One of the great things about having your wedding at Ash Barton is that you can choose whichever company you like when it comes to catering your event. There are, however, some suppliers that we regularly see here including Latitudes Catering. (Take a look at our full list of recommended event suppliers here.) 

So we were pleased to catch up with Lara from Latitudes recently to talk about their famous tapas and mezze, and to see if they had any top tips for Ash Barton couples.  

What’s the best thing about doing the catering at an Ash Barton wedding?

“Ash Barton is so unique out of all the venues in the South West in that you can do what you want, when you want without any worry of curfews or rules being broken…within reason! It’s always been a magical venue and after the January refurb of the barn, it’s now incredible.

“Another great plus for us is that we’re just down the road, which is always handy if we’ve forgotten something!”

You’re well known for your amazing paella and tapas. What other dishes do you offer?

“Our menus are inspired by our travels and this is reflected in our style of food: from Thailand with its fragrant curries to Alaskan snow crab with simple melted butter and loaded fries.

“We're always keen to try new dishes that we think couples would love to share with their family and friends on their special day. One of our favourite regions is the Mediterranean. We think it's a relaxed style of eating that translates perfectly into a wedding breakfast and it always brings such a lovely atmosphere to the tables.

“Last year our tapas and Middle Eastern mezze were our most popular menus. For 2021 we've added a Greek mezze, another of our favourite culinary destinations.”

“Latitudes Catering provided a fantastic paella on our Spanish themed night, the night before the wedding. Served outside around the fire pit, it was a lovely way to kick start the celebrations. They also provided a fantastic brunch the morning of the wedding which was served in the courtyard. They were fantastic at catering to our needs and they really helped us make the most of Ash Barton by using all the lovely settings.” Nicola Smith, Ash Barton bride

Do you offer set menus? Or are you completely flexible?

“We’re completely flexible. As soon as we get an email, we suggest a phone call or a meeting if the couple is local, so we can get a true feel for the direction they want to go in. Next we share menus that we think would suit them so they can get an idea of pricing. And once we have a firm starting point, we work together in creating something unique and special for them.”

Do you offer menu tasting?

“Yes we do. It takes place at our home and the couples (and sometimes family) can have a full run through of their chosen menus. Some couples even book before they’ve had a taster! Everyone is different in their approach.”

Are your ingredients sourced locally?

“Absolutely, wherever possible. Obviously, some world food ingredients are specialised, so they’re sourced from speciality suppliers.”

And do you cater for all kinds of intolerances/beliefs?

“Yes, from the first point of contact we cover any special requirements such as gluten free, nut free, vegan and kosher.”

What’s the strangest food request you’ve received?

“It wasn’t an Ash Barton wedding but a private residence in North Devon. The bride to be was from Uzbekistan and there’s a traditional wedding dish called plov (similar to a lamb pilaf) cooked in a kazan which is like a Dutch oven. We managed to source a kazan from Germany and spent time watching videos of plov being cooked. But then we found out that they had sourced a traditional plov chef from London to come down and cook it. But the upside is that we now know how to cook a plov!”

So how long have you been running Latitudes?

“We’ve been around for about six years. But my outside catering career started 24 years ago in London where I had a business catering company for photographic fashion studio lunches. We moved to Devon 18 years ago and in that time I’ve worked in various restaurants, managed a school kitchen, owned two restaurants and had another catering partnership before Latitudes.”

Tell us about what happens on the day of an Ash Barton wedding

“We come in and set up in the catering kitchen the day before the wedding. Then on the day we will be up at Ash Barton as early as possible continuing the prep and getting everything ready. Generally, we will also be doing the evening food. So often we're there until the stroke of midnight and beyond.”

What advice would you give couples when it comes to the catering?

“It helps if couples have a clear idea about their catering budget from the beginning. But we will always work with couples to create something special regardless of their budget size. And to make sure you include your other suppliers who need feeding on the day e.g. your photographer, band members, and wedding planner as they’re often forgotten!”

And finally, what tips would you give to Ash Barton couples to ensure their day runs smoothly?

“Hire Katie at Best Day Ever! Or at least delegate, delegate, delegate! And most importantly: if you’re feeling stressed on the big day just take a step back, take a deep breath, relax and enjoy. It goes so quickly.”