Getting to Know - Gastro Catering - The Wedding Community

Interview with: Aaron Douglass

Company Name: Gastro Catering Ltd

Location: Worthing, West Sussex

What does Gastro Catering Ltd do?

Gastro Catering is an event catering company specialising in weddings, but catering for a wide variety of other events also.

How did the business start and how long has it been going?

I started the business in 2008, towing a small barbecue on a trailer, catering for small events at pubs during the summer. At every event I promoted Gastro and eventually saved enough money to build a website. Four and a bit years later we have commercial premises with a tasting room, offices, warehousing and large kitchens, and cater for around 50 weddings per year.

Who works at Gastro Catering Ltd?

Aaron: Director — Driven, inspired, resourceful
Olivia: Wedding Co-ordinator — Proactive, positive and a good listener
Kara: Wedding Co-ordinator — Highly organised, efficient and determined
Naomi: Business Development — Logistically minded, willing and realistic
Fraser: Head Chef — Creative, friendly, knowledgeable

What areas of the UK do you cover?

Sussex, Surrey, Kent, London.

What services can you provide for weddings?

Fine Dining, Barbecues, Hog Roast, Paella, Furniture Hire, Drinks Packages and Bars, Marquees, and Wedding Planning.

Who makes the food that you provide for weddings?

Head Chef Fraser Hartnell — Fraser is a very talented individual; he’s an expert in catering for large numbers but unlike a lot of other chefs he has the ability to focus on detail simultaneously. Every dish must look superb — or it doesn’t leave the kitchen.

Where do you get your ingredients from?

Ingredients are source from local suppliers…

Swandean Butcher — walkable distance away
Jeremy’s Fruit and Veg — on my route home
Brown’s Seafood — We’re based in Worthing which is by the sea!

Do you make the food on site at the wedding venue?

All food is cooked on site at the wedding venue; only basic preparation happens in our production kitchens. For example, vegetables will be peeled and chopped, taken to site and cooked as freshly as possible. This applies to all food.

What sets Gastro Catering Ltd apart from other companies providing wedding catering?

We are a young and enthusiastic team — yes we’ve seen a few weddings, but we’ve never lost enthusiasm. We constantly strive to improve and learn new things.

What are the trends for wedding catering in 2013?

Family style. No more cupcakes (thank goodness); sharing and informal food.

Random question… If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?

Richard Branson — he’s a genuine person with a stubborn and mischievous nature in business, and has succeeded through sheer determination rather than education. In wealth he helps others — his charity initiatives are changing the world.