Island Thyme Catering and Event Planning co-founder Kristy VerSnyder is embarking on a new chapter in her life — the catering business is closing its doors at the end of 2025 after 13 years of service in the area. VerSnyder and her team have been busy fulfilling orders for clients in the meantime, but she said the success of the business would never have been possible without the support of the community members and clients that have supported her for the last decade.
“(Island Thyme) became more than I had ever hoped for and I have Leelanau to thank for it. It’s all word of mouth, I didn’t have to advertise,” VerSnyder said. “Those first five years of business ownership is no joke, it’s brutal, but here they are. Specifically during the pandemic, that’s when I discovered what a local backing we did have because this business wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for Leelanau County supporting us.”
A graduate of Leland Public School, VerSnyder said she grew up being involved in the food and beverage industry in one way or another. She started working at the Bluebird Restaurant in Leland when she was in high school as her mother was a chef there, while her father was a commercial fisherman for Carlson’s Fish Market. In the years following high school, VerSnyder would work at other restaurants throughout Leelanau County, including at Epicure Catering, where she was a server for five years learning from other professionals in the industry.
