A COUNTY wedding venue has launched a new home dining business.
Manor Hill House in Upton Warren near Droitwich, run by Emma and Michael Moffett, has started Cooksey Catering, offering chef-prepared meals made by Phil Davies directly to homes across Worcestershire.
The Swan Lane venue is diversifying as rising costs and changing consumer habits continue to impact the UK wedding industry.
Mr Davies is the same chef behind the venue’s wedding food.
Phil Davies, award-winning chef at Manor Hill House (Image: DPIX/Darren Shipman)
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Mrs Moffett said: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Manor Hill House and we’re determined to keep investing in the future despite the challenges facing hospitality businesses across the country.
“So many brilliant independent venues, pubs and restaurants are under enormous pressure at the moment.
“Cooksey Catering allows us to keep doing what we love — cooking great food and looking after people while adapting to changing times.
“People are busier than ever but they still care about eating well and spending quality time together at home.”
Manor Hill House owners Emma and Michael Moffett with dog Simba (Image: Manor Hill House)
The catering side will focus on chef-prepared dishes made in small batches using high-quality locally-sourced ingredients wherever possible.
Freshly prepared in the Manor Hill House kitchen, the business offers both fresh local delivery within a five-mile radius and frozen nationwide delivery across the UK.
With the spring bank holiday weekend forecast to bring temperatures above 28 degrees, the team believes the timing is ideal for people looking for an alternative to busy restaurants or traditional BBQ food.
Mr Davies said: “When the weather’s this good people want to spend time together and enjoy themselves but not everyone wants the hassle of organising a BBQ or cooking from scratch all weekend.
“We wanted to offer something a bit more special for couples, families or friends who want an easy alfresco evening without the stress of cooking.”
Its spring menu includes lasagne, salmon and broccoli mornay, chicken noodle soup, roasted salmon pâté, lemon posset and strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake.
The business is launching a special introductory promotion this week with customers able to receive 10 per cent off their first order using the code SUMMER26.
Ingredients are sourced locally where possible, including using vegetables from Worcester Produce, while the business hopes to develop further partnerships with Worcestershire-based suppliers in the future.
