MAX Ultimate Food doesn’t just serve hors d’oeuvres and multi-course meals at weddings, birthdays, and galas; the company also serves a purpose in the community. And now, with the recent unveiling of its multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art catering facility in Uphams Corner, it has more jobs available for those living in and around the neighborhood.
Though only a little over a month into operations at 65 E Cottage St., MAX began renting the space from the Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp. in 2022 and quickly got to work on a costly 24-month-long renovation.
“We’re growing substantially,” said Vice President Bobby Perino. “We’re really looking to hire locally and helping support the community and bring them into this.” MAX currently has roughly 75 full-time associates and over 400 hourly on-call employees.
Perino added that at MAX, there are “many opportunities: server, bartender, chef, administration, driver, anything within the hospitality world, we have a part for you here. We cover all aspects of hospitality, whether you’re the creative person or the logistics person. We have different roles for everyone.”
Pictured from left at the MAX Ultimate Food ribbon cutting at 65 East Cottage St. in Dorchester: Neal Balkowitsch, owner, Merry Nadolney, General Manager, Dean Martinus, President, Catering Services for Restaurant Associates, and Bobby Perino, Vice-President. Michael Blanchard photo
Max Ultimate Food was founded by friends Neal Balkowitsch and Dan Mathieu in 2001, when the duo decided that Boston’s party scene needed an upgrade. Since then, MAX has become one of New England’s premier catering and event companies.
“They created the MAX brand with the idea of having a fine dining, high-end catering service, no matter what,” said Perino. “We do everything from serving a dinner of two in a private home to galas for thousands of people. No matter what we did, it was always with the fine dining finesse in it and a high-end touch.”
Last year, MAX supplied food and service for more than 1,000 events, and with its new 27,000-square-foot Dorchester space catering to its needs, the company is expected to exceed that number in 2025.
“We were able to design the facility and build it the way we wanted, which was really special,” Perino said in an interview with The Reporter. “From a catering standpoint, there’s a lot of interesting logistics that you have to think about. The fact that we got to be a part of designing it has been incredible.”
In collaboration with CM&B, a North Shore construction company, Perino and his team transformed the space into a multi-functioning three-story facility.
Perino described the first floor as “being set up like a clock, everything is one big circle.” When products arrive at Cottage Street, they are dropped off at the bays and organized in walk-ins. The facility boasts 2,500 square feet of cooler and freezer storage.
Later, when chefs need the supplies, they pull them from the walk-ins and use the ingredients in the new 4,000-square-foot kitchen that is equipped with advanced cooking equipment, including fryers, Combi Ovens, and Tilt Kettles. CM&B said it was the largest hotline the company has ever made.
After the cooking is done, the food and accompaniments are stored in a walk-in on the other side of the floor from where they are picked up and shipped off to the events.
While food is prepped on the first floor, the second floor, which is still being built out, will be primarily dedicated to dishwashers and storage. “Anything coming back from the events will come up. It will come back from the trucks and the events, and then it will be put away on this floor,” said Perino.
The second floor also includes the beverage cooler, proofing room, and culinary offices, and will soon be home to the pastry kitchen.
While the first two floors are for cooking and cleaning, the third and final floor offers a different experience. After stepping out of the elevator, clients are welcomed into a bright lobby with wooden finishes and a concrete marble floor.
“If you were a client coming in for a tasting, you would come right up to the third floor and check in here and wait,” said Perino as he stood in front of the reception desk, “before being invited to sit and dine in the tasting room, which is personalized with tableware and décor for each and every guest. This room transforms to be whatever theme they want it to be,” he said.
Just steps away is the tasting kitchen. Here, chefs will prepare fresh food for clients to try. And nearby is the training room, where staff learn how to serve and bartend. Afterward, they can indulge in their creations for lunch each day in the employee lounge and then refresh in the employee locker rooms.
Also on top floor is a linen room, more storage, and most of MAX’s 10,500 square feet of office space, including Perino’s office.
Originally from Michigan, Perino went to school in New York and then spent time in Los Angeles. When he moved to Boston in 2017, he wanted to find a certain something that was present in each of his previous hometowns. He has found that at MAX.
“It all comes back to diversity and us wanting to be able to make anyone feel comfortable at any given time,” said the Quincy resident. “Dorchester always had that; everybody kind of feels comfortable in Dorchester. We’ve always welcomed people and we want to provide that service and make our guests feel the same way.”
He added that the company also focuses on giving its staff this sense of comfort while being active in the community. “We want them to be a part of the community because we don’t want just to be known as a cookie-cutter caterer. We want to be a part of what’s going on in this community. We want to help it grow and succeed.”
In hopes of more community members joining their workforce, MAX is working in collaboration with the Dorchester Bay EDC. Those interested in working with or for MAX should visit maxultimatefood.com.
