In the year that we are celebrating 21 years of being in business and reflecting on the vast range of weddings and events that we have undertaken, I feel justifiably proud of all that Chives Catering have achieved, and then.. you are asked to cater for the RBLI’s centenary lunch and little do you know that you are about to cater for the most important event of your career.
When our wonderful friends Miles & Astrid who own Perfect Day Marquees recommended us to the RBLI after being asked to provide the marquee, no one knew that Her Majesty would be attending. The initial meeting was just like any other, anyone who we have looked after will know that every single wedding or event has to be perfect and this was no different.
A 3 course lunch for 100 people, very straightforward, soon a finger buffet was added to run alongside was added to feed all the helpers involved and then we got the call..that the guest of honour was HM the Queen, the immensity of this honour manifested itself in 3 weeks of sleepless nights, the event numbers escalated to 300 for the finger buffet with of course a range of our savoury items and dessert items all made from scratch as well as the formal lunch. The palace had chosen the formal lunch menu from 3 options for each course & we loved the choices they had made. Morning coffee & tea was added for 250 & the security logistics of course added a new dimension.
Formal lunch menu
Turban of cod & smoked salmon on celeriac remoulade, asparagus spears with lime & dill dressing
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Lamb loin stuffed with rosemary, spinach & leek, on pea puree, with fondant potato, roast carrot, bean bundle & lamb jus
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Buttermilk pannacotta, berry poached pear, plum compote & polenta biscuit
The pressure was on us to ensure that not only would all the food be incredible, ( it was) the service had to be perfect, ( it was) the initial plan allowed 45 minutes to serve 3 courses to 100 guests with a speech in the middle, ( this did increase to 50 minutes ) but we were so good that we were ahead of time, But we also knew how important this event was to the Royal British Legion. That it ran like clockwork, protocols were adhered to & everyone was happy were our goals and we (in the words of one of our chefs) Smashed it!
The big decision amongst all of the logistics was who would serve the Queen and then it was decided it would be me, clearing the first plate & then carrying the main course to Her Majesty was the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done but then normal service resumed and all the tension was gone. There were a few tears when one of our fabulous team Maria told me the highlight was me watching my son receive an amazing smile from the lady herself when offering her wine & water.
The Buffet Lunch
Sandwiches
Roast beef & horseradish, Egg Mayonnaise, Tuna & red onion, Cheese & our pear chutney
Wraps
Sun blushed chicken, Falafel & guacamole, Prawn Marie rose, Brie & bacon
Savoury items
Mini pies of pheasant & mushroom & some Squash, red pepper & blue cheese
Gently spiced chicken with a sesame seed crust
Crab croquettes with chilli dip
Mini tarts- Four cheese & caramelised onion & Mushroom & thyme
Mini desserts
Profiteroles with crème patisserie & chocolate caramel sauce
Apple & caramel cheesecake squares
Lemon posset & berry tarts
We couldn’t have done it without our amazing team, 5 chefs and 17 front of house staff, the bonus was having my family & friends amongst the team. Chives Catering started 21 years ago as a family business with my wonderful brother, named after the restaurant he had opened in Westgate on Sea so having so many important people around us on the day made it even more special. I took over the business in 2008 along with my amazing husband/head chef Graham and whilst there are so many incredible events to look forward to, I know that the day I served 3 courses to the Queen will always be the most surreal and wonderful memory of my Chives family life.
I also want to add a huge thank you to Julian at Biddenden Vineyards for supplying the wines at short notice and Jim at 4 Seasons Hire who as always ensured all the constantly updated hire for kitchen equipment, glasses, crockery & china were all where they needed to be! And of course to Miles & Astrid who made it all possible.
Finally the lovely Natalie, Selena & Steve at RBLI, thank you for asking us to look after this momentous event, for all the incredible work RBLI do for our veterans & for the lovely thank you from Natalie.
Hi Debbie,
It was such an absolute pleasure to work with you; thank you for making the biggest and most important event in RBLI’s history so smooth and hassle free and for making it all look so easy when I know it must have been intensely stressful and yet you were all like swans!! The food was incredible and your staff are a credit to you. I thoroughly enjoyed working with you all. Special thanks for responding to my late night messages and not making anything too much to ask! Well done Chives, you are fantastic!!
Natalie