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Arias under the stars 1024 451 Four Gables Group

Arias under the stars
Last week we headed off to Belgrave Square Gardens in London to cater for an inaugural opera themed dinner.
 

‘Arias under the Stars’ was organised by the Belgrave Square Garden Events Committee in association with The Hari, the Grosvenor and The Berkeley hotels, London.  

We were honoured to be their chosen caterer.

 


Guests started with canapés of Mortadella and Goats cheese parcels; crisp tiger prawns with arrabiata dip; Dorset crab and oregano cones and mozzarella bonbons.  The Italian theme continued with sumptuous artichoke and ricotta stuffed gnocchi served with wild mushroom cream and garnished with shaved Parmesan.  Dessert was mocha tiramisu with milk chocolate foam.

 

Guests drank cocktails courtesy of the magnificent Blue bar at The Berkeley Hotel and Rémy Martin while enjoying the performance of the singers from The Ritz London.

It was a magnificent affair, enjoyed by all and we were delighted to be invited to be a part of it.

A magical night of cinema… 1024 683 Four Gables Group

A magical night of cinema…

… prosecco* and street food?  Happily, you can enjoy just that at Painshill Park this Friday 17 and Saturday 18 August.  We are teaming up with the fab guys at Painshill to provide you with the perfect evening to share with friends.  Relax in front of the film, shown under the backdrop of the Gothic Temple, and enjoy street food and a full bar provided by Four Gables.

The weather forecast looks perfect and treats to tempt you (along with ‘The Greatest Showman’ on Friday and ‘Star Wars – The Last Jedi’ on Saturday) include pulled pork, Cumberland sausage ‘hot dogs’ and buttermilk fried popcorn chicken, all served with a salad buffet.

‘The Greatest Showman’ is sold out and so, if you have a ticket, we’re really excited to see you then.  Tickets are still available for the Saturday night direct from Painshill Park and you can check out their website here.

 

*other drinks are available 🙂

Canapés and Cocktails 1024 408 Four Gables Group

Canapés and Cocktails

Years ago I was lucky enough to enjoy a wine tour of the vineyards of the Napa Valley.  At the time, it was a very unusual ‘holiday’ thing to do – a perfect inclusion to a trip to France or California but unheard of in the UK (I’m very old!).

These days, of course, things are different.  Very different as it happens.  With vineyards and distilleries mushrooming all over England (Scotland spotted this market years ago!) there are lots of opportunities for alcohol related tourism.  One such venue we are always very happy to visit is the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire.   If you have never been there, you’ll never get a better excuse than their ‘Summer Cocktails and Canapés’ evening on Friday 31st August from 7pm to 11pm.

Here is what Bombay Sapphire say about it…. ‘Bombay Sapphire will be serving cocktails and canapés in the grounds of the distillery and you can choose your cocktails using the aroma cards in the Botanical Dry Room.  The experience includes a welcome cocktail as well as 2 additional cocktails, further drinks can be purchased in the Mill Bar and we canapés will be available throughout the evening.  This experience is in partnership with Four Gables Group and is available for over 18s only’.

So there you have it – it will be a fabulous evening and we hope to see you there.

UPDATE: Tickets for the event have now sold out.  You can read more (and find out about more Bombay Sapphire events) here.

Surrey Hills Yurts 1024 362 Four Gables Group

Surrey Hills Yurts

The current warm weather lends itself beautifully to outdoor cooking.  As a nation we all love a good barbie and these days, for our mental well being, we’re all encouraged to spend more time in the great outdoors.

It’s blooming lucky we live in such a fab area that lends itself to cooking outdoors. Recently, in collaboration with Red Bull, we went along to Surrey Hills Yurts for some Al Fresco cooking and a few beers.

The event itself was for the Red Bull marketing department who had requested an ‘outdoor cooking experience’. Surrey Hills Yurts based in the Mole Valley between Ranmore Common and Leith Hill provide both venue and ambience.  Anyone who knows the area will know the spectacular views afforded by both hills.

It was not only the views that were captivating, the open space provides a safe venue for outdoor activities. Guests enjoyed archery and axe throwing before settling down to dinner. David came into work the next day with his head still attached, reassuring us he ducked under all the flying objects 😉

On the menu was chargrilled asparagus with lemon aioli; cumin flatbreads; a spring broth with tenderloin of pork and a Four Gables special banoffee pie cooked in the embers.  Eaten like an banquet around the fire, it was delicious.

If this is something that sounds like fun for your event or team building day then give us a call.

Photo by Evan Kirby on Unsplash

Welcome to the Weekend 1024 683 Four Gables Group

Welcome to the Weekend

Day to day the Four Gables office is a place of calm.  Industrious, yes but definitely with added dollop of peace. To be fair, the location helps.  We’re ‘planted’ (sorry!) at the edge of Ashtead Common, an ancient forest with a rich history.  It’s only half a mile from the M25 and the hustle and bustle of the Surrey commuter belt which offers the perfect juxtaposition to the Four Gables Farm.  It really is in the middle of nowhere.  The view from the window is unceasing woodland and often accompanied by the symphony of bird song with solo percussion performances from the Woodpecker tapping away.

