Long before Dougal Kirkpatrick’s formal elevation to the position of Head Chef of a family business that goes back more than half a century he had been playing a pivotal role in what has been the steady growth of Kirkpatrick’s Catering. It had been his grandmother and after her his recently deceased mother Margery whom he said had been the twin pillars of an establishment, which, among other distinctive assignments, has fed the members of the country’s National As-sembly.
Such training as made the affable Dougal the ‘boss man’ of what he says is a firm that is “doing well” occurred under his mother’s wing. In her time, Margery had distinguished herself both as an accomplished caterer as well as a woman who constantly articulated her pride in her Chinese heritage.
Dougal – without being indifferent to his heritage – appears far more caught up in the more cosmopolitan obligations of the local food industry. Discussions on cuisine fail to lure him in pretensions of expertness in Chinese cooking. Instead, he says, he is much more mindful of serving up menus that meet the culinary expectations of a multi-cultural people.
Food, predominantly, is his business and he talks with a relaxed ease about a routine at Kirkpatrick’s Catering that ranges from modest celebratory events to elaborate weddings, the receptions for some of which are held in the establishment’s Meadow-brook Reception Hall.
He concedes that he favours the challenge that reposes in “doing weddings.” People, sometimes, dwell in spaces somewhere between shrewd money-management and a desire for elaborateness. With weddings there is usually the need to work with budgets though the importance of the occasion and the determination to put on a good show pressures patrons to push for their money’s worth. Kirkpatrick’s Catering, Dougal says, can do a wedding meal for prices that range from $1,400 per plate to upwards of $2,000 per plate.
Food, Dougal says, is one of those items that push up the cost of events like weddings. Food is about more than just having a good meal. While few things can top the bridal gown, the culinary spread is the vehicle through which the host makes a boisterous and elaborate statement. Detailed planning, Dougal says, is the essence of delivering good wedding fare. Often, it is as much about “sitting and planning” as it is about actual food preparation.
The work is usually done by a staff of seven. Where and when the need arises additional hands are pressed into service. On the whole, he says, wedding planning can be tedious but rewarding.
The continually growing social importance of food as a facet of entertainment has meant that the industry is doing well. Dougal says that the returns from the industry has influenced the management’s decision in the direction of expansion. The Reception Hall has already undergone renovation.
As far as the rest of the business goes Dougal gives away few of his expansion plans though it is clear that with the passing of his mother he feels that the obligation is now his to take Kirkpatrick’s Catering to the next level.
