About CG Boards & Co.
CG Boards & Co. began long before it had a name, a logo, or a commercial kitchen. Cat Gilmour grew up in Ipswich, MA, in a house where guests were met with food before they were fully through the door. Her mom had a thing about putting out a spread—never fussy, but always welcoming—and that habit rubbed off on Cat early.
As an adult, she kept doing the same thing. She made boards for family, friends, neighbors, school groups… anyone who needed something for a gathering. Eventually, she moved to Londonderry, NH, and the requests started multiplying. One weekend board turned into three the next weekend, and suddenly people were texting her saying, “Hey, you don’t happen to have time to make one for my event, do you?”
The kitchen counter couldn’t keep up forever, so she rented space out of a commercial kitchen in Derry. That’s when CG Boards & Co. officially became a “real” business—though nothing about it has ever felt corporate or stiff. It’s still built around the same simple idea she learned at home: put out good food, make people feel welcome, and the rest sort of works itself out.
If you saw her segment on NH Chronicle—yep, that was her—you already know the story isn’t about chasing some fancy “artisanal” title. It’s about creating food displays that make people smile and wander over for “just one more bite.”
The Real Beginning
The earliest boards weren’t meant for social media or events. They were thrown together on cutting boards for friends stopping by after work or for family birthdays. But Cat has an eye for color and texture, and the boards kept getting bigger and more layered. Before long, she found herself building out full grazing tables—her first huge one was an 11-foot spread for 110 guests.
In the Chronicle feature, she talked about how each table feels like painting on a blank canvas. The food, the colors, the little pockets of height and texture—it all comes together in a way that gets people talking and trying things they might usually skip. That’s always been the fun part.
CG Boards grew fast after that. Word spread through Southern NH and the Merrimack Valley, from Ipswich up through Derry, Londonderry, Salem, Andover, and everywhere in between. These days, the weeks fill with a mix of pickups, office drop-offs, and those big grazing tables that take over an entire room.
What Matters to Cat
Cat keeps it simple: good food, setups that work in real spaces, and clear communication.
Food That Makes Sense
You’ll find familiar cheeses, meats, fruit, dips, and extras—things people actually reach for. No “concept boards,” no overly precious styling. Just food that looks good and tastes good.
Making It Fit the Space
New England homes and venues aren’t cookie-cutter. You get narrow hallways in Ipswich colonials, barn floors that tilt, three-season porches in Windham, and downtown Manchester offices where the only available table is near the printer. Cat adjusts to whatever the day throws at her.
Straightforward Communication
People booking catering want clarity, not fluff. Cat is honest about what works, what doesn’t, how much you really need, what survives July humidity, and whether a space is too tight for a full grazing layout.
What CG Boards Does
Most weeks include:
- Charcuterie boards sized for families, showers, meetings, and smaller gatherings
- Grazing tables for weddings, milestone events, and corporate groups
- Letter and number boards for birthdays and celebrations
- Dessert options and mixed boards
- Drop-off boxes for offices and casual get-togethers
- Some setups are done on folding tables in someone’s garage. Others take over a full banquet table at a country club. It all depends on the week.
What to Expect
Events around Southern NH and the Merrimack Valley have their patterns—backyard parties in Salem, early-morning showers in Andover, office lunches in Manchester, winter gatherings that all move indoors because sunset feels like it hits at 3:45.
After setting up in dozens of different towns and venues, a few things tend to hold true:
- Summer spreads need lighter food and earlier arrival
- Fall weekends fill quickly with school events and corporate bookings
- Wedding tables need more room than most people expect
- Tight spaces are normal and fine—half the fun is figuring them out!
It’s a mix of planning and adapting.
How It Works
1. Start with the basics
Most people reach out with a date, a town, and a rough headcount — even if everything else is still fuzzy. That’s completely fine. Cat asks a couple of quick questions (indoor/outdoor, type of event, rough timing) and that’s usually enough to get a plan started. If you’re not sure what style you want, she’ll talk you through options instead of making you guess.
2. Talk through the space and what will actually fit
Photos of the table, counter, or room are helpful but not required. Cat’s done setups on everything from kitchen islands to barn doors to folding garage tables. Once she knows what she’s working with, she’ll suggest sizes, portions, and layouts that make sense so you’re not over-ordering or squeezing a 6-foot table into a 4-foot corner.
