Meet Natasha and Chef John Ford of Chandelier Event Venue
Some businesses are built with a business plan. Others are built with grit, faith, and countless hours of hard work. For Natasha and Chef John Ford, owners of Chandelier Event Venue and Fluent N’ Food Catering, their journey has been fueled by all three.
Today, Chandelier Event Venue is known as one of the Triangle’s premier luxury wedding and event venues, but their story began long before the sparkling chandeliers, elegant marble floors, and stunning garden courtyard.
From Backyard Celebrations to Luxury Weddings
Before opening Chandelier, Natasha and Chef John launched Fluent N’ Food Catering in 2017.
Chef John had already spent years working his way from dishwasher to Executive Chef, building more than two decades of culinary experience and graduating from the Culinary Art Institute in Durham. Natasha brought a background in communications, marketing, and hospitality, combining creativity with an eye for detail and client experience.
Together, they took a leap of faith.
“We always wanted to be part of people’s biggest celebrations,” Natasha shares. “We started catering backyard weddings, small parties—anything we could.”
Those early years weren’t glamorous. The couple worked in fields, backyards, and makeshift kitchens, often with limited resources and long hours. Every event became an opportunity to prove themselves.
Determined to grow, they introduced themselves to wedding venues throughout the Triangle, preparing meals for venue owners and earning coveted spots on Preferred Vendor lists; not because they were handed the opportunity, but because they worked tirelessly for it.
“It wasn’t something that was given to us,” Natasha says. “We earned every opportunity.”
A Dream Bigger Than Catering
As Fluent N’ Food Catering continued to grow, Natasha knew Chef John’s culinary talent deserved something more.
“I knew he deserved a real commercial kitchen,” she says. “He deserved to serve food fresh from the oven—not from a hot box.”
After years of searching and many closed doors, the couple finally received the “yes” they had been waiting for.
In 2019, they secured the building that would become Chandelier Event Venue.
At the time, it looked nothing like it does today.
They renovated nearly every inch of the property. From new flooring and elegant draping to landscaping, lighting, and outdoor gathering spaces. Chef John even taught himself landscaping, transforming the outdoor courtyard into today’s beautiful Wisteria Terrace complete with climbing roses, jasmine, market lighting, and lush greenery.
Opening During a Pandemic
Just months after opening their doors in October 2019, COVID-19 brought the wedding industry to a halt.
Because most weddings are booked a year or more in advance, the timing couldn’t have been more difficult.
Instead of giving up, they doubled down.
Every event they hosted allowed them to reinvest into their venue. Since opening, they’ve completed more than 60 improvements throughout the property, continually refining every detail to create an unforgettable experience for their clients.
By 2022, the momentum they had been working toward finally arrived.
More Than a Venue
Today, Chandelier is much more than a beautiful event space.
As a modern luxury wedding and event venue in Raleigh, every celebration is designed to feel personal, elegant, and effortless.
The venue features soaring ceilings, sparkling chandeliers, customizable layouts, two private suites, complimentary décor enhancements, and a stunning 4,000-square-foot garden courtyard. With over 100 free parking spaces and thoughtful amenities throughout, every detail is designed with guests in mind.
Perhaps the biggest difference?
The food.
Unlike many venues that simply warm prepared meals, Chandelier features a full commercial kitchen where Chef John and his team prepare meals fresh to order.
Whether guests are enjoying handmade pasta, authentic Jamaican cuisine, Latin-inspired dishes, or elevated Southern comfort food, every menu is crafted from scratch using fresh ingredients and culinary expertise.
“Food is what people remember,” Chef John says. “Food is a universal experience that brings everyone together.”
Running a business together certainly has its challenges, but Natasha and Chef John have found a rhythm that perfectly complements their strengths.
Chef John oversees the culinary experience, bar operations, maintenance, landscaping, and the behind-the-scenes details that keep the venue operating flawlessly.
Natasha manages marketing, communications, client relationships, staffing, and guides couples from their very first tour through their wedding day.
Together, they’ve built more than a business; they’ve created a place where clients truly feel cared for.
“We hold our couples’ hands throughout the entire process,” Natasha says. “We want to make one of the biggest days of their lives as stress-free as possible.”
Looking Ahead
Nearly a decade after beginning their entrepreneurial journey, Natasha and Chef John remain focused on the same mission that inspired them from the beginning: delivering exceptional hospitality while treating every client like family.
Rather than growing into a large corporate operation, they want to continue providing the personalized service that has earned the trust of so many couples throughout the Triangle.
“We’re happy where we are,” Natasha says. “We want to keep doing what we do best—serving people with excellence.”
Every wedding, celebration, and event is another opportunity to create lifelong memories.
And for Natasha and Chef John, that’s exactly where they want to be.
Connect with Chandelier Event Venue
Whether you’re planning your dream wedding, celebrating a milestone, or hosting a corporate event, Chandelier Event Venue offers a one-of-a-kind experience where exceptional hospitality meets unforgettable cuisine.
With handcrafted menus, elegant spaces, and a team that truly cares, it’s easy to see why so many couples and families trust Natasha and Chef John to bring their celebrations to life.
As they tell every couple who walks through their doors:
“Shine bright like a diamond.”
