Choose your weapons for the festive lunch
As I write this, the turkey trot is reaching a crescendo and my participation in the Christmas lunches is dwindling rapidly to "I'll just have a chipolata" as I dash from contract to contract.
There is one lunch which will remain in my thoughts for quite a while, though, mainly owing to the lack of food which was consumed.
First, the magician arrived with his coloured hankies and tickling stick. I was about to remind him that this wasn't a children's party but then remembered our youthful customers.
I then started to suspect that something "different" was going to happen when the customers started to arrive wearing cycle helmets, safety goggles and upturned colanders on their heads. Then I realised that while lunch was about to begin - so was battle.
Our customers at this contract are quite a young lively bunch and they save up all their energy for this annual slaughter.
The starters had only just finished when the room started to explode with wheezing balloons, party poppers, hooters and - oh dear - pea-shooters. I knew that there was no stopping them when I saw my senior client (Hi, Bob) firing across the room with a shooter full of ammunition.
Staff clearing the dirty plates certainly deserved a medal as they stormed the dining room armed only with serving trays doubling as riot shields.
Retaliation was sweet from our staff when I saw the water pistols being filled. I decided to leave…
This month saw the result of some forgotten networking six months ago. In fact, a double dose of success.
It all began at an awards dinner when Charlton House was successful in winning an award for Innovation through Leadership in the Oxfordshire Business Awards.
A company sharing our table, while unsuccessful that evening, were generous in sharing with us their commiserative Champagne.
Inevitably the conversation turned to "and what does your company do?". Surprisingly, my fellow diners understood what contract catering was all about and didn't ask if I could do a finger buffet for 50 for their daughter's wedding in a week's time.
It came to light that their company actually uses contract caterers. Business cards were exchanged and, unlike my usual form, their card then sat on my desk unturned until I received a phone call inviting me in to talk to them. That was six weeks ago and we start the new contract at the beginning of January.
Owing to this and other recent gains we are about to launch a big recruitment drive to increase our HQ support staff. We are on the lookout for mobile managers and chefs who have a passion for good food and service, ones who want to be part of our ambitious targets for 1997.
