Dawn Smith – a caterer always in demand

A career in catering was not on the cards for Dawn Smith; it’s something she got into “quite by accident.”

Almost 30 years ago, she did some work for the late Governor-General, Sir Charles Antrobus, who at that time managed the telecommunications company, Cable and Wireless. Those who sampled the food were curious about the identity of the caterer and so began a new business path for this former hospitality lecturer and assistant resort manager.

“In actual fact, what I wanted to do was just jam and jellies and the like, and, maybe cocktail parties. I never expected to get into what I am into now, but it evolved,” Mrs Smith further explained.

Even then, catering was a part-time endeavour, as Mrs Smith shared her day between her emerging career and executing the tasks as executive director of the Hotel and Tourism Association.

It’s a field she will readily recommend as a career option to young persons who are prepared to work hard.

“It is not a glamorous position; it’s not going to bring in loads of money, as people may think.

“Sometimes you cater and you just break even… it’s not a get rich quick kind of occupation, you would make money, but you have to work hard and you have to depend on regular customers,” she added.

A typical work day will usually begin around 4 a.m. and, if there is a catering job to do the following day, can go through to the next morning, with only a brief rest in between.

There is no minimum number of clients as a requirement to take a job and, when the number of guests is large, temporary staff is drafted in to augment the output of the three persons who are full-time employees of the Smith family business, which trades as Hillside Company.

So, what are some key things to take into account in executing a catering job is one of the questions we put to Mrs Smith.

Without missing a beat, she points to such things as eye appeal, taste, hygiene, and balance in the menu and quality of the food.

“You have to make sure that things are fresh; you have to think in terms of your kitchen space, and how many baked items you can do, as opposed to items that you have to put on the open fire… the availability of food.

“For example, some foods are seasonal and you may want to put it on the menu; or you may put it on the menu, but then you can’t get it.” So, a substitute may have to be used with the client’s approval.

There is always a demand for Mrs Smith’s services for occasions such as ” birthdays, cocktails, funeral repasts, dinners, weddings, breakfasts, mid-morning snack and lunches – you name it.”

This year, the public recognized the quality of her work when she was voted Best Caterer in the Best of SVG 2017 Awards.

“I didn’t even know I was one of the nominees until I got the invitation to attend the session,” she recounts.

“I was overwhelmed, and I am grateful to those persons who thought it fit to nominate me.”

Mrs Smith has been into full-time catering since 1988 and she shares that: “I would like to have a break-off point.

“Maybe another three to five years, if the Good Lord gives me health and strength, I would probably call it quits.”