One of Cork’s best known catering companies is marking a major milestone this week
Brought to you by Elite Cuisine.
It’s been a delicious 20 years.
One of Cork’s best-known food catering companies is celebrating an impressive two decades in business – having survived and thrived through a recession, a global pandemic and an energy crisis.
Local entrepreneurs Ber O’Donovan and Ian Shannon are the hard-working owners of Elite Cuisine, a brand synonymous with creating magical meals and experiences in the corporate sector and in the homes of their happy customers since 2004.
From Private Dinners to Dream Kitchens: The Rise of Elite Cuisine
Back in the early Noughties, Ber and Ian were working side-by-side at a Cork city restaurant when they decided to join forces and cater some private dining events. The positive buzz confirmed their hunch – this was something special.
Next up? Bringing their vision to life. Ber and Ian knew Cork craved a catering company that offered both top-notch food and personalised service. So, with a clear idea and a name that fit the bill (Elite Cuisine, of course!), they hunted for the perfect spot.
For six years, Elite Cuisine called Cork Constitution RFC’s kitchens on Temple Hill home. They even catered all the club’s events, feeding hungry rugby fans alongside fancy soirees. But as the business grew, those kitchen walls started to feel a bit too close to accommodate their growing plans.
Taking a leap of faith, Ber and Ian decided to build their dream kitchen and warehouse on Monahan Road. This new space allowed them to truly spread their wings and keep delighting Cork with their culinary creations.
‘We can’t praise our staff enough’
Ever expanding, Elite Cuisine now specialises in private and corporate dining, while building another arm to the business; their artisan food products are now stocked in SuperValu stores and specialist delis all over Cork city and county.
View this post on Instagram
If you ask Ber and Ian, it’s their loyal and hardworking staff of eleven who inspire them to take on the next challenge:
“We can’t praise our staff enough, they are such wonderful people who work hard and are so loyal to us. Genuinely, we have a home family and a work family.” Ber told us.
Along with mouthwatering menus for events of all sizes and themes, Elite Cuisine can provide tables, chairs, crockery and cutlery, linen, decor, floral arrangements and expert staff to serve guests.
“We ask the client what they want and we can project manage the event, meeting all their needs,” adds Ber.
“All our clients are lovely- from the first call to the day after the event when we check in to see how they got on. I believe it comes down to providing great food and a service that makes people happy.”
A milestone marked
Twenty years in, Ian says the Elite Cuisine team still finds the work rewarding: “We come to people’s houses and we are part of their big day. We have families that we have worked with for years,” he told Yay Cork.
From mid-April to the end of May is Communion season and Elite Cuisine provides catering for an average of 20 Communion parties per Saturday, providing hot and cold meals for families from Timoleague to Fermoy.
This Friday, June 28th, they’ll welcome the Minister of Finance Michael McGrath to celebrate their 20th anniversary party at Cork Con “where it all began”.
“We want to thank all the people who have helped us along the way, from our brilliantly loyal staff to the receptionists who ring us time and time again for corporate events and to our neighbours at Monahan Road. And of course our families… they put up with us in the crazy busy periods!“ Ber smiles.
For more on Elite Cuisine’s delicious menus or to find out how you can arrange catering for your next big event, visit elitecuisine.ie or call 021 432 3603.
