catering | Posh Nosh Ireland

Let’s Talk Canapés

A canapé is a type of appetizer served before a meal, a small bite size portion usually decoratively presented. Commonly served before dinner accompanied by a cocktail. Typically known in America as Passed Hors d’Oeuvres.
The traditional technical composition of a canapé consists of a base, a main item and a garnish. For example Golden fried potato bread (base) topped with whipped goats cheese (main item) , pickled heritage beetroot and pearls (garnish).

 

However modern canapés take many forms but the purpose remains the same, to have a tasty bite size hand held nibble which can be easily eaten without the fear of crumbs or spillages while holding a drink. Posh Nosh recommend a glass of champagne or a refreshing glass of elderflower cordial.
Although canapés are not essential they make a welcome addition to any function or wedding. Canapés are usually the first thing that your guests will eat since leaving home. This is all the more reason to whet your guests’ appetite and leave them eagerly anticipating the main banquet to follow.

Fried Potato Bread with Creamed Leeks and Crispy Bacon

A drinks reception usually lasts two hours. In this time we would recommend choosing 3 to 5 canapés per guest. During pre-event planning this may seem like a long time however taking into account that this will be the first opportunity you have to mingle with all your guests. This part of the day will pass in the blink of an eye.
At Posh Nosh we have a selection of almost 30 canapés to choose from in our current brochure. We can also work with you to incorporate your ideas for bespoke canapés at your party.

Posh Nosh Ireland | Marquee Weddings

With marquee weddings on the rise, and the increased amount of marquee vendors in Northern Ireland, you are literally given a blank canvas to build your dream wedding on… although, it’s not so much a blank canvas as it is a patch of land outside your/your parents’ home, if we are being realistic!

When it comes to arranging catering for a marquee wedding, the catering is very much at the forefront of the day as it will be your caterers who essentially run the day, as there is no venue/venue representative to liaise with. So, where do we start? What do we need to think about?

 

  • Kitchen Annexes/Marquees – these are essential in providing catering for a marquee wedding. We need a big enough space from which we can prep, plate and also have our ovens, hot cupboards, fryers etc. Very often, we have to make a little space go a long way! The size of the kitchen annex/marquee required will depend entirely on your menu and number of guests.

 

  • Electricity – do you want hot food? Us too! So, we need hooked up to your supply. A generator (or two!) is your answer, and can be sourced from your marquee company. Again, the usage and overall draw of electricity will vary depending on your menu and number of guests.

 

  • Lighting – especially with a wedding towards early spring/late autumn, please provide us with some lights so we can see what we are doing when it gets dark? How many caterers does it take to screw in a lightbulb, and all that!

 

  • Bins – we remove all food wastage and rubbish from the kitchen, but what about your empty bottles and cardboard boxes from your wine and champagne? You will need to make arrangements for a skip.

 

  • Tables & Chairs – what sort of layout do you want in your marquee? Would you like traditional round tables, or long, rustic banqueting style tables? Don’t forget to speak to your marquee provider about what’s feasible in the space. Also, are you having tables on the dancefloor? Will these need to be removed after the meal?

 

  • Access to kitchen – please provide us with access into the kitchen via a ramp, drive, road etc.

 

  • Water please – you will need to provide your caterer with access to water via your home, a standby water pipe etc.

 

  • Drinks on me! – Are you having an open bar, or a cash bar? In most instances, if you are supplying any of the booze yourselves (wine for the meal, fizz for the reception) you will need to hire in some fridges for these to be chilled in – nobody likes warm Prosecco!

 

Posh Nosh have been catering for marquee weddings with various different vendors for nearly 30 years’, so we know the craic! If you are looking for a marquee wedding caterer, look no further than Posh Nosh. Why not give us a call today, to get a quotation for catering?

Posh Nosh Ireland | Team’s Top Ten Dishes

We cater for weddings and corporate events day in, day out and we do so on a bespoke basis – so we see a lot of different dishes on our menus!

We consulted our Posh Nosh Team as to which dishes are their favourite – what’s your favourite?

