Summer Entertaining in Oak Brook Starts with Wildfire Catering

Planning a summer gathering in Oak Brook? Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, graduation party, neighborhood cookout, or company picnic, Wildfire Catering offers everything you need for a successful event.

Our catering menu makes it easy to serve restaurant-quality food without the hassle of cooking. We offer hot and cold buffets, boxed lunch options, party platters, and crowd-favorite barbecue selections.

Build your Summer Spread

Kick off your event with fresh salads such as the Wildfire Chopped Salad, Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, or Tuscan Kale & Spinach Salad. Many of our salad dressings are gluten-free, making them a great choice for a variety of guests.

For the main event, our Barbecued Baby Back Ribs and Barbecued Chicken bring authentic summer flavors to your table. Pair them with Baked Mac & Cheese, Cole Slaw, Pasta with Roasted Market Vegetables, and Barbecue Potato Chips for a complete meal.

Hosting a gathering? Party Platters serving 8 to 10 people feature guest favorites including the Grilled Chicken Club and Blackened New York Strip Steak Sandwich.

Finish with one of our homemade seasonal pies and enjoy a stress-free celebration.

10 Grilling Tips from Executive Chef/Partner Joe Decker

Executive Chef & Partner Joe Decker offers some additional tips to highlight your grilling as well. 

1. Make sure that the grill is cleaned well with a metal brush and the grates are hot before beginning cooking.
2. Maintain a hot part of the grill for searing and a cooler part for slower cooking.
3. Bring proteins out at room temperature before grilling.
4. Brine meats and fish for 30 minutes before grilling to impart juiciness and flavor.
5. Use a simple marinade to further enhance flavor. My favorite marinade is mixed herbs from the garden, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and cracked black pepper.
6. Refrain from moving the proteins on the grill frequently or smashing them down to cook faster, this will press all the juices out.
7. Good grilling starts with high quality proteins. You pay for what you get.
8. If desired, brush the proteins with glazes or sauces in the final stage of cooking on the grill to add flavor.
9. Use a meat thermometer to remove the guesswork of knowing when something is done.
10. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to help it preserve juices. Optional: Serve with flaked sea salt.

Lemon Parmesan Dressing:

Marinate chicken breast or salmon filet with lemon parmesan dressing. Season with Kosher salt, cracked black pepper and paprika for 1 hour. Grill and serve with grilled lemon halves.  

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

For “Greek style” chicken, cut the chicken into quarters and drizzle red wine vinaigrette over it with garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Let it sit for 1 hour. Grill over medium to low heat until finished.  

Wildfire dressings and marinades can be purchased at the restaurant, plus select local grocery stores around Chicagoland, including Sunset Foods, Mariano’s, and Foodstuffs.

“The two most important steps in cooking a burger I actually learned from Lettuce Entertain You founder, Rich Melman!”:

1. When grilling, do not move the burger often. Only move it to flip it over to cook the other side.
2. Do not smash the burger down with a spatula to speed up the cooking. If you follow these two steps, you’ll produce a very juicy burger.

Easy Ordering for Oak Brook Summer Parties

Wildfire Catering is designed to fit the way you actually plan events. There is a $200 minimum for delivery, so whether you’re feeding 10 guests or 50, you can order exactly what you need. Delivery is available within a 10-mile radius of Wildfire Oak Brook, and all we ask is 24 hours notice.

Ready to plan your summer spread? Contact Wildfire Oak Brook Parties & Special Events to place your order, or order online.