A toast to pies, wines and fritters and friends

A toast to pies, wines and fritters and friends
Everyone loves pies. This may be the biggest thing I have learned in catering. And it’s proven every November at Toast Martinborough, for 26 years. This year we are serving three pies (Thai Chicken Curry, Pulled Beef Short Rib and Swiss Cheese, and Roasted Vegetable and Blue Cheese), plus my...

Low Key and Intimate

Low Key and Intimate
When Jodi and Jonathan talk about their wedding you can see and hear their happiness. Their “low key, intimate and special wedding, surrounded by people we love” was held at their Wellington hillside home, with “an abundance of generous food and our favourite wines.” Even the weather came to the...

Pinot Noir 2017

Pinot Noir 2017
When 600 international pinot noir lovers and media celebrated the glories of their favourite grape in Wellington in early February, Ruth was focused on the food involved, in her role as Culinary Director. Paul supervised logistical support. “This was the sixth Pinot conference and my sixth time as Culinary Director....

The Accidental Wedding Venue and Caterer - Prefab Hall

The Accidental Wedding Venue and Caterer - Prefab Hall
Happy accidents at just the right time worked out beautifully for Liyana and Richard in planning their wedding.    While Richard and his mother were enjoying coffee at Wellington’s stylish Prefab Café they happened to mention he was looking for a wedding venue. Owner Bridget Dunn suggested the Prefab Hall...

A Toast to Toast Martinborough

A Toast to Toast Martinborough
Celebrating Toast Martinborough’s 25th this weekend is pretty cool.  Our motto is “fresh and fast”, and it’s a huge day pulling people, food and tents together. Many people ask how we do it, so here’s the inside story. As it has turned out, Toast has been our training ground for...

The Baker, the Chef and their Dog - The Milk Station

The Baker, the Chef and their Dog - The Milk Station
When Lisa (the Baker) and Adrian (the Chef) planned their wedding they had three priorities: the food had to be really good, it should be low-stress in a beautiful setting, and Ralph (the Dog) had to be involved. They got all three, and a happy day for everyone. Lisa tells...

Toasting 25 Amazing Years

Toasting 25 Amazing Years
“We’re having a wine festival, would you like to do our food?” asked my good friend Phyll Pattie, of Ata Rangi vineyard in Martinborough. “That sounds like fun, why not!” I replied, having no idea that 25 years later we would be celebrating 25 years of Toast Martinborough.  Tickets go on...

Super Starbag Supper

Super Starbag Supper
We were delighted to receive this note from a Starbag fan at WOW® last year. “Getting a Starbag was a great decision.  Arriving early meant we had no parking hassles, watched the pre-show entertainment and “reviewed” the interesting clothes other guests wore. “Better still, the Starbag gave us a generous,...

WOW™ 2016 VIP Dinner

WOW™ 2016 VIP Dinner
Tension levels were high in the Ruth Pretty Catering test kitchen when Ruth with chefs Jamie and Tristan trialled three possible 2016 WOW™ VIP dinner menus. No pressure, but Sioned Winterton from WOW™ head office travelled from Nelson just for this; Operations Manager Jamie Wilson came from Wellington.  With each three-course...