About Us

When Ursula O'Neill is in the neighborhood, you can be sure of one thing: there's an exceptional meal and a flawless special event nearby. Ursula is the founder and owner of Catering Connection, which has been planning and catering events in the Santa Barbara area since the early nineties.

Building on key values of integrity, honesty and hard work, Ursula has developed a loyal following and a sterling reputation for her company in the Santa Barbara area. Their clientele ranges from private individuals to large corporations. When she and her competent staff plan and cater an event, the delicious menus and outstanding organization remain in the guests' memories long after the celebration is over.

Ursula's broad experience has taken her from hotels in Killarney, the world-famous tourist destination in Ireland, to restaurants in London where she was Pastry Chef and Chef de Cuisine, to a position catering events for up to 3000 participants at an exclusive hotel in London's elegant Park Lane. After moving to Santa Barbara, she expanded her services to include full service event planning.

With her background, it's no surprise that she found her niche in this field. Growing up in a large family in Ireland, it was part of her Sunday routine to help cook dinner for 11 people. As a teenager, she enjoyed supplying the family-owned bar and general store with her home-made apple pies and salads. Chef college was a natural next step for her. Many chefs remain satisfied with the expertise they gain at this level. But Ursula's dedication to her craft led her to complete a further 4 years of advanced training in London.

When she's not being creative in her kitchen, Ursula's enthusiasm for the good things of life expresses itself on the tennis court, rollerblading along the beach, or gliding gracefully down the ski slopes. But even on her time off, her passion for good food comes through: she loves to try out new restaurants with friends.