Kim Pearson of Pearson’s Catering: Women Who Move The City

Meet Kim Pearson, Owner and Chef at Pearson's Catering!

May 31, 2022

Orlando Magazine Staff,

KIM PEARSON

The Pearson’s Catering family is honored to have been chosen the 2021 Best of ORL caterer by Orlando magazine’s readers. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for this opportunity. It is not only humbling but immeasurable, coming amid COVID and the impact the pandemic has had on all of us for almost two years.

As a chef and caterer, I most enjoy people savoring the food that I have created. Food is love and it brings comfort to all. A well-thought-out menu is a magical transformation of raw ingredients into a sensory delight that is remembered long after an event has passed.

From the beginning, our mission has been to create unique and memorable dishes from scratch. This commitment to high standards in the kitchen, blended with our core values of business integrity and kindness to all have earned Pearson’s Catering a loyal following.

We offer Full Catering which includes not only the food, but alcohol, bartenders, staffing, linen, china, etc. We have been able to serve up to 500 guests a day at family gatherings, working lunches, cocktail parties, workshops, special presentations and holiday cocktail parties. Entering a new phase, Pearson’s Catering now has the capacity to handle big-event productions serving 1,000-plus guests. Among them, we are hosting all Jacksonville Jaguars Home Game Tailgating Events, providing all the staffing, food and full bars. We also catered the Georgia Florida game with over 2000 guests.

I started my culinary career at The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta in Buckhead after graduating with honors in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University. An earlier bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles from Florida State University sent me into the retail industry before I focused on how I wanted to create an impact on the world.

I spent several years honing my culinary skills at numerous restaurants and assisted with the launch of Florida Hospital Celebration (now AdventHealth Celebration) in 1997. I catered my first event in 2008. As the business grew, my husband Dan Shier left a 15-year career in sales and management to join me in growing Pearson’s Catering.

I can’t wait to see where the journey takes us.