Kitchen Secrets

A beautiful jewish blessed civil ceremony held in a warehouse space. We were scrubbing the windows 1 hour before the guests arrived and the ovens had not yet been delivered. But by the time the guests came it was so magical and the latin band started playing, the food and drink were flowing and it for some reason remains one of my favourites.

It was for a client in Zimbabwe, my fondest memory being the zebra eating the herb salad as it waited to go out to the tables and trying to serve ice cream out of frozen ice flower bowls we had made in 42C heat. What a crazy day! Totally the opposite end of the spectrum was a wedding on farm in the lake district where we had to use most of the ingredients they had provided. This meant, for example, plucking the ducks before we could roast them and eventually turn them in to a canapé. Was a true step back to the origins of cooking. Amazing.

Fun, bright, sumptuous, fresh and simple

Good, honest, mediterranean, colourful, delicious

That most of our clients become repeat clients (especially the corporates). Or are guests are previous weddings or events.

That people are always so complimentary about the food, and each event leads to more clients as they are impressed and pass the details on.

Start by choosing 2 things each that you "have to have" to make your day special and build everything else around those.

Don't obsess about a specific detail. So often people get so hung up on 1 thing they can't see the bigger picture. And think about what you would like not just everybody else.

A little side room with two dressing tables with fully stocked make up and hair styling equipment

for the bridal party and guests to retreat to for top ups.

So many ... but maybe the rag bunting which decorated the woodland clearing where the ceremony was held, which had been made out of the couple's mothers wedding dresses. Stunning and emotional as neither was with us any more.

There will be the initial email with basic info followed by a phone conversation or two to get a better understanding and a more detailed quotation.

Site meeting at the venue or help finding the venue id needed. Then a tasting , normally in their home where we will also look at equipment, then its onto the final furlong. We ensure that the couple only deal with one person the whole way through and that that is their manager and point of contact on the day.

Initial phone call followed by sample quotations and some ideas. This then leads to more firm menu ideas.

Then a tasting where we can also look at drink and equipment if you are wanting us to organise that for you.

And then it's a go with multiple mails and meetings until it is exactly as you wish . You will be introduced to your manager prior to the event, normally at the site meeting and will deal with myself and him or her the whole way though the process.

Just cooking my food. Possibly the veal, with wild mushrooms in parma ham truffle sauce and white onion puree, which is one of my favourites.

Just cook our food.

Actually little gooseberry trees with the puddings hanging off the branches in birdcages and ribbon . Then set in edible soil with more edible treats . Looked and tasted amazing. And the impact on entry to the marquee is was great.

Probably the dessert gardens. Everything was edible from the soil to the bark on the mini trees, meringue daisies, the sprouting carrot top cakes.

It was stunning and delicious. A real memory maker .

For me ... chocolate

chocolate and steak

Sugar, salt and butter.... to be honest.

I should say passion but I think it's butter and salt really...