Catering company elevates events with customized charcuterie

After traveling around in an RV for a year, Alexa Carter arrived in Whitefish and found herself right at home. After a few months, she called up her best friend, Colleen Wolak, and convinced her to visit. Wolak loved the area so much that she decided to join her friend.

Together they decided to embark on a new business venture. Using Carter’s fervor for food, Wolak’s marketing experience, and their shared creative talent, the two women started Boards and Pours Montana. The catering company elevates dinner parties, events, and weddings with customized charcuterie boards, grazing tables, dessert boards, mimosa bars and cocktail tastings.

Carter, a self taught chef, realized her passion for food and cooking when she began hosting dinner parties for her friends in 2020.

“We were hosting these fun, vibey dinner parties and cocktail tastings during Covid at least four nights a week,” said Carter. “We had every element that made a nice, elegant dinner party like decor and flowers. We knew something was going to come of that, so when I moved out here, we knew it was the time.”

The team started by creating charcuterie boxes, but after receiving requests for grazing tables and catering services, Carter and Wolak decided to expand their services. Charcuterie boards are typically used for appetizers and include cured meats, cheese, fruit, and crackers, while grazing boards fill an entire table and are used for large gatherings.

“I’m a perfectionist, so the food will always be amazing, but I also want people to be able to stand in front of it and post an Instagram picture that will be classy and beautiful,” said Carter. “I like challenging myself and pushing the limits.”

Part of Boards and Pours mission is to educate and create experiences for the community and do this through their charcuterie design classes and cocktail pairing classes.

“We teach people how to make charcuterie boards and we can do that at your home. We also have a series at Unleashed Winery and people are having a lot of fun there. During those classes, we pick a theme for each board,” said Carter. “In December, we made charcuterie wreaths and everybody’s looked amazing. We really want to create fun experiences in a beautiful setting with good energy.”

Carter and Wolak said that they have received overwhelming support from the community and enjoy collaborating with other local businesses. As often as they can, Boards and Pours incorporate Montana-made products into their spreads such as Flathead Lake Cheese, Amaltheia Cheese, and meat from Double K Ranch in Darby.

“The collaboration with the local community and other businesses is so open,” said Wolak. “We pick up local floral and table decor and are very conscious of what the event is and how to style the table based on the clients needs.”

Carter and Wolak lovingly call their workspace “the freeflow kitchen” due to their willingness to take chances with flavors and explore food displays. With wedding season around the corner, Boards and Pours is looking forward to serving the community and creating what Carter calls “magic moments.”

“We are very free flow, so if there is something that comes up that sounds exciting, we are willing to take chances with it,” said Carter. “It’s about creating that safe space and getting to know more people and connecting. This is what drives us and what is fun for us. We love it.”

To contact Boards and Pours Montana, call 406-285-1464 or visit their website boardsandpoursmontana.com. To stay up to date on their latest offerings, visit their Instagram @boardsandpoursmontana.

Reporter Summer Zalesky may be reached at szalesky@dailyinterlake.com.