When Pamela contacted us with regard to hosting her retirement party, after many successful years as director of a fashion supplier in Tiptree, we said we would be delighted. Then she mentioned that the party was to be held on the company’s rooftop patio, which was four floors up… without a lift as it’s a listed building and it’s never been feasible to have one fitted. ‘Not a problem,’ we said, hiding from her only the slightest hint of trepidation. Carting hot food and accompaniments up four flights of stone stairs?
Rain wasn’t forecast, but that’s never a problem anyway, as we can cook a hog roast on-site under our marquee. But we decided that cooking a small suckling pig off-site was the best option, as Pamela decided to keep it simple and offer the roast, crackling, buns and wraps to the company’s staff. We had a handful of vegetarians and vegans to cater for, so we also offered Mushroom and Halloumi Tartlets and Sticky Rice Stuffed Peppers.
It was a scorching day when we sent Ross and Steve (two very fit, strong guys) to set up. Hog Roast Tiptree quickly set-up trestle tables, a mini-gazebo and food for 35 upstairs, whilst parked on a single yellow!
Suitable parking sorted, Hog Roast Tiptree then proceeded to serve food to a hungry retinue of staff on a Friday afternoon. It smelt delicious and went down a storm. Pamela had certainly planned a good send-off as cupcakes arrived from her favourite local bakery, and her company provided enough champagne to float and sink the Queen Mary! It was certainly an elegant event: strings of indigo fairy lights had been coiled into buckets dotted underneath the balcony walls, and the gorgeously dressed employees certainly lived up to their title as fashionistas.