Daily Inspiration: Meet Eric James

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric James. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Dish Gourmet was started back in March of 2006 by co-founders Chef Brian Benham and wife Stacey Benham, Dish Gourmet is a friendly deli on the east end of Pearl Street in Boulder, CO. Dish Gourmet offers fresh and inventive gourmet sandwiches, prepared foods, and a full array of catering services. Over the years Dish has become a staple to the Downtown Boulder community and we couldn’t be happier to be here!

In April of 2023, Dish Gourmet changed ownership, and Chef Eric James and his wife Kathleen Doyle-Murphy have taken the reigns of this long-standing deli + catering company. Upon taking over Eric didn’t want to change a thing, and kept Dish as the well-oiled machine that it has been for the last 18 years! We have a few new ideas in the works, be on the lookout for some new and fun changes to our menu and options!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve had some ups and downs in the last 18 years, but like most restaurants, COVID was a big hit to the deli, catering business, and our staff at that time.

Figuring out how to safely open our doors in the middle of the pandemic brought us into the 21st century, starting an online ordering platform for the deli and making our boxed lunches wildly more popular than before COVID.

We are grateful to have made it through the rough patch that was March 2020 to March 2022 and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of our customers, friends, and family.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Dish Gourmet takes pride in creating healthy, delicious, inventive, and dietary-friendly meals for groups of 1 – 200.

Outside of the 35 sandwiches available on our deli menu (the Gobbler being our best seller since forever), we are constantly rotating our catering breakfasts, entrees, appetizers, and desserts for something new and seasonal, supporting local farms, and creating menus to fit our customer’s needs. We’re here to help with any party, big or small, specializing in private dinner parties, and corporate breakfast and lunch catering options. Most notably our Thanksgiving Dinner is a big hit year after year for a fully cooked and prepared Thanksgiving dinner!

We are especially grateful for the relationships we’ve formed with clients and companies across Boulder, some of them spanning since the very beginning. Without the support of our customers, we would not be the company that we are today, and greatly appreciate our fans and family for their continued support!

Aside from the bustling deli and catering business, we are very proud of our small, but mighty, team here at Dish. Employees past and present play an integral role in creating your favorite dishes, delivering your orders, and creating a fun environment for both the staff and customers.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
In need of catering in the Boulder area? We are always happy to help! You can give us a call, email us, order sandwiches online for your next event, or stop into the deli for lunch!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dishgourmet.com/
• Instagram: @dishgourmet