Hi and welcome back to this week's episode of the Wedding Lounge podcast. This week we are
joined by the lovely Charlotte from the Needy greedy. Hi Charlotte, welcome to the podcast.
Hello, it's lovely to be here. We are talking about once again our favourite
topic. I think maybe we should have like a side podcast all about food, but we're talking about food
with you. And more specifically, those smaller intimate events and things that might come around a
big celebration or for those couples choosing to have a smaller, yeah, a more intimate, intimate
dining experience. So what sort of meals or gatherings do you find people tend to have around
a wedding? You do, it's lovely to have sort of several occasions to mark the celebrations.
So actually you can sometimes pick off with an engagement party which is quite nice.
And that's quite often hosted by like maybe the couples themselves and it's a bit more informal
and just to celebrate that and that can be sort of drinks or a barbecue or something fun,
but it's quite nice to have something informal because quite often the gap between the wedding
and the engagement is quite long. I guess it's quite nice to get families together.
Yeah, yeah. It gives people a chance like socialising meat before
Hindu statues and the actual wedding day. People go, oh, hang on, I met you at the engagement party,
you know, and some people, it's even a chance of families to meet because sometimes families
haven't even met, have they? No. Well, yeah, absolutely. And there's sort of extended family and
the cousins or whatever. And because they're at that little bit more informal, people feel a bit
less stressed about them and it's a bit more relaxed and casual than, you know, the full wedding.
So they're quite, no, I think they're lovely occasions doing engagement parties.
And funny enough, quite often, parents quite like to host at, you know, it's a sort of lovely moment
for them. So that's a really nice thing, particularly if like maybe one sort of parents are hosting
the wedding, then the other set of parents might like to host the engagement party.
We had a meet the fockers weekend. It was what it was called.
Because my in-laws invited my parents to Yorkshire to meet all of their friends, which was kind of
like shortly after Chris and I got engaged. My parents offered to Bonnie Yorkshire for this whole
weekend of being introduced to every single family friend of my husband. So they were on their own.
So it wasn't like a meeting of two sides. It was a, here's the greatest family coming to me
for the Hillyard clan and Yorkshire lot. It was, it was amazing. It was really lovely weekend but
they hosted like dinner. Yeah, it was really funny. Yeah, lovely. So it's sort of bonso fun.
And then, you know, sort of going along on the next kind of stage. Obviously you've got your
hen-dos and your stag-dos. Now that is something I have catered a lot for, is for hen-dos.
And, but it was, it's not like a normal hen-do. It's a very classy hen-do.
I think that going that way now people will want something a bit more classy, a bit more intimate.
I think, you know, drinking isn't necessarily as popular as it was, that drinking culture,
want a nice weekend away. People are perhaps getting married a little bit older. So some of the
brine more mature have to, you know, they're going for like a nice relaxed weekend away. They value
sort of time in the conversations more than getting exactly wasted. Well, that's what I cater a lot
for, because I'm affiliated with a lovely holiday house company here in Kent and Sussex.
And they quite often hire out a holiday house to a group of hens for a lovely weekend. And they
go and do sort of quite wholesome activities like go sort of walking or they might go for a vineyard
tour or something. And then, actually, because you've sort of paid for this lovely house,
it's really nice to actually have a special dinner in there and get a chef in. And also so much
more relaxed because you can have sort of games in between if you want to, a bit more affordable.
You could also really dress up. Whereas if you're in a restaurant, you're a little bit more
constricted. So it's very nice to have like a, a cook come in and do it. And that works so well.
Really fun. I did one of my, one of my friends' hen do's, years ago. We got a beautiful house
near Canterbury. And to myself and one of the other bridesmaids, we did, because on the first evening,
everyone was sort of getting in there. We did a big curry. And it's no big chili, sorry. And it was
really stressful. Yeah, I mean, just cooking a chili con cardie, like with my guys packets, like
16 people. But we had a chef on the next day. So we did nice activities. And then the next evening,
you know, as you say, it's like experience. And we could be silly. We could, it's kind of it, isn't it?
Yeah, we don't have to worry about other people in the restaurant. And we didn't have the stress
of serving, washing up, cooking, you know, all of that. It's really nice. It's a, it's really nice.
