Entertainment that feeds

Hasani Walters, Gleaner Writer

Food and drink are as important to entertainment as, let's say, music.

In fact, it is such an important part of entertainment that almost every party will advertise what is on offer at the bar or the buffet table.

The Bars To Go group of companies started as, a beverage catering service for events; they have since expanded.

The company now boasts the 'full menu', as they now have After Party Cleaning Services, Bars To Go Supplies, Bars To Go Premium and Bars To Go Training Institute.

Not to be left out of the mix is the 'brother company' of Bars To Go, Gourmet To Go.

"It's the young brother company of Bars To Go, and basically what we do is the food catering part of what Bars To Go does on the party scene," said Robert McHugh, director of the Bars To Go group.

The idea came about after persons used to constantly ask about food catering for events at a reasonable price, and after a while they just decided to add food to their beverage service.

"The start-up was very challenging, because there are hundreds of persons who deal with food in Jamaica. We have to be competing with them, and then you have Burger King, KFC and the other restaurants," he said.

The company has had quite a successful run since it began, and has seemingly survived the recession that has sent many a start-up into bankruptcy.

"I think we're positioned in such a way that after the whole recession, we will be right where we want to be, and that's number one, right at the top."

McHugh spoke highly of his company, saying, "You name it we do it, we cater to from two persons to 5,000 persons. We have done catering for Daydreams, Osmosis, Claro, Digicel and a lot of other big names. We also do lunch deliveries everywhere in the Corporate area, even in some schools."

More expansion is in the pipeline as the group now tries to take the business to all parishes, the Caribbean and, eventually, the world.

According to McHugh, customers can expect excellent quality service in every way from Gourmet To Go.

"We have a saying in Jamaica that goes, 'yuh get wah yuh pay fah', well, Gourmet To Go gives you more than you pay for," he said.