Absolute Taste

Absolute Taste, is a UK-based catering company with Head Quarters in Bicester. Gary Kennerley is its managing director.[1] It had £20m annual turnover in 2008. It has run projects with Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH), McLaren Group, and fleets of private jets. It runs five cafés and restaurants and caters for private parties.[2] Absolute Taste's most notable venue is the McLaren Technology Centre.

Absolute Taste Limited
Absolute Taste
TypePrivate (Ltd)
HeadquartersThe Shed, Unit 2, Charbridge Lane,
Bicester
,
England
Number of locations
13 (Absolute Taste restaurants)
Area served
Global
Key people
Gary Kennerley (managing director)
ProductsRestaurants
Inflight Catering
Outdoor Catering
Revenue£24 million (2011)
OwnerThe Proper Food and Drink Company
Websitewww.absolutetaste.com

History

Absolute Taste was formed in 1997 by Ron Dennis and Lyndy Redding. Redding had just graduated from Tante Marie with a diploma and produced a 3-page business proposal to Dennis to start a catering company. Dennis owned a 55% interest.[2] Initially centred on providing hospitality for the VIP guests of the McLaren Racing around the world, and for employees at the McLaren headquarters, the company grew and developed a separate identity.

Absolute Taste provided the catering for David Beckham and Victoria Beckham's 2006 FIFA World Cup send-off party, based on Gordon Ramsay's menu.[3]

Absolute Taste catered Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday party[1] and Chelsea FC footballer John Terry's wedding.[4]

In 2003, Absolute Taste Inflight was formed. It is a 24-hour, 365-day operation catering for private jets. It began at the suggestion of some McLaren employees and was vetted for a year on a shareholder's own plane. Six vans now deliver pre-prepared gourmet meals to airports all over the South of England.[2]

The company's tenth anniversary happened in 2008, when it announced a partnership with Gordon Ramsay Holdings. "Gordon Ramsay by Absolute Taste" is an entirely bespoke service in which Absolute Taste works with Gordon and his team to produce food from his restaurants for outside events. Ramsay and Redding had met previously at Aubergine, Ramsay's restaurant, when a pastry chef had left the clear paper on Redding's chocolate fondant and Ramsay apologized to her. They met again at a McLaren F1 event when Ramsay was McLaren's guest.[5]

Absolute Taste was acquired by One Event Management in December 2016.[6]

Cafés

Absolute Taste operates three cafés. The Design Café and Dome Café are situated in Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. DetoxRetox at Harvey Nichols. There is also the Apron Café at Farnborough Airport. Absolute Taste now operates 13 restaurants, based mainly in the south of England.

References
  1. My Event World - Lyndy Redding Event Magazine. Chantelle Thorley, 30 July 2010.
  2. Lyndy Redding teams up with Gordon Ramsay to buy Tante Marie cookery school Caterersearch.com. Tom Vaughan. Thursday 31 July 2008.
  3. Wedding food: how to have your perfect day on a plate. The Times. 23 May 2009.(subscription required)
  4. What makes the perfect kitchen? The Independent. By Esther Walker and Jamie Merrill. Thursday, 27 November 2008.
  5. How We Met: Lyndy Redding & Gordon Ramsay The Independent. By Esther Walker. Sunday, 11 November 2007.
  6. "McLaren focuses on its technology businesses as Absolute Taste prepares to grow under new ownership". www.mclaren.com. McLaren Group. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2019. Following the news that catering and hospitality company Absolute Taste has been acquired from McLaren Technology Group by One Event Management...
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