SALT’S REVEALS TASTY NEW START

A year after closing his two award-winning Leeds delicatessens, Bruce Salt, who founded Salt’s, has announced a healthy start to his new business, Salt’s Catering.

Bruce, who owned delicatessens on Swinegate and in The Light, took the decision to close his two shops in March 2012 when the businesses struggled against a tough economic climate. One year on, and while his shops are no longer open, the outside catering side of Salt’s has been the business’s lifeline and has enabled Salt’s to grow.

“We had always offered an outside catering service when we had the shops, which did very well, so keeping that side of the business going meant we could continue trading but without the costly overheads of city centre premises,” said Bruce.

“We have significantly reduced overheads by operating from a production kitchen on the edge of Leeds city centre and now work as a small team creating, cooking and delivering homemade, sophisticated food across the region.”

NEW BUSINESS MODEL
Keeping his passion for honest, fine quality wholesome foods alive, Bruce now operates a catering business which offers everything from a business lunch for five through to corporate catering and private functions for 500.

Heading up the Salt’s kitchen is chef David McMaster who joined the business last year following 25 years at prestigious catering outlets such as Boutique Catering as well as the Michelin-starred Burlington Restaurant at the Devonshire Arms near Skipton.

CATERING FOR THE MASSES
From finger food favourites like piquillo pepper crostini and chorizo frittata through to ‘hot fork buffets’ featuring lemon & cinnamon pork and Italian stuffed aubergines, Salt’s Catering has built a core corporate client base and a fast-growing private clientele based on exciting, well-made and delicious menus.

As well as an expanding business and private catering service, Salt’s Catering recently diversified further and now offers dedicated wedding catering. A specially designed wedding menu, featuring buffet-style as well as silver service options, is available for brides and grooms-to-be to view on the new-look Salt’s Catering site: www.saltscatering.co.uk/wedding-menus

Salt’s is also a regular on the Yorkshire farmer’s market scene. Customers will find Bruce and his team selling their famous crème brûlées and artisan cakes & pastries at many of the key weekend markets across the region. Markets are also another profitable and reliable area of the new business.

CAREER CHANGE
Before opening his first delicatessen on Swinegate in May 2005, Bruce worked as a tax adviser at professional services firms KPMG, Deloitte and Mazars. A Chartered Accountant for 18 years, Bruce worked with a number of high profile companies across the region.

While Bruce enjoyed his time in the financial services sector, he made the leap into catering after he found inspiration in Spain and Italy where fresh local produce is celebrated and forms a central focus at mealtimes, a philosophy Bruce maintains through his catering.

For further information on Salt’s Catering, visit www.saltscatering.co.uk or follow Salt’s on Twitter @SaltsFood and Facebook www.facebook.com/saltscatering