Catering services

Tender description

The contract period is from February 2018 to February 2021 with an option to extend for further periods up to February 2023. The successful supplier will be required to sign a lease for the Café kitchen and Café store. An indicative lease will be provided during the tender process. 1.1 Kettle's Yard is a unique space in Cambridge. It is a House and an art gallery, founded in 1957 by the first modern art curator of the Tate Gallery, Jim Ede, who brought his private collection to Cambridge to be enjoyed by new audiences, including the thriving student population. Kettle's Yard is expanding, adding to the original buildings two exhibition galleries, a 4-story education wing, a new shop and café. Visitors to the house and galleries are expected in the region of 95 000 each year (there were an average of 70 000 per year prior to the development). We are currently seeking a contractor that will be able to provide both nourishment for visitors as well as the welcome described above. We would hope that the café becomes an attraction in its own right, which would lead visitors into the gallery as much as the gallery takes them to the café. We are looking for simple, tasty and fresh food with the emphasis on simplicity and quality. Ideally this would include cold and hot food, cake, coffee and teas, lunch, and occasionally an early dinner but we are open to additional opportunities. It is expected that as a primary face of Kettle's Yard, the operator will provide a welcoming, excellent service that enhances the reputation of Kettle's Yard and does nothing to harm it. The operator will be a partner to Kettle's Yard, growing their businesses in a harmonious way. The intention is that the operator provides a competitive offer both in quality and value to the high street but these needs also to be a bespoke offering with the ambition that the hospitality on offer is the equivalent of the artistic standards set by the organization. Although this will be a museum resource we also see it as a public café that will attract new visitors. Kettle's Yard will promote the café to its well-developed email list, on the website and in print. Opening Hours The galleries are open to the public from 11:00 to 17:00, Tuesday through Sunday, but the café can open earlier, and on Monday if desired. There will be opportunities for the café to run special events. Kettle's Yard runs regular concerts during term time, both at lunchtime and in the evenings. which might benefit the café. Kettle's Yard intends to build up a venue hire business leading to catering opportunities as well as its own internal events, some of which require catering. We would hope that the operator would be able to provide catering for these events.