September 15, 1929- May 16, 2013
This is not an obituary but a tribute to someone I admired, Jay Mastroianni. Not only was he a dear friend he was like a brother to me. We hit it off as soon as we met almost 30 years ago after finding out we had a lot in common in special ways relating to our Italian heritage and business.
I liked Jay’s style. He is one of a kind, a true entreprenuer, a tough but lovable person who handled things his own way. He had a talent for trying new and innovative ways to make his business work, he was a trailblazer and a pioneer in his field to create a catering business that was glamorous yet affordable. Jay had a quick wit and enjoyed using humor to relay personal stories.
We met after I responded to an ad he placed in the local newspaper for Jay’s Catering when it was relatively new. He invited me and my wife Eileen to lunch there and I became good friend with Jay and his wife Eleanor, who also ran the business. When I was president of the Orange County American Italian Renaissance Foundation we honored him with the Heritage Award for all his many accomplishments and good deeds toward the community. Jay was a long time board of directors member of the Italian Foundation and was proud of his heritage and award.
He told me that the Foundation and Sons of Italy is what got him back to his Italian roots. Jay and his growing catering company frequently gave and provided the best meals to the local Sons of Italy and other Italian organizations. Many can recall him attending our earlier fundraisers that were catered by Jay’s for many years, because the delicious, authentic dishes they served made our events especially memorable and successful using some of his wife Eleanor’s family recipes and creations by both Eleanor and Jay.
It was the first time we had such elegant service in the local area like the Mastroiannni Family Enterprise. Both Jay and Eleanor soon joined in the activities of our Iocal Italian American organizations and events making sure everything was top notch if they were catering it. Whether it was trays of their delightful Italian cookies, containers of pasta with one of Jay’s authentically designed pasta dish and sauces delivered in one of his inventions, the large caddy to keep it warm, or a more elaborate feast, the members of organizations and clubs and the organizations in Orange County took notice. Jay’s Catering trucks parked outside the event location were a welcome sight and generated eager attendance when people knew that the food was being catered by Jay’s.
Jay invited me to join the Carson- Dominguez Rotary club where he had a catering contract with the City of Carson. During the years our friendship continued to grow. His accomplishments received respect and admiration of the Rotary club members and the Rotary was able to accomplish many tasks because of Jay’s support and friendship. Everyone at Rotary enjoyed Jay’s presence as a role model for success despite the hardships. His stories captivated the younger members while the older members shared a mutual understanding. He created a fellowship at the Carson-Dominguez Rotary that is remembered and felt to this day.
In our frequent visits, Jay mentioned and described the contributions and progress to the business by his children with praise and commented to me that they deserved the credit for the compliments. He told me frequently that he could not carry on or continue without his wife of 59 years, Eleanor, and the interest and support of the three children. He always seemed happier whenever he mentioned them.
Some of the many awards given to Jay’s Catering include: Winner Best Caterer 7 Years Running – OC Hot List; Winner 2010, 2011, & 2012 “Best Caterer”; Winner 2012 “Best Cakes” all of which Jay had told me again recently the credit goes to his family and staff. Jay and Eleanor Mastroianni received a Lifetime Achievement Award from CATERSOURCE during opening ceremonies at the 2010 CaterSource Conference and Trade Show at The Paris Hotel, Las Vegas. They were recognized for their 50 plus years of INNOVATION within the Catering Industry, an honor that these two trailblazers well deserve.
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