Our Team

REX DUVAL
PRESIDENT

This included being Director of Catering for the famed Dino DeLaurentis Food Show, helping to develop the catering operation at Hotel Maxim's de Paris (presently The Peninsula), and Director of Sales for the French caterers Tentacion. In 1985, Mr. Duval created his present unique “boutique” catering operation, specifically meeting the needs and expectations of New York’s most demanding corporate and social market.      In doing this, he has been able to attract a most loyal following of high-profile repeat clients, including Ernst & Young, Bandai America, The American Lung Association, and the chairman of the board of Ogilvy & Mather.

Rex Duval is the president and founder of Rex Duval Caterers. A gentleman of refined taste and sophistication, he has been a significant influence in the upscale food business in New York for most of his career.

 

CLAUDE SOLLIARD
EXECUTIVE CHEF

Our very talented and original chef, Claude Solliard, is much sought after, and for good reason. He was until recently the Executive Chef at Raoul’s, where he received two stars for his culinary excellence. Claude was trained in Switzerland, his home, in the classical “French Style” by his world famous mentor Chef Christian Roux. Since arriving in New York, Chef Claude has cooked with other great chefs such as Andre Gaillard at La Reserve, Daniel and Jaques at Le Cirque, Gray Kunz at L’Espinasse, and Theo and Thomas Kelly at San Domenico. Chef Claude has been hailed for his blend of Japanese, French and Swiss cuisines.
     Rex Duval and Chef Claude have used his unique style and artistry to establish the highest standards for food and service in their off premise catering operation. Claude’s many recommendations and accolades from major food critics, as well as food and beverage industry luminaries, speak for themselves of the vast experience and commitment to excellence that he brings to the table.

 

JIMMY GAETA
FLORAL DIRECTOR

A native New Yorker, Jimmy Gaeta is an artist whose palette is the shape, color and texture of flowers. As a third generation designer, he is steeped in knowledge of his medium, enabling him to use each flower to its greatest effect, whether in a sparse architectural work or a lush, romantic arrangement. Through his association with Rex Duval, Jimmy has created varying designs and décors for many of New York’s Upper East Side luminaries.
     Rex and Jimmy’s client list also includes celebrities drawn from television, film and stage, and organizations such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Ernst & Young, and Ogilvy & Mather. Jimmy’s work is regularly seen in specialty segments of morning news programs on Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, and in the public spaces of venerable New York hotels such as The Ritz Carlton and the Waldorf Astoria. He is also featured in instructional videos on flower arranging. In addition to his artistry, Jimmy’s success may be attributed to his ability to envision an event from the perspective of the host. For Jimmy and Rex, each and every gathering—whether a wedding, a corporate meeting, a fundraiser or a media celebration—is a one-of-a kind confluence of their client’s vision and their own artistry.