 

Tolson – Executive Chef & Proprietor

Grilled Fillet of Beef on Crushed Comber Potatoes, with a Sundried Tomato & Basil Butter and Rich Beef Jus

 

Philip– Front of House Manager

Lightly Whipped Goat’s Cheese, with Heritage Beetroot, Mini Beetroot Meringues, Candied Walnuts drizzled with Honey, Balsamic Pearls and Micro Leaves

 

 

Sean – Head Chef

Roast Chicken Supreme stuffed with Mozzarella & Sun Dried Tomato, wrapped in Pancetta with Buttery Mash, Baby Pearl Onions & Bacon Lardons in a Rich Chicken Jus

 

Darryl – Sous Chef

Tasting Plate of Irish Salmon – Locally Smoked, Gravadlax and Rilette served with Lemon Aioli and Watercress Salad tossed in Virgin Olive Oil

 

Jade – Corporate Client Coordinator

Prime Roasted Fillet of Irish Beef with Gratin Potatoes and Red Wine Jus

 

 

Lynda – Planning Coordinator & Proprietor

Pan Seared Scallops with a Pea Puree, Pancetta Crisps & Balsamic Pearls

 

 

Shona – Wedding Coordinator

Study of Butternut Squash: Demi-tasse of -Soup, Arancini and Tartlet

 

Ben – Business Development

Creamy Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt Pannacotta

Carl – Logistics

1920s Eton Mess – Cocktail of Crushed Meringues, Fresh Raspberries, Lightly Whipped Cream and a White Chocolate Straw

 

 

Geoff – Logistics

Pan Seared Fillet of Irish Salmon on a Bed of Buttery Mash, Creamed Cabbage and Leeks topped with a Caper, Shallot & Chilli Butter

Posh Nosh Ireland | Quirky Wedding Show

We recently exhibited at the Quirky Wedding Show, and what a blast we had!

Our experienced and professional team who attended include both our Coordinators Shona and Jade, and our Front of House Managers, Philip and Sean.

 

Posh Nosh have exhibited at the Quirky Wedding Show twice a year for the past five years, and have been an active member of the “Quirky” family since then.

The show takes place in the Waterfront Hall and features lots of amazing suppliers, to include photographers, videographers, venues, make-up artists, hairdressers, florists, photo booths… to name but a few!

The show is a great place to meet lots of lovely couples and answer their initial catering questions. From there, we provide them with a Wedding Brochure and take their enquiry to the next stage.

It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with all of the lovely suppliers who we run into on the wedding scene, and chat about what they have been up to!

Every year, we struggle with the question – how do we showcase our food? How do we capture our brand and our concept to prospective couples at a fair? There’s no real way to show just how delicious our food is without tasting it!

Thankfully, our team love a challenge and we always manage to pull a few ideas out of the bag! The past few years we have had photo displays and pantry ideas – which is your favourite?

Posh Nosh Ireland | Welcoming MEMS Conference to Belfast!

MEMS IEEE 2018 Conference – Welcome Reception

Where? The Great Hall, Belfast City Hall
When? Sunday 21st January 2018

We were so excited back in November of 2017 when Shirley and Sara, who are two fantastic conference coordinators from PMMI Conferences in San Diego, made enquiries with Posh Nosh for a welcome reception for a whopping 515 delegates.

The MEME IEEE conference is held annually in cities around the world, and attracts a group of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems professionals from around the globe. In 2017 the conference was held in Las Vegas, so it was safe to say that Belfast had very large boots to fill in terms of expectations!

It was like music to our ears when Shirley and Sara explained that they loved the idea of a relaxed Cheese and Wine event, in the grand historical surroundings of Belfast City Hall, and we honestly could not think of a better way to welcome the delegates in to the city.

