Chester Businessman wins Sole Trader/Self Employed Business of the year for the North West #Blog

Victoria Hayes
6th March 2020

CHESTER CATERING & FOOD PRODUCTION BUSINESS WINS FSB CELEBRATING SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

Chester-based chef Darren Andrews and his business, Big 5 Catering & Sauces have won the coveted Self-Employed / Sole Trader of the Year for the North West Area prize in this year’s FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards.

The FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards celebrate the best small businesses from across the UK, offering national recognition for those who have made the biggest impression over the last 12 months. 

Originally from South Africa, Darren Andrews founded Big 5 Catering in 2013 to bring a taste of South African food to the UK market.

With the increasing demand for quality hog roasts, Darren used his 20 years hospitality industry experience and South African BBQ expertise to start a catering service for events, weddings, parties and corporate functions.

Now one of Cheshire’s established caterers, the award-winning Big 5 Catering continues as a hog roasting event company specialising in South African meat marinades and BBQ meats.

By successfully creating his own spices, meat marinades and sauces for his catering business, Darren felt it was natural progression to make the products available to a wider market.

Big 5 Sauces launched officially in 2015 with a range of artisan products available for both the retail and wholesale market. The current range of sauces include Durban Curry Sauce, Cape Malay Curry Sauce, Roast Chilli & Garlic Paste and Zingy BBQ Sauce.

“We take our catering services very seriously and spend quality time trying out new things so we can offer our customers something that’s a little different.” Darren says. “BBQ catering is in our blood.”

Yvette Hastings, FSM Merseyside and Cheshire Area Leader for Cheshire, said: “I am so pleased for Darren Andrews and Chester’s Big 5 Catering & Sauces, who won our Self Employed / Sole Trader of the Year Award. It is a testament to his hard work, dedication and entrepreneurial talent and is richly deserved.”

Cheshire was well represented at the FSB awards with wins in the High Growth (Helen Pritchard Online, Warrington), Micro Business (Fanattik, Holmes Chapel), Self-Employed / Sole Trader (Big 5 Catering & Sauces, Chester) and Digital / E-Commerce (Coaching Culture, Lymm) categories.

The national finals will be held in London in May, so Darren will be attending that and up against all the regional winners from the UK in that category. – GOOD LUCK!