by Anthony Byrne | Feb 21, 2022 | Blog
Here at Lauren’s Catering, we’re pleased to announce the extension of our delivery services to the public and businesses in and around Gloucester! We have 4 mobile sandwich bars, and they cover different areas around Gloucester and Cheltenham.
Snack Van 1
The area covered is Hempsted, Bristol Road and surrounding areas, Quedgeley, Waterwells and Redmarley.
Snack Van 2
We cover Staverton, Innsworth, St Oswalds, Bristol Road and the surrounding areas.
Snack Van 3
With this van, we cover Stonehouse, Eastington, Moreton Valance, A38 and Wotton under Edge.
Snack Van 4
Covering Brockworth, Churchdown, Painswick, Bristol Road and surrounding areas, Waterwells, Quedgeley, Cheltenham, Kingsditch Industrial Estate, Bishops Cleeve and Knightsbridge.
Our snack vans are a very welcome sight in and around Gloucester and provide a much needed service to both the public at large and businesses.
So, who’s behind Laurens Catering? Well, Tony Byrne is the man in charge at Lauren’s Catering and has been since day one, some 25 years ago. Having started work in a baker’s at 16, Tony went on to work for three of the biggest bakers in Gloucester before opening his shop on Bristol Road.
It is still there busily trading today and he sees customers who used to buy buns as schoolchildren returning as adults.
You can see our range of snack van products and price list here
Snack vans play an important role in society. It’s well documented that the benefits of having a sandwich delivery to your office helps employees feel valued, keeps them healthier, increases their energy and therefore productivity, you retain your employees for longer and it’s a great social interaction and team building service.
If you’ve never considered arranging for a snack van to come to your offices, then we’d like to assure you that you can really reap the benefits for your staff and your business!
Extension of our Delivery Services
We’ve extended our delivery services due to popular demand and now have extra capacity to service your staff with our snacks and sandwiches.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01452 382690 or take a look at our website www.laurenscatering.co.uk
by Anthony Byrne | Jan 17, 2022 | Blog
Here at Lauren’s Catering, we have many customers that pop into our premises to pick up brunch or breakfast, rather than ordering meals from delivery services. It got us thinking about why our clients drop in to see us and this is what they told us…
1. Fresh Air and exercise
It seems that many people enjoy the fresh air and exercise whilst walking to our premises to buy their breakfast or brunch. The brisk walk there and back helps them build up an appetite and gives them some fresh air that they wouldn’t necessarily get if they were to order their food via an app or phone.
2. Fresh food
Our customers know that all of our food is freshly prepared and is displayed in such a way that it looks appetising and appealing. Also, our clients said that they knew where the food was sourced and depending on their choice, they know it’s healthier than many processed options available from other fast food outlets.
3. The wide choice of food
Because we cater for a wide range of clients, we are able to offer a wide range of choice too! From full English breakfasts with optional ‘add ons’ to burgers, omelettes, jacket potatoes and chips. To put this into perspective, we offer 15 different choices of bread and 29 different options of fillings for sandwiches and jackets. The choice is yours – mix and match and enjoy exactly what you fancy at the time!
4. Suitable for most budgets
Our clients told us that we represented great value for money too! Our extensive menu not only caters for choice but also for a range of budgets too! Our entire range is competitively priced because we take advantage of economies of scale. We buy our ingredients at wholesale prices so that we can price our finished products keenly.
5. We provide a friendly service
We are a great team here at Lauren’s Catering and that seems to be reflected onto our clients. They seem to really appreciate our friendly and efficient service – that’s why they keep coming back time and again!
Conclusion
Having asked our clients what they like about dropping into our premises to pick up breakfast or brunch, we’ve formed the opinion that they come to us for great food, fresh food, choice, value for money and the great atmosphere!
Now, if you’re looking for the above, then why don’t you drop by Laurens Catering and take a look at the mouth-watering range of breakfast and brunch menus we have on offer. Maybe you’ll be dropping in as part of your daily routine soon!
Tony Byrne is the main man in charge at Lauren’s Catering and has been ever since they started trading, some 25 years ago. Starting work at a local baker’s at the age of 16, Tony went on to gain experience at three of the largest bakers in Gloucester before proudly opening his own shop on Bristol Road. The shop is still trading today and Tony often sees customers that used to buy sticky buns as school children 25 years ago!
Lauren’s Catering is proud to be a family-run concern. The company was named after 2 ladies – one being Tony’s daughter and the other being Aisling, the Company Secretary.
Laurens Catering currently employs 13 valued staff, many of the core team having been with him for several years.
So, if you’re in the area, drop by and say hello to us at Lauren’s Catering! if you’d like to know more about our brunch and breakfast menus, take a look at our website here or give us a call on 01452 382 690 – we’d be happy to help!
by Anthony Byrne | Dec 10, 2021 | Blog
So, you’ve been hard at it in the kitchen over the Christmas period and now it’s time to put your mind to your New Years’ Eve get-together. The thought of having to prepare a buffet for your guests can be daunting, particularly when you’ve just gotten over the hard work of catering at Christmas!