Last Friday however was a different story.  The resident chefs had been called back to HQ to prepare for a full weekend of events.  The office was filled with hustle and bustle, the energy palpable.  Typewritten sheets were strewn across the softwood table, the contents hinting at deliciousness… Serrano ham croquettes; Californian sushi baskets; Orange and saffron creme brûlée; Gin cocktails; a cornucopia of promise.

The chefs were preparing the feast in the kitchen next door.  Instead of birdsong, the sound of chopping and sizzling was our audio companion.  The smells too.  Oh my, they were pavlovian hunger pang inducing.  In the same way listening to running water makes you NEED to use to the loo and I couldn’t help smiling at the banter and jinks of those who were clearly enjoying their job.

The focus of the Four Gables team is customer service, innovation and enjoyment.  There were two events generating the industry in the kitchen.  A ‘special’ birthday party taking place in the beautiful Bombay Sapphire distillery in Hampshire and ‘speech day’ for 160 at Wellington College in Berkshire.  It’s not unusual for us to cater for such different events in counties all over the South East.  In fact, we thrive on the challenge of not only producing delicious and inventive food, but also finding innovative solutions to the logistics of serving it to large numbers if required.  It’s like a ‘Masterchef’ challenge on steroids.

Fortunately for all concerned, the forecast thunderstorms stayed away and everyone had a really good time.  And the food?  It was delicious!

Wedding Season 1024 683 Four Gables Group

Wedding Season

May is rapidly becoming the Royal wedding month of the year. If you have a wedding in the offing, then you can’t help but be swept up in the mood of the nation at the moment.

Weddings have never been more fashionable and summer in the UK, understandably, is a peak time for nuptials. There can be few girls who did not parade around the bedroom with a pillow case adorning their head. My best friend and I used to fantasize endlessly about where our wedding would take place.  Cue old stone country Church with a kissing gate) and look like (romantic, white, flowers everywhere and lots of friends!).

Here at Four Gables, we love that weddings are a beautiful opportunity to share your special day with friends and  family.  We also love that food is a conduit to that celebration. These days, the traditional church or registry office choices of our youth have expanded to include so many beautiful alternative venues. The Hyde Estate, for example, is featured in the header of this post. With that, there are now so many the opportunities to serve delicious and different foods to reflect the venue and style of your wedding.

Four Gables know that organising a wedding can be stressful and time consuming. With our emphasis on customer service, we can help to take some of that stress away. We can help plan your menu and recreate any dish that you dreamed of. We can talk bowl food and soul food and whether to stand up or sit down. Or maybe help recreate your favourite cocktail or create one especially for you. Most importantly, we can give you the time to enjoy your special day with those you love the most.

To find out more about what we can offer, see our ‘Events’ page here.

Welcome to Balcombe Place 1024 369 Four Gables Group

Welcome to Balcombe Place

Balcombe Place is very, very special.  Majestic and haunting with a sense of class, this beautiful Grade II listed country home is situated in an aspect that commands stunning views of the Sussex Downs.

Built in 1856, the house has enjoyed an interesting history, including time as a nursing home and a school.  It has recently been reclaimed by the descendants of Lord and Lady Denman who have lovingly restored this great beauty to her former glory.  Now, Balcombe Place is available to hire for your exclusive use.

Four Gables is thrilled to be in partnership with Balcombe Place.  Providing exquisite food and delicious drinks for your event or wedding, we can provide a range of food like no other.  Like our friends at Balcombe Place, customer service is really important to us.  We can help you create an event your guests will reminisce about for years to come.

In order for you to experience what Balcombe Place can offer, they are hosting a Launch Party on Saturday 12 May 2018, 7.30pm.  This is a ticketed event and more details can be found on their website here.  This is your opportunity, for the first time in 70 years, to view the country home for yourself and see what Balcombe Place truly has to offer.

Time to Start Planning Your Garden Party! 1024 682 Four Gables Group

Time to Start Planning Your Garden Party!

Last weekend gave us a cheeky hint of how fabulous summer can be in England.  And nothing says summer more than a garden party.

There are lots of benefits of organising a garden party.  Delicious food, favourite cocktails and great company, all in the comfort of your own home.  No stressing over time restrictions or limited food choices.  You are free to pick and choose your food and drink menus and have whatever you fancy.

Whatever the occasion, you can have lots of fun dreaming up a theme for your party.  Tied with  endless possibilities for entertainment, you can organise an event your friends will remember for years to come.

Four Gables Food covers all aspects of garden party organisation.  We love to be innovative and customer focused and can help you every step of the way.  Whatever the size or occasion, we can take your vision and create something truly special.

We’ve taken some time to pull some ideas together as a starting point.  Click here for Garden Party ideas.  That said, we are not fans of menu A, B & C and could not think of anything worse than churning out the same stuff over and over.  So, come and join us for a chat in the office with a glass of wine and let’s get excited about your event!