Gastro Catering

We've Moved!

2012-03-01T14:14:00.001Z

Please excuse our blogging absence over the last couple of weeks- we have been moving into our brand new offices in Worthing!

We are still in the process of renovating and remodeling, but not to worry, we are still open for business as usual.

Watch this space for pictures!

Things We Love About Sussex - Part Two

2012-01-23T16:08:00.000Z

Farms.
In all of their glorious variations.

Pick Your Own Farms

Few things rival freshly picked, ripe produce. So grab a few family members or friends and head on out to get started picking!

Paternosters Farm- Located just off the A23 in Warninglid, you can find apples, plums, raspberries, blackcurrants and more. Friendly staff make this farm definitely worth the visit! Call for more info and picking seasons.

Maynards Fruit- With a wide variety of fruit available from strawberries and raspberries to apples and plums to cobnuts, what's not to love?! Make your way out to Ticehurst and enjoy this family run farm located in the High Weald Area.

Farm Shops

As it's not quite picking season yet, a great alternative (and frankly- a great option year round) are farm shops! Great for kids and adults alike, make a day of it and get in touch with your natural, country side.

Middle Farm - Talk about something for everyone! This is one of our favourites and is located on the South Downs, near Firle. Visit the open farm and meet chickens, ducks, pigs and donkeys or take a whirl around the Cider & Perry shop where you can taste over 100 different ciders and perries. Best of all- don't miss the farm shop featuring local produce and freshly baked goods.

Tulley's Farm - No ordinary farm shop, in addition to the farm shop, Tulley's has a tea room, pick your own crops, and attractions for Easter, Halloween and Christmas among others.

Sharnfold Farm & Shop- Located near Eastbourne, Sharnfold Farm is a bundle of fun. Visit the Farm shop, butcher and fish man for fresh, local produce or relax in their coffee shop. You can even spend your afternoon fishing at their very own fishing lake!

We would love to hear from you- what are some of your favourite farms in Sussex?

This Just In!

2012-01-17T08:56:00.000Z

Great News!!

Aaron Douglass, our founder and managing director, has won the Local Business Accelerators Scheme sponsored by The Argus for his work creating and developing Gastro Catering!

Companies were shortlisted and pitched their business plans to a panel of judges including:
Phil Frier, principal at City College Brighton and Hove, Brighton; Caraline Brown, managing director at Midnight Communications; Darren Fell, managing director at Crunch accountants, and John Keenan, business editor at The Argus.

Gastro Catering will now be entered into the National competition in hopes of being crowned the overall Business Accelerators Winner. The National competition is being backed by the Prime Minister himself and will be judged by, with the winner receiving mentoring from, Deborah Meaden, of Dragon's Den fame.

It's a fabulous start to the New Year and hopefully a sign of things to come!

Things We Love About Sussex - Part One

2012-01-10T17:16:00.000Z

Vineyards.

Yes. You read that right. Vineyards. In Sussex. I know, I know- When I first moved to Sussex and was told there were vineyards, let alone award-wining vineyards, I was highly skeptical. This is England. Surely those types of things don't exist. I finally gave into the old "Don't knock it if you haven't tried it" saying and was actually very pleasantly surprised. As it turns out, the south of England has similar soil and geography to the Champagne region. It also has cool nights which help enable the grapes to retain higher levels of natural acidity, which in turn produce some really fine flavoured sparkling wine. Imagine how pleased I was to find that yes, they do exist and yes, they are really great! Not to mention sustainable!

Our local favorite is the Ridgeview Wine Estate. See below for more details.

Ridgeview Wine Estate

Founded in 1994 by Mike and Chris Roberts, Ridgeview is a family run business based just outside the charming village of Ditchling. They focus on traditional Champagne grape varieties and methods. Most recently, Ridgeview Grosvenor (Blanc de Blancs) 2007 won the "Best Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine" in the 2011 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). They have amassed over 150 trophies & medals and most notably, the Ridgeview Fitzrovia (Rose) was served by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham palace in honor of President Obama's visit in May 2011.

Of all their wines, the Bloomsbury blend is our favorite. Its citrus fruit aromas, crisp freshness and balanced finish makes it our perfect choice to serve as a toast for joyous occasions!

Stay tuned for Things We Love About Sussex - Part Two...

**We are not paid by Ridgeview to promote their products. We just really like them!

Cake, Glorious Cake!

2012-01-04T13:36:00.000Z

Here is a small sampling of our favourite cakes we saw in 2011. We hope you're as inspired as we were!

We Are All In The Gutter

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T01:00:00.000Z

We would like to say thank you to all of our clients, vendors, venues and staff for making 2011 a year to remember.

Traditions abound on New Year's Day and we've decided to share some of our favourite lucky foods with you! We're wishing you health, happiness and prosperity for all of 2012!

