Catering couple set to cook up a storm (From Cotswold Journal)

Catering couple set to cook up a storm

11:50am Thursday 24th May 2012 in Business By Mike Pryce

A husband and wife team are set to cook up a storm in Worcester after expanding their catering business and creating employment opportunities.

Andy and Naz Sanderson, owners of Red Hen Cookery, have signed a five-year lease for a units at Oak House on the Everoak Estate in Bromyard Road.

The couple previously ran their business from home in Malvern, delivering freshly made lunches to local nurseries as well as running a mobile cookery school, which provides courses for members of the public in conjunction with local and national organisations.

The new unit provides ample space to build two kitchens, one for commercial use and the other for hosting the couple’s own cookery courses.

Working in partnership with Worcestershire County Council, Red Hen Cookery is also hoping to establish independent living cookery courses for adults with special needs and disabilities.

Red Hen is holding an an open day to launch the cookery school on Saturday, June 9.

Mrs Sanderson said: “We had outgrown our home kitchen and the mobile cookery school was also becoming very popular, especially with existing customers asking for more courses. Having our own teaching kitchen will give us the freedom to meet our customers’ needs with courses during the day, evenings and at weekends. We hope to offer an extensive range of services at the cookery school at an affordable price, enabling everyone to enjoy good food and learn a new skill. From children’s after school and holiday clubs to adult courses, weekend family cookery experiences to specialist courses like sugar craft, butchery and a wine connoisseur who can tell people which wines go with certain foods. Hopefully there will be something for everyone.

“We also want to expand our catering services to include event catering for anything from a business lunch to weddings. As the business grows, we will be looking to employ more local people to cope with the demand.”

Charlotte Fullard, senior surveyor at letting agents Halls Commercial, said: “Oak House is the perfect place for Red Hen Cookery to grow. With clients in Worcester and the surrounding areas, it was important for Naz and Andy to find a central location with enough space to accommodate the catering side of the business as well as the cookery school.”