Draft:Charles D. Levine

Circa 2023
Birth November 2, 1954 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S
Education Bentley University (1972-1974) University of Maryland,Robert H. Smith School of Business (1974-1976) Graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting
Spouse Susan Levine

Career

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Charles began his career working summers for the legendary Pimlico Restaurant off of Park Heights, owned by Al Davis.[1] The Pimlico was the premier lifestyle restaurant frequented by celebrities and dignitaries, as it was the social scene in the late 70s to mid 80s in Baltimore and the forerunner of fine off-premises catering. There he fell in love with the hospitality industry working in every aspect of the landmark operation, from kitchen to front of house, before running its off-premise catering branch. He primarily held the position of General Manager and Director of Catering during his time at the Pimlico. Shortly after, he broke off from Pimlico and opened up his own catering company.

Founded in 1985[2], Charles Levine Caterers has brought joyous moments to his clientele from the beginning. Operating out of his commissary in Owings Mills, he catered events at legendary Baltimore venues, such as the Peabody Library, the National Aquarium, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Between 1985-2016, his company carries out over 14,000 catering jobs and served over 1,500,000 people. [3] Additionally, Charles opened two sub-divisions of CLC shortly after its creation, Glorious Kosher Caterers and Glorious Events, that remained in practice until 2014.

He has managed to cater the most prestigious events in Baltimore and DC Metro area including events for the NFL, The Rolling Stones, and six Presidents of the United States among others. Charles has honed his craft over the years through experience and working with incredible vendor teams finding the freshest ingredients, and setting up events with lighting and floral designs and always ensures that his clients and their magic moments are his top priority.

"In short, whatever the size and scope of your catered affair, only one question is relevant: ""Do I want the best?"" If the answer is yes, then your choice is remarkably simple. Charles Levine, Ltd."[4]

In 2016, he opened Citron, a seasonal American 300-seat restaurant and The Cove, private event space for 200 on the waterfront at Quarry Lake in Baltimore County, Maryland. Since the inception of the restaurant, Charles has served ~200,000 guests in the restaurant or through Citron Catering (Formerly known as Charles Levine Caterers).

Citron is consistently considered one of the best restaurants and catering properties among Maryland and offers a seasonally changing modern American menu. It boasts fresh seafood, juicy steaks, authentic sushi, house-made desserts, handcrafted cocktails, craft brews, an award-winning wine list[5], and an extensive selection of top-shelf spirits[6]. There are also daily private dining & events. Repeatedly named one of Baltimore's best, Citron guests celebrate with casually elegant dining, spacious rooms, and abundant outdoor seating along the lake — exclusive to guests — plus many Private Dining Rooms for social or business gatherings. Both a destination and a Baltimore County Greenspring Valley gem, Citron has an upscale, contemporary menu and offers innovative takes on classic favorite Chesapeake dishes.[7]

Citron offers full service off-premise catering, event management and design for corporate, institutional and private clients in the Mid-Atlantic region. Citron Restaurant is conveniently located 20 minutes north of Baltimore City, in Baltimore County, as a waterfront dining destination, as it overlooks a 40-acre lake, at the base of Greenspring Valley.[7] Guests enjoy upscale, convivial indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining experiences on the lake year-round. Citron is perfect for weddings, rehearsal dinners and social and business gatherings of all kinds while maintaining enviable menus and service to be named among Baltimore’s Best Restaurants. [8] Since its creation, Citron has received prestigious awards from groups such as Wine Spectator, MAR, and OpenTable.

Personal Life

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Charles Levine resides in Baltimore County with his wife, Susan Levine, and his Havanese, Gracie. Charles has four children, Daniel, Sherry, Jordan, and Adam who have all completed their primary education. He has two sisters, Barbara Levine and Laurie Lubovsky, and a late brother, Richard Levine.[9]

Charles is known for being the matriarch of his family and has developed over the years strong relationships with his friends. Despite working 7 days and 5 nights per week, he manages to stay connected and make time with his corporate and institutional clients by hearing their voices and talking to them on the phone. The personal connections that Charles has formed with his clients across the years are what makes his hospitality uniquely personal and deeply meaningful.

People turn to Charles for advice across all of the breadths of the challenges of life due to his wisdom, and yes of course, when it comes to creating unforgettable, special moments for his clientele. Additionally, Charles has a unique gift for contemporary art, good food, great wine, pleasing people, and designing beautiful floral arrangements.

 
Circa 1990

Notable Events, Guests, and Clients

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Industry Leaders: Henry A. Rosenberg Jr., Wallace E. Boston Jr., Sanford I. Weill, Jamie Diamon, Neil Meltzer, Andrew Schlossberg, Micheal Armstrong, Michael Bloomberg, Mark Lerner (Lerner Enterprises), West Bush, John Paterakis Sr.

Honors and Awards

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  • Best Bar, Citron[11]
  • OpenTable Diner's Choice, Citron
  • Restauranteur of the Year Nominee (2018)[12]
  • Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Citron (2019-2024)[5]
  • Baltimore's Bachelor of the Month, Cosmopolitan Magazine (1986)
  • "Hot Chocolate" Award (2002) [13]
  • Chevis Regal Entrepreneur of the Year (1988)
  • Board Member of the Restaurants Association of Maryland
  • Baltimore's Best Caterer (1997)
 
Charles Levine Catering For President Carter

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Nguyen, Lan (1991-11-04). "Pimlico farewell A celebrated restaurant is history". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  2. ^ Gorelick, Richard (2015-06-22). "Veteran Baltimore caterer Charles Levine to open Quarry Lake restaurant". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  3. ^ Davis, Mark. Personal interview. 14 May 2024
  4. ^ Robert, Harold. "Charles Levine Caters to the Best." Baltimore Magazine, December 1984, 4
  5. ^ a b Latrelle, Wedlock (August 31, 2019). "Wine Spectator Restaurants".
  6. ^ Storchmann, Karl (May 18, 2012). "Wine Economics". Journal of Wine Economics. 7 (1): 1–33. doi:10.1017/jwe.2012.8. ISSN 1931-437X.
  7. ^ a b "About - Citron Baltimore". citronbaltimore.com. 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  8. ^ Loudermilk, Suzanne (2016-12-29). "Vibrant and elegant Citron adds zest to Baltimore's dining scene". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  9. ^ Staff, J. T. (2024-06-13). "Richard "Rich" Davis Levine". Baltimore Jewish Times. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  10. ^ Nauton, Michael D. (October 31, 1999). "Naval History News". Naval History. 13 (5).
  11. ^ Staff, J. T. (2022-06-15). "Here is part 1 of the results from the 2022 Best of Jewish Baltimore reader's choice competition". Baltimore Jewish Times. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  12. ^ "Maryland's Best Chef, Restaurants, Bars Picked For 2018". Annapolis, MD Patch. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  13. ^ By (2002-02-13). "A stadium of chocolate: an affair to remember". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2024-06-16.