Vendors That Make a Difference

Part of what makes Bistro to Go so special isn’t just the extraordinary food, it’s the values it was built upon. 

When owner Nikki Heckman opened the doors to Bistro to Go in the fall of 2007, it was inspired by a desire to return to old-world traditions, a time when meals were savored by family and friends.

It was also founded as a community-oriented dining establishment with the ambitious goal of caring for customers, employees, community and the earth. 

Those goals were met — and exceeded.  

Beyond creating a welcoming environment on the North Side where diverse customers can meet and mingle, Bistro employees mentor at-risk youth and adults in the kitchen. The company also strives to use “green” packaging and organic products whenever they are available and economically feasible. 

Throughout the years, Bistro has created partnerships with similarly minded vendors who share Bistro’s core values of giving back to the community that has played such a large role in its successes. 

Among those vendors is Lisa Mattis, owner and chief executive office of Eventioneers Event Rentals in the North Hills. When she founded Eventioneers back in 2010, Lisa says it was with a simple goal — to build a company that treats people well and that supports events with honesty, care and real connections.

“Watching this team grow and seeing the work we’re able to do in the community has been one of the great joys of my life,” she says. 

Giving back to the community also is at the heart of what Eventioneers does. Over the years, the company has worked with many nonprofits, including donating or providing discounted rentals to groups such as the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association, as well as to local universities, schools, churches and hospitals in the area. 

“Supporting organizations that take care of our community feels like the right extension of what we do every day,” Lisa says. 

Especially meaningful to Lisa is her relationship with Bistro to Go. She notes the Bistro team approaches each event it caters with heart, consistency and a level of expertise that makes each collaboration feel effortless. 

“When we work together, it genuinely feels like two teams moving with the same purpose: to take care of people and deliver something beautiful,” she says. 

She adds there’s trust, communication and a true sense of partnership whenever she works with Bistro to Go. 

“Nikki, especially, brings such integrity, kindness and professionalism to her work,” Lisa says. “She cares deeply about her clients, her team and the overall experience, and it’s evident in every event she touches. Working side by side with Bistro to Go often feels less like working with another vendor and more like working with family. I’m truly grateful for the relationship we’ve built.”

Pittsburgh-based Ace Bartenders is another vendor that has a special relationship with Bistro to Go. Founded a decade ago by Anthony Cifelli, Ace Bartenders has close to 30 bartenders on staff who are dedicated to bringing their specialized skill and experience to local events. At the helm of it all is Anthony. 

“I do just about everything on the front end from taking phone calls, answering emails, booking events, invoicing, delivering supplies, etc.,” he says.

Ace Bartenders has provided service for some of the biggest fundraising events in town, including the Black Tie & Tails fundraiser for Animal Friends, the Art on Fire fundraiser for the Pittsburgh Glass Center and The Pittsburgh Gala, which raises funds and awareness for breast cancer research. 

Anthony adds that to be successful in the event industry, vendor-to-vendor relationships, such as the ones he has with Bistro to Go, are crucial because of the constant referrals to each other. 

“We keep each other up to date on any new venues or opportunities that might come up,” he adds.

He describes the long-time relationship between Bistro to Go and Ace Bartenders as synergistic. 

“Our companies together complete the puzzle for events to work seamlessly,” he says. “When you find other event vendors that you know are always on point, you build those relationships to make events perfect.”