Turkey: Pomegranates
via: Shine

Spain: Eat 12 grapes, each to signify one month in the new year
via: Noble Pig

Japan: Osechi Ryori
via: No Recipies

United States of America: Black Eyed Peas
via: Good Housekeeping

Italy: Cotechino con Lenticchie
via: Shine

Holland: Appelbeignets
via: Almost Bourdain

Gastro Weddings: Rachel and Jonny

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000Z

Hi Aaron,
I am feeling very guilty as this 'thankyou' has been a long time coming to you! Anyway, thank you and your team for making yourpart in Rach and Jonny's wedding run so smoothly and be so memorable. Marcuswas really amazing and the team brilliant. Having been years ago cateringtrained I do know how difficult these things can be, and was wondering how youcould replicate your taster session on a much larger scale. Once again thank you all so very much.

Sincerely,
ValleDawkes (Mother of the Bride)

With love,

The Gastro Team xx

Have Yourselves a Merry Little Christmas

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000Z

We hope your Christmas day brings you as much joy as this little nugget brought us!

With love,
The Gastro Team xx

Happy Hannukah!

2011-12-20T16:21:00.000Z

For all of you out there that celebrate Hanukkah, may love and light fill your homes on these eight very special nights!

We hope you enjoy!

The Gastro Team xx

Rockin' New Year's Eve

2011-12-16T16:12:00.000Z

With Christmas just around the corner, the party season is here. And finishing off the festive season is the biggest party of them all- New Year's Eve! If you're still looking for inspiration, here are a few of our favourite flavours and ideas to keep your party going all night long.

Guests
First and foremost, decide on your guest list. This will help you decide on everything else from what food you serve to the quantity of drinks you need to provide.

Food
The most common food options for New Year's Eve (depending on your number of guests) is either a dinner party or finger buffet. Why not branch out this year and try something different? We're loving dessert stations, wine & cheese tasting parties and themed food- our favourite is "Lucky Food for the New Year."

via Elizabeth Anne Designs

via Bird's Party

via Whimsy decor

via HWTM

via Cake Central

via Annie's eats

Drinks
A great way to make any event feel just that bit more special is to serve signature cocktails. Seasonal flavours, bold colours, and a bit of bubbly all add to that festive atmosphere.

via Martha Stewart

via Pinterest

via anna and blue paperie

via Little Winter Bride

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy Holiday season.

With love,

The Gastro Team x

Family-Style Friday

2011-12-09T11:48:00.001Z

Many of you may have heard of family style catering. We've certainly seen more and more couples asking for it. It works anywhere from a barn to a marquee and is one of our favorite styles due to the lovely atmosphere it provides.

What's all the fuss?

Somewhere between a sit-down meal and a buffet, family style dining is a great way to create a relaxed, welcoming and initmate reception. Many couples like the casual atmosphere and the interactive quality of service is a great conversation starter for guests.

How does it work?

Each dish is delivered to the center of the table. Guests serve themselves then pass around the dishes. Most menu types can easily be adapted to family style, however we find that barbecue, roasts, tapas, Italian and Mexican foods work especially well.

Top Tips and Key Points

Don't overcrowd the table! The trickiest part of family style meals is ensuring that your centerpieces, place settings and serving dishes will all fit on the table.
When choosing a menu, think family friendly with items that are easily divided.
Avoid open flame candles, high vases, or anything than can easily fall over.
We would suggest serving starters or desserts plated

Photo Sources: where.ca / designsponge.com / zankyou.com / iloveswmag.com /

enchanteddreamweddings.com / snippetandink.com / blog.fossil.com

Gastro Weddings: Jemima and Lee

2011-11-29T14:40:00.001Z

Jemima and Lee's wedding in Midhurst, West Sussex was quite the affair! It was a typical English morning, but luckily, the rain stopped as soon as the bride made her way to the ceremony and the party didn't stop rolling!

Have a look at what the happy couple had to say...

"We had the most amazing day, it all went so smoothly thanks to your support. Everyone commented on what an amazing day it was- the menu for the reception even got tagged on Facebook as the best Wedding Menu ever! Nothing was too much trouble for you, from our first contact with Aaron until the packing up on the day. Apparently there were a few issues, but as you guys dealt with them so well we never knew until afterwards. We would definitely reccomend Gastro. The Hutchinsons."

Vendors

Catering: Gastro Catering / Photography: Leanne Miller / Floral: Angel like Flowers

Gastro Weddings: Caroline and Hugo at Birling Manor

2011-11-21T15:37:00.001Z

Summer is the height of the wedding season and everyone loves a good garden wedding. There's nothing better than relaxing outdoors while you sip on a glass of bubbly or Pimms and celebrate your friend's or family member's love for each other. Framed or traditional marquees are the most common way to celebrate outdoors, but for those of you looking for a way to make your wedding unique and exciting, Big Hat Tipis (Katas) are the way to go.

