Stephen Starr Sells Catering Group

Stephen Starr at the BizPhilly launch event.

Stephen Starr has sold the catering arm of Starr Restaurants — a $40 million business that provides food for weddings, corporate events and cultural institutions.

TrustHouse Services Group has purchased Starr Restaurants Catering Group (SRGC) for an undisclosed amount. SRGC will continue to operate under the Starr Catering banner and be led by President and CEO Simon Powles and COO Guy Kellner.

As part of the deal, Charlotte, N.C.-based TrustHouse will get licensing rights to numerous trademark menu items from Starr Group (although they weren’t specified in a TrustHouse statement announcing the deal.)

“For our current clients, there will be no change in the high-level quality and entrepreneurial approach we bring to each of our unique relationships, and at the same time, we are looking forward to working with the TrustHouse companies to expand premium dining and service offerings,” said Powles in the statement.

The motivations for Starr selling the unit or its impact on jobs are still unclear, although TrustHouse Chairman and Co‐Founder Michael J. Bailey said the acquisition means “expanding opportunities for our employees.”

A Starr spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Starr catering provides food at cultural institutions and public attractions like the New York Historical Society, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Perez Art Museum Miami.

TrustHouse is owned by Paris, France based Elior Group.

Back in June, Starr spoke at the BizPhilly launch about being the “vibe guy” for the company, making sure the staff and food are done right. He also said that he tries to personally answer almost every customer complaint. Here’s a short clip:

https://vimeo.com/131010148

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