 

We set to work on a menu to suit the occasion, and with Shirley and Sara’s professional seal of approval, the following dishes were served:

Posh Nosh Grazing Table
A Selection of Irish Cheeses to include:  
Young Buck Blue Cheese
Fivemiletown Mature Cheddar
Smoked Gubbeen
Kearney Blue
Bally Brie

Ditty’s Oat Cakes
Freshly Baked Crusty Bread
Irish Butter
Posh Nosh Homemade Chutney
Quince Jelly
Fresh Fruit

A Selection of Vibrant Crudités 
Armagh Apple Wedges with a Caramel Dip
Baby Roasted Comber Potatoes, with a Cream Cheese and Herb Dip
Carrot, Cucumber, Celery, Red and Yellow Peppers & Radishes
Homemade Guacamole
Red Pepper Hummus
Posh Nosh Tomato Salsa

Canapes
Mini Prime Ulster Beef Burgers with Mature Cheddar Cheese & Homemade Tomato Chutney, Topped with a Cherry Tomato and Dill Pickle
Locally Smoked Salmon on Homemade Guinness Wheaten Bread with a Dill and Lemon Crème
Wild Mushroom Tartlets, drizzled with Broighter Gold Truffle Oil

 

 

We also served a selection of local beers including Hildon Ale and Armagh Apple Cider, which went down an absolute storm!

It never ceases to amaze us how well-travelled visitors from near and far are blown away by our architecture, history and culture. We count ourselves incredibly lucky to work in an industry that allows us to experience this.

 

A welcome reception really sets the tone for the rest of the conference, and often will be the delegate’s first opportunity to experience local food and hospitality. We were keen from the off set to incorporate the very best of our local produce, and give the delegates a true Northern Irish welcome to Belfast. True to form, the rain came lashing down, which debatably added to the authenticity of the event!

This event was an absolute pleasure to be involved with, we hope that the delegates continued to enjoy their time in Belfast and that they will be back to visit soon!

 

Posh Nosh Ireland | Weddings – Who, What, Where, When, Why?

Weddings – Who, What, Where, When, Why?

 

So you have chosen a beautiful wedding venue, and been handed a list of recommended caterers to choose from… now what?! Very often, a lot of our couples have never used outside catering before and the idea can be a bit daunting. What questions do we ask, and who provides what? Our Wedding Coordinator, Shona, has put together a list of frequently asked questions we receive from our wedding enquiries.

 Photo Credit: Jonathan Ryder Photography

 

What is your price per head?

With outside catering, the wedding menu is tailored to each individual couple and what they envisage for their special day. Every wedding will be unique in its own way and so, every menu and price is different. We do have some sample menus to guide you along, but these are very much just that – samples!

Typically, our prices range from between £40.00 up to £75.00 per person plus VAT at the current rate, depending on the options chosen.

The best thing to do is to pop in and have a chat with us, we will listen to your ideas, advise you and then compile a totally transparent quotation based on your requirements, tastes, likes and dislikes!

Photo Credit: Bradley Quinn Photography 

 

What type of catering can you provide?

From a sophisticated drinks and canape reception, to hog roasts and opulent barbeques, formal sit down dinners and quirky evening suppers, there is so much choice! Deciding which route to go down is often hard, but we are here to guide you through the process. We love creating a menu to reflect your personality and style.

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ryder Photography 

 

What does your service provide?

We will provide everything from a designated Front of House Manager, World Host trained staff to cutlery, crockery and freshly pressed linen tablecloths and napkins.

 

Do we get to taste your food?

Posh Nosh love weddings and so we have many couples to accommodate! For this reason, tastings are exclusive to couples who have confirmed their booking. This means we can ensure the tasting reflects the dishes that fit your style, your venue and your season.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ryder Photography 

Do you provide kitchen equipment?

When choosing your venue, it’s good to find out what they can offer you. Is there a kitchen and is it fully equipped? If not, is there a space which your chosen caterer can use as a kitchen and bring their own equipment?

 A site visit is always an excellent idea. Electricity, gas and water are essential items which are very easily overlooked in the excitement of choosing your wedding dress and shoes!

 

Why should we choose Posh Nosh?

Posh Nosh has gone from strength to strength over the last 28 years. We have invested in a state of the art purpose built unit in Bangor, established strong working relationships with all our stakeholders. We have proudly established a brand that is associated with fabulous food and 5 star hospitality.

We are the first port of call for the forward thinking organisers of many of Ireland’s most prestigious events & weddings and we are adept at producing bespoke menus for our clients. Our chefs love to create exciting and innovative dishes. Over the years we have catered for many high profile guests including HM Queen Elizabeth, and many other members of the royal family, celebrities, and political figures.

