There are plenty of things to tick off the checklist when you’re planning a team away day; do we have enough pens? How far from the nearest tube are we? How on earth do I plan lunch when there’s 20 different allergies and requirements in my team? And how do I get all of that to align with my business’s culture of sustainability?

Well, that was something playing on our minds too at Anomalous. We always like to give a helping hand where we can, and our own ethos includes doing our best to be eco-friendly. So, in following that we found some amazing independent caterers whose manifesto delivers just what any eco-minded organiser would want.

One such business was DOM Catering, spearheaded by Pawel Ojdowski. Pawel used to be head chef at a sustainably focused fine-dining restaurant in East London, until deciding to pursue starting his independent catering business. Using the knowledge he already possessed and expanded on in the restaurant world, he has developed a menu that reflects the contemporary hunger for catering with care.

Recently, in a week-long venue hire by GreenPeace UK, we suggested Dom’s. They went for a full vegan menu for both breakfast and lunch for the whole team- which they absolutely loved! The experience was enjoyable for everyone involved and it was exciting for us every day to see what new dish was being served up! The waste food (of which there was little) went into our own staff food processor to be dehydrated and ground down to make as little impact as possible as a waste product.

We wanted to find out some practical advice and insights from Pawel about sustainable catering, have a read below of our conversation to see for yourself. Only blue quoted text is the opinion of Pawel Ojdowski (marked PO) and the rest by Aislinn Furlong (marked AF).

(AF) How long have you worked in sustainable catering?

(PO) DOM has been on the market for around 1.5 years but for the last 7 years, I worked in different establishments where sustainability was at the centre. It is great to see how the industry is changing and how both staff and customers are making much more educated choices of where and what to eat. Since I set up DOM all the decisions and thoughts were around how we can play our role in this positive change.

(AF) What was the first thing you looked at when it came to sustainability?

(PO) My big focus was always on people. We often forget that as important as ingredients are, so are the people who cook them. All the changes we are trying to make are in the end for the people, so we should remember their wellbeing along the way.

(AF) What made you make the jump from the usual culinary practice?

(PO) I think when you get more experienced, you start to question some approaches, you talk to other people who might have different views or methods than yours and you start to create your own way. Some things were much easier than the others, some didn’t work but some stayed and became a norm.

(AF) How do you balance price point with sustainability?

(PO) That’s always a tricky bit. We don’t compromise on the quality of the ingredients and staff wages. However, we try to keep prices fair by using local and seasonal products. It allows us to get top products for the lowest cost. We also try to minimise wastage to the minimum by creative menu engineering and stock level control.

(AF) What are some good, reliable companies you like to work with?

(PO) Fin and Flounder - fish supplier, worked with them for years.
Ethical Butcher - meat supplier, sourcing ethically raised meat.

(AF) Who was someone you looked to as an example of good practice?

(PO) A big influence on me was my time as a Head Chef at The Culpeper in Aldgate. It was and still is a leading place when it comes to sustainability. I learned a lot there.

(AF) What do you think a good practice for companies should be, for those who want to be more aware at work?

(PO) In an ideal world, companies don’t put profits in front of anything else. But realistically that each company will do something - one thing - in sustainability really well and stick to it.

(AF) What's the most surprising thing about working in sustainability?

(PO) How many companies use this as an empty word and honey trap for the customers.

(AF) What is something unexpected that you learned about waste?

(PO) Maybe it is not unexpected but when you see with your own eyes how much we waste in production, distribution and consumption… These are crazy quantities.

(AF) What is something everyone can do in the home to be more sustainable?

(PO) Eat seasonally - don’t buy tomatoes in winter, choose products grown in the UK rather than other parts of the world. Buy whole chickens, break them down and use all the parts including bones for stock. Use reusable packaging rather than cling film or freezing bags.

(AF) What's the most popular request you get?

(PO) Buffets - clearly there is a shift from plated sit-down meals to more relaxed sharing style gatherings with more variety of dishes.

(AF) Best country for food- in your opinion?

(PO) Brazil. So huge variety of ingredients, well seasoned, simple- not necessarily sustainable though. Unfortunately.

(AF) What's your own favourite dish?

(PO) I dont have one - I really love cheeses and charcuterie.

(AF) What would you like to explore going forward?

(PO) We would like to become a B CORP by 2027.

(AF) Anything else you’d like to add to this conversation before we end?

(PO) We don’t have to be perfect and do all possible things to make a difference. If each of us would try to do one thing properly for a more sustainable world we would be in a really good place.

It seems like the movement of conscious-catering is ever expanding, but still has much more room to grow. Places like Anomalous Space and Dom Catering are just a small part of the burgeoning collective to make the world a slightly better place in whatever way we can.

If you want to reach out to us or DOM Catering to find out more about sustainable options in your events– give us a shout.

Written by Aislinn Furlong

Sustainably catering for your away day; A conversation with Dom Catering

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