Let’s begin by telling us a bit about your company, Super Event.
Super Event evolved. We originally traded as a catering company, like many others offering catering services, simple as that. Too be frank we came across endless problems seemingly on every event. A wedding often involves many contractors, a Marquee company, another company for mobile toilets and often another for a generator. This is a great opportunity for things to go wrong and a real head ache for the client trying to manage and coordinate all these providers’. delivery times, access, who is doing this who is doing that? We came across countless problems. We then made the big decision to provide our own Marquees. This was a massive financial leap for us but solved a huge number of problems. We then continued with our efforts to bring everything in house (All the key services) and moved into our own mobile toilets, generators tables chairs etc. We believe we are now the only firm most certainly in the South East and perhaps even the country that offers the client a complete turn key solution for all these services from one company.
How busy is Super Event during wedding season?
We are fortunate in so much as we have an incredibly loyal client base who come back to us for a second daughters wedding, another school ball etc. In addition to this we secure new customers each year. We are as busy as it is possible for us too be during peak season. Crazy busy!!
How important have employees been to Super Event’s success?
It’s all about the team, it’s all about the key people. We are in “The people business”….that just happens to be catering and Marquees. We have secured the best team of staff I believe it is possible to get. All long serving staff, 24 years to the newest of say ten years.
What does Super Event do that sets it above its competitors?
We offer a complete service of catering, marquees, furniture, generators, and much much more. More than this we provide each of these elements individually to the highest standard.
What has been your biggest challenge in the catering industry?
The catering industry evolves day by day. The businesses is fashionable and demanding. Our clients “up” their demands all the time. It get’s better, it get tougher. In order to survive grow and still be here you have too be good. Super Event Limited has been in the market place for 24 years now, I guess this speaks volumes.
What would you say your most popular menu item is?
What’s popular today will change tomorrow. Dishes come in and out of fashion. It’s a very fashion lead business. A TV chef promotes something as being fabulous it will come through to us. However, it’s quite remarkable that what goes around comes around. Dishes of the 70’s and 80’s are again being required. New ingredients come into the market place all the time and change with fashion. So, it is impossible for me to identify one dish as it changes so quickly.
Where do your chefs get inspiration for their menu selection?
Chef’s get inspiration from holidays, other chefs, travelling, from each other, training courses and more. Good chefs absorb as though it’s a hobby, a poster in a train station a magazine books etc. I could go on. Good chefs learn and gain inspiration from simply working on a daily basis in their particular field. You never stop learning in this business, you can’t. It changes so quickly you have to be inspired.
What has been the most memorable event your company has catered?
I would struggle to name one particular event. We have worked with fabulous people on great events of all kinds for years. each and every one is vital too us, and vital to the client. If (If) I had to mention one it was in fact a wedding for a young couple who both have Downs Syndrome, and was in fact a recent event of 20116. It was the most fun, best party event of two young people celebrating I can recall in my 40 odd years of being in the business. A truly a fabulous occasion. We work with great people all the time, week after week. We are after all “In the party business” people are hell bent on fun and it’s great too work with these people.
Do you have any advice for those looking to start in the catering industry?
It’s very simple, very simple indeed. Be good. Whatever you do, be good. Constantly ask yourself “Is this good enough, how can we make it better” You have too be good in this line off work. failure is not an option. In all that we do, we aim to exceed a clients expectation and seek too make it better and better. Clients demand it. Quality in all areas of is the most important point. Three golden rules for people starting in this business, Quality, Quality and Quality. Be good, it’s as simple as that.
What is the next big goal for Super Event to reach?
Too make what we do better, faster, sleeker, sexier…..just better. It’s our ultimate aim and transcends all we do. We have to be good, failure is not an option.
Tony Brewin is the owner of Super Event.