From Festivals to the Ballpark: 3C’s Catering’s 30-Year Recipe for Community

If you’ve been to a Tarp Skunks game, grabbed a bite at a local event or spotted a food truck at a summer fair in Chautauqua County, there’s a good chance Karen and Robert Cross have already fed you. The husband-and-wife team behind 3C’s Catering has spent three decades building one of the most recognizable food service operations in the region, and if the lines at their concession windows are any indication, the community keeps coming back for more.

The story of 3C’s begins the way the best ones do: with a passion, a dream and a family willing to bet on it. Thirty years ago, Robert Cross graduated from culinary school and went into business with his parents. What started as a small catering operation rooted in Robert’s training and his family’s belief in him grew into something far larger than any of them might have imagined. The business found its footing serving private events and catered meals, building a reputation in the area one plate at a time.

Karen entered the picture in 2003. She and Robert married in February of 2004, and she became not just his partner in life but in the business as well. Together, they began pushing 3C’s in new directions. Concessions became a natural extension of what they did best, and the opportunities followed. They took on the concession operations for the original Jamestown Jammers, bringing their scratch-made food philosophy to the ballpark. They ran the Midway Concessions for three years. When the Tarp Skunks came to town and took up residence at the Jamestown ballpark, 3C’s came with them. And most recently, they expanded further, acquiring concession operations for the Olean Oilers as well. Two ballparks, two teams and a whole lot of hungry fans.

Eleven years ago, Karen and Robert made another leap: food trucks. What began as one truck has grown into a fleet of two, rolling out to county fairs, festivals and private events across the region. That commitment to growing their own produce isn’t a marketing line; it’s the backbone of how Karen and Robert approach food. Everything on a 3C’s menu is made from scratch. That’s been true from the beginning, and it remains the standard today.

“Everything we do is from scratch and we grow many of our own ingredients,” Karen said.

The menu has developed some devoted followers over the years. Ask around and two items come up again and again: the Award Winning carrot cake and the homemade applesauce. Both have become signatures of the brand, the kind of thing people seek out specifically. Beyond the fan favorites, 3C’s has built a reputation around farm-to-table options that reflect what’s in season and what’s coming out of their own garden.

“We love bringing quality food and service to all the events we participate in,” Karen said. It’s a simple mission statement, but it’s one they’ve made good on across thirty years of community events, game days and gatherings of every kind.

For Chautauqua County, there’s something meaningful about a local business that has grown alongside the community for three decades. When the Jammers were here, 3C’s was at the ballpark. When the Tarp Skunks arrived, 3C’s showed up again. Festival season, fair season, wedding season: they’re there.

As for what comes next, they encourage anyone who wants to stay in the loop to follow them on Facebook at @3CsCateringNY, where they post upcoming events, new menu items and everything else happening with the business. 3C’s Catering can be reached at 716-267-4403 or online at 3CsCatering.com. Whether you’re planning a private event or just hoping to catch one of their trucks at a fair near you, it’s worth a look. Thirty years in, Karen and Robert Cross are still cooking, still growing and still feeding their neighbors from scratch.