Interview: Marianne Cordillo of CUPA CABANA

Marianne Cordillo is the owner of Cupa Cabana. Her company provides the highest quality coffee service for events. Their mobile coffee and espresso catering service includes proprietary blend of espresso beans from around the globe, commercial, high-powered equipment, an attentive and professional trained Barista staff, popular flavoring syrups, and all the accoutrements. Cupa Cabana fulfills their reputation as the premier Espresso & Coffee Catering provider of New Jersey and New York City and remains committed to the tradition of excellence that was the foundation of their humble beginnings. With over 20 years of experience, Cupa Cabana is guaranteed to provide outstanding customer service and delicious coffee for any event.

The idea for Cupa Cabana actually came about when Marianne Cordillo, a lifelong Espresso enthusiast, attended a beautiful wedding with her husband Pat. Throughout the ceremony, all in attendance were transfixed by the culmination of the courtship that they had the privilege of witnessing. Gorgeous decor set the backdrop, delicious food satisfied the hungry and a celebratory mood filled the air. When the night came to a close Marianne and Pat sat at their table discussing the amazing affair anxiously awaiting a steaming cup of coffee that would prepare them for the journey home. As dessert came to a close, the venue's staff served them their long awaited cup of coffee. Upon the first sip, she came to the conclusion that the bitter, black liquid she had just ingested was not fit for consumption. The contents of that cup inspired Marianne in the most unlikely of ways.

Cupa Cabana was recently honored with the distinction of becoming a member of The Chosen Few, a luxury services referral collective for the special events industry founded by Harriette Rose Katz.

Broadayworld.com Food and Wine had the pleasure of interviewing Marianne Cordillo about Cupa Cabana and the company's services.

When did you first realize your penchant for fine coffee?

I discovered my first love affair with coffee while in high school when I first tried Medaglia D'Oro Espresso. Coffee has always been part of my NJ Italian household and my family culture, so I never realized it was so important to me until later in life when I attended a wedding 25 years ago. At this wedding the food was spectacular, the venue was beautiful and the service impeccable. When it came time for coffee and dessert, the coffee and espresso were a huge disappointment. I thought it must be difficult for a venue to provide a great experience during such a critical time of an event. That was the day the Cupa Cabana idea was bor

What are some of your personal favorite coffees?

My favorite coffee has always been a double shot cappuccino. Now it's half caf but still two shots.

I'm particularly fond of the espresso blends from Coffee Labs Roasters in Tarrytown, NY and the Broadway Blend and Viennese Roast from Kobrick's Coffee in Jersey City. I always enjoy checking out new, locally owned roasteries as they are on the cutting edge of innovative blends of beans.

What do you look for in your baristas and coffee professionals?

What a great question. In my roasters, I look for passion for the coffee process and finished product. Before our product makes its way into the cup of the consumer, coffee goes through 25 sets of processes, so we look for passion and dedication at every step. Everyone's goal should be creating the best product. From the growers to the importers, the roasters and finally through the process of our Cupa Cabana barista handing the finished product to the guest, every step needs to be executed perfectly. The same holds true of our baristas as this is the 25th touch in the process.

What kind of feedback do you get from your customers?

In our 25 years in business, the response from our clients has been overwhelmingly positive. Believe it or not, we get excited about any suggestions for improvement as we recognize that as an opportunity to consistently improve our service. It's those experiences that have helped to make us the company we are today.

Why is it such an honor for Cupa Cabana to be a part of The Chosen Few?

Because everyone knows they throw the best parties! Seriously though, we are a humble organization so to be recognized and be present in the company of such amazing event industry talent truly an honor for us.

For the future?

We'll always be on top of industry trends, right now we'd like to celebrate our participation in The Chosen Few. We're looking forward to maintaining our commitment to offering a high level of service while expanding to serve and delight more guests.

Is there anything else you would like our BWW Food and Wine readers to know?

We're constantly sharing industry news and tips on our website and social media. We'd love for you to join the discussion there.

Follow Cupa Cabana on social media, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CupaCabanaCoffee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cupacabana_/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cupacabana

For more information, visit: http://cupacabana.com/.

The Chosen Few that is dedicated to promoting excellence, cultivating artistry, and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism within the special events industry. For more information, please visit The Chosen Few at http://hrkchosenfew.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cupa Cabana

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