Carringtons Catering, an esteemed name within the region’s catering industry, is marking the 20-year milestone of Helen and Darren Wynn at the helm.
The dynamic husband and wife duo took over the reins of the business, which operates right across the North West, back in 2004 and have recently celebrated their most profitable year to date.
Helen was named after family friend Helen Carrington, who originally founded Carringtons Catering in 1978. She started there as a teenager washing pots, assisting chefs and delivering orders before gaining her degree and working her way up the ranks to become a venue manager and then assistant manager. She later became the company’s director aged just 25.
She said: “Over the past two decades, we’ve really steered the business to new heights, embodying a commitment to culinary excellence, innovation and unwavering dedication. Our journey has been marked by a keen focus on delivering exceptional service, fostering strong relationships and adapting to industry dynamics.
“To have experienced our most profitable year to date is a testament to the entire team – both their strategic vision and resilience. It’s also been attributed to by the resurgence of corporate events and the establishment of robust relationships within the Liverpool City Region, which have played pivotal roles in this success.”
The business hasn’t been without its challenges though, with two recessions and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic proving particularly difficult. The hospitality sector suffered during lockdown with many companies forced to call it quits but thankfully, Helen and Darren were able to continue. The couple carefully expanded, considering manageable growth before increasing turnover by 100%.
Helen believes maintaining a personal touch offered through Carringtons Catering is vitally important, as well as their commitment to supporting local business and sustainable working while adapting to industry changes and trends.
She continued: “We’ve always changed with the times in terms of what clients want. We’re also keen to help develop other hospitality businesses to grow sales.
“In recent years, we’ve had the time to be passionate about the industry and not just our place in it. We’re always looking forward. Our team is constantly making sure our food offering is innovative and current and of the highest restaurant quality.
“The most important thing to us is remaining independent and local. We look after our people and treat each and every client individually – we never want to change that.”
Recognising that a thriving business is built on a foundation of skilled and dedicated professionals, Helen and Darren have heavily invested in their team in recent years. The introduction of strong candidates has injected fresh energy and expertise into the company, while retaining longer-standing members of staff to ensure the continuity of Carringtons Catering’s rich history.
Darren, who is a Master Chef of Great Britain, added: “We’re really proud of where we are today as there’s been plenty of change in our industry since the day we first took Carringtons on. To be seen as the number one choice by so many organisations and venues across our region is fantastic and we’re very excited to see what happens next.”
Within their history, Carringtons has worked with a number of high-profile clients including royals, sports related personalities and authorities. In 2008, they were nominated as the caterer for the official opening dinner for the Liverpool Capital of Culture celebrations and were chosen without rival to cater for HRH The Queen on her last visit to Liverpool. Other recent royals they have looked after include The Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Harry and Meghan.
Darren added: “As we celebrate this significant anniversary, the team looks forward to the future with optimism developing our prestigious venue relationships, helping our team achieve their aspirations and remaining committed to delivering unparalleled culinary experiences, embracing our community connections and being at the forefront of the Liverpool City Region’s vibrant events scene.”
