Miami, Meet Your New Party Plus-One: Puff ’n Stuff Has Arrived

Sep 16

4 min read

Puff ’n Stuff Catering is officially expanding into Miami, and with legendary local chef Dewey LoSasso leading the culinary charge, the city’s event scene just got a delicious new player. Miami does not do boring parties. We do champagne towers, waterfront weddings, black-tie galas, dinners that somehow turn into dance parties, and celebrations where the late-night bite can be just as important as the entrée. So when a catering company decides to enter the Miami market, simply showing up with good food isn’t going to cut it. You need a little drama. A lot of flavor. Impeccable service. And preferably someone in the kitchen who understands exactly how Miami likes to entertain.

Enter Puff ’n Stuff Catering.

The Florida-based catering and events company, which has been creating celebrations for more than four decades, is officially expanding into Greater Miami, and it isn’t arriving quietly. The company has opened a new commissary kitchen in Coral Gables and tapped acclaimed Miami chef Dewey LoSassoto help lead its South Florida culinary

experience. And if that name sounds familiar, it should.

A Chef With Serious Miami Credentials

LoSasso has been part of Miami’s culinary story for decades. A Culinary Institute of America-trained chef and member of Miami’s pioneering “Mango Gang,” his résumé includes some legendary names and kitchens.

He has helmed restaurants including The Forge, North One 10 and Tuscan Steak, worked at New York City’s Hudson Hotel and even served as personal chef to Donatella Versace.

Yes, that Versace.

His guest list over the years has been equally Miami Vibes-worthy: Gloria Estefan, Alicia Keys, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Al Pacino and former President Bill Clinton are among the notable names he has cooked for.

Now, he’s bringing that experience into Puff ’n Stuff’s Miami expansion.

“Miami has been an important part of my culinary journey,” LoSasso says. “There’s an incredible energy to events here.

You have to deliver outstanding food, but you also have to create an unforgettable experience.” And that might be the most Miami statement of all. Because here, dinner isn't just dinner.

The Era of Experiential Catering

The traditional chicken-or-fish banquet dinner has left the building. Today’s hosts want their guests to experience the food, and Puff ’n Stuff seems to understand the assignment. Think butler-passed bites arriving with cocktails. Interactive chef bars where dinner becomes entertainment. Action stations. Dramatic displays. Beautifully plated courses. Sophisticated bar programs. And, perhaps most importantly after several hours on the dance floor, strategically timed late-night food. Because nothing says hospitality quite like appearing with something delicious at 11:47 p.m.

But the company isn't simply bringing chefs to the party. Its teams can manage the larger event experience, including menu development, staffing, décor, tablescapes, branding, signage, and service flow. Behind every glamorous dinner are the decidedly less glamorous logistics required to make hundreds of people believe everything happened effortlessly. That combination of creativity and infrastructure could be particularly valuable in Miami, where events can range from intimate waterfront dinners to weddings, luxury brand activations, charity galas and major corporate celebrations.

Florida Experience Meets Miami Energy

Puff ’n Stuff isn't exactly the new kid in town, just the new kid in this town. Founded in 1971, the company has spent decades building its business across Florida, including Orlando and Tampa. Along the way, it has been named Orlando Magazine’s Best Caterer, earned six The Knot Best of Weddings awards and entered The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame. Miami represents its next chapter.

“Miami is a natural next chapter for Puff ’n Stuff,” says company president Tracy Vessillo.

“It’s a dynamic market with an incredible hospitality culture, a world-class events scene and clients who value creativity and memorable experiences.”

The new Coral Gables operation gives the company a South Florida home base, complete with culinary staff, trained event teams, equipment and the production capabilities necessary to handle both intimate gatherings and considerably more ambitious affairs.

Translation?

Whether you're inviting 20 people to dinner or wondering how on earth you're going to feed 500 people without losing your mind, they want the call.

Because in Miami, the Food Is Part of the Guest List

There’s something particularly fitting about Puff ’n Stuff choosing Miami for its latest expansion. This is a city where hospitality, design, fashion, nightlife and food constantly collide. The best events aren't remembered because everything went according to schedule. They're remembered because something happened. The cocktail everyone photographed.

The dish nobody expected. The chef station that suddenly had a crowd around it. The midnight snack that saved the evening. The table everyone posted before sitting down. And occasionally, the story about the chef who once cooked for Donatella Versace. With LoSasso in the kitchen and more than four decades of event experience behind the operation, Puff ’n Stuff arrives in Miami understanding something important: Around here, you don't just feed the party.

You become part of it.

Puff ’n Stuff Catering is now booking weddings, private celebrations, corporate events, galas

and large-scale events throughout South Florida.