Flame Deal was born in Tanzania, East Africa to an American Father and a Vietnamese Mother and raised in Statesville, North Carolina where she experienced the joys and challenges of growing up in small town America. Her unique and eclectic upbringing enhanced her natural ability to build relationships and stronger personal work ethics. This paired with her love of hospitality created the foundation for her success.

After attending East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, she came to New York City to pursue a career, initially working for Sports Illustrated and Pro Serv, a leading sports agency. In 1995, she joined the staff of the original Brother Jimmy’s BBQ in the upper east side of NYC, where her natural networking abilities helped make the bar and restaurant one of the most popular nightlife destinations in the city. After rising to a managerial position within the company, she took on the task of creating Brother Jimmy’s Events and Off - premise Catering division, building a hugely successful line of business from virtually nothing. This success was followed a year later by the launch of Savor, a gourmet catering brand.

Today, Flame is the founder and partner of Flame Deal Events - a New York City based Event Planning and Catering business that combines personal attention with international fusions, sophistication, expertise and ease. Regardless of scope or location, all events are treated with the utmost care and creativity from premiers, corporate gatherings, product launches, bar/ bat mitzvahs to weddings. Flame draws inspirations from her rich life experiences and industry relationships in order to produce, build, manage,
and staff large and small events.

Sample Client List: Time Inc., Niche Media, The Grammy’s, Anheuser Busch, Wenner Media, The New York Observer, MTV, Esquire Magazine, NY Jets, Manhattan Automobile Company, First American Title Insurance, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Columbia University, Royal Bank of Scotland, VH-1, Entertainment Weekly, and US Weekly, to name a few.

Flame is a proud member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Asian Women in Business (AWIB), Accredited Member of Better Business Bureau, International Caterers Association (ICA), North Carolina Society of New York, and the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). She dedicates her personal time and a portion of her business proceeds to organizations addressing child abuse, youth development, job training/placement opportunities and global warming.

Christopher Michael Grauwiler

Executive Chef

Executive Chef Christopher M. Grauwiler combines his 18 years of experience in catering with his fine dining expertise to provide clients with a first-rate culinary experience, no matter the size of the event.

Chef Chris learned his craft as an apprentice under renowned New Jersey chef and caterer Mark Biroc. He continued his career at a number of New York City's leading caterers, including Taste, Robbins Wolf, Match and Creative Edge. He further honed his fine dining skills working under celebrity Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner, owner of Wallse, Cafe Sebarsky and Blau Gans. In addition, Chris has served as a personal chef for celebrities and other notable individuals at their private homes in Manhattan and the Hamptons.

With a command of taste and texture and an eye for aesthetics, Chris provides clients with superior cuisine and presentation while helping them maximize their budgets to deliver the best possible dining experience for their investment. From private plated dinners to major corporate events serving 10,000 or more, Chef Chris is dedicated to creating a wonderful epicurean experience for your guests and your success.

"clients first"