We chat with one of the men behind Wild Garlic Event Catering, a family-run catering business serving up local passion, quality catering and unforgettable events across North Wales and Cheshire.
Now a cornerstone of the region’s catering scene, Wild Garlic Event Catering has built its success on local flavours, strong family values, and a deep-rooted passion for food. Co-owned by brothers Kevin and Paul Carlile, the business has grown steadily over the past 10 years, earning a reputation for exceptional food and personal service at events.
Speaking with Kevin, it’s clear the journey has been as personal as it has professional: “We’ve been around for 10 years now – something’s going right somewhere,” he laughs, before delving into the family story behind Wild Garlic Event Catering. “Our granddad was an amazing chef in his own right. He didn’t speak a lot of English, and we barely spoke Greek, but he gave us that energy for food. He was definitely an inspiration for us. We always thought one day we’d have our own restaurant.”
While a traditional restaurant never materialised, the brothers channelled their energy and culinary roots into a catering venture that now serves everything from intimate private dinners to gala events for 400+ delegates: “Paul does all the cooking, and I do everything else. I get to go out and meet our lovely customers, talk about food and eat Paul’s amazing cooking.”
At the heart of Wild Garlic Event Catering’s ethos is a fierce pride in their location. The business takes full advantage of the region’s natural bounty: “We’re surrounded by amazing ingredients here. We’re passionate about where we’re from, and we love shouting about the venues we work with and the suppliers we support.”
While local sourcing is a cornerstone of the approach, Kevin is pragmatic: “Don’t get me wrong, we cast our net when we need to. If we want the best scallops and they’re in Scotland, that’s where we go. But wherever possible, we support local farmers and producers. We work with a farm over in Ruabon for all our micro herbs now – a local independent grower, and that’s exactly the kind of partnership we value.”
That dedication to quality is backed by industry knowledge. Between the brothers there’s over 50 years of hospitality experience, and Paul’s background in catering means that Wild Garlic Event Catering has always been at the forefront of accommodating dietary restrictions: “We take dietary needs seriously. We develop dishes that avoid the 14 main allergens, and we always offer customised menus. It’s important that everyone feels looked after, whether they’re vegan, gluten-free, or just allergic to strawberries.”
Wild Garlic Event Catering is no stranger to high-profile events. Recent highlights for include catering for the Wrexham Business Awards, the North Wales Police Awards, and an upcoming anniversary celebration at Bishop Heber High School in Cheshire: “That one’s special. It’s a 65th anniversary dinner with up to 450 guests. The school’s alumni include England rugby internationals Ben and Tom Curry. It’s going to be a big one.” And while their reach continues to grow, Kevin and the team remain firmly anchored in community: “Our business is genuinely family-run. It’s me, Paul, our sister as operations manager, our mum waiting on, and my wife handling admin. Even our staff are like family. Lindsay, our Front-of-House Manager, started with us as a waitress.
She’s been with us from day one. There’s a real lean towards sharing food, family-style at our events too. It doesn’t always suit corporate functions, but when it works, it’s brilliant. We’ve even been able to weave in our Greek heritage at some events.”
Wild Garlic Event Catering is expanding its services to include high-end delivery options – especially around Christmas: “We’re based near one of the UK’s biggest industrial estates, and we’re planning to deliver Christmas dinners to businesses directly. Whether it’s in a box or part of a more formal event, we want to make it easy for companies to treat their teams.”