More Than a Gala: Giving Back to Eastern University
Some events are just business. This wasn’t one of them.
When Matt and Mary Soldano were asked to cater the Templeton Honors College 25th Anniversary Gala, they didn’t pause to think through the details first. They said yes — immediately — because this wasn’t just another event. It was personal.
Mary Soldano 2014
Matt and Mary are proud Eastern University alumni. Long before this night, before countless events and celebrations, there was Eastern — and the Templeton Honors College — shaping how they think, how they lead, and how they show up in the world.
The program’s core values — intellectual curiosity, deep community, and the belief that how you live matters more than what you achieve — didn’t stay on campus when they graduated. Those values became part of their lives, their family, and the way they approach hospitality every single day.
Matt Soldano 2013
Tasty Table Catering isn’t just about food. It’s about people. It’s about care. It’s about creating moments that matter.
So when the opportunity came to serve a program that had given them so much, this wasn’t a job.
It was a way to give back.
Templeton Honors College 25th Anniversary Gala
On a crisp autumn evening, more than 160 guests gathered at The High Point Malvern — a space filled not just with people, but with shared history.
For Matt and Mary, every detail mattered.
Not in a showy or over-the-top way, but in the quiet, intentional way that says: we see you, we value you, this moment is worth doing right.
Jenna Sterner Photography
Cocktail hour felt like a reunion. Conversations picked up where they left off years — sometimes decades — ago. Passed hors d’oeuvres moved effortlessly through the room, the bar stayed lively, and there was an unmistakable warmth that can only come from a community that truly cares about one another.
Behind the scenes, Matt and Mary were fully present — guiding the flow of the evening, making sure every element reflected the importance of the occasion without ever distracting from it.
Dinner followed, plated with the kind of precision and care that has become their signature. The menu struck the perfect balance: elevated but welcoming, thoughtful but never overcomplicated.
Osso bucco. Caribbean mahi mahi. A sweet pea and gnocchi risotto that quickly became a standout — not just a side, but a dish people remembered.
Every plate told the same story: this mattered.
Jenna Sterner Photography
As the evening transitioned into dessert and coffee, the program brought the room to a quiet, reflective pause. Alumni shared stories of transformation. Words carried weight.
A commissioned poem by Christine Perrin and a reading from Malcolm Guite wove together faith, intellect, and artistry in a way that felt deeply aligned with everything Templeton represents.
It wasn’t just a gala anymore.
It felt like something closer to gratitude made visible.
Jenna Sterner Photography
Why It Mattered
There’s a difference between catering an event and caring about it.
For Matt and Mary, that difference is everything.
Giving back to the community that shaped them isn’t a marketing idea or a once-a-year gesture. It’s part of who they are. It shows up in how they serve, how they connect with people, and how they choose the events they take on.
Jenna Sterner Photography
This night was a reflection of that.
A chance to serve — not just with food, but with intention.
A chance to honor a place that helped shape their story.
A chance to stand in a room full of people connected by something bigger than themselves — and contribute to it in the way they know best.
For Matt and Mary, it wasn’t just about executing a seamless event.
It was about coming back — and giving something meaningful in return.