And relaxed dinner. But weirdly, actually, you know, if you're sort of thinking budget,
it can work out a bit cheaper. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Actually, I have a chef in, because you're buying
your own wine. Yes. So, you know, you're not paying corkage in a restaurant, which is so expensive.
You know, you might have some champagne or something that you want to get, you know,
buy a bottle of champagne in a restaurant, really expensive. And you're not paying out taxis or
anything like that. You're in the lovely house. Everyone's much more relaxed. You can still dress up
and, you know, have lovely photos. And I was quite like to say, when I'm catering these days,
we do canopies. So you have that sort of, you know, kind of coming down for dinner at the moment,
which is so nice with a glass of bubbly or something. And everyone chats and then you sit down and
have whatever food that you want to have. And it doesn't have to cost a fortune. I think you're right.
It really, it really doesn't. I think people maybe have this idea that hiring a private chef is
more expensive. But when, as you say, when you think about restaurant prices and buying drinks out,
that is where a lot of you're still going to go out nowadays, is this rate? Yeah. And I think as well,
if you're spending out on a really lovely accommodation, it's nice to utilise that as well,
like completely, literally enjoy that. And we've had Sarah on before from beyond the table,
who I know you obviously were closely with and having someone like Sarah to style the table and
make it look beautiful just totally elevates the whole Hindu. Yeah, as well. Well, we definitely don't
like catering. It does. And then you can still do the sort of lovely things that you want to do,
like you might do a Mr and Mrs. Quiz, or, you know, I'm sure you've talked about this a lot,
but I quite often see those that Hindus or speeches are made. And, you know, it's so much more relaxed
than a restaurant. It's a really nice thing to do. So, I mean, I love doing those. And, yeah,
really, really lovely to liaison with the Chief Bridesmaid often and organise it. And everyone chips in
and it works out really well. And you know, also, you know, what you spent then. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
You know, so if you're budgeting, you're not like, oh, we've come to the restaurant and something
of the bill is our hundred quid ahead. Actually, no, we know. We know it's going to be sort of 50 pounds
ahead for the food. That's darn boom or whatever. I mean, it's a great thing. And I think also if you work
with having somebody come in, then, you know, they can work with you to your budget as well. Yeah,
that's certainly what I do, which is, which is a really nice thing to do. So you've got that meal.
And then also you've got the family dinner the night before or wedding. Yeah, which is lovely. I don't
know what your experience is, but quite often each family want to sort of do their own thing because
it's like they're they're last night. So, and you certainly don't want to be running around stressing.
No, but if you do want to cater at yourself, I mean, I would say definitely
keep it simple, but you can make so many things in at farms. Don't have lots of pots and pans boiling
on the work surface. Do some big abundant salads. Nobody wants anything heavy either, really.
No, I've had a few mixed ones. Some have brought in chefs to do like a really nice sit-down meal,
the nice before for like their their bridal parties, things like that. And then I've also had
chefs that have come in having pre-done something that's then left for the family. Yes,
cook, which I also think is a really lovely idea. Like if you want that intimate. Yeah,
time. So it's a really nice way. And then you don't have any other cooking or the washing up
either. Like they tend to bring it. Yeah, something that's recyclable can go back afterwards. And it
just makes it so much more stressor, especially the night before the wedding. You tend to be
doing the decorating, doing last minute things like all of that, where you just want sit down and
relax. Possibly church rehearsal as well. You know, I know for my wedding, quite a few people
have the church rehearsal on a Friday. Yeah. Clients do and then they're going off somewhere.
You know, it's just my favorite one. Yeah, it's booked the wrong week for the restaurants there,
was like both families. And they've turned up and they didn't have a booking for them for 20 people
at this pub. So in the end, they had to go home and just all the pizza. But you know, this is a
little great time that you know. Oh. So thinking so nice. You want to be quite relaxed. Yeah.
And just enjoy it. And because you know, you've got sort of slightly more formal
day than next day. So actually, it's really nice. And that meal can be so chilled and it can be
something quite sort of comforting and nice, but not too heavy. Yeah. Like a, yeah.
