WHY THE BIG EAT?
I’ve been having a lot of client meetings recently, where I have spent ages talking about me, what I and The Big Eat Co. can offer and why our values align. I think for any potential new client or food partner its important to know what they are buying into, who they are trusting with their big day, event or business.
So here’s a synopsis. How and why the Big Eat Co. was formed.
I grew up in the backsticks of Wiltshire, born into a family all involved in hospitality in some way. Grandparents, parents, uncles, and aunts, it was not surprising my first job whilst still at school was in a restaurant. All those years ago this restaurant was kinda groundbreaking back then, and at the time I had no idea this would shape my beliefs and philosophies regarding food.
It was a vegetarian wholefood restaurant, everything was made from the freshest, organic ingredients. Produce came from local fields, cheeses came whole and unpasteurised from Welsh cheesemakers. Milk was from the local farm. Dishes were created and menus written from the produce that turned up in the morning. Refined ingredients were never used, so we worked with unrefined sugar, carob instead of chocolate. This food was the good to eat, not only good to taste but good for you.
To this day I am passionate about ingredients more than most. I need to know how and where they were produced/raised. They are integral to everything we do, and we need to know their story.
My next stint in life took my to Leeds Uni to study Hospitality Management. Its here I found another love, Leeds United, but that’s another story! Following this my early career found me in London working at Claridge’s and The Ritz. Living in Mayfair, living the best life and working in the finest hotels in the world. Sometimes I look back and go fuck, what a time that was!
After London it was more 5 star hotels, this time with Rocco Forte Hotels. I worked in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Manchester looking after all thing’s food and beverage. During this stint in my career I was fortunate enough to work with Marco Pierre White. Love him or hate him, his passion about food, from farm to table to second to none.
Then came the jump to event catering, the passion I found in this time of my life is why The Big Eat Co came to fruition. Heading up operations for the North West’s largest independent event caterer was a job not without its challenges. But seeing hundreds of happy couples have the best day of their life, that we had helped plan in minute detail, large corporate events at the most unbelievable venue run without a hitch and producing food in such quantity was the biggest buzz ever for me.
12 years ago we moved to the Isle of Wight for a “quieter” life…… Is there such a thing? Well we decided to run a restaurant for 5 of them. Not quiet, but a real opportunity to embrace the islands produce, cook incredible food and have a hell of a ride along the way. Specialising in flavours from around the world using local ingredients, some of the dishes we created there are now Big Eat staples.
And then UKSA, an amazing maritime charity, I have looked after all things hospitality there for 7 years. Great fun, great people and a charity doing truly amazing things for young people. Whats not to love?
Until I got the bug, the event catering bug again. I wanted to create a catering company with a difference. With soul, with ethics, where people and produce really matter.
And that brings me to the hear and now. Owner/Chef of The Big Eat Co. A place where ingredients matter, flavours matter, sustainability matters. Almost full cycle from where I first cooked all those years ago. Food that’s good for the soul and for you!
