A family business established in 2000
The Garden Catering’s story began in 2000, when Graham and Alison Hamdi opened The Garden, a food shop in Richmond upon Thames, offering freshly prepared soups, sandwiches and other quality food.
In 2002, they expanded into corporate catering, initially supplying local businesses alongside the shop. As demand for catering grew, they decided to concentrate entirely on this side of the business, closing the Richmond shop in 2004.
Growing with our customers
What began as a small family operation steadily developed into an established corporate catering business. Following the closure of the shop, the business initially operated from facilities in Kingston upon Thames. In 2009, The Garden Catering moved to larger premises at 30 South Lane, Kingston, where it continued to develop its corporate and event catering services.
In 2012, The Garden Catering received three Great Taste Gold Awards for our Indian, Mexican and Provençal marinades. Developed through our experimentation with herbs, spices and carefully balanced flavours, these award-winning recipes reflected our commitment to creating distinctive, high-quality food.
By 2016, further growth prompted a move to larger warehouse premises at Unit 5, Chessington Trade Park, providing a modern, dedicated base for the business.
Our home in Chessington
In 2020, The Garden Catering moved into its current home at Unit 6, Chessington Trade Park, a spacious 4,000 sq ft facility housing our production kitchen and warehouse.
Our purpose-equipped production kitchen allows our own team to prepare food in-house, supported by professional catering equipment, refrigeration, storage facilities and our own delivery vehicles.
Still independent Still family-run
More than two decades after entering corporate catering, The Garden Catering remains an independent, family-run business.
From our Chessington kitchen, we provide corporate catering, office lunches, buffets, canapés and event catering throughout London and Surrey.
Although the business has grown considerably since its beginnings in Richmond, our approach remains the same: freshly prepared food, dependable service and personal attention to our customers.
Our Team
The Garden Catering is an independently run business, and our people are central to the quality and reliability we provide. Several members of our team have been with us for many years, bringing experience, consistency and a genuine understanding of how we work.
Graham Hamdi, Founder
Graham Hamdi founded The Garden in 2000 and set up The Garden Corporate Catering in 2002, bringing a background in business management, finance and property management together with a lifelong interest in food and entrepreneurship.
Having grown up in a family with a strong appreciation for food, Graham started The Garden with a focus on premium-quality, health-conscious food, presentation and personal service. What began as a food outlet in Richmond upon Thames developed into a dedicated catering business serving companies and organisations across London and Surrey.
Graham remains actively involved in the business today, with a hands-on approach to quality, service and the continued development of The Garden Catering.
Alison Hamdi, Co-Founder
Alison holds a degree in Business Management and built a career in marketing and advertising. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a wish to set up her own company, she teamed up with her husband to run The Garden Corporate Catering, focusing on operations and event planning.
Jola, Head Chef
Jola has been part of The Garden Catering for over 20 years and is responsible for the preparation and production of our hot food. She brings extensive culinary experience from working across several European countries and is known for her dedication, reliability and consistently high standards. Her food combines excellent flavour with a sophisticated approach to presentation.
Milena, Second in Command
Milena has been with The Garden Catering for five years and plays a key role in organising the kitchen and overseeing the preparation of our cold food and canapés. Exceptionally organised and reliable, she has a particular eye for detail and takes great pride in producing beautifully presented food for our clients.
Katia, Kitchen Team
Katia has been with The Garden Catering for over two years and is an important part of our day-to-day kitchen operation. Reliable, hardworking and consistently positive, she takes pride in producing fresh, beautifully presented food and helping the kitchen run smoothly each day.
Ian, Finance
Ian brings extensive experience from senior roles within large corporations in both the UK and US. As a close family member, Ian provides regular support to The Garden Catering and is in the office, making sure our financial affairs and business administration are carefully managed.
Abdul, Delivery Team
Abdul has been part of The Garden Catering for over a year and is a trusted member of our delivery team. Calm, reliable and consistently punctual, he takes great care to make sure food and equipment are delivered safely and on time. He is someone our kitchen and events teams can rely on, even when the pressure is on.