Catering, as defined in the concise English dictionary:-

"the procurement and provision of food".

It could follow therefore that, if you were to warm up a tin of baked beans, pour them onto a piece of hot buttered toast and sit yourself down in front of the telly you would be, by definition, a caterer.

Hmmmm - if only it were that easy..........

Catering, as defined in our book:-

"the professional planning and execution of an event from inception to conclusion; compiling inspired menus; advising, assisting, fine tuning; co-ordinating kitchen, contractors and costs; purchasing of fresh foods, its preparation and presentation; managing the event supported with friendly personnel; above all, to provide a result that surpasses all expectations". Now you're talking..........

How we operate, in brief

Food-wise - being the appointed caterers to a busy London venue keeps us very much in touch with leading food trends. This means that at Clock Barn we are able to propose menus that are considered to be ‘in vogue’ as well as menus which are perhaps, slightly more ‘traditional’. The choice is your's though as nothing is written in stone though as we always compile menus according to our clients’ wishes.

Quotation-wise - we don’t believe in ‘hidden’ extras, thus our catering quotes will contain all ‘essentials’ necessary to ensure a successful event. These ‘essentials’ include an event co-ordinator/advisor available from the time of your initial enquiry, the menu/s (obviously), a function manager who is 'on the floor' looking after you and your guests from start to finish, the chefs beavouring away behind the scenes, bar and waiting personnel, the table lay-up including linen table cloths and napkins, the chilling of your drink and the facility of an evening pay bar if you require.

Other-wise - our flexibility and expertise doesn’t just extend to menu selection – it applies to all aspects of the planning and execution of the event, be that just for ‘the catering’ or to include any number of the ‘support crew’ (photographers, florists, entertainment, marquees, car hire and so on).

To summa-rise - we are friendly, flexible, professional and we’d love to look after your event. Please give us the opportunity to do so and to help you make that event everything that you would wish it to be.

Confirmation of Numbers

We don't need final numbers until six days before your event . This is the minimum number for which the final account will be prepared. If you need to increase after this point, no problem, just call to let us know.

Payment

We don't feel it's fair to ask or expect large deposits months before an event and so we will only ask for a nominal deposit of ten per cent when you are ready to confirm that you would like book our services. Much closer to the day, a couple of weeks beforehand usually, we will ask for a further sixty per cent of the anticipated total account.The balance would be due for settlement within a couple weeks after the event.

A typical 'snippet' from a client

"The reception, the quality of the food, the courteous and professional manner of all the waiting staff, as well as the welcome we received from everyone helped to make our wedding reception everything we wanted it to be, and more – truly unforgettable! A huge and sincere thank you to you all". A local wedding, September 2009

A little ‘cheesey’ we know, but then this is the feedback we strive for - to exceed your highest expectations by delivering a thoroughly personal and attentive service with professionalism not always associated with ‘local caterers’.