Something a bit different with your food. Like, you know, you could be a bit more adventurous and
or, you know, a bit more sort of relaxed style of food. It can be. Yeah. Yeah. So that's that is
a lovely one. And then of course, then you've got the next day. Now, I don't know if you find this
with your clients, but I know that you do marquee weddings, don't you? And quite often people
then have something the next day, but they might have like my wedding, my parents had drinks
with people in the village, but they couldn't ask to the wedding. And that was quite nice. So,
you know, you could have a drinks party or you can just have a family brunch and have, I mean,
I love a brunch and have sort of nice grazing boards out with sort of smoked salmon and lovely
breads and granola and you're good and that sort of thing and have a lovely brunch or you can have
a bit more of a barbecue, but that's quite a plava. So again, that might be something you might
want to get a chef in for if you wanted to know quite a lot sort of people that do that. But yeah,
quite nice to extend some vibrations. Sorry, even a brunch for having someone like yourself come in.
You know, you don't want to leave like the mother of the bride to do it because she would have been
at the wedding all day, should be exhausted from physical time. And it's family mode in their own
home as well. Like your home isn't, you've got all sorts going on. Someone like you to come in and
just prepare a nice first for guests who'd been staying or glamping or anything. It's just
makes it so much worthwhile because you don't want to wake up or go out and have to go to bed early
now because I've got to get up in the morning and get everyone breakfast. Like if you were just
getting in, they don't have to worry about that. And brunch is lovely. You know, like when you have a really
smart hotel breakfast and you have like all the gorgeous sort of things out, you get a private
chef in to come in and do that. It's lovely. And then you can now have the sort of debrief
of the day as well. That is my favorite thing. Yeah, I think that's one of my favourite things about
it. And I also find that especially with couples, the guests can come up and talk to them and say thank
you then rather than constantly. I love an Irish goodbye as a thing. Yes, just leave. They don't say
goodbye to the couple. If you've got that opportunity the next day to say what an amazing wedding
this has been. Thank you so much for inviting us. It gives the couple more chance to actually enjoy
the end portion of their wedding rather than saying goodbye to everyone else. They're leaving.
They want to be on the dance floor. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so I mean, I think that's just a lovely
event. Say to either do that as a brunch or a lunch for, you know, whatever you want to do is so nice.
So yeah, so those are the main meals I was thinking about. There's so many places. I mean,
just food brings everyone together, doesn't it? I think it does. Throughout the whole wedding journey,
just bringing people together at different points, just extends the celebration and just makes
it more memorable for everyone and kind of eases people in exactly and having someone who comes
in to do that for you takes the stress off as well. So especially if it's kind of like those
an engagement party where two sides of the family haven't met or they aren't necessarily
back close. Yeah, having the stress taken off someone hooking and having to entertain those people,
that just will be the level about their philo pastry when they're also worrying about meeting.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. I mean, if I won the lottery, the first thing I would do was hire a chef.
I mean, before a cleaner, because I love food, but I get tired of cooking, I die of the whole
family. I don't, the cleaning, you know, if I can leave some dust, I can leave some dust,
but I need to eat three times a day at least. So good pirate chef. Definitely. You'd be my first
ball if I won the lottery. Oh, well, I would be there in a heartbeat. Definitely. Definitely.
What do you feel couples should consider when they're contemplating those additional meals and
those additional celebrations, budget, space? What would you recommend to them?
Well, we've touched on a few things, like in terms of sort of the timings and I mean, if you
mean budget, you can be as flexible as you want. I mean, I've catered for people on quite a small budget
and you can still have beautiful food very often as well when you've got large gatherings
of people as quite often sort of dietary requirements. There's yet to be not as more people who are
vegetarian, pescatarian, that sort of thing. And I like working with clients to create sort of,
you know, quite a flexible menu. I'm a big fan of a lovely abundant spread of a buffet,
so people can help themselves to different things. And also, that's why I quite like canopays,
because people can have as much or as little as they want before. Yeah, I think dietary restrictions
are, and allergies are really, really important, you know, as a chef, you just, it's an absolute non-negotiable
and us professionals think about it all the time. It's a big, big sort of thing that looms large.
