A CATERING firm has had a surge in demand for 'grazing tables' at weddings - seeing a 250 per cent boost in bookings on this time last year.

Farsley-based Bear's Pantry, which also has Bear's Den in Bradford's Sunbridgewells, aims to give the 'wow factor' with its boards, proving buffets can be works of art. They're a world away from traditional wedding fayre like canapes and a three-course sit down meal and Bears Pantry founder, Sam Pullan, says he has seen a huge shift towards more casual and sociable foods, with the growing trend down to social media.

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He said: “There’s been a real shift in recent years to make food less formal and the experience of eating much more sociable and inclusive. This trend has resulted in the grazing table concept which is all about the sociable aspect of food. Mingling, chatting and enjoying the day without the formality of a traditional wedding is what people are after and we have fully embraced this trend, combining all our culinary expertise with creative flair and the freshest, vibrant ingredients to breath-taking effect.

“Our aim is to bring people together to enjoy themselves and be sociable, making for a more memorable occasion. Our spectacular grazing tables or ‘wonder buffets’ as we call them, piled high with wonderful cheeses, charcuterie, fresh fruit and veg or even tempting desserts, are perfect for achieving this.”

Grazing tables are becoming more and more popular even for more mainstream weddings whereas last year they were quite niche" - Sam Pullan, of Bear's Pantry

Demand for grazing tables is showing no sign of letting up. Sam and his team have been flat out since early June with at least one grazing table a week booked until early October.

All of Bear’s Pantry’s grazing table creations, which can be up to six-metres long, are made up of locally-sourced produce including speciality cheeses, artisan cured meats, fresh fruit and veg, seafood, pickles, antipasti and locally baked bread or even hand-made desserts and sweet treats.

“Staging brilliant buffets has always been one of our key strengths and we’ve taken this to the next level with our grazing tables, as no other local caterers were doing them," said Sam. This was an easy step for us given how the wedding planning side of the business has been developing. We want to create a visual feast for our clients so that wedding guests experience that ‘wow’ moment.

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“Grazing tables are becoming more and more popular even for more mainstream weddings whereas last year they were quite niche. Twelve months ago it all seemed to be about barn-style receptions, but this year we’ve seen very traditional weddings opting for this style.”

Sam believes the rapidly growing grazing table trend is down to social media- particularly Instagram. The firm is also increasingly being asked to create feasts for client functions.

He said: “I think the appeal of grazing tables will translate really well to the corporate space especially for Christmas parties and client functions, where creating an impact is central to the theme of the event.”