Maria Czechut

Party Planner

Maria has a degree from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Former Director of Catering for the Doubletree Hotel in Omaha and The Toledo Hilton in Toledo, Ohio, she has also planned major events and conventions as Director of Convention Services for the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston and Convention Services Manager at the Adams Mark Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. She has been with Upstream Brewing Company for six years and enjoys planning menus and all sorts of parties and events for both the Old Market and Legacy locations.

Strangest request for a party?
For a horse to carry the CEO into the party in full Confederate Greys (he was from Georgia or something). I managed to pull it off, but the horse ate my pager and left a gift for me in the doorway to the Ballroom!

If you could swap jobs for a day with a co-worker, who would you choose?
Jason the Brewer, I think wearing those nifty boots and climbing into the mash tun would be super fun!

Which is more popular at Upstream—birthday party or bachelor party?
Birthday party. This is one restaurant that it’s easy to talk the guest of honor into going to for just a “night out”— and then lure them into the surprise!

Beef or chicken?
For me, either since they have no carbs.
For my guests, when in Omaha — Beef.

Sit-down or buffet?
Sit down, I like someone to wait on me.
For a rehearsal dinner, buffet. Too many other things to do when planning a wedding than to chase down guests for their dinner choices.