Delicious food, delicately served: the perfect catering choice

The move includes a proactive marketing system that allows the company to meet its potential customers first rather than waiting for them to come to it, Chalinee Mongkonrattanawong, founder and event experience director of Krua Vanich, explained, adding that requests for her  services have traditionally come through word of mouth.

This method, she says, initially presented her with new challenges and ultimately led to the launch of new products and services to meet customer demand.

Meeting potential customers upfront also made her aware of the demand gaps in the catering service industry that Krua Vanich can fill without directly competing with others.

She believes that if she can demonstrate to the outside world what her company provides, Krua Vanich will see promising growth with more opportunities to diversify its catering services, an area in which today’s market is still lacking.

Customers nowadays usually know exactly what they want and Krua Vanich is ready to meet those needs, she says.

"Our catering is meticulously crafted. Therefore, not only is the food delicious, but it also looks absolutely stunning and is served with finesse by top-quality staff,” she says.

She describes the Krua Vanich concept as evolving from a desire to turn inherited family recipes into a fine dining catering service where delicate but authentic tastes are combined with hand-made crafts.

Her business started during the Covid-19 pandemic and initially focused on food delivery service, particularly for religious ceremonies. The orders would be delivered in an attractive container, such as a porcelain food carrier or a wicker basket decorated with flower garlands.

"All of those food carriers are handcrafted locally by skilled artisans across the country. That means our deliveries are premium and one-of-a-kind, and the food certainly tastes delicious. I have a passion for turning food into a gift that you can give to those you love and respect on special seasonal occasions or at delicate ceremonies," she says. 

From simple food delivery to meeting the demand for socially distanced parties during the Covid-19 pandemic, Krau Vanich has since expanded to catering services and, most recently, the fine dining party.

It is the same experience as in a premium fine dining restaurant, but takes place in a location that the customers find convenient or comfortable, Chalinee says.

While her rates may be higher than those of other catering service providers, she claims her services are not unaffordable when compared to the priceless memories they make. 

Krua Vanich currently offers a variety of services ranging from basic catering for religious ceremonies on auspicious occasions to a buffet line, fine dining course, luxurious afternoon tea sets, and seasonal greeting food set gifts such as rice soaked in jasmine water sent to bless senior relatives during Songkran.

Furthermore, in order to distinguish her catering services from others, some of her menus incorporate Thai ingredients, such as the traditional French  macaron, which she flavours with somsa, the local Seville orange, and serves with royal lotus herbal tea.

"We pay attention to every detail so that we can customise our food to the specific needs of clients that they won't find elsewhere. It's the value we provide,” she says, adding that it's Krua Vanich's responsibility to make their demands, both in terms of the party concept and budget, a reality and better than they expected.