Caprice gives event catering another try

Caprice Holdings, which owns celebrity London restaurants Le Caprice, the Ivy, Daphne's and J Sheekey, relaunched its event catering arm, Caprice Events, at the Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park, London, earlier this week.

Caprice Events was started eight years ago, but was wound down during the opening of J Sheekey and the merger with Signature Restaurants in 1998.

Mark Hix, chef-director of Caprice Holdings, said the company was now seeking to develop its business.

"Event catering is a good way to expand the business without spending too much capital," Hix said. "You don't have to spend a million on a new restaurant. Outside catering is bespoke, so you just hire or buy as you need it."

Caprice Holdings director Jesus Adorno fronted the 100-seat restaurant at Frieze, which served English bistro food similar to the Ivy. There was also a VIP lounge and a caf‚ serving take-away lunchboxes, with dishes such as salt beef with crushed potatoes and watercress, priced £3.95-£6.50, and sandwiches such as suckling pig baps at £4.50. All the food was prepared in a small off-site kitchen.

Hix would not speculate on how much turnover the new business would generate in its first year, but said they would consider all types of events, from small dinner parties to functions for 1,000 people. He added that the catering menu offered everything from mini hamburgers to foie gras and was not just aimed at the company's restaurant clientele, although the company's reputation did help.

"It makes sense for us to tie in the whole food operation. People like the idea that they are getting food from the same people who run the Ivy," Hix said.