” I don’t know what to cook. Shall we get a caterer to do the food for our party “. There is a tendency to outsource food preparation to some other person or organisation. We sent out our “EATING OUT” reporter Kirsty Eastman to track down caterers and find out how they put together and create mouth watering recipes.
Below is an actual interview with Joan Sounders; who runs her own catering business preparing and supplying food for and to parties.
Q. How did you get into party food business Joan?
A. Well, I love cooking. I used to cook food for my family at home. I found the whole experience very relaxing. I organised food for a few birthday parties at home and even for some school friends. My business just took off from there and now I have four full time employees. It is doing well touch wood.
Q. Do people come to you with an order knowing exactly what they want? Or do they come to you with an idea and a budget and you do the rest?
A. We have many requests for food. Some people choose from the menu and we simply prepare their order and then arrange to deliver their order. Others give us an indicative budget and we then prepare food to meet their budget.
But most people come to me because they want something different. For example, I have a client who wants to launch a vegan society. I have been given the task of organising food for their guests. My instructions are:-
1)All guests are VEGAN.
2)Organise a three course meal
3)They have given me a per head budget of