Major Mt. Airy caterer adjusting to life with COVID-19

Posted 5/1/20

In 2014 Scott also initiated a choo-choo train that he calls "Lil & Roy's BBQ Smoker." He has done many jobs with the train, albeit not during the pandemic. (Photo by Len Lear) by Len Lear Herb …

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Major Mt. Airy caterer adjusting to life with COVID-19

Posted
In 2014 Scott also initiated a choo-choo train that he calls "Lil & Roy's BBQ Smoker." He has done many jobs with the train, albeit not during the pandemic. (Photo by Len Lear)

by Len Lear

Herb Scott's Mt. Airy firm, Herb Scott Catering, would normally be getting ready to cater spring and summer weddings and other outdoor gatherings that are virtually synonymous with pleasant weather and blossoming plants and flowers. But like so many catering firms whose business has been crushed by the coronavirus, Herb has had to make a U-turn.

“All events at the end of March and through April were cancelled or postponed as well as several in May. Now we have June events starting to postpone,” said Scott, 55, last week. “Weddings are generally rescheduling. Some will not be held until next year. Business and school events so far have just been canceled. The scheduled events had not been prepaid in most cases, so we have not had to give refunds.

“Shortly after the shutdown, we began offering takeout meals and have had a good response from our kind clients, enough so that we’ve been able to keep our office staff and kitchen staff working. We actually ended up quite busy with delivery or pickup meals during Easter week.”

Also, unlike many other caterers, Scott did not have to lay off any employees. “In fact,” he said, “I have hired a chef in the last few weeks as we are now involved with providing meals at our cost to any churches or other non-profits who are feeding people in need. We will even drop them off. We are still making our meals-for-four for our regular customers, but we want to do our part in feeding those who are in desperate need of nutritious food."

Scott definitely started at the bottom in the food business. For several years he waited on tables and checked coats for his dad's restaurant, Colony Park Inn, at Germantown Avenue and School House Lane, until the restaurant went out of business in 1984. The day after Colony Park Inn closed, Herb answered an ad from The Commissary, owned by former long-time Chestnut Hill resident Steve Poses, who helped usher in the city's Restaurant Renaissance in the late 1960s, and got a catering job.

“I think my dad, Herbert Augustus Scott, was the greatest guy in the world,” said Scott, “and Steve Poses reminded me very much of my dad. He was always warm, knowledgeable and helpful. I got the greatest education from him about every aspect of the catering business. Poses' assistant, Don Falconio, also taught me a great deal about the 'front of the house.' One thing he taught me is that honest work is never demeaning. He was a vice president of the company, but at 2:30 a.m. on a Sunday he'd get down on his hands and knees to clean the floors after a job was done. He taught the value of hard work by setting a good example.”

Twenty-five years ago, Herb's dad unexpectedly died, which had a life-transforming effect upon him. “I was ashamed because I was not living the way my dad had taught me,” revealed Herb with unusual candor. “I got back to my religious roots. I got back to being honest and doing the right thing. As a result, I'm much happier now and can be of more service to people.”

For five years Herb worked for the Wood Corporation, a corporate food supplier in Allentown, but he then decided in 1999 to go into business for himself. So Herb moved back to Mt. Airy and began soliciting individuals and companies for catering services. He started handing out flyers on the street and going door-to-door to hand them out. His business was then called Your Personal Chef.

“Many people in Chestnut Hill would not open their doors when they saw my face,” recalls Herb, “and many people would lock their car doors as soon as I approached them, although I was well dressed. It hurt very badly because it was so obviously racial, and I had never experienced that before. I had nothing but rejection for several weeks, and I was on the verge of giving up.

“Then I prayed for guidance, though, and then I went home and found a call on my machine. It was from a Chestnut Hill resident who said she wanted me to cook weekly meals for her family. I was so thrilled that I began making the meals for her right away (four dinners a week for four people each).”

One thing led to another, though, and Herb eventually wound up doing catering for hundreds of people at events for major companies and schools like PECO, Germantown Friends School, Drexel University, Arcadia University, Banana Republic, Verizon, Bryn Mawr College and many more.

In July of 1998, Herb was married to a teacher at the Faith Tabernacle Baptist School, Laurie, who is a major asset in the business. The Scotts have three children — Lily, 19, Royal, 18, and Ian, 15.

Herb Scott Catering is located at 6531 Germantown Ave. More information at 215-842-1609 or herbscottcatering.com. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com

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