Culinary Bites with Sophie

Self employed Chef running my own catering business.

A knowledgeable, competent and professional chef always going above and beyond to give my customers a dining experience they want to come back for time and time again.

My aim is to ensure the magic happens when you put my food in your mouth.The sophistication is found in simplicity of ingredients making each component pop full of flavour.

Menus are based on seasonality and using local suppliers where possible.

High quality ingredients are a must because without these my dishes could be mediocre which is not the goal.

I regularly undertake cooking courses to learn new methods and keep up to date with new trends, the last one being a fish cookery course at Rick Stein’s Fish Cookery School in Padstow in April.

I understand the wonderful underlying traditional techniques of cooking, whilst incorporating food trends and cuisines from around the world.

Feedback from my customers is always a Five Star rating with repeat business taking place as a norm!

I know I have made significant contributions to the dining scene of Earlsdon Coventry with my regular pop up restaurants, and am recognised in the local Coventry & Warwickshire area as a competent professional Chef.

As well as my regular customers I have some celebrity clients who have booked me on several occasions with my culinary skills being recognised and recommended further afield such as Ludlow, Maidford and Oxford

I can’t say I have Michelin Star plating skills but that’s learning in progress and after all it’s all about the flavour and taste which I can categorically say is in every dish I cook.

Culinary Bites with Sophie was born in April 2019.

I qualified as a Chef in my teens and worked in the industry The Opposition & Swan’s Nest in Stratford on Avon for several years.

However my 1st husband disliked the long hours etc so I went into sales and started a family.

All the time I kept up with private dining meals and food demonstrations.

Cut a long story short August 2017 I lost my beautiful Mum to pancreatic cancer within 4 weeks. A terrible shock & made me reevaluate my life.

Strong independent Sophie had a breakdown In February 2018 as the death of my Mum shook my whole core!

I had 6 weeks off under going counselling and put on anti depressants to help me cope.

So January 2019 I handed in my notice as a Southern Regional Sales Director for IDS.

I had to work my notice but April 2019 there I was, Audi A5, big wage, mobile, laptop, benefits gone!

A Fiesta and No Customers in the catering industry.

Initially I registered with various catering industries to get some work under my belt, whilst promoting my private dining, food demoing, cookery lessons and trying to find a venue for pop up restaurants.

February 2020 was ready to come off my anti depressants as both those & the counselling had worked.

All starting to build nicely then boom!… March 2020 Covid hit!

I thought I was doomed…

Not one to give up I started offering home delivery of meals out of my catering unit. Initially it was comfort meals like lasagne, fish pie, pasta and orders came in from people whose parents lived in Coventry and they wanted to know they were getting quality fresh meals.

From this I started lockdown birthday/ anniversary packages and a weekly weekend themed treat package.

Back in business and very busy Covid actually benefited my business.

When things started opening back up, from local recommendations my private dining diary filled up.

Now I share catering premises with a local catering company, obviously have my 5 star hygiene certification, a small team of chefs and waitresses I call on as and when prequired, and couldn’t be busier.

I run monthly pop up restaurants themed and promoting local suppliers - My August one featuring Great British Food sold out in 24 hours.

Private dines and food demonstrations are part of my working week, plus being registered as a Chef for holiday homes in Maidford and Oxford.

I am also employed by Mission Foods of Coventry as an innovation/ recipe development Chef.

I have had to sign a non disclosure document as I present new recipes to their clients on their behalf but I can say I catered for the actual ambassador of Mexico.

I also do recipe development for Eat with Auntie’s Indian Sauces.

Wow actually, when you write it down, how do I have time to do anything else :), but fortunately I do take time for myself and like to support local independent catering businesses dining out, and slipping in the odd Michelin star restaurant- last ones being Paul Ainsworth No 6 - sublime and locally Simpsons- again outstanding.

So this is an insight into my business- My aim to make people happy with my food as a great Chef.

As George Bernard Shaw said “There is no greater love than the love of Food”