Off The Square Catering was established in 2006. In 2008, we relocated to 19 South Florence just off Overton Square (hence the name). Off The Square is owned and operated by Neely Draughon. Neely graduated from The French Pastry School in Chicago in 2005, and specializes in everything pastry from crazy cakes to elegant desserts. Off the Square also features the culinary expertise of Chef Matthew Coveny, who has worked with catering companies from Washington DC, to Los Angeles, and even Key West.
Neely
Off The Square Catering is owned and operated by me, Neely Draughon. I was born and raised in Memphis and graduated from Rhodes College in 2001 with a BA in Business Administration. After graduating, I moved to Nashville and worked as the Finance Director for the Nashville Songwriters Association for four wonderful years. Working in the music industry was fun, but I had always loved to bake, and so I packed up and moved to Chicago to attend the French Pastry School. After graduating in 2005, I moved back to Memphis to pursue my dream of owning my own business. Off The Square Catering opened in 2008 at its current location on Florence, right off Overton Square in Midtown Memphis. We pride ourselves in serving classic southern cuisine with a twist, and making crazy creative cakes.
Matthew
Matthew Coveny has been a professional caterer and cook for the better part of twenty years. He grew up in Washington DC surrounded by a variety of multicultural and international influences, learning to cook for himself and others at a young age. Being adept in many artistic disciplines, he studied fine arts at The School of Visual Arts in New York, after which he lived in Italy for a time. Years of traveling and living around the US brought him back to Washington where he discovered his affinity for high-end catering. At first just a way to save up money for the next adventure, it soon became a way of life and in short order he found himself helping to lead the top catering team in Key West, Florida. Almost a decade later in 2013, fate brought him to Memphis where he fell in with Off the Square, finding its integrity and refreshing down-to-earth character a perfect fit. Matt brings with him an extensive knowledge of different cuisines and service styles, and his aesthetic background not only enriches our food presentation but also our specialty cake decorations.