We incorporate the timeless, fundamental aspects of traditional five-star service with stylish modern cuisine to ensure that each and every one of your guests enjoys an unrivalled and unforgettable culinary experience.

 

To discuss catering for your wedding, please email us at info@poshnoshireland or give us a call on 02891 466141.

Posh Nosh Ireland | Autumnal Irish Wedding

On a lovely, crisp, sunny autumn’s day, Olivia & Colin got married at Gloster House in Co. Offaly, surrounded by sixty of their nearest and dearest.

From the moment we met with Olivia, her mother, and her Wedding Planner & Event Stylist, Alise Taggart, we knew it was going to be a magnificent day full of lots of joy, laughter and style.

Olivia and Colin travelled from the windy city, Chicago in Illinois, USA to have an Irish wedding and we were very pleased that they chose Posh Nosh to cater for their day.

Olivia and Colin wanted a bespoke menu, and toyed with the idea of either a Beef or Lobster dish for their main course. At their tasting, our Executive Chef Tolson and his team put together a few ideas for Olivia and her mom to taste. From there, we combined the two to create a “Surf & Turf” dish. With Lobster being one of Tolson’s personal favourites, it was no surprise when he got incredibly excited at the prospect!

Following their ceremony, their guests enjoyed a delicious selection of Savoury Canapés in the Music Room whilst sipping on Irish Whiskey “on the Rocks” (we even picked up the lingo!), Champagne, Red & White Wine and Still Water with Ice & Lemon.

We wanted to give their guests the full Irish experience, and so we chose their canapé selection carefully to showcase all of our local ingredients and suppliers – although we kept in a USA traditional one, just to give them some familiarity!

Savoury Canapés

  • Locally Smoked Salmon on Blinis with Dill Mayo and Capers
  • Irish Cheddar with Ballymaloe Relish and Mini Oatcakes
  • Dublin Bay Prawn with Crispy Iceberg and Marie Rose Sauce 
  • Waldorf Salad on Endive 

Once the reception had came to an end, their guests made their way over to the beautiful Dining Room, where Alise and her team had worked their magic tirelessly all morning on a decadent and stunning table design with crockery, glassware and cutlery from Cater Hire, and linen tablecloths and napkins from Gotcha Covered. Alise had chosen Informal Florist to provide a beautiful backdrop of flowers, which gave the room that final “wow” factor.

The bride and groom then sat down to a beautiful 6 course dinner by candle light, consisting of a fish and sorbet course.

 

Menu 

Starter 

Lightly Whipped Goat’s Cheese with Heritage Beetroot, Mini Beetroot Meringues, Candied Walnuts drizzled with Honey, Balsamic Pearls and Micro Leaves

Served with our Homemade Wheaten Bread

 

Fish Course

Hake Lobster Bisque, Saffron Foam and Copeland Island Crab with Wholegrain Crème Fraiche accompanied with a Demi-Tasse of Pea, Pear & Watercress Soup with Pea Shoots

 

Sorbet Course

Homemade Lemon Sorbet 

 

Main Course 

Posh Nosh Surf & Turf: Grilled Lobster Tail with a Lemon Butter, Seared Fillet of Irish Beef with a Rich Madeira Jus, Gratin Potatoes and Fine Green Beans

 

Dessert 

Assiette of Piquant Lemon Tart, Chocolate Tart with Honeycombe and Strawberry Tart with Crème Patisserie

Served with Bowls of Lightly Whipped Cream

 

Followed by…
Freshly Brewed Tea and Coffee
Posh Nosh Homemade Fudge

 

Late into the evening, the bride and groom decided to re-energise their guests for more dancing and drinks with a midnight supper – this time, they went for something a little bit more American, and it definitely went down a treat with everyone!

Supper

Cones of French Fries and Tomato Ketchup

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Baked Irish Ham and Red Onion Marmalade 

 

We wish the bride and groom, the new Mr and Mrs Commito all the very best in their marriage, and we hope that they and their guests enjoyed their Irish adventure!

Team Posh Nosh xx

 

Unit 15, 16 Balloo Avenue, Bangor, BT19 7QT
info@poshnoshireland.com
028 9145 9090
028 9146 6141
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(Trading As Posh Nosh Ireland).
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