Favorite Foodie
So just who is Karen Hunter? We hear her name often at social events invariably when a guest asks, “Who did the food?” This is usually preceded by comments such as: “This is delicious,” and “Oh, my goodness—this sauce is to die for.”
When we caught up with Hunter in her cozy Coopersburg catering kitchen, she was busily preparing for the opening of the new and improved café space at the Allentown Art Museum scheduled to make its debut December 1.
Hunter, an Allentown native, has been the exclusive caterer for the AAM for many years and is currently designing an upscale grab-and-go menu for hungry museum visitors who stop at the café.
A self-taught chef, Hunter started out in the early '80s reading cookbooks and developing recipes for one-of-kind hors d'oeuvres. “I love to make hors d'oeuvres; some caterers don't because they are so labor intensive,” she says. And it just may be these magnificent little mouthfuls that have set her apart from the rest of the culinary crowd. If you have ever tasted her Crab Madeleines, you know exactly what we are talking about.
Hunter also developed her palate-pleasing reputation as premier caterer for Sayre Mansion in Bethlehem. “I never expected the business to be all that it is now,” says Hunter, who remarked appropriately enough that her best advertisement has always been word of mouth.
When asked about her elusive nature, Hunter replied: “I believe my place is in the kitchen ensuring that all the food that goes out is up to our standards.” She is also very adamant about the role her staff and the public plays in the business's success. “It isn't just me,” says Hunter who works side-by-side with her sister, Mary, her mother, an excellent support staff and exceptional chefs.
“I am also so grateful to the community for hiring us and letting me do what I love to do.”
Karen Hunter | 107 S. Main St., Coopersburg | 610.770.1300 | karenhuntercatering.com
