Frequently Asked Questions
Our Kitchens | Venue Partnerships
What does Our Kitchens do?
Our Kitchens runs embedded kitchen partnerships inside some of Oxfordshire’s finest estates and venues, taking full operational and culinary responsibility for the space so the venue can focus on its guests, its grounds and its reputation. Twenty-five years in, that’s still the whole model: take on the kitchen so the venue can get on with everything else.
How is this different from hiring an external caterer?
We are not a supplier you manage. We are the team running your kitchen as if it were our own. Staffing and recruitment, procurement and supplier relationships, menu development, service standards, compliance and health and safety, all carried by us rather than added to your team’s list. It means a single point of accountability: one team, one standard, one relationship to manage, rather than a rotating cast of external caterers each with their own way of doing things.
Which areas do you cover?
We provide services nationwide across England and Wales, with particularly strong coverage across Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Shropshire, Nottinghamshire, the wider Midlands, Birmingham and London.
Our team works with clients, venues and partners across the country, so wherever you are based in England or Wales, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Please note, we do not currently provide services in Scotland.
What types of venues do you work with?
Working farm estates, private country houses and similar premium venues, currently including Primrose Hill Farm, Caswell Kitchen, Moxhull Hall and The Little Kitchen in Farnborough. Every partnership looks a little different, because every venue does.
How does a new kitchen partnership start?
Every partnership begins with an initial conversation to understand your venue, current operation, commercial objectives and what you are looking to achieve. From there, we will typically arrange a site visit before developing a tailored commercial and operational proposal.
Once the scope and commercial terms are agreed, we move into contracting, mobilisation and onboarding. From initial conversation to an agreed partnership, the process typically takes between 2–6 months, depending on the size, complexity and requirements of the operation.
Is there a minimum venue size or contract length?
We typically partner with venues catering for 50 covers or more, where our operational expertise and commercial model can deliver the greatest value.
Our kitchen partnerships are designed to be long-term relationships rather than short-term catering contracts, with agreements typically running for 3–5 years or longer. However, every venue and opportunity is considered individually.
How quickly can a new kitchen partnership be up and running?
Once the partnership, commercial terms and contract have been agreed, we can typically mobilise a new kitchen operation within one month.
The exact timeframe will depend on the scale and complexity of the venue, existing infrastructure, staffing requirements and any operational changes required. A detailed mobilisation plan is agreed with each partner to ensure the transition is carefully managed and the kitchen is fully operational from launch.
Do you cater for dietary requirements and allergens?
Yes. Dietary requirements and allergen management are integral to our kitchen operations. We operate a strict allergen Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), supported by robust control measures, team training and clearly defined processes to ensure dietary requirements and allergens are managed safely and consistently.
Can I visit one of your existing kitchens before deciding on a partnership?
Absolutely. As part of the partnership process, prospective clients can visit one of our existing kitchen operations to see first-hand how we work and experience the quality of our food and service.
We can also arrange a tasting as part of the onboarding process, and references from existing partners are available on request.
Who actually runs the kitchen day to day — my team or yours?
Ours. The kitchen performs the same way in its hundredth week as its first, because the systems behind it don’t depend on any one person being in the building.
Is Our Kitchens part of a larger group?
Yes — Our Kitchens is part of the Kitchen & Co Collective, alongside Indulgence’s luxury event delivery and Hospitality Heroes’ hospitality consultancy.
Which venues currently have an Our Kitchens partnership in place?
Primrose Hill Farm, Caswell Kitchen, Moxhull Hall and The Little Kitchen in Farnborough: each run, staffed and managed by Our Kitchens, embedded inside a venue that trusted us with the space.
What’s Primrose Hill Farm known for?
Our longest-running kitchen partnership, and one of the most loved, with nearly 350 reviews and a devoted local following built over years of consistent delivery.
What’s The Little Kitchen in Farnborough known for?
A smaller, more intimate kitchen with a personality all its own: exclusive hire, supper clubs and a regular favourite for shoots and filming.
What’s included in an Our Kitchens partnership?
Staffing and recruitment, procurement and supplier relationships, menu development, service standards, compliance and health and safety: the full operational load of running a professional kitchen, carried by us rather than added to your team’s list.
What happens to existing kitchen staff when Our Kitchens takes over a venue’s kitchen?
Where a venue already has an established kitchen team, existing employees may transfer across to us under TUPE arrangements, where applicable.
We work closely with the venue and its existing team throughout the transition, with the aim of retaining valuable knowledge, experience and continuity wherever possible. Each partnership is assessed individually, with staffing requirements and any potential transfer arrangements considered as part of the mobilisation process.