Last Saturday afternoon, Hog Roast Old Milverton’s catering manager, Russ, attended a very special birthday celebration that had been organised by Janine as a treat to her mum, Norma, who was turning 90!
Hoping to surprise the birthday girl with a fabulous dinner surrounded by a few loved ones, Janine had called us a few weeks ago to place a booking for one of our delicious menus. Russ, as always, was eager to help out in any way he could, and after listening to the client’s goals for the event, he suggested serving our brand-new Alfresco Menu, which has been quickly gaining popularity since its release earlier this year.
Like many clients before her, Janine was very receptive to Russ’s recommendation, and after taking a moment to read through the menu for herself, she agreed that it fit perfectly with her needs. And more importantly, she was absolutely certain that her mum would love it too.
With the celebration taking place at Janine’s house, it had been fairly easy for the client to keep the party a secret from her mum. And when Hog Roast Old Milverton arrived to start the food for the night, Janine was already knee-deep in decorating the back garden with string lights, bunting and birthday banners. She had even ordered an ornate, custom-made chocolate cake, which paid tribute to Norma’s hobbies and interests through the years.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Russ had made a start on the pork, which he scored and massaged with salt and water before allowing the HogMaster to do the rest – but his work wasn’t nearly done yet. In the final few hours before the guests arrived, Russ worked tirelessly to create the charcuterie boards, gourmet coleslaw, salad options and garlic and rosemary roast potatoes, along with a tarte au citron for pudding.
By 5 pm, Janine’s garden was full of eager faces, and it was just a case of waiting for the guest of honour, Norma, to show up. Fortunately, the wait wasn’t a long one, and being greeted with a chorus of ”happy birthday” rendered her entirely speechless.
As the birthday girl, Norma was the first to receive a plateful from the Hog Roast Old Milverton menu, which Russ served to her table before taking care of the rest of the guests. Just as Janine had predicted, the food was a hit!