Mark Sternberg, President, CP Companies, Inc.

Since purchasing, renaming and repositioning what is now Celebration Catering in 2001, Mark Sternberg has seen his company grow into one of Chicago's premier catering operations. Following Celebration Catering's merger with Pear Tree Catering in November 2003, the combined company has seen sales grow over 200%. Mark is very proud that Pear Tree and Celebration Catering recently were nominated for a Jean Banchet Award as one of the top five catering companies in Chicago. Prior to purchasing Celebration Catering, Mark had enjoyed a 13-year career with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He served as Director of Corporate and Travel Industry Sales Worldwide, in addition to serving as Director of Catering at the Five Diamond Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. During his first few years in the hospitality industry, Mark developed, built and ran six restaurants in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. His success in Cleveland led Mark to Hyatt Hotels and then to the Four Seasons. Mark lives in Deerfield with his wife, Sue, and three children: Max, Sam and Lily. Mark is active in Deerfield Little League and was president of the 2004 Wooden Bat Tournament.
Christopher “Shane” Hughes
Executive Chef
CP Companies, Inc.
Pear Tree Catering

Chef Hughes learned to cook as a young boy while camping with his parents in North Carolina. His humble beginnings at the helm of a Coleman stove led him to a series of restaurant jobs in his home town. When the film crew of a movie called “Love Field” came to town, Shane was hooked and he soon was traveling across the country as a movie production chef.

Shane has cooked for the cast and crew of a number of movies including "Sister Act," "The Gambler," "Gods and Generals," "The Distinguished Gentleman," and "The Untouchables." On the road, Hughes had many responsibilities which included cooking and preparing ingredients in a fast-paced environment. Eventually, he decided to advance his career by moving to Chicago, where he worked at a number of the city’s top restaurants before joining Pear Tree in the summer of 2004. The fast paced and demanding world of catering is the perfect fit for this talented, creative and energetic chef.

Hughes describes his cooking as "eclectic-style bistro." In other words, he does many things. He especially enjoys a South American blend of cuisines using spices and fruits. In addition to searching the Internet for ideas and dining out whenever he has a chance, Shane and his fellow chefs talk and compare ideas, always looking for something new to catch the eye of his customer. "I love the challenge of developing new menus with knock-out presentations" he said.

Shane is an extremely talented chef who truly understands food, and the particular demands of getting it from our kitchen to yours, while maintaining the integrity of our cuisine. Shane has brought a new level of "wow" to our events, and loves the challenge and adrenaline rush of off-premise catering.

Shane and his wife Kelly live in Hoffman Estates with their newborn son Cayden, soon to be another happy and satisfied customer of his dad’s cooking.
Bonnie Katz, Office Manager/Inside Sales

Bonnie Katz, our Office Manager, Inside Sales and Event Coordinator has been the friendly voice on the phone for over five years. Bonnie is a true foodie, and brings her passion for entertaining right to our table. Prior to joining Pear Tree, Bonnie was the assistant catering manager at A La Carte in Wilmette, and was responsible for sales, event coodination and booking staff. Bonnie has always enjoyed one of the big perks of being in the food biz, and that of course is the tasting! She got her start in the industry at Foodstuffs in Glencoe, where she learned both back- and front-of-the-house procedures. Bonnie has honed her skills since being an integral member of the Pear Tree team, and is an expert in logistics as well as food. In her spare time, Bonnie loves to dine around Chicago, especially in the city's ethnic neighborhoods. She has scoured the suburbs for the best of everything, and is also an accomplished cook herself. Bonnie is a Chicago native and currently lives in Northbrook as an empty-nester.
Jody Birnbaum, Founder, Pear Tree Catering

Jody Birnbaum, the original pear, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. An entrepreneurial spirit motivated Jody to start her own business in 1984 after spending seven years in corporate sales. Jody lends her considerable talents and expertise to all areas of Pear Tree and Celebration Catering, and specifically focuses her efforts in sales, marketing, event production, training, and management. Jody is a member of Catersource, ICA (International Catering Association), Leading Caterers of America, and was a founding member of the Chicago Chapter of ISES (International Special Events Society). Jody has a passion for parties. She regularly attends sales and management seminars and was recently in Las Vegas at Catersource 2005. In an ongoing effort to stay on top of the latest trends, she travels frequently, dines out often, and attends many industry-related food shows. Jody has been quoted in North Shore magazine, the Chicago Tribune, Catering magazine and the Daily Herald. Her restaurant reviews and stories have been published in The Edgge dining guide, and her entry for the best war story was awarded first place at Catersource 2003. Jodys clients say they appreciate her calm and relaxed manner, upbeat disposition, professionalism, and sense of style. Jody says that the opportunity to connect with her clients as they celebrate some of the most important and emotional occasions in their lives is the most meaningful part of her job. She also says that she is just happy to be alive after 22 years in the catering industry!