But yeah, and as you said, location sometimes, so I said, hiring a holiday house for a
interview is just a gorgeous thing. Or as we said the day after, utilizing the space that you've
already got, if you've got the lovely marquee, so yeah, those kind of things. I think dietary
requirements are so important. I had a client last year and I'd all been organising the caterer,
they had like for their wedding breakfast, and then they said, oh, we've got like a local caterer
just coming in the next morning to do like breakfast for people and all this. And they said that,
you know, someone they knew, they're just going to organise it. And they hadn't even thought to tell,
I said, have you told them dietary requirements? I said, have you, you know, from our guest list
with the wedding breakfast, have you picked out those who were there the next day and told them,
and then we're like, oh, no. It's any catering, whether you've got one friend over for dinner,
or you're catering for a brunch or a wedding party for 500 people, you need to know people's
dietary requirements, as you say, like it could be life-threatening and the chef needs to know.
Yeah, we do need to know. It's really, really important. And also, it's a bit mean, you know, if you turn
up and you've made like this beautiful sort of past addition, then somebody goes, well, actually,
I'm gluten free and I let, oh, sorry. So, you know, it's very important to get that upfront. I would say
that that's sort of the thing that it's a tedious question to ask, but it's very rare that I cater
something where there's somebody that just doesn't have something. Yeah, it's, I guess, coming more,
coming more common. Yeah, I think so. I've seen it change over the years, more people having
dietary requirements. I don't know what you're going to taste over. Yeah, yeah, I think they are,
and I think people are becoming more aware of it as well, so, and it's just a legal requirement,
as our chefs, to know that. So, yes, definitely. So, I would say those, those are your big things,
but if you're working with someone like me, we will talk it through, and we'll talk through
budget and location, and you know, that is a nice thing about having somebody personal come in,
is that you really can work with you. What is the process when someone comes to book you,
like, how does it start? How does it come together? Well, me, because I'm so busy cooking that I've
yet to set up a website, they tell you. What do you really have on my list? No, it's on my list to
do, so, but I have a very large Instagram, which I do all my communications with. So, they either get,
like, my card or something from somebody, as I said, I'm affiliated to this holiday house company,
so they've got my email, yes, we're back in the 90s. Or a number. Yeah, absolutely.
So, I always like to do a call with them, so they'll contact me and say, I'm
organising a hand party for my friend, there's 12 of us, we've hired a house in Canterbury or whatever.
And I will always do a phone call with them. I give them a rough idea of budget, but
budget can, you know, how long is the piece of string? It depends what you order. So, I get an idea
from them, what their budget is, what sort of event they want to have, because everyone
has a different feel about what's in reformal, what's in the relaxed, and then we just have a good
chat through. I send them through, I've got an extensive menu, and I send them through that menu,
and they hand consult with their hands. Sometimes it's good to give them a short list though,
because if you've got 12 people deciding what they want to eat, because if you have a chef in,
it tends to be you all order the same ish thing. It's one meal, it's one meal rather than going
to a restaurant. Yeah, because it's not like that. And because, you know, we're not in an industrial
kitchen, so I can't be wiping out one portion of sea bass and another of state, you know,
it's you are you're working within the constraints of the kitchen. And, but you know, with some flexibility,
so that's why I'm big abundant, but phase or whatever. But so you have a nice chat with them,
timings, and then we kind of go from there, but I, you know, I watch that when we keep in touch,
because you know, these are such important events, or with the engagement dues, the same thing,
I have an extensible list of kinapays, if they go down that route, and we plan nice meals. So it's
definitely lovely to do it on the phone. I think the personal touch is really important. I think one
of the probably biggest differences between choosing a caterer for sort of the smaller events around
your wedding, wedding breakfast is that I take it most people obviously wouldn't have a tasting,
whereas when they, you know, booking their caterer to serve their 150 guests on the wedding day,
they would have like a thing to go. It's a completely different thing. I mean, I don't do large weddings,
because that's obviously very specialist, and they've got all the equipment and industrial
kitchens, and all of that kind of thing. They're all set up for that. And, you know, private chef is
