Having catered for many successful wellness retreats with her jaw-droppingly pretty and delicious dishes, Purusha’s resident chef Holly’s Garden Kitchen knows a thing or two about planning food for an event. We caught up with Holly to learn more about what to think about when planning food for your retreat.
How did you start out catering for retreats Holly?
I’ve been catering for retreats since my university days and long before I started my business. With my Mum being a yoga teacher we use to hold wellness days or retreats together, with Mum doing the teaching and me cooking up all the yummy delights for the students. This was actually one of the reasons I started Holly’s Garden Kitchen in 2023, as people always said they would love to eat my food more than once a year at a retreat.
Why is it important to plan your retreat catering?
Retreats are like second nature to me after all these years of practice, but I still take time to tailor each one to the host and their guests’ needs to make sure it’s exactly what they are after.
Mealtimes are such an important part of the event, where everyone comes together to refuel, relax and connect. All my menus and dishes are thoughtfully created, using seasonal ingredients out of our kitchen garden wherever possible. I of course make sure my food is a feast for your eyes as well as your tummy by filling them with colour and variety. My aim is to excite and inspire your guests and to send them home wanting to try the new recipes out themselves.
The obvious benefit of providing the food yourself is it’ll save you quite a lot of money. Even though this may seem like a big advantage beforehand, when it comes to the retreat you want to create a super relaxed atmosphere and unless you have catering experience or a few extra helping hands, you may find yourself running around the whole weekend and become quite stressed. Not the image you want to portray to your students! Asking someone to come and cater for your retreat, whether that be every meal or just a few, is well worth the extra output. An experienced caterer will not only provide tasty and nutritious meals for you, but also often make sure the table is laid on time and all the clearing away is done afterwards. I’ve also found students always love to pick our brains for lots of our foodie knowledge and tips which adds to the retreat experience.
What should you consider when planning your menu?
As a caterer the first thing I usually ask is for dietary requirements. Nearly all of the retreats I’ve cooked on are usually vegetarian or vegan which is perfect for me as I love to champion veg in my dishes. Every student must be asked if they have any intolerances or allergies as this is very important and could be dangerous if not listened to. I once catered for a retreat when 11 of the 15 guests had different requirements. This took a lot of extra planning but as I knew in advance it all worked out ok over their stay.
It may also be worth explaining your retreat activities to your caterer. They can then adapt their meals to fit, for instance, if you have a powerful morning yoga class you may want a slightly larger brunch after it.
Are there any wellness food trends we should know about?
A lot of retreats have themes which can definitely be translated into the food you’ll be eating. One of your days could be focusing on grounding yourselves or maybe looking at self-care. You could also have a theme of energising the body and mind. Let your caterer know these as they can include foods on the menu to match. Lots of root veg could be used for grounding, berries, nuts and oats for self-care and then for energising you could include seeds, sweet potato and lentils. You may not have any themes and that is perfectly ok. As a caterer I love free reign on the menu to create something delicious with seasonal produce out the garden.
I would recommend you look for someone with a food style you like and you feel you can trust to deliver. Get to know them and their approach and be sure to take the time to chat through all your options and make sure they fully understand what your retreat is about. The food is always a huge part of a retreat so take some time to really think about your options. Good retreat chefs tend to get booked out far in advance so be sure to think ahead and do your research to get your preferred retreat chef to cater for you.
Does location matter for mealtimes?
It’s always a good idea to discuss locations with your caterer. If your retreat is being held at Purusha you’ll know there are so many possibilities when it comes to where to eat. The favourite option is usually The Grub Hub, a lovely space where guests eat in a circle around a central log burner. This looks over the grounds and is just perfect for a cosy meal where you can chat the night away.
Another of my favourites is to suggest that you eat around the fire pit outside. I usually bring my street food van up and serve out of that to add a bit of fun to an evening. There is now a new stretch tent at Purusha which means you can eat outside in any weather which has been a great addition. Finally, a picnic can be set up anywhere. You may all be wanting to go off on a long walk so take a packed lunch, or eat in the woods on the sunset platform. Chat to the owners of the retreat centre to find the bests spots as well as your caterer to maximise the potential for your guests’ experience.
Make the most of your retreat chef. As well as cooking your delicious meals they may be able to offer other things that can enhance your retreat further. I personally love to provide a little recipe pack at the end of a retreat for guests so they can continue eating like they have been at home. I also do talks on nutrition or a particular topic like plant-based eating. Cookery demos are another great option that I do as guests love to see their food being made and learn a few new techniques. We can also do cookery classes where the guests get to be hands-on and cook one of their meals or even take some goodies home.
What’s your best tip to cater a retreat for yourself?
If you’re cooking for your guests yourself, my main advice would be to be prepared. Plan ahead and cook and freeze meals if you can and maybe bring a friend along to help you out and wash up!
Holly is available for retreat catering here at Purusha head to Holly’s Garden Kitchen to discover more.