazing Company.
Is it Curated Grazing Companyor Colorado?

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Curated Grazing Company.
Yep, that's correct.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Tell us all about your business, Anna.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, so Curated Grazing Company was born in
April of 2025, so very new tothe scene, april of 2025.
So very new to the scene.
It was born out of my past job.
I was a luxury cycling tourguide for the last couple of
years and I absolutely lovedoing that.
But one of my favorite aspectsof that job was actually the
spreads that we create duringour weekly picnics and just kind

(01:00):
of our food gatherings that wehave with our guests that we
provide on tour.
And I decided that when I movedaway from guiding, I didn't
really know what I was going todo and I just kind of honed in
on what my favorite aspects ofthat job were and how I could
turn that into something of myown.
And so Curated Grazing Co waskind of born out of that, out of

(01:23):
that love for gathering andbringing people together and for
providing some really beautifulspreads.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Had you been into food before?

Speaker 3 (01:31):
I had not.
I had experience working inrestaurants back in high school
and early college, but neveractually preparing and actually
doing the food myself.
So my experience came from myguiding career for the last
couple of years.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
Awesome.
What are some myths ormisconception in the catering
world or your niche of it?

Speaker 3 (01:55):
In my niche of the catering world.
I think a lot of times cateringto me kind of sounds stuffy,
like people coming in and youknow giving this food and it
just kind of like sits there andit stays hot and it's maybe not
super delicious food whenyou're making it in bulk and

(02:17):
there's kind of no reallyinteraction with your actual
caterer itself oftentimes.
And so I feel like a differentthing that I can provide is my
bubbly personality and kind ofcoming in and being, you know, a
presence and as far as like thesetup and everything goes for a
party and for having peoplecome in and look at food and say
, wow, who put that together andwhere did this come from?

(02:40):
Rather than just having it besomething that's a part of the
event, kind of have it be acenterpiece of the event.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Who are your target customers?
Your company seems like itpresents itself a little
differently.
So who you know?
You use the word in yourwebsite that you do rather large
yet intimate dinners 60 peopleor less.
Could you expand on who you'retargeting?
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (03:07):
so I've done things like baby showers and
bachelorette parties.
So for smaller groups of like20 or less, which I really tend
to enjoy because they'redefinitely the more intimate
kind of personal settings, I'vealso done company corporate
anniversary parties.
I actually have a Halloweenparty coming up this year that
I'm really excited for, andthat's kind of another corporate

(03:29):
event where it's a celebrationfor the staff rather than a
holiday party.
We're doing a Halloween party.
Other events that I'minterested in getting into are
working with real estate agentsfor open houses and things like
that.
So it's a very broad category.
But I would say anyone who'slooking to host any sort of

(03:50):
event or party that's not, youknow, your 200 person event.
I'm not.
I'm not capable and and willingto do something that big
because it is only me at CuratedGrazing Co.
Um, it is an individual runcompany, so definitely sticking
with the smaller 60 person orless intimate gatherings is what
I'm after.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Does helping people celebrate for a living and eat
good food does it leave you witha bunch of cool stories?

Speaker 3 (04:16):
It absolutely does, and I always love to ask people
just kind of in like icebreakersis have you ever had a meal
that is unforgettable, just notbased on the food but based on
the conversation and the eventthat you were a part of?
And I feel like that's always agreat question to kind of get
people thinking aboutexperiences that they've had and

(04:37):
so being able to be a part ofthat, to be able to bring
something where the food is kindof a centerpiece and then
everyone's kind of interactingaround it and you can sit down
and eat if you want or you canjust nibble along, but it kind
of encourages you to continueinteracting and talking with the
people who are there.
So it definitely is cool to bea part of something like that

(04:57):
where it fosters that friendlycommunity environment.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
Have you ever been on a podcast before?
Never.
Do you have any videos on yourwebsite?

Speaker 3 (05:09):
I don't have any videos on my website, but I do
have them on my Instagram.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
Okay, well, hopefully we'll put this one on your
website.

Speaker 3 (05:16):
Yeah, that'd be great .

Speaker 2 (05:17):
Outside of work.
What do you do for fun?

Speaker 3 (05:20):
Oh gosh, I am always outside.
I am a really big Trail runner,gravel cyclist, I love to hike,
I love just anything beingoutside, I love being in water.
So, and all my weekends you'llpretty much find me in the
mountains, playing, camping,doing all the fun things.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
Let's switch gears for a second.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge that you overcame
, how it made you stronger?
What comes to mind?

Speaker 3 (05:51):
overcame, how it made you stronger.
What comes to mind?
Yeah, I actually kind of feellike I'm in it right now.
To be totally honest, I amtransitioning from a career that
I loved as a guide into movingto a place I'd never been to and
not knowing anyone who liveshere in Fort Collins when I
first moved.
I'm trying to figure out whatI'm doing with my life and kind
of where I'm, where I'm goingand where I'm taking it, and so

(06:12):
not only am I starting this up,but I also have a independent
travel advisor company as well.
So I'm definitely kind of inthis like shift of life with the
move and I just got engaged andit just kind of feels like
everything is happening all atonce and it's definitely intense
and it's definitely making melike be more intentional about

(06:34):
slowing down and sitting downwith myself and figuring out
like how am I going to get, howam I, what's my plan to meet my
goals and how, how am I bestgoing to get to that point?
It's definitely been like areally big life shift and I'm
definitely in the struggle of itright now, just to figure
everything out.
So it's kind of a fun likegrowing experience.

(06:57):
I'm trying to be patient withmyself in that in this phase.
So every day is, every day is ajourney.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
Well, it seems like you're buzzing the right
frequency for overcomingwhatever you're facing.
Your attitude seems seems rightfor success.
Please tell our listeners onething that they should
absolutely remember aboutCurated Grazing Company.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, I think one thing to remember about Curated
Grazing Co is Creating bespokecommunity events, bringing
people together in whatevercapacity that means for you,
whether it's hosting a party orbringing your employees together
in form of celebration,whatever it may be, to celebrate

(07:42):
the people that are in yourlife and to bring people
together as a form of love.
I think that's my ultimate goalat the end of the day.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
Anna, how can our listeners learn more about
Curated Grazing Company online?

Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yeah, I have a website, curatedgrazingcocom.
Definitely encourage people togo check that out and see some
more photos, and you've inspiredme, Nick, to put some videos up
.
I probably should get some ofthose on there, and then you can
also follow along on Instagramand Facebook, where I'm also
Curated Grazing Co on both ofthose platforms as well, so kind

(08:17):
of keeping things updated there.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Well, Anna, I really appreciate you being on the show
and we really do wish you andyour company the very best
moving forward.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
Thank you so much, Nick, for having me.
I appreciate you reaching outand letting me be on your show.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpfortcollinscom.
That's gnpfortcollinscom, orcall 970-438-0825.