someone that comes in and works with you. So yes, it is a bit different. You have to sort of. And,
and also, I mean, I always say to people that call me look, you know, talk to your three people,
see what you like, what's your kind of food, because, you know, mine's quite informal, but loads of
vegetables really healthy, really tasty. A lot of people liked that. Thank you. And a lot of people
liked that, but some people find it, you know, a couple of my clients said it's, it's a little bit
modern for me, or you know, it's a little bit, or I want, you know, they want something a bit more
chefsy, in which case you get someone who's got a bit more sort of, will make the lovely sugar
cages and the, you know, all the very chefy things. And, you know, there are lots of options out there
for the hens or engagement parties or whatever. What's your favourite canopy to make? It's like
side note, sorry. What you've got. Oh, that's so, you have caught me off the horse so many, to know,
that meat eaters, my favourite one, and it doesn't sound very exciting, but it's, um, it's a sort of
lovely, you know, everyone loves a sausage roll, don't they, but this is not, not my sausage rolls,
but these are, um, Asian sort of pork balls made with sausage meat, but they've got ginger and
garlic, and they're so, so delicious and sesame oil, and you eat them on a stick, and they are
beautiful, and everyone just goes mad for them. But then the other thing that the everyone loves
and this particular hendo is, um, whipped feta with hot honey. Oh yeah, scoop, scoop that up,
and, um, yeah, you, you create a beautiful honey dish, and the feta is whipped, so it's really light,
and then it's very important, and people go mad for that. Yeah, my tummy is rumbling all day.
They've done, we've done a whipped feta dip as well, for a few dinner parties, and it does go down
very, very well. It's delicious. You can eat in your whipped feta dish at one of the things you
might have. It's no business at the club evenings. Yeah, delicious honey, but yeah, your sausage rolls
were also amazing. They are, they're sausage rolls are really good, really good. I'm going to try and
steer us back away from a pack now, because otherwise we will talk about people a really long time.
What would you say is a common mistake that people come across when they're booking a private chef?
I mean, this is not to do any company examplequiles, and if you book through an agency,
they will just find a chef, but you don't have that personal touch. You know, there are quite a lot
of websites that have got chefs on them, and some of them are great, but I think it's actually really
nice to have a phone call, because it's an important event. You've got somebody in your house,
or your holiday house, and you want somebody that you can actually have a bit of a relationship with,
that you could call up and say, "Charla, we've got an extra guest, or is it possible to, you know,
I think that's the thing, I want to sort of, I like to treat every event like it's almost like my
own family, you know, that I'm catering for my best friend's tendo, or it's, you know, my niece's
engagement party, or you know, I think that's really important to have that personal touch. So,
if you're having a chef in, otherwise you might as well go to a restaurant. It's nice to have
somebody that you have, I mean, I don't know if you find that with wedding caterers as well,
that it's nice to have that personal touch." And then I think also just, as I said, they don't tell us
about dietary requirements, then we can't do that, so that's, you know, we need, we need to know
any dietary requirements. So, I think that's, those are probably the things, and to be, you know,
realistic about budget, because food is expensive, and, you know, as is time, but if we know
the budget upfront, we can sort of try and work together on it, but, you know, it is, it is a treat,
but it's, as I said, it's, it's probably in their more expensive than going to a nice restaurant.
Yeah, and do you, do you need any information about the actual kit? Obviously, if it's one of the,
like, holiday hymns you're affiliated to, you know, the kitchen, if you're going to someone's home,
or a different place you've not been, is it useful? I mean, obviously, booking a hen, do you may not know
as a sort of, no, so I always look at the, how do you prepare for sort of, yeah, this is someone's house,
so I will ask them, well, what they've got, and we tend to use their plates and things as well,
which is quite nice. The holiday house is that I cater in a very well equipped. There was one
shocker, though, for me, it was fine. There's some lovely place for a hen to, are these beautiful
cabins in Great Stone or sort of on the Ken Coast, and they are gorgeous, and then there's a big
central cabin, but each, it's sort of glamping. The catering for 16 people and one of those tiny
kitchens with two burners and a small orphan was quite the challenge. Also, it was a hundred meters
between where they were eating and where the actual hen do, you know, where the kitchen was,
so I was sort of trendling and forth with this food, so I think I'd say next time salads, cold food.
