Welcome to Henderson Tessier McGuire & Smythe 's annual Christmas cocktail party, held at the gracious home of managing partner George Smythe and his lovely wife Buffy. It 's The Catering Gig From Hell. Behind the scenes is Melanie, McKinley Catering 's supervisor, plating up hors d oeuvres and juggling her career as a writer, her ex-boyfriend 's appearance on the arm of a gorgeous young lawyer and her friends expectations. Oh, and Cynthia 's there too, an actress not so happy to be wearing the catering bowtie, sniping at their old roommate Timothy, who 's making his first catering appearance in years. Eric 's there too, but he 's never a problem Eric is the unflappable uber-caterer. Or is he? There 's Christmas cheer, sex, romance, death, laughter, a vast array of appetizers and a whole lot of vodka and wine. But not for nothing is Mel known as The Catering Queen.