Catering king takes off his chef’s hat

AFTER forty-three years of working weekends, the king of catering has said goodbye to professional cheffing this summer.

Peter Ford has retired after 20 years of running his own Ballarat catering business, keeping people well fed at parties and functions, while aiming to make those events more memorable.

He said he won’t miss taking thousands of enquiry phone calls, but he will miss his established clients, who for most of 2022, have been his sole professional focus.

“Post-COVID, we took work on for people we knew, which meant a smooth ride of job delivery,” he said.

“I still enjoy the act of cooking… but I’ve led kitchens since I was 21, so I won’t miss being responsible. I’ll also miss the camaraderie with the chefs I’ve worked with.”

Ford began his career as an apprentice in a Mornington seafood restaurant, and at Fanny’s on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne’s CBD.

In the late-80s he ran a farm and cafe in Barfold, just north of the Macedon Ranges, then stepped into the function and events world at Woodend restaurant The Bentinck.

His next move was to conference venue Campaspe House where he got a real feel for catering, before a stint at the Convent Gallery in Daylesford, not only focused on food, but managing staff.

Then came his shift to Ballarat, and five years working at Lydiard Street’s Ansonia restaurant; the last chapter before the Peter Ford Catering story began.

“I spent 25 years loving the thrills and spills of à la carte cooking, but catering is a very different beast,” he said.

“Learning how to cater was a steep learning curve. When I started out, we didn’t know how to anticipate sites, different working ovens and equipment, but we just got better and better.”

Ford said he’s loved organising and serving food in such diverse places, as opposed to working in one restaurant’s kitchen with the same swinging door.

“In catering, I’m in a marquee, I’m in someone’s laundry, someone’s kitchen, garage, under eaves, on tennis courts… It’s been a blast,” he said.

One of his most memorable jobs was the delivery of an “unbelievable” seven-course degustation to 150 people in a marquee at Woodend, but there are others that have consistently “got [him] in the heart.”

“As a bony-arsed cook… I love raw cooking, controlling fire, and timing the cooking of whole beasts for six or seven hours.

“At WinterWild down in Apollo Bay, we roasted whole pigs on the fire, on the beach, for 150 people,” he said.

“I like the rustic, true taste of food, when you get it off the farmer or the producer. Don’t muck around with it, just keep true.”

Although he’s had fun, the man often referred to as Chef MacGyver said there’s been no shortage of challenges to overcome when out on site at events, like inclement weather, problems with hired equipment, and breakdowns.

“But that’s unbeknownst to the client, or they’ve seen us overcome those issues that are not necessarily created by us,” he said.

“People pay for confidence. We’ll be there on time, transform the space into a one-off amazing venue, and the food’s going to go out smoothly because we’ve done it numerous times.

“We’re not building great edifices that people can come and look at forever, we’re there to deliver memories for people. That’s what I do.”

Referencing a phrase coined by former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans when he left politics, Ford said it’s time for him to step back as he’s experiencing a bit of ‘relevance deprivation syndrome.’

“I’ve enjoyed being at the top of the game,” he said. “I’m not competitive… Well, maybe I am.”

Speaking of competition, the passionate motorcyclist and sailor is set to head off on a single-handed passage to Hobart on his yacht in 2023, and that’s just the beginning.

“I’m part of the Round the World Clipper Race, joining 11 yachts to race around the world next year, and in 2024.

“Before that, I’ll bring the yacht back from Hobart with my son, which I’m looking forward to, six years after own father and I two-handed it to Hobart, when he was 80,” Ford said.

“I’m also going to spend more time with Louise; my wife, partner, finance legend, administrator, and all-round pal.”