But yes, the more we know upfront, the better. And you've said a bit before about sort of tips for
people who might be deciding to cater some of these events themselves, like not having too many
pots and pans and things out on the, any other tips you have for people who might be catering sort of
a small event, whether it's wedding related or not, how many sort of dishes you recommend that
always go down well or super easy to prepare an advance. Yeah, well, I'm a massive fan
of actually sounds a bit strange, but doing something like a grain salad. So in the olden days,
our mothers and grandmothers would have whipped up a rice salad.
Now a bit more modern would be a grain salad, so something using something like bulgar wheat or
quinoa, I think it full of vegetables, so that's one dish, and then having one simple hot dish,
so something like a tajeeing works really well because it's very forgiving and a little sit there,
or something, so you've just got two things, but they've both got lots of things in them
that you've made them. Does that make sense? Well, I've been having lots of different
and maybe a simple salad. So having vegetables going and some sort of
carp and so yeah, having just like a mustard salad, that's cold. Yeah, yeah, so if you're flamboying
steaks, but however many people, it's really hard. So actually, but you know, something like a tajeeing,
you know, doing something sort of Moroccan because then you can bring in hummus, which is just
easy to, you know, spoon out and put on some lovely coriander and sprays some pomegranate seeds over,
and it looks glamorous, doesn't it? Yeah. Pomegranate seeds always just chuck pomegranate seeds on
everything, but if you can kind of go down a Moroccan-y type seed, that's quite nice because then you
can have tips which again, you've made it in advance and you can just put in spoons and they're really
filling as well and interesting. If you want to go a bit more traditional, then I've catered to do
for myself where I had 40 people and I just over a series of weekends made a lot of really,
really nice lasagna. Trust me, people love lasagna and a salad. It's really nice and a glass of wine
if you do some go-to. But you can freeze them. Yeah, I go, Jamie, can you think of one meal that we
can eat this week? Because I've planned everything else. Can you just think of one meal that I
think is lasagna? I don't even know where but they're asking. No, but, but, but lasagna is actually,
is actually quite faffy to make. Yeah. If you're making it like on Tuesday, you know, on a work night,
but for a special event because actually, you know, you've got, but they freeze really well. So
if you're catering for something yourself, the freezer is your friend. Yes. So that or ship at the
point, you know, or a casserole. Look, a big one, that kind of thing. One pot and I'm a big fan of
something called ovens table. So I teach a lot of cookery classes and I'm always teach that how
to make something ahead because, frankly, that's what people want. Certainly women, they don't want to be,
as we mentioned, from being a steak in front of 20 guests. You really don't. Some men like doing that
and some women are doing that. But it's, I mean, it's a bit like a barbecue, isn't it? You know,
and because oh, it's marvelous. He's done the barbecue. Actually, you run around and made 14 different
salads. So you're starting from the kitchen. Actually, if you can make it in a farm ovens table,
and then you can enjoy the event just as much as everyone else. You've got some beautiful,
like, serve wet that's that's ovenware and serve wet, haven't you? I think you've been to some of
your events before that you literally have written oven and it's beautiful to. Yeah, and they freeze as
well. Yes, definitely need to invest in some of those. Beyond the issue with the cabins, what would
you say is one of your most memorable events that you cater for? The door bad reason. Yeah.
There was one hendoof that I'd located for and they were so hungover bronze knives before.
They had to keep getting up from the table to go and have a little lie down and a couple of them
didn't quite make it to the dinner. So we had to put to the dinner. Sorry, you weren't doing breakfast.
No, I was doing dinner. I thought you made you were coming to do brunch and they could be. Yeah,
no, there was so hungover from the night before. So all I would say is maybe pace yourself
and they were lovely people. They were very sweet. I mean, I was a little bit older than them
and because I am 50 and a bit. And one of them then cornered me and said,
would you say, have you considered serving? Sorry. You must have still been drunk.
I think so. I mean, it's ridiculous. Nice. I think I'm all right, but thanks for
Oh my God. Are you definitely doing me really? You're beautiful. No, I just thought it was I
don't. I was laughing so much. It was just I couldn't the thing is is when you cater for events,
you know, I am very discreet and I hear extraordinary conversations that go on. Yeah.
