Expert Interview with Catering Company, Dish Cornwall
We were delighted to sit down with Dish Cornwall recently to ask them their thoughts on what couples should consider when booking their caterers. It’s a big decision and probably the most costly element of your wedding day, after cost of the venue, so making sure you get this element right is a prerequisite to ensuring everyone is happy and well-fed on your big day!
Cornwall is well known as a county for fabulous food and is the chosen location for lots of well-known chefs including Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw, and Paul Ainsworth. We are therefore blessed with many wonderful wedding catering companies that create delicious food to suit every budget. We have been lucky enough to work with Dish Cornwall on lots of occasions and highly recommend them for both their fabulous food and impeccable, friendly service.
First things first, a bit about Dish Cornwall
Dish is a wedding and events catering company, owned and run by chefs, Mark and David, as well as Sophie their Wedding and Events Coordinator, who takes care of the admin and the front of house on wedding days.
Between them, they have decades of experience in catering and events, including work for Rick Stein (Mark), prestigious hotels in Europe & North America (David), and top hotel barges and ski chalets in France (Sophie).
Dish lives by a simple ethos: respect the seasons, support Cornish producers, embrace the wild, and keep it clean. Their food is deliciously uncomplicated and they love to share this with couples and their family and friends on their big day.
What research should couples do when they start to plan their wedding and are looking for a wedding caterer?
- At the very top of this list is to decide on budget, and what proportion of this they would like to spend on food and catering.
- It’s always good to look over testimonials and reviews for different caterers when initially doing research.
- Follow Instagram and other social media platforms for updates and ideas.
- One of the best things is to ask your chosen venue for their recommendations as they will be able to vouch for the caterer’s food and service. We love that we are able to work closely with different venues where we know what styles work well and the best spots are to serve different elements of your menu throughout the day - from canapés, to desserts and evening food.
What are the different styles that couples can consider?
At Dish Cornwall we offer a range of styles and menus - we love to plan wedding breakfasts, and the entire journey of the wedding day where the majority of the time is based around food and drinks.
Some of the options that couples can consider for their big days are - feasting styles of local fish, seafood and Cornish meats; incredible sharing platters where guests can spend time enjoying a range of dishes and flavours; the more classic individually plated meals; or another option is to create a gourmet buffet. At Dish we work closely with our couples to ensure that their ideas are very much incorporated into the style of service and food that is offered.
Before booking your chosen caterer, what are the top 3 most important things to consider?
One ~ Food - We love food, and couples approach us because they love food too. A great common ground to start on. The journey just continues with the conversations we have and the plans we put in to place and deliver on your wedding day.
Two ~ Love - You need to really like (or love!) your caterer, as we are such an important part of your wedding journey, and have a huge presence on your wedding day. We fall in love with all of our couples and love the friendships that evolve during the planning, on the wedding day, and after the wedding as well.
Three ~ Vibes - To ensure your plans, ideas and ‘vibes’ have been fully understood and embraced by your caterer, and that we ‘get’ you. At Dish we really pride ourselves on the time that we all put in to face to face planning meetings, virtual meetings and phone calls to really give us the best chance to understand your desires for your big day.
Is it important to have a tasting?
We would say that it’s always good to have a taster if you can. This doesn’t need to be the whole menu but can be a selection of food that you’re considering. It will give you the opportunity to not only make sure that the food and quality aligns with what you would like but also a chance to meet the team who will be working with you.
At Dish, we love inviting couples for a planning meeting where you will have a chance to sample some of our favourite canapés, as well as see the ranges of cutlery, crockery and linen to make your choices. We dedicate planning time with our couples and really question them about what they want and we do everything we can to make their dreams come true.
Why is there such a difference in pricing when it comes to wedding caterers and what to look out for?
Some of the things you need to look out for when receiving quotes from your caterers are hidden extras. Also consider the expertise and experience of the team and who will be there as your service team on the day itself. Also always check that VAT is included, along with cutlery, crockery and napkins if these are required by your venue.
At Dish Cornwall we want to make sure that our couples know exactly what they are getting from the off-set -
Extras - We include as much as possible to ensure there are no, or minimal hidden ‘extras’ that are then added on.
Chefs - Mark and David are exceptional chefs with many years of experience in food, cooking, and most importantly, weddings.
Planning - With Dish, you have Sophie who is dedicated to planning your wedding food journey, right from your initial enquiry, to giving you a big hug as we leave you to party the evening away on your wedding day.
Our team - We are lucky to have a team of professional, reliable, incredible individuals who support us on the wedding day and ensure the service of your food is taken care of with care and attention.
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