THE CHEF
I grew up in a small community in northern New South Wales, on the land, about 35km out of the country town of Casino. We had chickens, geese, cattle and gardens of different edible produce. My parents are fantastic cooks, and so were their parents.
One of the turning points towards a cooking career was that my parents bought a block of land down the road from the farm, and the previous owner had established a very significant garden. In two large plots were some of the most extraordinary fruits & vegetables growing that you have ever seen — custard apples, avocados, papaya, varieties of chillies, melons, pumpkins and stone fruit to name just a few!
There was for me (and still is) something special about picking the fragrant, sweet, perfect ‘wild grown’ full of flavour produce that was growing there. When I look back now, I see this childhood experience as being one of the major influences on my quest for the quality produce that I use today.
Working in some of the most renowned restaurants in the world, combining my passion for food and sheer hard work, I have trained alongside some of the best chefs and their protégé in 3, 2 and 1-hat restaurants. I have learnt thousands of recipes and skills to an exacting standard which have ensured that I gained positions of responsibility in extremely successful establishments.
In 2007, my son, Lachlan was born and so was the business Hand Made Catering. The business was set up to specialise in food & wine matching. A combination of superior produce, the ability to create menus that are tailored to the client’s needs and the skills to deliver have ensured that, with guidance, clients can create their unique menus for their special event rather than being told what they are having!
My parents instilled in me honesty, integrity, consistency, hard work and passion. These are the foundations upon which Hand Made Catering is built. Our menus and customer service are a testament to this.
With over twenty years experience and a guarantee that we will use only the finest produce, paired with our team’s passion for cooking, we look forward to making your event memorable and thoroughly enjoyable.
We look forward to speaking with you soon!
Stuart Oldfield
