Your London Wedding - Sep/Oct 2019 (Issue 67)

CATERING Choose a menu that reflects you, say London’s top caterers williamreavell.com for Blue Strawberry Table Talk WHAT’S YOUR FOOD STYLE? L et’s be honest, at a wedding, the food comes second only to watching the couple say ‘I do’ (or is that just me?) It’s no wonder that a huge proportion of couples are now leaving behind the classic chicken-or-salmon for something a little more individual to make their big-day menu one to remember. “Wedding menus are no longer a feast to forget; they’re a huge part of the main event, which couples love to tie into their wider theme and share the food they adore with their nearest and dearest,” agrees Digby Vollrath, CEO and co-founder of Feast It.  But how do you choose what to serve? In a city like London, where it’s not unusual to eat a different cuisine every night of the week and we have more than our fair share of world-class restaurants, narrowing down the options to create a cohesive three- course meal can be quite the task. Luckily, we’ve quizzed the capital’s top caterers for their tips – and the best place to start is exactly there: your favourite restaurants, cuisines and go-to dishes. “We always like to ask clients if they have a favourite restaurant or style of food that holds particular sentiment. It gives us a really good insight into what’s going to make their menu feel special to them as well as something memorable for their guests,” says Clementine Forester, director of London-based Kitchen Party. “Personal weddings are always the best – a day celebrating your life together that could be about no one else,” agrees Clementine Lowery, director of sales at Blue Strawberry and Table Talk Catering. “Making a list of top memories is a great place to start – then we can work back to think of all the culinary delights you have enjoyed around those moments. You can even include some poignant details of your story and how it links to the dishes served within your table menus.” But are there limits? What, for example, if your meal of choice is a Big Mac? “We’re not snobby when it comes to food,” reveals Charlie Grant Peterkin, director at Rocket Food. “So long as our ingredients are sustainably sourced and cooked with care – our Smokey Rocket Burger (Hereford prime rib and chuck steak, smoked Eastleach bacon, piquant sauce and aged comté) has that grab- and-go feel and is one of our most popular late-night snacks.” Advises Joyce O’Hagan, executive chef at Jackson Gilmour Event Caterers: “Deconstructing food is an ideal way to elevate dishes from the run of the mill to the more exciting. For example, a Snickers Bar becomes a peanut dessert with salted caramel and mallow.” So without further ado, we present the perfect menu inspo for you, whatever your food style… williamreavell.com for Blue Strawberry Table Talk williamreavell.com for Blue Strawberry Table Talk 75  jacksongilmour.com