PORTFOLIO

My staff are the backbone of Cook 4 U Ltd. They produce first class meals covering all ethnic requirements.

Food preparation for any function is prepared and finished in a professional and attractive style.

I have had the pleasure of working with most of my staff for many years. We all love preparing food and working with you, the client.

My staff and I look forward to meeting you and helping you with your next function.

Carolyn Cook (owner of Cook 4 U)

PERSONAL PROFILE

My name is Carolyn Cook and in my years in catering have enjoyed catering numerous occasions, e.g. weddings and family functions.

I have now branched out into more private corporate functions. Industrial catering is what I have specialized in - factory restaurants, commercial catering contracts and any private function.

This is a profile of what I have done so far in my catering life ...

After my school education I went to Technical College and did a 2 year course in
catering. From there to Newmarket in England and worked in a hotel as a general dogs body. It was very hard work but good training.

I took 2 years off to work as a housekeeper for a Member of Parliament and his family in London. It was very interesting as I worked within the Jewish community and spent time in Israel. I learnt the rules of food preparation and service as required by Jewish law.

On completing that, I did a Cordon Bleu course, qualifying with honors.

Then it was time to make my career in catering. I started with industrial catering those hours were reasonably sociable and paid well. I went to work for Grand Metropolitan Catering Services, which I did for 16 years as a contract caterer.

I worked at head office of British Steel Corp, Watney Brewery at Mortlake, and John Brown Ship Builders Head office in Paddington. There I had a 32 storey office block to provide with tea trolley rounds for the staff of 2300.They also had a company apartment overlooking Hyde Park at which we did business lunches for select persons, e.g. Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, The Russian Trade Minister, The Chinese Trade Delegate, and Mr. Pinkers (the Queen's gynecologist), just to name a few, quite a mixture.

Another job was for 1000 people. This included the Queen and Prince Phillip, catered in a field in Suffolk in November, under canvas and it was very cold. We almost froze. Luckily the food was a hot menu.

One day I hope to write a book, about all the interesting people I have met and worked with, it will be called :: "Likes and dislike of the *Rich and Famous*"

But the most interesting chapter will be on the Formica Family and New Zealand and how their tastes have changed over the last 10 years. I have also had the pleasure of running the Papakura Rugby Clubs cafeteria for 9 months, having a wonderful newspaper article written about my services in the local newspaper.

Each year I try to better myself in all the catering fields here in New Zealand. So I applied for the Papakura Police Cafeterias contract, which I was the successful applicant and having been successfully running it now for 5 years. The Papakura Police cafeteria is run more on the lines of a small restaurant, which makes it more fulfilling for me. I am also running the Henderson Police cafeteria in the same style.

We have had to cater other functions outside of these cafeterias for the Police. Such as providing 200 packet lunches over 2 days, for 40 personnel supplying breakfasts, lunch and dinners over 10 days. They are very busy and active people and they need their food at regular times. We provide them with healthy nutritional meals. Myself and staff are called upon for these meals without warning which we supply very happily for the length of time required. We supply meals to any other person in the police buildings, guests, visitors or inmates. * Our all day breakfasts are a great hit.*

We are also catering for the Papakura District Council. This work is on a different level, from special finger food functions to morning tea, lunches for workshops, and council meetings with hot dinners.

We sound very busy but we are never too busy to do outside functions e.g. weddings and birthdays. So please do not hesitate to give me a call, as we will be only too happy to help.

Carolyn
Cook 4 U Ltd