To Your Taste Our perfect professionals
Our Perfect Professional for October is the lovely Katheryn from ‘To Your Taste.’ Kath is a fully qualified chef who has moved into the events catering arena, focusing mainly on weddings however she has recently launched a new and exciting venture where she offers a 7-course dining experience from the comfort of your home. Catering forms an important role in any event and is often what guest remember most, Kath is well renowned in the wedding and events circles for bringing couples food visions to life and for her trendy menu creations, making each event unique and special. We chatted to Kath on what her new pop up dining experience entails as well as trends and changes in the events catering space for 2021.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how ‘To Your Taste’ began.
I grew up on our family farm in KZN, where I am now based. I studied in Cape Town at Silwood School of Cookery, worked in a few restaurants before returning to the farm. I started the catering business in our local community, as I loved the idea of creating special celebratory moments for people. And as we all know, so much of life and celebrations involve gathering around a table of good food and creating memories.
You have recently started a pop-up dining experience, where people can enjoy a 7-course dining experience from the comfort of their homes, can you explain how this works.
Yes, the concept is created around enjoying a dining experience in your home, with all of your favourite people. Because I’m based far out in the remote countryside, I decided to make the option of having it in your home available. I will travel to your home, set the table and take over your kitchen. You (the host) would need to provide the basics (table, chairs, kitchen space etc) and gather 10 – 14 friends together. This season’s menu is a Spring Sensory Experience, with each course focusing on one of our five senses (with a few extra courses in-between). The menu is designed to be interesting and delicious while using home-grown seasonal produce; as well as being an experience as you interact with the courses. I’m planning on launching a new menu for November, and each season following that… but we will see how it all goes!
We think that this pop-up experience would make for a wonderfully intimate and unique proposal option. Could you elaborate on how this could possibly work for foodie couples who are looking to pop the question?
Yes, that’s a wonderful idea! We could set up in the newly engaged couples home, or a suitable venue nearby. And create a wonderful experience for the couple, where they could choose to have an exclusive dining experience or choose to invite some family and close friends to celebrate their engagement. The proposal could also be creatively incorporated into the dinner or lunch experience; if they are feeling brave!
The global COVID 19 pandemic has changed the way that the wedding and events industry now operates, how do you see this having an effect on catering for a wedding going forward?
There certainly has been a change for all industries, and the events industry is no exception. From a caterers perspective, we need to make sure that all regulations are adhered to, ensuring that food preparation and serving is done safely and continuously monitored. In terms of the menu, there is a move towards serving canapés between the ceremony and reception rather than shared harvest tables, as well as plated main course and dessert, to eliminate guests gathering around buffet tables, sharing serving utensils etc.
We are so delighted that celebrations can go ahead again, are there any trends that people are leaning towards for the 2021 wedding season?
There seems to be a focus on micro wedding celebrations, where couples are inviting family and their closest friends to the celebration. Although bigger celebrations are able to go head now, there are still a number of couples who have warmed to the idea of a smaller, intimate celebration and still choosing that for their wedding in 2021. These weddings are seeing multiple course dinners, with extra attention to detail, and reflecting the couple by creating courses around ‘his favourite’ and ‘her favourite’ foods. There is also a move towards sourcing food locally and using what is in-season as well as having weddings set-up outdoors with plenty of airflow and beautiful views. This year has certainly forced service providers and bridal couples (who chose to get married) to be creative. So much of that creativity is coming through the industry for the 2021 celebrations. It’s certainly going to be a year filled with many celebrations!
What would be some wise words of wisdom for couples when it comes to catering for their wedding.
It’s important to choose caterers for your wedding whose food you’ve tasted before, possibly at a friend’s wedding, or who have been recommended to you. Starting the wedding planning process can be overwhelming; so once you’ve chosen your service providers and checked their availability, it is also important to ask them if what you have in mind will work well for the venue you’ve chosen and the number of guests you are inviting. It’s helpful to remember that service providers have seen a great deal over the years and can help to make sure that your wedding day will be all that you hope it’ll be, while also being practical and do-able, and staying true to yourselves at the same time. And on a general note; don’t fret the small things, put energy and attention into enjoying the day with all of your favourite people (and obviously a slice of your favourite cake too!)
