#privatecatering

Living and working in Cornwall has always been the same for me quiet in the winter months and absolute carnage in school holidays. You always know summer is approaching but when it hits it really takes you by surprise and sometimes takes some keeping up with. 

With the Chef service I am breaking records all over the place, each month we are increasing our dinner party numbers and have already smashed our overall record from last year with 4 months left of the year. I couldn't be happier with the way it is progressing. But there is always room to improve and get better  never sit back to long and think about how well you have done or you will become complacent. Its been a good year and a great summer so far, now move on. 

I started the week delivering ready meals to a house on the Barrington Court estate  -

Then onto cooking for the same family I cooked for twice last week at Trusham Exeter.

Tuesday was cooking for 8 in Portwrinkle nr Looe in another stunning house. I have had a lot of people tell me over the years that I am lucky to have what I have and I just say it is bollocks (sorry for the language). I have spent my whole life cooking because that is what I want to do and what I love so I have created my own luck. So getting to cook in these stunning houses is nothing more than what is deserved, everyone can create there own luck you just have to want it. 

Wednesday was celebrating a 70th birthday in a lovely old manor house called Parnacott house nr Holsworthy. A great night was had by all! 

I was genuinely humbled after the blog I posted last week I had people direct message me thank me for posting. Obviously I am very grateful that people took the time to message and comment like etc but I am unsure how I feel about the reaction why is it such a difficult subject to talk about? Because I didn't see it as a big deal posting it. I know I was putting myself out there in the world of social media and talking frank about a difficult subject and I was nervous but it was very easy to talk about really. 

Thank you for the lovely comments but it needs more of the same people need to talk, now I know from talking to my dad that its not that easy when the darkness falls, help is the last thing you will ask for but I think if you can learn your triggers beforehand it would help to avoid the edge of the pit and stop you from falling in. I don't bloody know the answers but from watching people I know fall and rise again this is what has helped them.

I have had a very interesting week I went to London to see the Smashing Pumpkins a lifes ambition achieved what a amazing night on Tuesday. Then back to Cornwall by 3 o clock for an hr and 45min drive to Gorran Haven to cook for a family of 6. Felt fine had a great evening guests were more than happy with the experience I delivered but felt exhausted when I got home.

Up early on Wednesday morning for a local dinner party in Camelford guests from Netherlands and Mexico that lived in Germany. I had an absolute blast I learn so much from guests that I cook when they are from different countries. I learnt this week that when a man comes of age at 50 in the Netherlands they get bought an Abraham, it is a heavy almond based cake like thing but it looks like a man it has religious links but as we all know my memory isn't great!

Then on Friday I thought ideal a few days to take it easy then at 10.30 in the morning I had a call from someone asking if I could cook for them and 11 friends that night, lunch and dinner Saturday and lunch Sunday as there was a mix up with their chef. Well I couldn't turn down a challenge also in Cornwall it is a long hard winter so you never know how much business will come in, this winter was great but that is unusual.

So after a few phone calls the menu was arranged 2 courses Friday, an early start Saturday and worked straight through until 11 o clock that night serving a 2 course lunch and a gourmet dinner. Early start again Sunday serving delicious Roast Beef followed by Pavlova perfect hangover food for the guests that partied hard the night before. Like the good old days having to make meringues again!

Well that was one helliver (as we say in Cornwall) week, it was one last push to get to the end of summer I can feel it is taking its toll on me the manufacturing business was sold 2 months ago and I have not really stopped and looked back. I never try to look back but I feel I need to and try to enjoy what has happened in the previous 11yrs. It will happen in time I am sure it is good to reflect. Anyway Monday and Tuesday were spent cooking for couples in different locations. I have cooked for quite a few couples this year and they are always really interesting as it is very personal getting someone in to cook for you when it is just the 2 of you. I am always very conscious of this even more so than other parties so whatever impact it has on me I make them feel at ease as long as it does not effect the food and the whole experience. 

Wednesday was a local event for a party on holiday celebrating a 70th birthday, I turn up and the oven was not working properly the knob had broken. I get asked a lot what do I do if there is a problem with equipment and my reply is the same I don't worry about circumstances which are out of your control you just get on and do your job. The guests were worried that it would affect me I was not worried as there was another oven and even if there wasn't it doesn't matter. I stress so much about the food, turning up on time, how I look, these are all within my control and they can effect the experience. Nothing else matters other than those guests at that moment, nothing, and if the oven is not working you get on with it and do your job.

Thursday was in Polperro again cooking for the same group as last week -

Scallops, hogs pudding, beurre noisette

Monkifish, curried cream

Honey and vanilla Panna cotta

Great night, again some amazing feedback, a group said this week its not just the food that is incredible its the whole experience. This is exactly what I want people to have something to talk about when they get back home. I have had a crap experience with customer service so much over the years and you think how do these companies survive, but on the other hand if they were to prioritise customer service imagine how successful they would be. My clients are the most important part of my business, no one else, you look after them they look after you and will keep coming back, so if you have a business and you are dealing with the public direct but it isn't maybe going as well as you would like take a step back and focus back in on your customers. 

Saturday was spent in probably one of the most stunning houses I have cooked in, called Worden house in Dartmouth. 2 kitchens, indoor and outdoor pool, cinema room, sauna you name it it is there! 18 guests all food and watered a 4hr round trip more than worth while!

