H&E North chews the fat with Tania Burton, Founder of luxury Cumbrian event caterer Ginger Snap, to discover her top tips for catering for corporate clients, as well as how her business adapted its offering to boost its green credentials in a post-COVID world.
From reducing food waste to using seasonal produce, luxury event caterer Ginger Snap has some brilliant ideas for looking after the bottom line and the planet at the same time. A sustainable, family run event catering business inspired by the spectacular Scottish landscape, Ginger Snap has been the go-to caterer for events across Scotland and the north of England for over 15 years.
Founded by Managing Director Tania Burton in 2006 when she was just 23, and co-run with her husband James Burton, a MasterChef: The Professionals finalist and Consultant Head Chef, the business has catered for corporate clients including Tommy Hilfiger, Bonham’s Auction House and the Muirfield Golf Club.
“A top tip for catering for corporate clients is to provide excellent service and exquisite food that surpasses all expectations.” says Tania. “If you plan every single event with a high level of attention to detail, regardless of whether the client is corporate or private, word of mouth and your brand reputation will attract more clients than you can manage.”
As with many companies, the pandemic led to a reduction in revenue for Ginger Snap, and in response, Tania came up with some creative ways to make the business model more profitable: “One way we did this was by moving from Edinburgh to Cumbria where my husband and I took on a farm together, with the eventual aim to grow food for our menus. Another way was by keeping food waste to an absolute minimum by dehydrating, pickling, fermenting and preserving food from a plentiful harvest.”
This, combined with Tania’s commitment to regenerative farming practices, means she can ensure the business runs smoothly while protecting the planet. Now that lockdown restrictions are being lifted, the firm has seen an increase in discerning clientele who truly care about where their food comes from: “Provenance is a key tenet of our philosophy – James and his team of chefs devise delectable menus using predominantly British ingredients, sourced as locally as possible from quality suppliers and the orchard on our farm in Cumbria.”
Seasonality is also a vital part of the Ginger Snap philosophy: “Focusing on ingredients that are in season in the UK means we have top-quality produce at our fingertips all year round, and means we can avoid the air miles associated with importing food.”
Ginger Snap’s strong commitment to sustainability looks after their bottom line and delights their clients. Taking a leaf out of Tania’s book to design nutritious, environmentally conscious event menus means we can reduce the impact of our events, demonstrate sustainability commitments to our clients and promote positive behavioural changes to pave the way for long-term industry change.
