Cornwall LivingIssue #87
Cornish catering
Introducing AVO, a catering company with a focus on sustainability and fresh local ingredients.
AVO was grown from one simple idea: a catering company that builds its menus from local Cornish ingredients, in the most sustainable way possible.
AVO was founded by fellow chefs Danny Wingate and Mark Polgalse. Born and raised in Cornwall, the duo met three years ago whilst working at a bustling café on one of Cornwall’s finest beaches, and now pour 30 years of experience into their menus to create a fresh, contemporary offering of local produce for weddings and events, as well as catering to the hungry businesses surrounding Truro and Falmouth.
“After so many summers spent on the beach,” Mark explains,
“we wanted to take these memories and breathe them into our catering, bringing people the flavours of Cornwall in the most considerate way, using our knowledge of flavours, passion and experience to develop bespoke menus that take you on a trip to the coast, no matter where you are!”
At the core of AVO is a firm commitment to eco-friendly practices. As Danny tells us: “We are both very aware of the waste that can take place in the catering industry and we wanted to start something that addressed that issue.” AVO has achieved this by avoiding things like single-use plastics that dominate kitchens, using only biodegradable and recyclable packaging instead. The company is also currently starting construction of its new, eco-friendly kitchen on Mark’s family’s farm in Perranwell near Truro.
“We continue to seek out and champion our amazing local Cornish produce, and this is all thanks to having such a fantastic array of suppliers right on our doorstep – this has enabled us to create a range of bespoke menus showcasing the great, seasonal ingredients available.”
AVO is a family business at heart, with Mark’s wife Rebecca taking control of the company’s accounts from their family home, while looking after their three children – Ella, Josie and Reggie. Meanwhile, Danny’s wife to be, Madeline, takes care of the company’s branding and marketing, alongside planning their wedding. We think it’s safe to say they’ve got the catering covered!
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The team are planning a crowd funding campaign with feast nights over the coming months, to install solar panels that will run the kitchen and the company’s delivery vehicles; all with a view to creating a business that’s 100% self-sufficient.
AVO CATERING CO
07907 287993
“we wanted to take these memories and breathe them into our catering, bringing people the flavours of Cornwall in the most considerate way, using our knowledge of flavours, passion and experience to develop bespoke menus that take you on a trip to the coast, no matter where you are!”