What's great about these tipis is that they are the ideal blank canvas and can be molded into a vintage wonderland, the ultimate glam wedding, or whatever else your heart desires. There are also several configurations available, which is handy when you're trying to suit your space and surroundings.

We had the privilege of working with Beautiful World Tents at Birling Manor in East Sussex the end of the summer. See below for the gorgeous results!

Vendors

Catering: Gastro Catering / Giant Hat Tipis: Beautiful World Tents / Reception Venue: Birling Manor

Fancy Friday- with a focus on the groom!

2011-11-18T13:43:00.001Z

When it comes to wedding planning we find that oftentimes, everything is geared toward the Bride. Wedding dresses, tiaras, flowers, linens... the list goes on and on. We think it's time for a change.

Grooms- start thinking about what's important to you. Whether that's the catering, music, or the unlimited evening bar. Just don't forget the most important part- you looking dapper. So channel your inner James Bond and learn what every man needs to know. How to tie a bow tie.

images via Mr. Porter

Gastro Weddings: Rob & Antonia at Grittenham Barn

2011-11-09T12:23:00.001Z

I don't think there's a person out there who doesn't love Fridays. In celebration, we're sharing with you some photos from one of our recent weddings.

Grittenham Barn, Tillington West Sussex is always gorgeous, but it's not every day that you have the opportunity to work with a couple as lovely as Rob & Antonia! They were lucky enough to have their wedding during some of the fantastic weather at the end of August and everyone had a wonderful day all around. See some pictures below of the barn and our catering setup.

With love,
The Gastro Team xx

Gastro Weddings: Liz and Nick

2011-11-02T16:14:00.000Z

We are so excited to be able to begin sharing some details from this year's events with you! It's always fun to share little bits of goodness from delightful people and their events.

Liz and Nick held their wedding in a marquee in a family member's garden near Brighton, East Sussex. Here's what they had to say about us:

"Dear Aaron and everyone at Gastro,

We just wanted to write to say thank you for helping to make our wedding day so wonderful. The food was absolutely delicious - a number of people told us that the lamb was the best they have ever had. We couldn't believe that you managed to do such a great job with a mobile kitchen at the back of our garden!

During the run up to our wedding you were really helpful, approachable and flexible in a way that other caterers we approached were not. On the day you kept everything on track in a really calm way and efficient way and dealt with any niggles without our guests becoming aware. The whole team were really considerate during the set up and the clean up was spotless.

Thank you once again, we can't recommend you highly enough.

Liz and Nick Langdon"

We wish the happy couple all the best in their future together!

The Gastro Team xx

Aaaand, we're back!

2011-10-28T15:48:00.000+01:00

After a crazy year, we are happy to say that we are returning to the blog in full form!

We hope to bring you updates on weddings and events by Gastro Catering, tips, advice, foodie news and an all around good time!

So sit back and stay tuned, because it's going to be a fun ride!

The Gastro Team xx

More photos!

2010-05-12T21:52:00.001+01:00

More photos from Gastro Catering.

Pictures from a recent event in hove. http://www.gastrocatering.com

2010-05-04T22:58:00.000+01:00

Gastro Catering on twitter!

2010-02-02T14:22:00.001Z

Gastro Catering are on twitter!

www.gastrocatering.com

Check out our friends Budget Catering Ltd!

2010-01-05T20:56:00.000Z

www.budgetcatering.co.uk

2009-11-17T12:31:00.000Z

David Greensmith Photography

David Greensmith Photography specialises in Wedding and Portrait Photography. Based In Hampshire, we aim to offer a service that is tailored to your requirements. With a price range to fit all budgets our photography is Contemporary, Stylish and affordable.

Check it out at: www.davidgreensmith.co.uk

The Big Pan Paella Company

2009-11-12T15:55:00.000Z

Check out www.bigpanpaella.com!

Paella catering in Sussex! Paella parties, lessons, wedding catering and more!

From

www.gastrocatering.com

Olympos Wedding Fair

2009-09-10T14:13:00.000+01:00

Gastro Catering will be at the Olympos wedding fair on the 4th october 2009, come check it out! free entry, loadsa cool stuff! For more information on Gastro Catering check out www.gastro catering.com

Gastro Catering on Facebook

2009-09-04T18:58:00.000+01:00

Check out Gastro Catering on Facebook! Also check out the Wedding Suppliers in Sussex group!

New bar service at Gastro Catering

2009-09-02T15:56:00.000+01:00

Here at Gastro Catering we are now offering a mobile cocktail bar service.

After popular demand we have invested in two custom built stainless steel cocktail bars.

We also have our wooden pimms bar, in true "Pimms o'clock" style it unfolds to create the perfect Pimms bar!

Visit www.gastrocatering.com for more information!