Its been a very weird week in one way or another, life is what you make of it and sometimes you have to make tough decisions and then sometimes you have to make horrendously tough decisions. 

September has always been a decent month for the Private Chef business the groups I cook for are predominantly people with no kids so they are different clientele totally different compared to the previous 6 - 8 weeks. 

On Thursday I was in Gorran Haven cooking for a 70th birthday it was again in a stunning setting, a great night was had by all. I always try my best to arrive on time provide a service that I would like and leave the kitchen in a better state than when we arrived and in between cook a tasty plate of grub.

Saturday I was in Padstow for a surprise birthday I love these events as the unsuspecting person has not got a clue and when you see there face it is a picture and you can be there to make the evening as perfect as possible for them.

The bespoke menu was as follows -

Salt and pepper squid, crab beignets, whitebait, chilli king prawns and a couple of baked brie with crusty bread.

Lamb rump, cauliflower and thyme jus 

Sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel ice cream

or

Bakewell tart, clotted cream 

Sunday evening was spent cooking for a lovely family in Portreath I know I say it time and time again but I really do get to meet some absolutely lovely people and this week has been no exception. Also I do not post many pictures of food as I always forget to take any in the moment !

Started the working with some relief cheffing for a mate that is struggling to get hold of decent kitchen staff. There always seems to be a huge shortage of chefs that are any good or even a decent cook. I am unsure if it is the same in all industries but some youngsters seem to come along wanting what they see on tv but are not willing to put the hrs in to get to that point and subsequently fall well short. In any job you need to put the hrs in to get anywhere in life. Now with social media people only ever post lovely happy pictures which just gives the wrong image to people that are easy influenced and life is just not like it. I know I am going off in a slightly different direction but it is all linked people want the high life in the pictures but with out all the work. Anyway its great to be back in the proper working kitchen I woke up 3 the next morning until 5 just thinking about what I could do to help the kitchen, it is like a drug!

I had a personal wedding to attend to on Thursday which was great because if I had the other business as well there would be no way I was going. Over the past 21 years I have missed out a lot on social events and have never been bothered at all as it is part of being a chef but it was great to attend for once. 

On Friday I had a load of meals to deliver to Barrington Court an amazing national trust area in Illminster again another amazing place that I have had the pleasure of driving to. 

So onto another crazy week, started off traveling back from Kent and with 5 events for the remainder of the week to cater for I had to keep my eye on the ball. But before getting home I had to return my hire van not the best van I have driven in this heat with no air con!  

The first on Wednesday was for a lovely couple but as England were playing in the semi final of the World Cup I did struggle to completely focus! I got there in the end and was driving home while the final minutes of the game were being played. I am very proud of the English team, for once it really looked like they wanted to play, Gareth Southgate seems to have installed an new out look for the team, they want to play as a team fighting for each other. 

Thursday I had an event for 8 guests 4 courses in a stunning setting at Northcott near Bude. The weather was still very hot and with an Aga on it was an experience! 

Friday I had to leave at 11 o clock to serve 14 guests in Exeter for a 30th birthday, this was great fun a completely different cottage to cater in a lot more testing kitchen but you just have to adapt to the environment, all went well. Next onto a 5 course dinner in Dorset along the Jurassic coast I needed to be there for 5.30 and anyone that knows me when it comes to work everything has to be just so and with planning and timings they have to be right every time.  So arrived on time and delivered the experience but I came across the weirdest looking spider, anyone got any ideas I have never seen a white spider!

So after a little over 11yrs Sargies Cornish Kitchen was sold. It was always in the planning to sell Sargies but I was never quite sure when but everything just fell into place when it went on the market in November. 

I definitely left with a feeling of sadness nothing like I thought I would feel its taken up a large part of my life and also my families life it was all started so I could see the kids grow up. Harvey was 4 and alf was 1 when started and now we have sold Harvey has just finished his GCSEs.

While the manufacturing business was building running along side it was the Chef service which is growing into an absolute monster so a decision had to be made as it was becoming way to much. I feel there is a lot more in Sargies Cornish Kitchen and it can grow into an even bigger and better business so good luck to Anthony the new owner.

I always wondered what it would feel like when it was sold and was always slightly concerned with how I would react as I feel that I could have done more. But the time had come to move on and reflecting on the past 11yrs I could not have given more. I gave everything everyday and I have absolutely loved every single day no matter how low it got me as it has bought me to this moment right now working on building another great business.

If anyone wants to start a business all you need is a great idea and believe in it and never waiver but stay humble, always listen to advice, you do not have to follow through with the advice but always take it on board. It is not easy by any stretch the hrs are crap and the money is even crapper but you are in charge of your own destiny, always keep pushing, believe and never give up.

Back to the final week it was absolute carnage trying to get it all pushed through by the end of the week. Along with emailing and phone around sorting different issues out I had a great dinner party for a lovely couple on Monday evening, along with a simple buffet for Western Power on Thursday and a hen party for 14 on Friday! 

The weekend was spent moving out of your current location and into our temporary home at the Norton Barton Food village and on Saturday evening I might have over indulged in a few drinks and awoke Sunday morning not feeling the best!!!