Caterer Close-Up: Ken Barrett-Sweet of Boston’s The Catered Affair and Folio

This caterer close-up first appeared in the October 2025 edition of CFE News. It is part of series on ECEP members and how they began.

Long before he stepped into Le Cordon Bleu in France, Ken Barrett-Sweet’s culinary journey began in Alabama with a simple recipe: one wise grandmother and a set of well-worn pots and pans.

“I must have had four or five,” he recalls. “While other kids played with dolls, I played chef. My grandmother gave me her old cookware, and I’d mimic her every move.”

Learning the Language of Food

He peppered her with questions, learning the language of food. And, he thought, if one grandmother had these types of secrets to impart, perhaps the other did too.

Ken with his grandmother's old cookware. Making music then and soon to make culinary magic!

His instincts were correct, and he learned two different styles from his grandmothers. One cooked by instinct—measuring by feel and taste—while the other was devoted to food magazines, eager to test every new recipe. Together, they passed down more than technique; they instilled in him a deep-rooted philosophy of hospitality and a joy in nourishing others.

Caterer Close-Up: Farming Inspiration

As Barrett-Sweet grew, the land around him shaped his palate. The family farm stretched across miles of Alabama soil, rows of vegetables ripening under the Southern sun. He’d gather them in the afternoons, pretending to host a cooking show from the fields. “I’d channel Julia Child right there in the farmland,” he says, “talking to an invisible audience while pulling squash from the ground.”

Though his path would briefly lead to music school, an opera degree and postgraduate work, the call of the kitchen proved stronger. A scholarship took him to Le Cordon Bleu, followed by his first professional cooking job at Restaurant Associates (now Compass). By 23, he was cooking full-time.

But it wasn’t until his 40s that Barrett-Sweet fully embraced his Southern roots. “I used to hide the fact I was from Alabama,” he admits. “But now? It’s the heart of what I do.”

Southern Cooking Through a French Lens

Today, Barrett-Sweet serves as vice president of catering at The Catered Affair in Boston, a role he’s held for seven years.

His food is a melding of heritage and technique—Southern soul interpreted through a French lens. It reflects family memories. The clatter of old pots and pans. The smells wafting from the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.

It’s a legacy stirred with a wooden spoon, simmered in tradition and served with soul.

“There’s something comforting about it,” he says. “Even Michelin-starred chefs are returning to their roots. People crave nostalgia, warmth—memory on a plate.”

Folio is modeled after a European bistro. Photo by Randy Crandon

An Innovative New Chapter Begins with Folio at the Boston Athenaeum

A visionary in venue development, Barrett-Sweet has played a pivotal role in expanding the reach of The Catered Affair, which has been a beloved staple in the Boston area for 44 years. His most recent project was spearheading the ambitious launch of Folio at the Boston Athenaeum in 2024.

“Modeled after the ambiance and service of European bistros, Folio offers distinct hospitality in unexpected ways,” he explains. “Guests enjoy craft cocktails, a unique wine list and made-to-order shareable plates. It’s quickly become a favorite gathering spot for the curious.”

With Folio, Barrett-Sweet has helped The Catered Affair create a year-round destination for social connection through book clubs, author talks, concerts, exhibitions and more.

Folio has become a favorite cozy spot in Boston for enjoying a craft cocktail. Pictured is the Butler’s Smoke with Hendrick’s gin, Carpano Antica vermouth, jasmine syrup and oak.

“We envisioned a place where someone could sip a beautiful glass of white Burgundy, enjoy pea rollatini, then wander into the library to read,” he says. “Boston has plenty of cafés and large restaurants, but we were missing that perfect in-between spot, a place to pop in for a few bites and drinks before the theater or after work. At Folio, you can linger over two or three plates, enjoy a cocktail or two, and continue on your way. C’est la vie.”