A location wedding setup high on the ridge between Little Akaloa and Okains Bay.

It’s been another amazing season catering around New Zealand, including this year, places like Cambridge, Wainuiomata, Tokanui, Twizel, Tapanui and even Slope Point.  But boy it's good to return home and serve the people of Banks Peninsula, at functions like the Diamond Harbour rugby reunion recently. It’s always a pleasure to serve our local's, whether for  weddings, sports functions, celebrations or short-notice bereavements. Some people we have known for many years and and take extra special pride in working with.

Ten separate chocolate cakes iced together, designed by Tony and decorated by Larisa, about to be cut to celebrate the end of 15 years of great NZ trekking.

After fifteen years, travelling the length of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Slope Point, the Great NZ Trek competed its final leg. It has been a great experience for Lovely Grub to have travelled with many trekkers over the last four years. Read on for our story

What could be better for a 'destination' wedding, than a ceremony on the shores of beautiful Lake Pukaki?

What do destination weddings and performance rowing have in common? Well... nothing really, except Lovely Grub catered for two unrelated events in one effort despite different locations.

How did this work out? Read on and see photos of our working week away..

On good authority, despite the kiwi accent, we were told the sparkling-red uniformed man seated at the head table was in fact the Monegasques Ambassador. He, reportedly, travelled all the way from Monte Carlo to be present at the Banks Peninsula’s Branch of the Vintage Car Club’s celebratory dinner.

In true Monte Carlo fashion, various period cars started out from many distant parts of the South Island to converge on Akaroa.

Keyed fiddle player among a group of musicians at Wellyfest

This trip to Wellyfest was our first trip up past Kaikoura since the road has reopened after the earthquake. Read on and see some more photos of the musicians.

Some of the 800 guests at the National Methodist Conference 2018.

A large unexpected group is ushered past the buffet. We turn, only to see another crowd working their way in. Everytime we turn, there they flow, wave after wave!  The St Andrew’s gynasium was brimming over, well before the official diner time! How will we seat and feed everyone?

Last year the carnival organisers needed to have their licenced VIP area which had 400 guests, operated by a licenced holder who could provide the necessary food. Lovely Grub stepped up using the gull winged trailer to form part of the bar with the kitchen rig turning out the food hot and fresh on location. The large crowd and Lovely Grub rocked the night away to Jordan Luck and his band.

Need a liquor licence……. contact Lovely Grub

It’s not all hard work. There's lots of fun to be had and I, ‘The Boss’ (and others) have recorded a few of the funnier and lovely moments to share with you.

This is what 100 kgs of chicken looks like in roasting dishes.

After eight days of constantly moving location, it was a pleasure to arrive at our rented house in Twizel. It had been a long hot drive from Lawrence with long stops for lunch and coffee at Roxborough and Tarras. Read on to learn what is involved when catering for a rowing regatta.

Thank you cake and letter to Nikki & Co. - makes it all so worthwhile.
Rowing menus are prepared in consultation with many successful rowing coaches including those from Hamilton Boys, Auckland Grammar and St Margot’s.

The food is high in carbohydrate and low in fat. It is also low in sugar and where possible natural fruit sugars are used to do the sweetening. Whole grain flours are generally used in favour of white flour as their energy is released over a longer time.

So, this means no cream for dessert, no bacon with the eggs for breakfast, whole meal rolls instead of white rolls and so on.

This does not always win us prizes with individuals but proof in our strategy is that Lovely Grub fuelled 4 of the 8 rowing eights in the 2018 Maadi Cup final for Boys. We also catered for St Margot’s who made the girls final as well.

There are times when doing extremely long hours, taking special care to look after special food requirements while catering for several hundreds of guests, you wonder if anyone actually cares.

Some Nelson rowing girls asked to borrow some oil and a few other ingredients. They were baking a cake! Not a problem as there are often birthdays happening and the request is quite common.  After dinner, that night, our staff were presented with a vegan gluten-free cake and a lovely letter of thanks.

Living proof they care!