We all like to be sociable at this time of year, and to have to spend many hours in the kitchen before and after a New Years’ Eve party isn’t something that is on the top of anyone’s Christmas list!
Have you considered using an outside catering company to create delicious food for your party at New Year? There are considerable benefits in doing so…..
- Outside Caterers save you time
Obviously, if you’re having a party, there’s a lot to consider. From the number of guests, the drinks, the food, the ambience, the party games, the music, seating arrangements, what to wear. Phew! A LOT to consider.
But when you decide to use an outside catering service, you’ll save a huge amount of time because preparing a buffet, say for 16 people is an enormous amount of work. Not only will you have to choose your buffet menu, but you’ll have to shop for the ingredients, store the ingredients, prepare and cook each item of the buffet in an oven that possibly doesn’t have enough capacity to cook in large batches. And this takes a LOT of time!
- Outside Caterers save you effort
We all want to be sociable at our own party, but being stuck in the kitchen, checking every 2 minutes on the sausage rolls or onion bhajis is, quite frankly, a bit of a pain! You want to be in the thick of the festivities, not busy Cinderella that can’t go to the Ball!
Not only that, but you also save effort on having to present and dress your buffet perfectly on platters. This is all taken care of by your Caterer, so you can sit back, kick back and get on with the party!
And then of course, there’s the washing up! Don’t get me started on that one……(!)
- Outside Caterers save you money
This is a biggie! Very often, we overspend on party ingredients because we want to give our guests the best possible quality and quantity of food and drink. And what this usually translates into is that we buy ingredients that we’ll never use again, over estimate the amount of food we’ll need and consequently a lot of it goes to waste.
Outside caterers are experienced in knowing how much food is required for a certain number of people without any surplus or waste. Equally, they purchase ingredients in bulk because they’re using them all the time and therefore they pay wholesale rather than retail prices.
- Outside caterers are convenient
Just a bit of research on a website and one telephone call could be all it takes to get your New Years’ Eve buffet catering sorted. Outside caterers are experienced in handling your requirements and expectations, so you can put your trust in them to deliver exquisite food on time and on budget.
With the buffet taken care of, you can then divert your attention to something else that will make your party a success.
- Outside caterers offer more choice
The chances are that you’re not the only one hosting a New Years’ Eve party, and as such, outside caterers will be organised to prepare and cook a whole range of party dishes that one person alone couldn’t possibly achieve.
Outside caterers also have enough experience to know which dishes are popular and which dishes work well together. They’ll be able to give you advice on your menu, create a bespoke menu for you and guide you in terms of the quantities required of each piece.
We are Laurens Catering – highly experienced caterers that have been producing outstanding food in and around Gloucester for over 25 years.
If you’re hosting a New Years’ Eve party, then let us take the strain and help you with all your catering needs. For more information visit our website https://www.laurenscatering.co.uk/buffet-catering/ or give us a call on 01452 382 690 – we’d be happy to help!
by Anthony Byrne | Oct 13, 2021 | Blog
Planning Christmas staff buffets can feel like a mighty task, particularly if you’ve never planned one before, but with a few tips and tricks, you’ll soon be bowing to the accolades that come your way when you’ve pulled it off!
Here are our top tips on planning Christmas staff buffets:
1. Set a date and check availability
When planning Christmas staff buffets, the most important thing is to have a couple of dates in mind. Check the venues out for suitability and accessibility and then check out your staff’s availability for those dates. Once you’ve chosen your date and venue, you can then let everyone know to try to keep the date free.
2. Ask for feedback on last year’s party
Obviously, you want your staff Christmas buffet to be the talk of the office for months, so any feedback on previous buffets will give you some insight into what’s good and what to avoid. Was there enough food? Was the food selection good? What did they think of the venue? All these questions will give you a really good base on which to start planning your own Christmas staff buffet.
3. Consider a theme for your staff buffet
Well, it’s Christmas after all! And with the year we’ve all just had, it’s the time of year that we can all just kick back, relax and enjoy ourselves. The theme for your Christmas staff buffet doesn’t have to be Christmas! Again, get some feedback from your staff and go with the flow!
4. Don’t scrimp on your budget
There’s nothing worse than a lean looking buffet or when you know that people leave the buffet still hungry. This is your company’s way of thanking your staff for their work and dedication throughout the year. It wouldn’t look great if you’ve only given lip service to the event.
5. Serve high quality food – and plenty of it!
Going on from tip no 4 – people know when you’ve put the effort into a Christmas staff buffet. They can see the quality of food and the creativity in the table layout. Care and attention on the food and beverage front will guarantee a great vibe at the event and give you a lot of kudos for months after! A win-win situation, don’t you think?
