In The News

by Cara Klaer, Communications Manager, Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce

For Agustin Rojas, owner and operator of Five Star Catering, family is everything.

“We treat every customer as though they are family,” says Rojas. “The quality has to be great, and the service has to be outstanding.”

Agustin’s wife, Maryann Rojas serves as co- owner and general manager at the company’s Primo West location. And the couple’s five kids- Tony, Andi, Ali, Danny and Mia - ranging in age from 14 to 30 years old - all have helped make the business the success it is today.

In June of 2009, Rojas, along with four business partners, opened up the catering business. Five Star Catering covers social, corporate, non-profit organizations and religious functions, with weddings currently making up a large portion of their day-to-day business.

“For each wedding we cater, we try to put ourselves in others’ shoes and see it from their eyes - what they are expecting, and how they want things,” says Rojas.

Rojas believes that good communication is essential for his business. And as a family operation, he’s only a phone call away. Rojas gives out his cell phone number, making himself available to his clients at all times, in order to provide them with excellent service, reassurance and support.

“I strongly believe that in any business, it’s all about building relationships, quality and service.” Rojas’ “serve and provide” motto continues

to sit well with his customers; many have become repeat customers. Five Star Catering expects to see an increase in weddings as the warmer weather takes hold, and the company will also take on more outside events including graduations.

“I’m proud to be living in Indianapolis and to be a part of this thriving community,” Rojas explains. “Indianapolis has been my home now for 30 years and I love it here.”

Rojas was born in Mexico but quickly adapted when he moved to the states. His depth of experience led him on the path to opening up his own business. Rojas has been in the food industry for more than three decades, working for high-profile businesses such as Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Indianapolis Athletic Club, and Center Plate. He’s also catered the NCAA final four, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration, a plated dinner event for 16,000 guests at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, and covered several events for President George H. Bush, President George W. Bush, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who, at the time, was serving as a Senator in New York.

“It was incredible to be a part of these unique events,” says Rojas.

After honing his catering and culinary expertise at some of the best hotels, convention centers and stadiums in the U.S. and Mexico, he realized it was time to break out on his own. The opportunity to open a business came through a friend and business partner, Dennis Stephenson. Today, Rojas serves as owner/operator of the business, and is one of five owners of the company. Rich Kidwell and Tom Kidwell are among the owners. Five Star Catering operates out of two venues: The Riverwalk in Broad Ripple and Primo West in Plainfield. Five Star Catering also operates a state of the art mobile kitchen in order to provide “to your door” catering services. Within a few months of opening the business, Rojas and his partners decided to join the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. Rojas recalls the Indy Chamber was there for their grand opening, and he says the Chamber continues to support his business every step of the way.

“It has been very rewarding for me,” explains Rojas. “Thanks to the Indy Chamber, I have been able to build relationships, and we have been able to get business out of our membership. But, most importantly, we have been able to make numerous friends through the Chamber,” he says.

Rojas believes that many of those friendships and business relationships have arisen as a result of attending various Chamber events, such as Conexión. Conexión is the premier Hispanic professional connecting event in Central Indiana, hosted by the Indy Chamber’s Hispanic Business Council. Five Star Catering served as the host for last year’s Conexión, and they’re already slated to come back to cater this year’s event, held on October 11.

“Conexión is growing, year after year,” says Rojas. “Last year, we had great attendance, and next year, it will be even better.” Five Star Catering also hosted the Indy Chamber’s Conexión Breakfast on May 16.

Rojas says he is grateful for the hard work the Chamber does to help his business succeed. And he’s glad to be a part of the business network the Chamber offers.

“In order to be successful in this business, you have to be around wonderful, professional people to help you achieve your goal,” Rojas explains. “We’ve been very lucky to have some of the best professionals in the industry working with us.”

Rojas is also doing all he can to help the Hispanic community, many of whom Rojas believes have come to this country and are forced to work harder to prove themselves. He can relate to the difficulties with learning a new language and the many other cultural barriers they face. His message is that anything is possible with hard work.

“It’s especially gratifying for us if we are able to give back to Hispanics here in Indianapolis- those that need assistance with a social For Agustin Rojas, owner and operator of Five Star Catering, family is everything.

“We treat every customer as though they are family,” says Rojas. “The quality has to be great, and the service has to be outstanding.” Agustin’s wife, Maryann Rojas serves as co- owner and general manager at the company’s Primo West location. And the couple’s five kids- Tony, Andi, Ali, Danny and Mia - ranging in age from 14 to 30 years old - all have helped make the business the success it is today.

In June of 2009, Rojas, along with four business partners, opened up the catering business. Five Star Catering covers social, corporate, non-profit organizations and religious functions, with weddings currently making up a large portion of their day-to-day business.

“For each wedding we cater, we try to put ourselves in others’ shoes and see it from their eyes - what they are expecting, and how they want things,” says Rojas.

Rojas believes that good communication is essential for his business. And as a family operation, he’s only a phone call away. Rojas gives out his cell phone number, making himself available to his clients at all times, in order to provide them with excellent service, reassurance and support.

“I strongly believe that in any business, it’s all about building relationships, quality and service.” Rojas’ “serve and provide” motto continues

to sit well with his customers; many have become repeat customers. Five Star Catering expects to see an increase in weddings as the warmer weather takes hold, and the company will also take on more outside events including graduations.

“I’m proud to be living in Indianapolis and to be a part of this thriving community,” Rojas explains. “Indianapolis has been my home now for 30 years and I love it here.”

Rojas was born in Mexico but quickly adapted when he moved to the states. His depth of experience led him on the path to opening up his own business. Rojas has been in the food industry for more than three decades, working for high-profile businesses such as Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Indianapolis Athletic Club, and Center Plate. He’s also catered the NCAA final four, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration, a plated dinner event for 16,000 guests at the Washington D.C. Convention Center, and covered several events for President George H. Bush, President George W. Bush, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who, at the time, was serving as a Senator in New York.

“It was incredible to be a part of these unique events,” says Rojas.

After honing his catering and culinary expertise at some of the best hotels, convention centers and stadiums in the U.S. and Mexico, he realized it was time to break out on his function, or those who are looking for a job,” says Rojas. “We help in any way we can.”

By visualizing his dream and putting in a lot of hard work, Rojas has seen success. But he believes knowledge is also key, and he spent many days learning the ropes of his business environment. For example, for Rojas to become a superior caterer, he exposed himself to various experiences early on, including taking on the role of server. He had a desire to learn all aspects of the business.

In the next ten years, Rojas hopes Five Star Catering will grow even further. His purpose is not to grow to become a giant, but rather, continue to provide quality service. And he doesn’t want the business to lose sight of who they are.

“When people ask me what we do, I say we throw parties for a living and we enjoy doing it,” exclaims Rojas.

Rojas is a member of the Indy Chamber’s Hispanic Business Council. For more information on the Hispanic Business Council, visit IndyChamber.com.

Five Star Catering is known for its full-service catering and event production. Their mission: “to exceed our clients’ expectations by providing a Five Star experience highlighting our culinary expertise and attention to customer care and service.” For more information, visit fivestarc.com.