Sue Randall of Oxford Fine Dining was interviewed recently live on BBC Radio Oxford about catering for dinner parties and family celebrations in people’s own homes. The feature was entitled “Dining in is the new dining out”, which is something that OFD is quite familiar with as regular providers of high class food and service for clients in their homes or at house parties. As Sue says in the interview, having Oxford Fine Dining come along with all the crockery, glasses, and table linen, to cook and serve the menu of the hosts’ choice and clearing away afterwards, is the best way to have a completely stress free dinner party. Sue adds, “Entertaining at home is very popular and having a professional chef in your kitchen provides a unique focus for the hosts and the guests, especially if it is open plan.”
Listen to the interview here: SUE RANDALL BBC RADIO OXFORD
Name dropping
By Sue | July 5, 2011
Oxford Fine Dining has recently served a number of well-known people during their visits to Oxford. Prince Andrew enjoyed an Oxford Fine Dining afternoon tea at the Nuffield School for Medicine, whilst FW de Klerk, the former president of South Africa, was a guest at an Oxford Fine Dining lunch at Rhodes House. The day before the Royal Wedding, the Governor of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, was in Oxford at one of our events before heading to London and Westminster Abbey. Oxford Fine Dining has also served food at a dinner at which Gen Stanley McChrystal, former commander of US troops in Afghanistan, was a guest.
Oxford Fine Dining held their first wedding at Worton Park on Saturday 21st May 2011. The bride and groom, Jo and Allan Boyland, entertained 38 people to a hot sit down 3-course wedding breakfast in the venue’s Blue Room.
Worton Park’s poolside setting with an Italian terrace area provided a perfect location for the 80 evening guests, who joined the happy couple for an 80’s disco. Oxford Fine Dining served bacon and sausage baps to finish off the happy day.
Oxford Fine Dining has been appointed approved caterer for Cats Abbey, an exquisite barn conversion half way between Oxford and Cheltenham in the Cotswolds.
Cats Abbey was designed and built as a gathering place for groups of up to 24 for family get-togethers, birthdays, anniversaries, wedding receptions or just a weekend away with friends. The dining space can seat up to 30 and although the kitchen is a cooks delight, many guests prefer to have Oxford Fine Dining to prepare and serve a special meal, especially for a celebration such as an 40th or 21st birthday, a wedding or wedding anniversary.
Sue Randall, Managing Director of Oxford Fine Dining, said ”This is such a wonderful venue for small parties who want a more intimate location for a celebration. The first event we did at Cats Abbey was a 40th birthday party with guests enjoying a champagne reception before sitting down to a 3 course dinner. Everyone loved the meal – and we loved the facilities.” The host later commented:
“Once again, many thanks for the great job you did that evening. Our guests were all very happy and impressed with the food and service you provided, as were Angela and I.”
Angela and Sunhil Seghal
Oxford Fine Dining celebrated a successful 2010 with dinner at two-Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons restaurant. After a magnificent meal, Oxford Fine Dining’s directors were delighted to be asked to visit the kitchens, where Executive Head Chef Gary Jones gave them a guided tour of the Manoir’s kitchen complex. Sue Randall, commented, “The meal was quite outstanding but the opportunity for us to see the kitchens in operation was fascinating. As fellow chefs this was the icing on the cake to see how such a famous kitchen operates, especially with a kitchen brigade of over fifty dedicated professionals.”
The dinner was a special occasion to mark their 10% growth on turnover in 2010. Oxford Fine Dining became an approved caterer for a number of additional venues including Old Manor House in Lew, Bodleian Library, Yarnton Manor and Worton Park which resulted in an increase in wedding business. As in-house caterer for North oxford Golf Club, the OFD team has also instigated events that include carvery lunches and a fine dining club as well as an increased number of private functions.
Led by Sue Randall, Martin Bridgman and Mel Cooper, the Oxford Fine Dining team has ambitious plans to expand the business further in 2011.
Oxford Fine Dining has been appointed as an approved caterer for one of Oxfordshire’s newest wedding venues, Worton Park. Based in the countryside near Cassington, Worton Park has ample space for a marquee with a farmhouse that you can hire for accommodation or there is the Blue Room with an Italian garden and poolside terrace.