Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Sophie! A chef, caterer and home cook. I have a huge love and passion for cooking, working with simple seasonal ingredients to create a variety of vegetarian and vegan based dishes for all occasions. I like to create recipes that are dedicated to a veg-centric table, from the earth, fresh, to the table, aiming to create a spread that is not only environmentally friendly but a joyous experience. Keeping with the seasonal theme, I encourage people to be mindful of their waste along the way, again, using the whole vegetable to create meals, using leftovers and getting creative in the kitchen.

I have been working as a chef for the last 10 years hosting regular supper clubs, catering for retreats, birthdays and weddings, as well as organising local events - private, corporate and public. In 2020 I founded my catering business Florence Road Events to enable a broader range of catering. I aim to bring people together and encourage the idea of dining communally and enjoying those all important vegetables.

What are your favourite things to cook this time of year?

It may seem like an obvious choice but I love soups. I think they can be very underrated. A thick chunky soup packed with veggies is usually my go to at this time of the year, with some kind of croton whether that be another vegetable, crispy chickpeas or tofu/tempeh. Served with some heavy on the butter crusty bread.

How do you like to style a seasonal table?

Simplicity is key. You don’t need to overload the table, think about the colours of the season or what lends itself well to it. For example, Autumn I think of deep oranges, maybe a red, tones of brown. So when it comes to the candles I’ll go for some simple tapered ones in this colour palette, similar to flowers/leaves if I want them. You don’t need to buy anything too expensive, go for a little forage, sometimes just greenery ticks all the right boxes. I am a bit of a sucker for napkins and crockery but again you can go simple and think about the colour palette. Earthy tones will always work and can be dressed up or down with pops of colour no matter the season.

What is your best hosting tip when cooking for large groups?

Prep, prep, prep! If you can prepare anything up to two days before, you’ll love yourself forever. It doesn’t have to be a major prep session, just getting a head start on parts of a meal that can be made a few days earlier. Go simple with the menu, don’t over complicate things. I’d recommend knowing what you want to make, try it yourself before you serve it to guests, you may find a quicker way to make it, or make it your own. You’d be better off having a few show-stopping dishes than trying to make too much. A good bread goes a long way, as do olives and salted nuts for nibbles. Enjoy the process of cooking for others, get some music on, have your table laid, plan an outfit etc.

How would you use falcon enamelware to style a festive table

I love the simplicity of Falcon Enamelware, so it works perfectly with my above answer. You can really use what you want when it comes to Falcon because it’ll go with everything. Place napkins inside the dishes, use the serveware down the table, the small bowls for your nibbles.