3. Get a clear quote
You’ll get a simple breakdown — what you’re getting, how much food it includes, arrival timing, and whether delivery or on-site setup makes sense. No long menus to pick through. No upsells.
4. Reserve your date
A deposit holds the spot. Once that’s in, the rest is just coordination: ingredient prep, confirming arrival windows with the venue (if needed), and making sure the table layout is doable.
5. Event day
Cat arrives early. For grazing tables, she unloads, sets the base layer, builds upward, and adjusts for the room’s traffic flow so guests don’t bottleneck in one corner. For boards and boxes, she delivers or arranges pickup depending on your timing. Before leaving, she makes sure you’re set — utensils out, signs placed where needed, and everything ready for guests.
6. Pickup (for grazing tables)
If reusable boards or risers are involved, there’s a quick pickup window later that day or the following morning, depending on what the venue allows. Drop-off boards typically don’t require anything afterward.
Serving Southern NH, the Merrimack Valley and Surrounding Areas
We generally travel within about 30 miles of Londonderry, which covers most of the Merrimack Valley and Southern NH. Common towns include Windham, Salem, Pelham, Methuen, Andover, North Andover, Haverhill, Dracut, Lowell, Tewksbury, and Lawrence, along with Derry, Hudson, and Londonderry. If you’re close by but not listed, feel free to check in.
FAQs
A typical table includes a variety of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, crackers, dips, sweets, and small extras to fill the space — plus the styling pieces needed to build height and flow. Cat arranges everything onsite so it comes together as one cohesive display rather than a stack of boards placed next to each other. If the table is long (8+ feet), it usually involves multiple layers and risers to keep it visually interesting.
A 4-foot table works for small gatherings. A 6- or 8-foot table is better for showers, office events, or anything with more than 30–40 people. Wedding tables often use two tables pushed together or a venue-provided farmhouse table. Cat has worked in tight spaces before — even a kitchen island can work — but it does help to send a quick photo so she can size things properly.
Yes. Summer outdoor events are extremely common, but they need slightly different foods and slightly different timing because heat does affect things. In July and August, she’ll lean more on fruits, breads, and firmer cheeses and less on anything that melts quickly. Shade is always helpful, and she plans the arrival so the table isn’t sitting out longer than necessary.
Definitely. Venues often have rules about when vendors can enter, where tables can be placed, and how cleanup works. Cat handles that directly, so you don’t have to play middleman. She also works well alongside photographers, planners, DJs, and florists — especially for weddings or milestone events where everything happens on a tight schedule.
A board for 6–8 people looks very different from a board for 20+. Cat sizes based on how people will eat. If it’s the only food for the event, you need more. If it’s just a pre-dinner snack or something for guests to pick at before cake, you can size down. She’ll ask a few questions and steer you toward the right fit.
Yes. Boards can be arranged to separate items, avoid cross-contact, or completely remove certain ingredients. For severe allergies, she’ll talk through options so the table still looks full without relying on items that aren’t safe.
Happens all the time. A 25-person shower becomes 32. A backyard party drops from 40 to 28 because of the weather. As long as changes come a few days before the event, Cat can adjust portions. For last-minute shifts, she’ll make realistic suggestions to keep things balanced.
Often, yes. There are days when she’s fully booked, but smaller boards and office boxes can sometimes be squeezed in with short notice. Larger grazing tables require more prep time, especially on peak weekends.
Both. Smaller boards can be picked up from the commercial kitchen in Derry if that’s easier. Deliveries cover most of Southern NH and the Merrimack Valley. Grazing tables are always delivered and built onsite.
For grazing tables, Cat returns for the risers, boards, and reusable items. Venues vary — some allow next-morning pickup, others want everything out the same night. For drop-off boards, cleanup is usually nothing more than tossing the disposables or washing a couple of reusable trays if you requested them.
Spring (March–June) and fall (September–December) fill quickly. Summer weekends get busy with outdoor events. Winter has more flexibility. If the event is a wedding, shower, or anything with over 50 people, reaching out early saves the stress of scrambling for availability.
