Sandy's Kitchen

Lifestyle//

It is all about the flowers, food & fabulousness!

I’m excited for the start of 2020, with so much already on our plate, I can’t help but to stop and pause to reminisce at how Sandy’s Kitchen has grown into the fully-fledged event & catering service that it is today.

On reflection, food has been an integral part of my life, from the moment I could tug on my mum’s time-worn aprons, I was hooked. Growing up between loose pages of hand-me-down family recipes, Sunday roasts, candlelit dinner-times and spontaneous feasts – life was a large serving of food, conversation and love, garnished with tradition, style and celebration…always!

It was only natural that I followed my predestined path into the culinary world, developing my intrinsic love of food with a Cordon Bleu, followed by Prue Leith (London), the Ritz Escoffier (Paris), Ballymaloe (Ireland) and Giuliano Bugialli (Italy).

With my kitchen affair beginning as a yacht chef on the calm, but more often turbulent waters of our trans-Atlantic journey from Turkey to Antigua – bobbing around in the confines of the tiny hot kitchen taught me the adaptability, creativity and resilience which I still carry around with me today. From sea to forest, I spent a wonderful year working as the lodge chef in the magnificently tranquil Cybele Forest Lodge, followed by 7 years as the executive Nissan chef, after which I joined the renowned Bellini’s restaurant team. Sandy’s Kitchen started slowly in the comfort of my kitchen, initially catering small dinners and offering intimate cooking workshops. As the demand grew, so did my little business, and before I knew it Sandy’s Kitchen had become a household name and the all-encompassing catering and event service that it is today – offering a full board of services, from; catering, styling, floral design, bar services, waitrons, hire and supply, set-up and strike down. A one-stop event shop of excellence.

Of course, Sandy’s Kitchen wouldn’t have been possible without my incredible clients, my team of professional and talented staff and the inspiration that I have been privileged to draw from the many local and international cooking courses that I have been able to attend.

As we dive headlong into 2020 I’m delighted at how far Sandy’s Kitchen has come, at how many happy memories and events we have created, pouring our energy and unique Sandy’s Kitchen flavour into weddings, birthdays, corporate functions, anniversaries, dinner parties and more.

I’m a firm believer that food feeds the soul, it connects family and friends with memories and reinforces both tradition and culture – and as such my aim at Sandy’s Kitchen is to deliver the very best to my clients – the best looking, best tasting, most creative and unforgettable dishes, coupled with impeccable service, flawless organisation, and exquisite styling.

With our full range of quality services, we are able to customise each event exactly to our clients’ needs, and orchestrate culinary excellence from the smallest to the largest scale events.

Service

I work closely with my clients to create a special unparalleled feel board, to ensure that each client is served up an unforgettable and unique function. Each event is customised and fully organised to suit my client’s needs from; theme and décor, menu planning, hire and supply to staff management. We offer a fully inclusive décor service that incorporates; sourcing furniture and décor, styling, flowers, setup to final dismantling of the event.

Food

I am obsessed with sourcing the freshest, best quality, seasonal and local ingredients (where possible) – the quality of our ingredients speak for themselves, whether freshly picked herbs, free-range and organic meats, or homegrown veggies all from my local suppliers, you will always be in for a taste sensation.

At Sandy’s Kitchen, we weave together culinary flavours that are inspired by multi-disciplinary cuisine from all corners of the world. Our dishes are constantly evolving with the current food trends and styles and are set to suit our clients taste buds. Our food options are varied and large, ranging from canapés, harvest tables, buffets, to exquisitely plated, presented and served meals.

Styling

The décor and styling of every event is an integral part of our service – I love nothing more than adding colour, character and personality to our functions. As our business grows, so has our offering of floral art – from leafy loose arrangements to tighter structured Ikebana ones, from foraged veldy fynbos to the perfumed opulence of roses, an event is everything with a touch of floral. As Emma Goldman (the political activist and author) so aptly put it, ‘I’d rather have roses on my table, than diamonds on my neck’.

We recommend the perfect colour palette for your event and ensure that all accessories and furniture are a perfect complementary match.

“You cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf

Bar

We offer a full bar service with qualified and professional bartenders. Our bar service is arranged to meet our clients’ needs, and is styled according to their themed event.

Sandy’s Kitchen is your single resource event catering service, operating in both Johannesburg and Cape Town – for all your enquiries sandys.kitchen@icloud.com / +27 82 882 0238