MEET OUR SUSSEX CATERING TEAM

The Squad.

The familiar faces keeping plates full, glasses topped up and everything running just as it should.

We take

food

very

seriously.

Ourselves?

Not

so

much.

Oh. It’s Soph.

Sophie grew up around proper ingredients and people who knew their way around a joint of meat. As a butcher’s daughter, feeding people wasn’t so much a career choice as something that had been quietly marinating for years. Today, she creates bespoke food for weddings, parties, business events and the hungry lot at Horsham Sports Club.

She cares deeply about generous portions, a spotless kitchen and guests who feel properly looked after. There’s plenty of laughter behind the scenes too, and occasionally some dancing. Sophie takes your food, your timings and your trust very seriously. Herself? Considerably less so.

Martin Fowler aka Charlie

Charlie is Sophie’s older brother and one of the hardest grafters in the squad. He’s usually found tending the American smoker, coaxing big flavours out of good meat with plenty of patience, smoke and the occasional prod.

He’s happiest behind the scenes, keeping things moving and making sure nobody leaves hungry. He doesn’t make a great fuss about it. The food makes quite enough noise on its own.

Lizzie Duke

With 30 years of catering experience under her apron, Liz has seen just about everything a busy kitchen can throw at her and knows exactly how to handle it. She works alongside Sophie to deliver catering at Horsham Sports Club, from everyday favourites and sporting occasions to parties, functions and those particularly busy days when everybody seems to arrive hungry at once.

As the matriarch of the squad, Liz brings experience, calm and the sort of common sense you simply cannot teach. She keeps standards high, people fed and the rest of the team on their toes, usually with a well-timed word and a look that says she already knew that would happen.

Me Julie

Julia is our coffee morning manager and the friendly face making sure everything runs smoothly at Horsham Sports Club. She keeps the drinks flowing, the treats moving and always has time for a proper chat with our regulars.

Warm, dependable and naturally good with people, Julie helps make coffee mornings feel less like a service and more like a get-together. She knows who takes what, who is due a catch-up and probably what everyone has been up to since last week.

King Adam

Adam manages the catering at Barns Green, overseeing the kitchen and making sure the daily menu leaves the pass exactly as it should. He’s a promising young talent with a strong work ethic, a good head for a busy service and a willingness to get stuck into whatever the day throws at him.

Hardworking, dependable and just the right amount of cheeky, Adam brings plenty of energy to the kitchen. He’s learning quickly, growing in confidence and shaping up to be a very important part of Sophie’s squad. Just don’t tell him we said that. It’ll go straight to his head.

Auntie Kim

Kim brings years of events and hospitality experience to the squad, as one half of the family-run Bennett’s Bars. She knows exactly what it takes to keep drinks flowing, guests happy and an event running smoothly, whether it’s a wedding, party or corporate celebration.

She and Sophie regularly work side by side, combining brilliant food with bars, hospitality and calm coordination. Kim is always ready to lend a hand, solve a problem and make sure everyone is properly looked after. She’s the sort of person you want at an event, especially when things get busy and someone needs to know what they’re doing. Bennett’s Bars brings over 40 years of combined industry experience to its events.

Big Bird aka Ceara

Ceara is approximately seven feet tall, depending on who you ask, which makes her the squad’s official top-shelf pasta retriever. More importantly, she has a heart of gold and can turn her hand to preparing just about anything the kitchen sends her way.

You’ll find Ceara at most of the bigger catering jobs, getting stuck in, keeping things moving and greeting everyone with a friendly smile. Dependable, capable and always happy to help, she’s a very useful person to have around, especially when the step ladder has gone missing.

Millie Con Carnie

Millie does the chilli, which naturally makes her Millie Con Carne. When she’s not cooking up a crowd-pleasing batch, she’s getting stuck into whatever else needs preparing and bringing plenty of fun to the kitchen.

She’s also a brilliant photographer with a knack for capturing our food at its very best. Thanks to Millie, the catering looks almost as good in photographs as it tastes in real life. Almost.

Alfredo

Freddie is officially the groundsman at Horsham Sports Club, but that has never stopped him popping into the kitchen at every available opportunity, just in case we’ve forgotten his name. We haven’t, Alfredo. Not yet, anyway.

When Fireworks Night rolls around, he takes on his most important role as Chief of Hot Chocolates. Armed with mugs, marshmallows and a healthy sense of authority, Freddie helps keep the crowds warm while making absolutely certain nobody forgets who made them.

Olive from On the Buses

Known to the team as Olive from On the Buses, Oliver is the patriarch of the boys, fiercely family-orientated and always ready with an honest review of whatever leaves the kitchen. He runs a tight ship, keeps everyone in line and has been known to charm a guest or two along the way. A proper family man, a shameless flirt and an all-round gem.

Shaggy, but cleaner

Ryan is our deep-cleaning hero and somehow looks more like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo than Shaggy does. He keeps the kitchen spotless, keeps the team laughing and can always be relied upon when there is a proper job to be done. Funny, hardworking and completely dependable, he is the sort of person every busy kitchen needs.

Our Lady Immaculate

Jade’s handwriting is far too immaculate to waste on ordinary jobs, so she has been appointed Chief Sign Writer. When she is not making the boards look presentable, she helps across the kitchen and front of house and is currently training to become our official Wedding Girl. Clipboard pending.

Ibiza Final Boss aka Steve

Steve pops in and out of the kitchen throughout the year, but you’ll usually find him supporting Charlie at BBQ functions during the summer. He’s always ready to lend a hand, keep the grill moving and make sure hungry guests don’t stay hungry for long.

Forever smiling and never short of conversation, Steve loves chatting with guests while he works. He brings plenty of good humour to every event, along with the sort of friendly energy that makes everyone feel instantly welcome.

The Bubbly Boys

Lucas and Mikey are our very own Fizzical Education Department, stepping in to support the squad at major events and catering functions. You’ll usually find them circulating with champagne and canapés, provided they’ve finished checking which side their hair is parted.

Polished, attentive and brilliant with guests, they know how to make a strong first impression and keep the service flowing effortlessly. They bring charm, confidence and just enough vanity to every occasion.

The Real Boss Babes

Chloe, Sophie’s sister, and Mandy, their mum, are proof that Sophie’s Kitchen really is a family affair. With catering in their blood and a shared instinct for looking after people, they are always ready to step in when the big events and busy functions call.

Their support goes far beyond serving food. They bring the warmth, care and quiet understanding that only family can. Sophie’s Kitchen may have grown into a brilliant squad, but family will always be at the heart of it.

Little Sausage

Hermione is the youngest member of the family catering dynasty. She’s already getting stuck into kitchen life, learning the ropes and proving that the family talent has made it safely into the next generation.

Currently specialising in sausage rolls, Hermione brings enthusiasm, concentration and a smile to every shift. Give her a few years and she’ll probably be running the place, so Sophie had better enjoy being in charge while it lasts.

Look like your sort of people?

If you want a friendly, hardworking team who care about the food as much as you do, we should probably have a chat.