Desert island Christmas
How do contract caterers spend Christmas? We find out in our annual festive special!

Eimear Hargaden
Regional managing director (south east), BaxterStorey
Christmas is all about family, food and fun! Coming from such a large Irish family, there's nothing nicer than sharing Christmas with the ones you love and food is a huge part of the tradition.
Preparation starts early when you are entertaining 26 family members. There is a lot of work that needs to be done before the big day but I have plenty of help.
Our Christmas Day delights include smoked salmon, two turkeys, ham, loads of roasties and, of course the, Christmas fruit cake that was made in September and has been nicely soaked in Jameson whiskey since then.
It’s a special time for us… then there’s the clean up on St Stephen’s Day!
Andrew Petford
Regional operations director, BM Caterers
The most joyous part for me is the Christmas Eve build-up with my wife and two boys. We always watch a Christmas blockbuster and my choice is an absolute favourite, Arthur Christmas, then later in the day we will open stocking filler presents, share some warming supper and put out Santa’s mince pie and bourbon.
Everyone is usually happy to leave the cooking to me! My life revolves around food and the kitchen; it’s a hub of activity with music, laughter and family conversation. Christmas is no different with the added joy of pulling loud popping crackers, silly hats, novelty toys and awful jokes. It’s a time of year that I never take for granted.
Liam Hatcher
Head of people and development, CH&CO:
For me, Christmas is all about family and with seven nieces and nephews, the day tends to focus around them. Twenty of us gather at my parents’ house for a celebration of festive family fun and a day for making memories.
After such a busy Christmas lunch, Boxing Day is our day to rest, catch up on all the Christmas TV and enjoy a fry-up. But you won’t find an ounce of bubble and squeak on our plates – the traditional Scottish Lorne sausage is centre of the plate in our house.
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Bruce Toon
Culinary director, healthcare – Compass Group UK and Ireland
The healthcare sector never stops and Christmas is an amazing demonstration of when hospitals and care homes keep working to care for patients and residents. At Christmas within our care and residential homes, food brings people together, evokes memories and is, of course, critical to health and nutrition. I love to see how it forms such an integral part of the festive period to help people celebrate.
Within hospitals, our festive menus continue to be tailored for a myriad of health, nutritional and cultural needs. Especially at Christmas, it is our job to make sure we meet these needs, while also providing quality and taste.
Marco Galer-Reick
Vice president – UK strategy enablement and HR, Delaware North UK
Having German roots, Christmas at the Galer-Reicks is a melange of British and German traditions. Christmas starts in October with my batch-made ‘merry chutney’ for loved ones. Home-baked stollen cake and lebkuchen feature alongside mince pies throughout December.
Some presents are opened on Christmas Eve, with roast goose on the menu. On the big day, no alarm is needed as the kids cannot wait to open their presents. Then a trip to the pub, followed by Christmas lunch with extended family.
I’m in charge of carving the turkey and beef and making after-dinner cocktails. This year there’s a festive espresso martini, dark ‘n’ stormy and Christmas tree-infused G&T!
Natalie Sheridan
Head pastry chef, Lexington Catering
Christmas at my house is a food marathon, blending our Caribbean and British roots with a touch of Belgian influence this year from visiting relatives. Breakfast features Jamaican ackee and saltfish, with extras like bacon and smoked salmon.
There will be 30 of us for lunch, so everyone is bringing their favourite dish. Our menu will include traditional Christmas turkey, oxtail stew, roast duck, escovitch fish, jerk pork, mac and cheese, rice and peas, and curry.
For dessert, I make mango cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding to fulfil the annual family request. We’re also setting up marquee in the garden this year with karaoke for the evening!
Matt Hay
Head of culinary, Sodexo UK and Ireland:
Christmas Eve and the big day have always been an important milestone in the year for my family and our local community. On Christmas Eve our small cottage is packed to the brim akin to sardines, as we invite lone village elders and families for a generous glass of fizz, canapes and banter. My partner is from Gdansk in Poland, so we have 12 meat-free canapes tipping a hat to those old traditions.
Traditionally, Christmas Day always starts with a muddy dog walk with our two rescue dogs, then back for a log fire, cured trout and poached eggs brekky from our chooks. Rib of beef slow cooked with all the trimmings is the main attraction; this does seem to get later each year and has become Christmas ‘Linner’ rather than lunch or dinner.
Phil Roker
Managing Director, Vacherin
Christmas is all about the ‘three Fs’ for me – family, food and fun! My mum always used to host and her way of showing love is by feeding you, so now she’s in her 90s I have taken over hosting and follow in the same tradition!
The whole family stay and it’s non-stop eating, drinking and playing games and quizzes. The favourite game is one we call The Train Game – a 1950s original that involves running round the house to find cards to complete a fictitious train journey around the UK. It’s completely bonkers!
In between meals, we will always find time for a nice walk (including a pub stop) and it’s all repeated on Boxing Day, starting with my favourite meal of bubble and squeak from the leftovers!