6. Organising the buffet table:
a. Choose a colour scheme for your linen and napkins that complements the food
b. Have a clear start and end point to the buffet so that people can clearly identify where to begin
c. Group similiar flavours and types of food together, such as sausage rolls and scotch eggs
d. Display more expensive foods or food that you have less of, at the end of the buffet. Most people tend to fill their plates at the beginning of the buffet, rather than at the end of it! If you put the most expensive food at the end, chances are they’ll only be a very small space on their plates for it!
e. Label your dishes so that your staff know what’s on their plate
f. Vary the height of your dishes – this will give you extra space to layout your buffet and it also adds interest
g. Serve more cold food that hot – it’s all about making your life easier on the day but still putting on a really good spread for your staff!
h. Put out small plates to put serving spoons. This keeps the linen smear free, looking good and the buffet inviting for all the staff!
i. Fill in any gaps in the table with seasonal or themed decor so that the buffet table looks full
j. Put eating utensils and napkins at the end of the buffet – this simple trick will keep the flow of traffic moving
k. Provide some strategically placed rubbish bins in order to keep the buffet table clean (and it saves you time and effort later on!)
So there you have it! Our top tips and tricks for planning a Christmas staff buffet! We are Lauren’s Caterers based in Gloucester with over 25 years experience in the catering sector. Let us help you with planning your Christmas staff buffet! Take a look at our website www.laurenscatering.co.uk or call us on 01452 382690 – we’d be happy to help!
by Anthony Byrne | Dec 16, 2020 | Blog
Christmas is just around the corner meaning that it is nearly time for Christmas dinner. Although a wonderful thing, it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety, especially for first-time roasters. That’s where we can help. We are here to answer your questions and provide a few top tips to hopefully take some of the stress away and help you to cook the perfect roast turkey.
What size turkey should I get?
The size of the turkey you should get depends on a few different factors. One main one is how many people you need it to feed. As a general rule, you should allow about 1 pound (uncooked) per person. Even if you don’t plan on having an army of guests, you should keep in mind that if you intend to have leftovers the next day you might want to get a turkey a little bigger that will provide more than one serving per person.
Top Tip: Not the most obvious thing to consider, you should also take into account the size of your oven. A classic comedic tale, many people have bought a turkey that’s the perfect size but find when they get it home it won’t fit in the oven! A good top tip is that if you need a turkey that will feed a larger number of guests, instead of buying one big one, buy two smaller ones. You’ll be able to fit them both in the oven and they’ll even fit in the fridge better in the run-up to the big day!
How long should I roast the turkey for?
Typically, the label on your turkey will give instructions to help you work out how long to roast it for. If it doesn’t, a good rule to follow is to allow about 40 minutes per kg or roughly 20 minutes per pound of the total weight of the bird, which includes any stuffing. If you are still unsure, the BBC have a really helpful tool to help you calculate how long to cook your meat for.
Top Tip: To achieve crispy skin on your turkey, you could try dry brining. This involves rubbing salt all over the turkey, which helps to draw out moisture. This salty moisture is then reabsorbed by the meat, which also dries out the skin, helping it to crisp up. You could also try increasing the temperature of your oven by about 20⁰c for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time.
Should I use a roasting rack?
Put simply, if you can, you should. The use of a roasting rack lifts the meat off of the bottom of the tray, allowing air to circulate around the meat which promotes even cooking. It also stops the meat from sticking to the bottom of the roasting tin. Because turkeys are often too large to flip in the tray, using a rack is one of the best ways to evenly cook your meat.
Top Tip: Don’t have a roasting rack? You can easily use vegetables to lift the turkey up. Simply use long carrots, thick slices of onion, or even celery sticks to elevate your roast. Doing this can also make your veggies extra flavourful!
Should I let the meat rest?
For the perfect juicy turkey, you should leave it to rest out of the oven before serving. If you were to carve the meat straight out of the oven, all of its lovely juices would seep out onto your chopping board. By leaving it to rest, you give the meat a chance to reabsorb these juices, as well as allowing the meat to coagulate making it easier to carve. Once out of the oven you should leave it to rest in a warm place for between 30 minutes – 1 hour.
Top Tip: When carving your meat, remove the legs by cutting through the skin that links it to the breast. Doing this will give you better access to the breast meat, making it a lot easier to show off your carving skills!
What can I have instead of turkey?
If you’re looking for something other than roast turkey this year, there are many alternatives that you can try. Goose is a great option, with fat that naturally bastes the meat, making it nearly impossible to dry it out. Another brilliant choice is gammon. Marinated in a honey and mustard dressing, gammon is soft and juicy and makes for a great leftover sandwich the next day.
Top Tip: Vegetarian options can often be few and far between when it comes to Christmas but there are many things you can do instead. Fish is a good choice and would pair well with those lovely roast potatoes that you might be cooking for other guests. If you want something that can go with a more traditional Christmas dinner, something like a nut roast or vegetarian wellington would work well with the other parts typically found in a roast dinner.
We hope that you have found these tips useful and wish you lots of luck with your Christmas dinner – we’re sure it will be delicious!
Remember, we will be open for pre-orders between Christmas and New Year. If you would like to find out more, please do get in touch and we’d be happy to help!
