Chef Interview: How Gillespie Catering manage 13+ menus a week

We had the delight with Jamie-Lee at Gillespie Catering, based in Grange & Broughty Golf Club last month. We talked about how they manage to cater for a large volume and variety of events and what it’s like working in the food industry.

Discover the secrets behind Gillespie Catering's success in this exclusive Chef interview. Learn how they manage 13+ menus weekly in our Chef interview.

Tell us a little about Gillespie Catering?

We are probably quite a unique catering company. We do a diverse range of catering events. This week alone we are doing a sit down wedding with 5 courses, a funeral for 200 and a funeral for 90. We can go from a buffet that’s budgeted to £300 right up to £5,000. I think that’s why we use the suppliers we do. We get that diversity from JB. We can go from a charity event that’s good quality but on a budget, but also flip it on its head and do fine dining. We don’t need a different supplier. And we also like using companies that are smaller, more Scottish based, because obviously we like to support our own if we can.

How do you cater to a large volume of such diverse events? 

I try to cross use products as much as I can, I think it’s the only way to be financially viable for the business. This week we are on about 13 different menus. So look at mince for example, out of 10kg of mince I can make chilli, Bolognese and mince. I work out how I am going to change that in a cost effective way, because I’m all about the frills and giving people more for their money. So how can I do that with fresh ingredients and make it into multiple products. It’s also about being able to think ahead. We have a curry night on Friday, so I offered the golf outing on Saturday an Indian banquet. It’s all down to stock control massively.

How did you get into cooking?

I’ve been doing this for so long now. All my nursery pictures are me with the teacher making mince and tatties. It’s kind of generational. My mum was part of all the businesses I’ve opened, she was my sous-chef. And then my mums mum was a bucheress, so I’ve learnt a lot from her, and then her mum used to cook for the royal family. So it’s come down generations.

How do you find working in the food industry? 

We are blessed because it’s a lifestyle not a job. Every minute and every second of every day is consumed by how we work really. I think it’s a blessing if you enjoy what you do, it’s not always a chore. Don’t get me wrong, some days I’m still like, is my shift over, can I switch my head off? In reality I think if you have a passion for what you do you never want to change that.

It’s worth it because food brings everyone together. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sad events like funerals or a celebration. Food is at the heart of most events in your life when you are around people.