Owner Defends Catering Company Amid Lawsuits

The owner of Morrell Caterers, who is facing a lawsuit by two former employees for allegedly serving tainted kosher food at three Long Island synagogues, including Temple Beth Torah in Melville, defended his business in a statement Monday.

“Those of you who have worked with me and my family over the decades know we take our responsibility to the Jewish community as a solemn promise. There is no price that can be attached to that trust and I will not allow my family’s heritage to be tarnished by what is essentially a terror attack on my company,” Scott Morrell wrote in an open letter to his customers.

Tom Cataldo, the former general manager of Morrell Caterers, and former executive chef, Michael Savitsky filed a lawsuit in February accusing Morrell, of  They said that congregation’s kosher kitchen was used for the preparation of shrimp, pork and other non-kosher food.

In addition to the kosher violation allegations, Morrell is facing another lawsuit from his former employees,  The lawsuit also states the he substituted cheap alcohol for top-shelf liquor clients had paid for.

The charges have led at least one of Morrell's clients, The Woodbury Jewish Center, to sever ties with the catering company.

Morrell is retaliating with a $10 million defamation suit against his accusers.

“Caterers are with people at key emotional points in their lives,” he said. “Weddings, bar mitzvahs and even shivas (a week of mourning practiced by many Jewish families) are catered and require a caterer to have an intuitive understanding of people’s needs and comfort levels. For some 40 years we have been part of people’s lives and many feel offended that our reputation has been attacked.”

Rabbi Susie Moskowitz of  said that the synagogue would continue its partnership with Morrell Caterers unless the company is found guilty of the charges. "If the allegations turn out to be true, it will be a violation of legal and sacred trust," she said in an earlier interview. 

“The truth is it can take decades to build trust and just moments to have that reputation destroyed. I am grateful to the president, board and Rabbi at Temple Beth Torah that they have displayed their confidence in me and our long standing integrity,” Morrell said in a statement.

Morrell had  in the kitchen of Temple Beth Torah last week to monitor that the food preparation is in line with kosher customs.

Morrell Caterers also operates out of Temple Israel in Lawrence.

*This article has been corrected. Orginally it was written that the The Woodbury Jewish Center was located in Lawrence. The building is in Woodbury.