FLORA, Ind. — The Kaspar Media team traded newsroom, sports and weather deadlines for dinner tables this week, gathering lakeside for an evening of hibachi flair, great food, and even better company, courtesy of A Touch of Love Catering & Hibachi.
The team behind the news coverage of Clinton, Boone, and Carroll counties doesn’t often get to slow down. Between covering city council meetings, chasing breaking news, keeping the area informed with shopping information and business news, and keeping up with the region’s ever-changing event roster, quiet moments together are rare. So when the opportunity came to gather the whole crew for a proper sit-down dinner, the choice of caterer was a very unique one.
Arlin and Kathy Dutter, owners of A Touch of Love Catering & Hibachi based at 2718 W State Road 18 in Flora, set up shop right on site for the evening, transforming a lakeside deck and gazebo into an open-air hibachi restaurant.
Long tables were dressed in black tablecloths and topped with wine glasses, cloth napkins, and wooden cutting boards at every place setting — the kind of detail that made the team feel like guests at a five-star restaurant rather than coworkers grabbing a meal.
Dinner and Fun
What set the evening apart wasn’t just the food — it was the experience. True to hibachi tradition, the Dutters cooked the entire meal right in front of the team on a flat-top grill, filling the evening air with the sizzle and aroma of a meal made to order.
The menu featured hibachi chicken and shrimp, fried rice, homemade bread with honey butter and grilled vegetables, all prepared teppanyaki-style within arm’s reach of the dinner tables. Guests watched as colorful vegetables danced across the grill before being plated fresh, alongside tender hibachi chicken and shrimp and perfectly seasoned fried rice. The meal was rounded out with raspberry lemonade and a dessert that has quickly become one of ‘A Touch of Love’s’ signature offerings: homemade ice cream.
Every detail of the evening was handled by the Dutters and their team, from the black linens to the full tableware setup, leaving the Kaspar Media crew with nothing to do but relax, laugh, and enjoy the meal together.
A Team That Keeps North Central Indiana Informed
The dinner served as a well-earned thank-you to the Kaspar Media team, whose work spans daily news coverage, video production, photography, graphic design, the new podcasting studio and social media across multiple outlets serving Clinton, Boone, and Carroll counties. It’s a team that shows up to city council meetings, county fairs, ballgames, and breaking news alike, working to keep North Central Indiana informed and entertained across all of Kaspar Media’s channels.
Gathering everyone around the same table, away from cameras (sort of) and deadlines, gave the team a chance to celebrate the work they do together and enjoy a meal that felt more like a special occasion than a typical staff dinner.
Bring the Experience to Your Next Event
A Touch of Love Catering & Hibachi can bring this same experience to your groups of any size across North Central Indiana, whether it’s a wedding, graduation, holiday event, or family celebration. The Dutters handle everything — the tableware, the linens, the cooking, and the cleanup — so hosts can focus on their guests instead of logistics.
Those interested in booking A Touch of Love Catering & Hibachi for an upcoming event can reach Arlin and Kathy Dutter at 765-412-3328 or visit them at 2718 W State Road 18, Flora, Indiana 46929.
As their motto promises: “Making your event a heart felt memory.” Based on the evening the Kaspar Media team enjoyed, that’s a promise A Touch of Love delivers on.
