| The only way is up.... Things are steadily on the up and up in Christchurch and here at White Tie Catering - we are just days away from moving into our new kitchen, we have completed a knock out Dome Bistro week, operated a ball in the airport's international departure lounge, shuttled staff to and from work in 4WDs with chains and finally got on to replacing the green blinds and pink doors in our new office. It has certainly been a Winter of much to do. A brief look at recent events..... DOME BISTRO The Dome Bistro was a sell out success with 500 guests coming to Hagley Park for our pop-up restaurant for a week. Diners enjoyed the usual bistro fare with some added fun from Jonny Schwass and The Bicycle Thief teams, great local wines and Escarto's C4 coffee (many people will remember Paulus and his coffee stand from Cathedral Square). To add to it all, The Little Big Tree Co. gave us trees for the Dome and we asked guests to write notes of thanksgiving to adorn them. By the end of the week we had several hundred notes of positivity and gratitude...for Christchurch, its resilience, its people, its portaloos and its potential. |
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| CHILD CANCER BALL We were privileged once again to be able to assist the Child Cancer Foundation in putting on their annual ball to raise money for children with cancer and their families. The annual 'Beads of Courage' ball was held at the Christchurch International Airport's international terminal with a logistical operation literally bigger than Ben Hur. Between Aviation Security and New Zealand Customs, loading in off the tarmac and the last flight departing at 4.30pm with the ball starting at 6pm, the challenges were immense. The airport company's operations teams, AvSec, Customs and the airport fire crew were exceptional in helping us overcome every obstacle and 420 guests enjoyed a faultless night. On arrival they were greeted with mock-security search antics from Lyttelton's Loon Theatre Company before travelling through Duty Free to the Flight Deck Bar..... The evening has resulted in almost $70,000 worth of fundraising including contributed hours from White Tie front of house staff. Another reason why we think they're simply the best around. |
| CHRISTMAS DINE & DANCE All this snow has us thinking about Christmas and while it may seem months away yet, the dates in our diary always book up fast. This year after some prodding from clients we have decided to put on a Dine & Dance evening for those of you looking for just one or two tables for Christmas dinner rather than a separate staff party. Our Christmas event includes full dinner & supper menu, wine, beer & all non-alcoholic beverages, live music & dancing and magical Christchurch decor that includes edible decorations for a bit of fun. Once you book, you'll also receive beautiful Christmas invitations to give out to your guests. Venue: Pemberton, Prebbleton Date: Friday 9 December 2011 Timing: 6.30pm - 12am Cost: $100.00 per person ex GST For a copy of the menu or to book, contact georgina@whitetiecatering.co.nz |
| THE THEATRE OF FOOD We are, as most of you know, mad keen supporters of Christchurch's beloved Court Theatre. The Court is working towards raising $4.6million to build a new home in a shed in Addington. As part of that campaign, they have launched 'Host! a feast for The Court.' The idea is to host your own dinner party at home, invite friends and charge them what you think your dinner is worth (or what they think, which ever opinion has the highest value!), and then give those proceeds to The Court Theatre. The Host! campaign runs from 1 - 4 September. To register your event, email host@courttheatre.org.nz SEND US YOUR FIRST BORNS.... Part of the secret to our success with staff is that so many of them have a connection with us - whether it's family friends, siblings or children of current staff, neighbours or the children of clients. We are about to start our Summer recruitment drive to bolster our casual staff numbers to accommodate what promises to be a bumper season in Christchurch. We will be looking for front of house staff and dishwashers (no experience necessary as we provide training) and experienced supervisors and kitchen hands. If you know of anyone who may be interested, get them to email indications of interest and CVs to glenda.m@whitetiecatering.co.nz From all of us at White Tie Catering, keep warm and dry through to the end of Winter and we'll see you when Christchurch blooms in Spring.  TART UP CHRISTMAS Our very own tart, Tina, has booked in her much-loved Christmas class. This is your Christmas dinner sorted - with a delicious contemporary Christmas menu, theming ideas and our own Christmas shop for some of your gift solutions. As always, after a full class of recipes and demonstration, you will relax over lunch before heading home replete in Christmas splendour. Class starts at 10am, 29 October 2011 at Pemberton. $150.00 per person including lunch and recipes. To book, contact tricia@whitetiecatering.co.nz |
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| WHITE TIE CARE PACKAGE... Some of our clients and friends outside Christchurch have been asking us to drop off food parcels to friends who need a little TLC. We love the idea, who doesn’t appreciate someone else doing the cooking? So, we’ve put our heads together and come up with a range of perfect heat and eat White Tie style dinners that we can drop off anywhere in Christchurch. Contact georgina@whitetiecatering.co.nz for the menus and prices, make your pick and we’ll take care of the rest. Orders must be received by 5pm on a Tuesday to be delivered within the week. |
