Flying Pig brings home bacon for ex-nurse

Karen Hutto has always cooked but is not culinary trained.

She didn't let that stop her from achieving her dream of opening The Flying Pig, an event catering company specializing in taking the guesswork out of party planning.

The south Fort Myers based company can tackle anything from a wedding to a baby shower.

"The secret to our success is that we like to give individual service and we realize that our customers have a budget," Hutto said about the company she started 10 years ago after leaving a job as a nurse. "The thing that makes our business special is that we aren't necessarily interested in being the biggest, we are interested in being the best."

And, the best means working to create an innovative menu that fits the vision of a customer's event. The food options include items such as lump crab remoulade in pastry boats, grilled baby lamb chops or mini barbecue cheddar burgers for kids.

"Our menu is 16 pages long but we try to mix up regular items and some gourmet foods as well," Hutto said about the company, which serves up cheese trays, appetizers, entrees and desserts. "We work with the customer to see what they need."

The Flying Pig also offers a Kidz Culinary camp for aspiring chefs interested in learning kitchen terminology, food safety and fun ways to prepare meals. The weeklong summer program is for kids ages 8 to 14 who have a maturity level worthy of a kitchen setting.

"It's the idea of keeping local talent local," Hutto said. "A lot of these kids go away to Johnson & Wales or the (Culinary Institute of America) and go on to cook in large cities. I wanted to show them that we have very talented chefs in Fort Myers and that there is a restaurant scene here."

As part of the camp, children have the opportunity to work with area chefs who have been invited to spend a few hours with the children. They teach them to use a 6-inch chef knife, how to filet a fish, make sushi or homemade pasta.

"It gives them an opportunity to prepare food, learn about food and how to peel vegetables," said Jim Brand, a chef from Bonita Bay West, who volunteered to show kids how to make chicken enchiladas, homemade guacamole and tortilla soup. "The kids get a really good education and as a kid, I would have never had a chance to do this with so many talented chefs."

The junior chefs spend four days preparing themed meals and at the conclusion of the week they will participate in an Iron Chef competition that their parents are invited to.

"It's really cool because at home I want to be able to do as much stuff as I do here," said Alicia Del Toro, 10, of Lehigh Acres. She won the opportunity to attend the $350 camp for free after entering an essay contest about her favorite countries food. "I want to learn new recipes and take what I learn here and open my own catering company one day."

Graduating chefs are given an apron, cap, notebook, hand-outs, petite chef knife that is engraved with their names and a graduation certificate.