And I never tell anybody. I'm sure it's the same when you're in the win. But there are some very
funny stories, which I'll tell you off. Yeah. But yes, they're having some cabins and all sorts of
things. But most of the hen weekends that I am they're nice. I cater. I absolutely love because
they're just so happy and everyone is so nice. And they're so jolly full. My favourite one was
where everyone had to dress in move. And there was a couple of chaps there and one came in a full
move suit. It was just because that was the bride's favourite colour. And they're just all look fabulous.
And it was just just joyful, joyful. So catering and tenders are they just made me so happy.
Oh amazing. So can you share a little bit more about the needy greedy sort of an overview of your
business, where do you cover? How long have you been in business? Just I started just writing recipes.
That's my background is I trained as a cook in my gap year and then I've had a big corporate career.
So I came to a quite late in life and I hated but I also write a lot. So that's why I have quite a
big Instagram page and haven't got around to setting up a website. But I write a lot and I write
for magazines. Also I teach because I think that's just joyful to empower people like you who love
food but like I can't think of anything else to cook. So they come to me for workshops or I do
one to one's. And it's really nice having a diversified business. And I also do demos as well.
So actually my favourite event that I did is get memorable if I did a big demo at the wine gardens
of England. Showtimes where they had oh they had all these tents with different wines in it was
in chill and castle. We had a tent and I did a big cooking demo using the wine. I love doing that.
So it's a variety. So people can get hold of me. It's really my Instagram page and follow me for
lots of ideas and message me and chat. I'm a very social person as you know. And in terms of
background I've been doing it for about three years. I thought you were a lot more established. I don't
know why. Well, no, no, I'm not. But my mum ran a catering company. So as a child I sat in the
kitchen stuffing volavans because this was the 80s. So volavans were very popular. I volavans are not
on my menu. I would just like to put it down now. But as a child I did so I ran this my mum ran a
catering company. So it's sort of in my blood as it were. And then I had a big corporate career
break to have children etc etc. And then rather getting back into the corporate career I then started
this. So lovely. And something else I've been to one of your cookery demo as well. You hosted it
here actually. Didn't you? Yes. And I loved that you do is using all the elements of a food as well.
Like nothing goes to waste. And I just think that being able to utilise that as well as something
that's so wonderful. Your old piece of Parmesan. Yeah, my old piece of Parmesan. What was your old piece of Parmesan?
Yeah, it was. Oh, topped it with the Parmesan rind and put it in your bolognese sauce.
Yes. Because as it melts down it gives it an extra layer of unami flavour. And then you just
tweak it out at the end or a soup or a risotto. Just pop the rind in. And then just keep it out.
Amazing. Yeah. And then you match that out. You're the amazing. Yeah. You're the amazing. How good the flavour is.
Yeah, and I'm really into gut health. That's how it all started. You know, eating lots of vegetables,
you know, really looking after ourselves, but it doesn't mean eating boring food. No.
It's often more more delicious.
Something we like to end all our episodes with, is we like to ask our guests.
We're just a general top tip for them when they're planning their wedding.
Oh, that's so lovely. It's so nice to think about.
Well, I'm going to go food related, obviously.
Now, this is a very practical thing, but don't have big gaps where you serve alcohol but no food.
Now, it might seem obvious, but quite often, sometimes it's a very long time
where the champagne is being poured, but there's no food coming around.
Now, had the lovely wedding, you might not have eaten a lot of champagne on an empty stomach,
isn't a great idea. So, still think like European, always serve alcohol with food.
Because I know that's quite often when the pictures happen and what's that kind of stuff.
So, just make sure that there's a fairly plentiful supply of food to go with the champagne.
It doesn't need to be March, but I mean, obviously I'm thinking Smok Sam and all of those kind of bits.
But when you're planning with your wedding caterer, allow some time to get food to have with the drinks.
Definitely. I think that's a great tip. I always like to take the couples as well.
One of each of the canopies to make sure that they've tasted everything.
So, often when they're wondering round that they get, they're just chatting in here,
and they're never wearing and catching up with people.
