One of the things I love about working in production, as a fixer or producer, is the people I get to work with. Over the years I’ve built up a rolodex of crew who are a joy to work with, because they are bloody brilliant at their jobs, and (mostly :)) good humans.
A mundane, but massively important insight I’ve learnt over the years is the correlation between food and a successful shoot. A well-fed crew is a happy crew, and that's where my secret weapon comes in - Bobby Tonge.
For the past decade, Bobby has been my go-to caterer, consistently impressing crews and clients with his food. His ability to serve bespoke set ups, to crews of different sizes (just like the recent Topps UK shoot featuring Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo via After Party Studios) always with a smile, makes me happy. His journey into catering is as fascinating as his food is delicious. It’s always cooked from scratch for each shoot, all at a decent price point. So I thought I’d ask him a few questions about it all…
Q: How did you get into catering for film shoots?
A: It all started through my younger brother, who's a director at a production company. They asked if I'd cook for an in-house shoot, and it just took off from there. I've got a strong background in kitchens, having worked in France and around the world. Eventually, they suggested I get a kitchen trailer, and that's when I really got into the film catering business.
Q: What's the biggest shoot you've catered for?
A: The biggest was about 110 people at Stockport County. That was a challenge with just a four-burner stove and a standard oven! My wife had to help out with that one. When you're doing really big shoots, you need massive pans, and they just don't fit in regular ovens.
Q: What's your most requested dish?
A: Funnily enough, it's not the main dishes. Everyone goes mad for my pizzas that I do for afternoon tea. But I'd like to think my main dishes are quite good too!
Q: What's the weirdest place you've catered?
A: Oh, there have been some bonkers ones. I've ended up on council estates at 5 AM, driving around looking for the location with no loo, no security, nothing. Just people looking out their windows wondering what on earth is going on.
Q: What's the best thing about your job?
A: Working for yourself is great. People ask if I work inside or outside, and honestly, it's both. Every day is different.
Q: How do you connect with the local film community?
A: It's all about building relationships. I started with one production company, then word spread. Now I work with various crews around Manchester. It's a tight-knit community, so once you're in, you tend to get recommended for other jobs.
Q: How do you source your ingredients?
A: I try to use local suppliers as much as possible. Manchester has some great markets and producers. It's important to me to support local businesses and showcase the best of what our region has to offer.
Q: Any advice for chefs looking to break into film catering?
A: Be flexible and ready for anything. Film shoots can be unpredictable, so you need to think on your feet. And always, always over-prepare. It's better to have too much food than not enough when you're in the middle of nowhere with a hungry crew!
Q: Is it true you used to be a ballet dancer??
A: It's quite a story! I was 17, in drama class with my identical twin brother, when we got spotted. There was this old Italian ballet written for twins, and the owner of the Northern Ballet School asked us to audition. We did, and they offered us a place. It was definitely one of the most interesting experiences of my life!
Q: You're a chef now, but you're also into yoga and sculpture. How did that come about?
A: Well, my ballet background left me quite flexible, which helped when I started yoga. I used to play five-a-side football and squash, but knee troubles led me to try yoga instead. Now I do a lot of Ashtanga and Rocket yoga. As for sculpture, I was actually a resident artist at a bronze foundry in Massy-Palaiseau, south of Paris, while also working in restaurants and bars there.
Thanks for reading - don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need film fixer/production support, or one of Bobby’s excellent pizzas.