Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In an industry built on big moments, Sebastien Centner bets on the small stuff.
“In our industry, there are things people just expect,” he says. “If it’s hot food, it should be hot. The food should be good. That’s the foundation. But that last five percent? That’s what makes us stand out.”
Centner is the founder of Eatertainment, a Toronto-based catering and events company that now runs more than 1,000 events a year. His journey started with confidence and a hard lesson.
Related: This ‘Chopped’ Champ Beat Cancer 6 Times, Lost Nearly 200 Pounds and Found Power in Presence
At the time, Centner wasn’t in the catering business. He was running a bar and restaurant when a loyal customer asked if he could help cater his daughter’s engagement party. It would be his first attempt at doing an event like that.
He figured he had everything covered: chefs, servers, drinks and food. It can’t be that hard, the hospitality entrepreneur thought.
“It was a disaster,” he tells Shawn Walchef, host of Restaurant Influencers. “If we delivered 50 percent of what the client expected, I’d be surprised.”
But instead of walking away, he got obsessed. “In the first year, we did 20 events,” he says. “I learned from event to event to event. I did a less and less sh*tty job each time.”
Over time, he developed a system based on preparation and precision. Every detail of an event was mapped out in advance so his team could handle curveballs and still deliver something special.
“I always say we can only deliver the five percent if we’ve already planned out the first 95,” he says. “If you’re scrambling to fix something basic the day of the event, you don’t have time to go above and beyond.”
Related: How a ‘Finance Guy’ and ‘Restaurant Guy’ Joined Forces to Invest in Over 55 Companies
The philosophy stuck. So did the pressure.
“You’re tasting wine together, you’re flying to South Africa to scout venues, you’re basically on vacation with your clients,” he says. “But if something goes wrong, we’re the help. They’re not our friends.”
Centner loves the energy of the catering world — the pace, problem-solving and creativity. But he’s clear on one thing: This is a business, and it only works if you consistently deliver.
And that’s not something he does alone. His wife, Sheila, has been with him since the very beginning, helping to drive both the business and the brand forward. “She balances me,” Centner says.
The couple’s connection wasn’t just instant in business. It was instant in life. “When I did meet her, we met, [and] she moved in within a week,” he says. “We were engaged within a month, and we were married within the year.”
Related: How a Jersey Kid Grew His Restaurant Business Into a West Coast Powerhouse
They’ve worked side by side for decades. While Centner focuses on logistics and scaling, Sheila leads the creative side — developing content, directing strategy and constantly pushing the company to evolve.
“She’s the one who’ll say, ‘If I see one more matcha green tea mini burger, I’m going to scream,'” he laughs. “And she’s right. We’ve been doing it for six months. We gotta get rid of it.”
With Sheila leading the creative direction and content strategy, Eatertainment’s in-house team now captures every event, edits video reels and sends clients curated highlight recaps. It’s a layer of polish that didn’t exist in catering just a few years ago. That personal touch has become part of their five percent.
What keeps Centner going after two decades isn’t just growth or scale. It’s the people. “My favorite part is seeing people’s faces when they walk into a room,” he says. “They smile. They pull out their phones. That’s the reaction we want.”
For Centner, that moment is everything. The lights, the food, the music — it all builds to that spark of joy. That connection. It’s the extra five percent that Eatertainment was built to deliver.
Related: Most Creators Are Doing Brand Deals Wrong — And This Sponsorship Expert Has Some Advice for Them
About Restaurant Influencers
Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.
Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.