They miss out on so much, and getting them to actually eat as well.
Because there's so much adrenaline, they're never normally hungry.
So, actually, they feel that they eat properly.
I had one canopé at my wedding. What?
One canopé. I mean, until the dinner, but, you know,
and I love food and I'm the sort of person at the wedding where I make sure I open up the circle
to make sure that, yeah, I stand in the case.
But I do. I'm doing the thing that's really flowing from there.
Absolutely. Absolutely.
And it's quite funny, though, because there's always, you know,
when I've done canopé parties, so I tend to do rather weddings,
but sort of big drinks parties, there's always the people that are hovering by the door
that you come out of the canopies that grab them all the way out.
I might as well just get a big hug. You have this as come to me.
Yeah.
Yes. So, I try and make sure that I go, you know,
right to the sort of other side of the room and I always tell my staff, you know,
make sure that you do that and get into the sausage rolls.
Yeah, but honestly, that sort of time period, and I have been to weddings myself
with that time period, and it's lovely. The champagne is gorgeous and lovely.
But, you know, you've got a good hour without any drinks and food,
and I've seen people pass out, you know, just on empty stomach.
So, I think that's just a really important tip.
I do love it, though, when you're, like, pricing up a wedding catering,
and they, like, allocate sort of, like, five, six kind of pays for person.
And I'm like, well, I'm definitely the one who has, like, eight cash.
But they will say it averages out, you know, some might only have one or two.
It does.
Because it'll...
Yeah, I mean, it's sort of...
That I think is three to four per hour per person, at least.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'm sure you've got all the masks.
Yeah.
But, um, and make sure that they're reasonably substantial.
Yeah.
I enjoy quite a lot of my couples have gone with.
They don't want to sit down for a full three-course meal as well.
So, they tend to have heavy kind of pays,
maximise that time.
Because, as well, it's a lovely time for them to catch up and socialise.
So, it tend to have heavy kind of pays, followed by a main in a pudding.
That's...
And then it's on to the evening.
And I think that's such a...
We're trying to pay some of my favourite.
Yeah.
Definitely.
And I do that for lots of the dinner parties that I cater for.
We don't... I don't do starters that often.
I always go, "Let's go big on the counterpays."
Because it's nice to have that sort of...
You know, particularly the endies where you're in your lovely dress
and you're all moving about.
Yeah.
And time.
And to everybody, it's really, really lovely.
Yeah.
And cafes are really interesting
because you've got all these lovely different flavours coming around.
And as you say...
They don't have to go out for time.
Sorry, yeah, they don't have to go.
No.
You can have like an Indian one, a Asian one.
Yeah, yeah.
Have all different sort of flavours and influences in the kit,
not in the catering.
You don't have.
It's not like one meal, which is sort of...
And really good if you've got people with different dietary requirements
because you can do lots of nice gluten free ones
or you can do vegetarian ones.
And any good caterer will have a huge list of canopays.
I'm sure that they do.
So, and that's the fun bit.
Do you know what I was just thinking?
You should literally make canopays and freeze them and sell them.
You know, like cook, do food.
I have like canopays.
Yeah, I just have one for you.
Yeah, just come home and just be like,
"I've canopays tonight."
Yeah.
I do. I have one client that I teach on a regular basis
and she also always picks up a bag of frozen sausage rolls
in that freezer, like canopays-sized sausage rolls
because they freeze beautifully.
And she always says, "Oh, and I'm coming from a lesson,
but can I get like a sausage roll as well?"
I love that.
I didn't know that was an option.
And I was like, "I'm going to start driving through Crabbrook."
And look at these.
Yeah, can I stick up a pack of these?
Yes, definitely.
So lovely having you on.
Thank you so much.
Really insightful, thank you.
And just to remind everyone that you can find Charlotte
on Instagram at the needy greedy.
And we'll put that in the description.
And the needy dot greedy.
Then yes, it's a funny name.
It's named after my dog.
Rachel is both needy and greedy.
But yes, just follow along for lots of cooking tips and recipes
and also, you know, if you're in Kent,
which is where I'm based, do you be in touch?
Amazing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Make sure you are subscribing to the podcast
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Bye.
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