Food (or to Location Cater or Not …)

After accommodation and travel, food is one of the priorities. A number of firms specialise in feeding hungry units, from around 20 to unlimited numbers of people.

They operate from anything from converted buses, coaches and old lorries to the latest streamlined, fully equipped modern kitchen-on-wheels.

I cannot answer for all of them, but the ones I have experienced have all provided an excellent service – often rather too good in respect of one’s waistline.

They are not cheap, but they do provide coffee and hot snacks in the morning, a full hot lunch, and tea and cakes and biscuits in the afternoon. And the time saved in having hot food ready to hand, rather than hunting around for pubs and cafès, is well worth it. The only thing lacking can be a suitable place for consuming the food, and the spectacle of members of a unit trying to shield their steaming plates from the elements – usually rain – while making a dash from the caterers’ van to the nearest cover must have amused many a local inhabitant.

Other Types of Catering

If location catering is not to be provided, then find out in advance what restaurants and cafès are in the vicinity. See whether any of them could cater for the numbers and types of meal you require and make advance arrangements with them.

Do not forget that while your lunchtime meal may consist of a piece of crispbread and some cheese, many people on the unit demand something far more substantial, especially after a long, cold morning shooting in the open.

Other Meal Breaks

If your shooting schedule covers other meals, i.e. breakfast or dinner, make similar arrangements with a local restaurant. If you have no caterers with you, arrange to take flasks of coffee and tea for mid-morning and afternoon, and do not forget the paper cups, spoons and sugar.

If you are Far From Civilisation

There may be times when you find yourself shooting in remote areas with no food available from any source. There is only one answer and that is to carry your own packed lunch. This is not popular with units and if you are forced to provide sandwiches made the night before by your hotel, for consumption by a hungry crew, do at least take flasks of hot soup and coffee with you.

Location Catering

Location caterers operate in a variety of vehicles and produce nourishing meals. They are usually very good value for the price.
   The difficulty comes in trying to eat this tasty food while perched on the bonnet of a car doubled up to keep the rain from reducing your food to a sodden mess.