| ONE OF OUR OWN..... Congratulations to our own Client Services Manager Georgina who married her British beau Lewis Cullen in January. Thanks to them both for the 5 weeks heads up - luckily we knew a good caterer.... George and Lewis decided to get married while Lewis' parents were visiting New Zealand, so the challenge was on to find a date and venue asap. George chose her cousins Weedons farm between the Oak trees in a marquee built by Lewis' colleagues at Hyde Park Hire. Being the wedding of one of our own, the pressure was on to make things a little different.... We strung dozens of metres of coloured bunting through the marquee, made by our own Creative Director Tina. Tables were topped with jars of bright coloured lollies and gerberas and food stations flanked by the flags of their national cuisine - a New Zealand food station for George, English for Lewis and a Greek food station representing where they met and fell in love. Guests dined on kiwi classics like fresh steamed mussels and parmesan crusted lamb cutlets; British greats such as fish and chips, bacon butties and aged cheddar and the couples' Greek favourites of lemon parsley prawns, tzatziki and homemade flatbreads, Greek salad and sweet onion pie. A dessert sideboard featured Campari and grapefruit macaroons, coffee pastry cream eclairs and chocolate mousse to name a few. Guests worked off dinner with games of cricket, tennis and petanque before tearing up the dance floor until a supper of traditional toasted cheese rolls. It was a superb wedding and proved just how much can be achieved in a short space of time and the right event team. Here's to Mr & Mrs Cullen (and finally an official marriage between White Tie and our friends at Hyde Park!). ................................. |
| WHITE TIE CITY MISSION FUND
NOURISH EACH OTHER In this time of financial trial, many more of our neighbours in the city are struggling to provide for themselves and their families. The Christchurch City Mission is currently coping with a 150 per cent increase in demand for food parcels while still running its night shelter, providing hot meals and supporting local care centres. Coupled with this huge increase in demand is the decrease in charitable donations. More and more families are lining up, hit by redunancies or lost working hours in the credit crunch. So, we've decided to make it easy for everyone - we're going to produce food for the Christchurch City Mission with your help. With your contributions, we will purchase ingredients to produce warm, nutritional, home cooked meals for the night shelter and provide fresh, quality baked goods for food parcels. Our staff are donating their time and our commercial kitchen will run after hours to produce this food. We've crunched some numbers, and with no labour cost, help from our major food supplier BidVest and basic ingredients, we can produce meals such as shepherd's pie, lasagne, casserole and soup and homemade breads and biscuits for food parcels significantly cheaper than the average home. A donation of $20 for example would allow us to feed 16 for dinner at the night shelter. The National Bank has set up the White Tie City Mission fund for your donations, which can be made directly to account 06-0817-0315242-00. Alternatively, cheques can be sent to the White Tie City Mission Fund, P O Box 22 002, Christchurch 8142 or call 03 365 2837 to make a credit card donation. Think about it like this - feeding your community will also nourish your soul. Only good can come from it.... Winter 2009 WHITE TIE’S 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY... Tina and Grant Duncan have been the owners of White Tie Catering for 10 fabulous years! To celebrate, they are launching a series of events to mark this milestone which also gives them an opportunity to have some fun...so read on to find out about our White Tie Winter Bistro, the Great Gatsby and some new advances for White Tie. WHITE TIE WINTER BISTRO - 2010 update The famously nomadic Tina and Grant are taking their roving style to a whole new level – through winter, White Tie will host a series of al la carte pop up restaurants. For just one Thursday night a month, White Tie will create a bistro in a secret location and give clients a chance to enjoy the style of a truly local intimate winter bistro. This is for those, like us, who yearn for simple, classic dishes inspired by the food our mothers used to make?crispy light wiener schnitzel, slow braised lamb, cauliflower gratin, mac and cheese, steamed pudding and a generous list of reds by the glass. The bistro will remind our clients that high end food is about quality, not cost and it will deliver a la carte service at local bistro prices. Each one-night-only restaurant will make casual winter dining an occasion to remember. Tina will be your chef, Grant your maître d’ and warm, a la carte soul restoring food awaits you?.. The first winter bistro will be open on Thursday June 3, remaining dates yet to be confirmed. The style and size of the tables will depend on each venue so seats only can be booked. Seats are strictly limited, booking is essential. All guests will receive a message the day before their bistro date to advise them of the location. Bookings can be made on 03 365 2837 or magic@whitetiecatering.co.nz. WHITE TIE IN WELLINGTON White Tie goes inter-island for the first time with a move to the Air New Zealand Wellington Koru Lounges. After taking over the two Christchurch lounges in July 2008, Air New Zealand has asked White Tie to move into the capital where almost 10,000 people pass through its lounges each week – that’s a lot of lamb braise? Working to run a remote contract has been a big and challenging job but so far, the transition’s gone without a hitch. The Company took over the lounge and its staff on May 17th and put in place the on-site production model that’s been so successful in Christchurch. This means Koru passengers are offered food that’s created especially for them, fresh on-site, from the oven to the buffet. Enjoy! Go to the Koru lounges online for more information about membership and benefits. |
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Tel: (03) 365 2837 Email: magic@whitetiecatering.co.nz |