By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – A Chelsea-based catering business was recently named a winner of this year’s WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards for event catering in the Birmingham area.

Bryon Rickard Catering LLC, a family owned and operated, full-service event caterer, was awarded the 2016 Couples’ Choice Award for local event catering by WeddingWire Inc., a global online wedding marketplace founded in 2007 that connects consumers with event and creative professionals.

Chef Bryon Rickard turned his passion for cooking into a business, Bryon Rickard Catering, in 2013, and has served as executive chef since then. He also oversees day-to-day operations and kitchen management.

“My staff is exceptional and has had a major role in earning this award,” Rickard said.

The business initially specialized in small, intimate events and parties, but eventually grew into a full-service catering company for weddings, business luncheons, special events and private parties.

Bryon Rickard Catering has served at Ross Bridge, Sloss Furnace, Botanical Gardens, The Kress Building and other venues in the greater Birmingham area.

Rickard worked in the food service industry for more than a decade, serving in positions such as line cook and sous chef, before studying at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Ill.

“I discovered my passion for food in my grandmother’s kitchen,” Rickard said, noting his roots influence each aspect of his catering, from personalized service and custom menus to distinctive presentation of food and decor.

The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards 2016 recognizes the top 5 percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism, according to a press release. The awards are given to the top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding florists, based on their professional achievements from the previous year.

“We are thrilled to celebrate such a high-caliber, committed group of professionals for the Couples’ Choice Awards’ eighth year,” WeddingWire CEO Timothy Chi wrote in the release. “We are proud to continue to serve as the industry leader, with over 2.5 million consumer and peer reviews, and feature award-winning merchants such as (Bryon Rickard Catering) who understands the impact reviews have on their successful businesses.”

WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards winners are selected based on reviews from newlyweds and their experiences working with the businesses.

As a winner, Bryon Rickard Catering is highlighted in the WeddingWire Network, which encompasses more than 400,000 wedding professionals around the world.

“We work hard to make each event memorable and unique,” Bryon Rickard Catering wrote in the release. “We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business. We value all of our clients and truly appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards 2016.”