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Questions Page

Why should we choose Claire's Kitchen?

We are a professional team, creating delicious menus for private and corporate events. We have a wealth of experience in the planning, cooking and managing large events. Our intention is to exceed your expectations. 

We hand make every part of a chosen menu. We have over time, altered menus to suit the times and trends and certainly do not wish to narrow our offers with only a small set range of menus.  We make food that will be remembered, so if your priority is the food at your event, we are the caterers for you. Please look at our Testimonials page to read all the comments made by our happy customers. Now having arrived into 2024 we have not yet made time to update more recent ones, but we do have a file full of lovely cards & letter that we can share with you, when we have our first meeting.

How do we go about booking you?

After reading through our brochure and menus, we would normally suggest a meeting with you to discuss fine details and to go through possible dishes. We then send you an estimate based on a suggested number of guests. If you are happy with the price we then ask for a 25% deposit in order to secure the booking and ask that our terms and conditions to be read by yourselves and signed. Then we liaise with you to fine-tune the details in preparation for your event.

Food & Drink Questions

Where do you source your produce?
Our raw ingredients are locally sourced wherever possible, from reliable West Country producers and suppliers.

The lamb and beef is often from our own farm, along with seasonal vegetables and herbs. Fresh seafood comes from the coastal waters of Devon and Cornwall and occasionally straight from Salcombe. Cheeses, smoked meat and fish products are selected from West Country producers. Claire's brothers farm in East Devon supplies us with young farmed venison .

WE DO NOT BUY IN ANY READY MADE OR PARTLY MADE PRODUCTS. All our dishes are handmade from raw ingredients in our professional kitchen.

This is a big event for us, can you help with other aspects of organisation?
Definitely. We are very aware of the massive organisation that goes into planning an event and pride ourselves on getting the details right for you. With a site meeting, we are able to go through many ideas that would work well in the available space, to arrange timings, and recommend various companies that we regularly use to assist you in completing the picture. Our links page will list some of these companies. You can contact them yourself, or you can leave it all to us to arrange directly.

Who serves the food and drink?
Our efficient and friendly staff serve the food and drink. They are experienced in providing a high quality service and bring trays and bottle openers with them. They have been trained as a team to be attentive, but unobtrusive, and look smart in one of our uniforms to suit your event. We do not charge corkage however we do charge for ice and pre-chilling of bottles as an extra service. 

Evening bar staff to serve you until late are charged for separately. We offer a licensed bar as a separate service. 

Who clears away?
Our staff will usually clear the tables of all the dishes and glasses that are not being used. They set out the coffee/tea table ready for self-service, and packed away all the table ware back into the  boxes. They finish at an agreed time near the end of the event. Any further clearing the next day can be arranged but will be charged for in addition. 

Is wine provided?
We find that people usually like to provide their own wines but we can provide a wine list if required. We can also supply juices and soft drinks from a range of local companies. We do not charge corkage.

Equipment Hire Questions

What about equipment hire?

 

Table Ware Hire

We work with various local companies, who can provide a wide choice of

differing styles of crockery, cutlery, glassware, linen and table hire. After a

consultation with you, we shall get a quotation for you when we have

discussed your requirements. We leave you pay the deposit in order to

book them and we will remind you to settle up directly prior to the event.

But for now, January 2024, we have added up an approximate price here from

Total Event Hire, for the table ware for 100 people.All subject to VAT

For a 2-course menu approximately £5 per head.

For a 3-course menu approximately £6 per head

Including delivery to the south Hams on

This order Includes:

China- (3 x plates for 2 courses & 4 x plates for 3 courses) and cutlery required

Glasses – (4 x glasses for 2 course menu & 5 x glasses for 3 course menu).

Cafetiere or Thermos Coffee pots, milk jugs and sugar bowls and mugs

(cups & saucers can be provided if preferred).

Linen Hire 

White linen round tablecloths 96 inch@ £11.10 each,108 inch@ £11.80, 118 inch@ £12.96

Trestle cloths for service tables 70 by 108 inch @ £7.37 each,

Round 90 inch Cake table cloth @ £10.60 Linen napkins £1.00

Party Equipment Hire

Claire’s Kitchen has a basic 2 course set for 100/120

white dinner & sweet plate with vintage side plates

and appropriate cutlery @ £2.50 pp.

To include coffee ware & water jugs@ £3.00 pp

Glasses are at £3.50 per 10 from a local firm.Linen cloths from £8-11 each

Heavy equipment: -

6 burner gas ovens @ £130 plus canister of gas

Large turbo assisted fan ovens @ £ 125

Large hot cupboards @ £60

Barbecue equipment including logs, charcoal and delivery to the site £150-200,

depending on the distance and number of guests

Other costs:

Sharing platters & dishes wash up charge (x 8-10 per table = £2.95 per table)

Paper luxury Duni Napkins @ £10.75 per pack of x 60 plus vat.

Ice for chilling drinks, we don’t usually supply, but can if required.

Equipment Included in the menu price from Claire’s Kitchen: –

Additional Hot cupboards and Gastronome hot service dishes.

2 x Water Boilers and 2 x small Electric Ovens.

Large Gas burner, including gas for cooking potatoes, when no large ovens required

Bread baskets, butter dishes and sets of grinding Cruets

All Table covering for the food preparation area, staff hand washing facilities & tea towels

Some large buckets for holding chilled bottles & ice

Water containers to hold water for catering. 60-80 litres.

 

All above subject to VAT



Cost Questions

Are there any hidden costs?
We endeavor to make our estimates as clear as possible and adapt to all budgets. There are usually three aspects to the costs:
  • The menu (includes all the time Claire gives you towards the planning & organising as well as attending);
  • The hire of crockery, cutlery, glass ware and linen;
  • The waiting staff for both food and drink.
We do include the provision of a certain amount of equipment with in our menu cost - i.e. water boilers, some ovens, gas burners, small hot cupboards, bread baskets & butter dishes, salt & pepper grinders, service trays and table covering for the catering area.

 Extra costs include: - Napkins - paper or linen, Large ovens and Hot cupboards,  Refrigeration for drinks, and for the hire of the  BBQ trailer including the wood, the charcoal and delivery.

We will charge a management fee if we are left to organise the whole occasion. 

What distance will Claire's Kitchen travel?
We cater anywhere in the South West. The distance depends on the number of guests, timings to a certain extent and available budget.