Soul food is the soul - the menu goes wherever you need.
Fried catfish, rosemary chicken, baked mac & cheese, and candied yams sit next to whatever else your guests love. We build the full menu around your occasion, your budget, and your crowd.
Full-Service Catering / Philadelphia & South Jersey
Paynter's Platters
Paynter's Platters is a full-service caterer led by Chef Ryen. Soul food is our signature - but we cook every cuisine, for private dinners, corporate luncheons, weddings, nonprofit galas, and community celebrations. Trusted from twenty guests to three hundred, with food that arrives generous, flavorful, and beautifully served.
Soul foodOur signature
All cuisinesFull-service catering
20-300Guests per event
Food that looks as good as it tastes.
Every spread is styled with care - black linen, fresh greenery, and signature red - so the buffet reads abundant and considered, never thrown together.
We handle it, start to finish.
Setup, service, and cleanup by a professional team - so the host actually gets to enjoy the event they're throwing.
What we cater
Full-service catering for every kind of gathering.
From a 20-guest dinner to a 300-plate conference, every event gets the same thing: soul food done right, any cuisine you ask for, and a team that shows up on time and ready.
Corporate & government
Executive luncheons, conferences, and office events for teams and agencies across the region.
- Buffet or plated
- Dietary options
- On-time setup
Weddings & celebrations
Receptions, showers, birthdays, and milestones - soul food classics or a fully custom menu.
- Custom menus
- Styled buffets
- Full service
Nonprofit & community
Fundraisers, galas, Pride events, and community gatherings - intimate to large-scale.
- Scales 20-300
- Sponsor-friendly
- Community pricing
Private dinners & holidays
In-home dinners and holiday meals with comfort-food warmth and a personal touch.
- Soul food classics
- Holiday spreads
- Drop-off or served
How it works
Booked in three simple steps.
Great catering isn't only the food - it's everything around it: the planning, the setup, the timing, and a team that keeps the buffet full so no one is ever left waiting.
Tell us about it
Guest count, occasion, date, location, dietary needs, and the food you have in mind.
We build your menu
Soul food classics or a custom spread, priced and portioned for your crowd and budget.
We handle the day
Setup, service, and cleanup by our team, so you can focus on your guests.
Meet Chef Ryen
Soul food is where it starts.
Paynter's Platters was founded in 2016 on hands-on cooking and generous, soul-satisfying flavor. Chef Ryen leads a full-service team that cooks everything from Southern classics to fully custom menus - and handles the logistics so you don't have to.
The result is food people remember: crispy fried catfish, rosemary roasted chicken, baked mac & cheese, and candied yams - served warm, styled with care, and backed by real hospitality.
01Chef-led
02Built around you
03Memorable by design
From the buffet line
Food that changes the temperature of the room.
Real spreads from real Paynter's Platters events - golden fried catfish, rosemary roasted chicken, baked mac & cheese, candied yams, and garden-fresh salads, styled on black linen with signature red and eucalyptus.
More from real events
Buffets with color, abundance, and proof on the table.
More of the actual catering spread: salads, fried seafood, warm sides, roasted chicken, and full buffet setups from the new asset set.
We are proud to have served
Helping Hand Fire Company
Office of the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Philadelphia City Councilmember Rue Landau
ChatterBlast Media
Camden City Pride
William Way LGBT Community Center
Mazzoni Center
The Attic Youth Center
University City Science Center
Philadelphia Foundation
Philadelphia Insurance Club
Church of St. Luke & The Epiphany
Siloam Wellness
Philadelphia 76ers
Major League Baseball (MLB) events
From executive luncheons and corporate conferences to nonprofit fundraisers, weddings, and large-scale community celebrations, the mission remains the same: create memorable experiences through exceptional cuisine, personalized service, and genuine hospitality.
In the News
Featured by regional media.
Paynter's Platters has been featured for culinary excellence, community engagement, and service to organizations throughout the Philadelphia region.
ABC
CBS / KYW
FOX 29
NBC 10
Philadelphia Gay News (PGN)
Awards & Recognition
Recognized for food, service, and community leadership.
01Philly Black Pride 250 Changemakers Honoree
02Recognized by Philadelphia City Council for community leadership
03Recognized by Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson for service and community impact
Community Impact
Food as belonging.Community, dignity, connection
At Paynter's Platters, we believe food is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together. That belief drives ongoing partnerships with nonprofit organizations, LGBTQ+ community centers, schools, and neighborhood initiatives throughout the Philadelphia region.
Whether supporting Pride celebrations, providing meals for community events, partnering with local nonprofits, or helping organizations celebrate milestones, Paynter's Platters is committed to using food as a way to foster connection, dignity, and belonging.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team proudly served free meals to senior citizens in need, and continues that spirit of giving through holiday meal initiatives, both independently and in partnership with the William Way LGBT Community Center, to ensure members of the community feel supported during meaningful times of the year.
Paynter's Platters is proud to serve not only exceptional meals, but also the communities that inspire the work every day.
Get a quote
Tell us about your event.
Share the basics - occasion, guest count, date, location, and the food you're dreaming about. We'll follow up with menu ideas, availability, and a quote.
Best forcorporate, weddings, nonprofits, private dinners
Menusoul food specialty / all cuisines
Scale20 to 300 guests / Philadelphia & South Jersey
Make the table feel impossible to forget.
Bring Paynter's Platters to your next event - soul food, full-service catering, and a team that makes it easy.