Absolute Taste
Absolute Taste is a UK premium catering company serving enterprise clients across sports events (LTA, The Open, Silverstone, Goodwood), premier venues (The Shard, Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House), luxury travel (private jets, superyachts), and Middle East operations, via a vertically integrated supply chain and a 34,000 sq ft Bicester production facility.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Absolute Taste does
Absolute Taste is a UK-based premium catering and hospitality company, headquartered in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and owned by the holding company The Menu Partners Ltd. It provides full-service catering across four operating lines: premium event catering (LTA tennis tournaments, The Open, Silverstone, Goodwood, Garsington Opera, Salon Privé); fixed venue and retail catering (Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, The View from The Shard, Woods' Silver Fleet, Fenwick Tunbridge Wells, Royal Academy of Music, Tythe Barn); inflight and luxury travel catering via the Absolute Taste Inflight sub-brand (private jets, high-speed rail, superyachts); and Middle East operations via Absolute Taste Middle East, a Riyadh-incorporated entity established in 2021 after project-based regional work since 2004.
The operating platform is anchored by a 34,000 sq ft dual-kitchen production facility at Bicester — an upstairs kitchen for chef-specified bespoke products and a downstairs kitchen for high-volume consistent production using advanced food manufacturing equipment. Absolute Taste owns and manages a vertically integrated supply chain that includes on-site butchery, charcuterie (via Cobble Lane Cured), salt-aged meat production, coffee roasting, and cheese maturation, with direct relationships to farmers, growers, and producers across the UK. The firm serves enterprise clients exclusively, executing multi-year contracts on a quote-based pricing model, and reports a 501–1,000 employee headcount with no disclosed revenue or external funding.
Absolute Taste firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Absolute Taste
- Legal name
- Absolute Taste Ltd
- Website
- https://absolutetaste.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Absolute Taste is a UK premium catering company serving enterprise clients across sports events (LTA, The Open, Silverstone, Goodwood), premier venues (The Shard, Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House), luxury travel (private jets, superyachts), and Middle East operations, via a vertically integrated supply chain and a 34,000 sq ft Bicester production facility.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Absolute Taste industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Catering Services
- NAICS
- Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VIP, Executive Dining & Hospitality Suites Catering (THAHAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Venue Tours & Premium Hospitality Packages (Backstage, VIP, Suites) (THAJAFAL), VIP, Hospitality & Premium Experiences (Packages, Clubs, Suites) (MPAIAFAK)
Keywords
Where Absolute Taste is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Absolute Taste business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Premium Events Catering: Catering services for prestigious events including LTA tennis tournaments (Queens, Birmingham, Nottingham, Eastbourne), Silverstone British Grand Prix, The Open golf championship, Salon Privé, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival, and Garsington Opera. Services include plated dining, all-day grazing, and hospitality covers.
- Fixed Retail & Venue Catering: Ongoing catering operations at premier venues including Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, The View from The Shard, Tythe, Woods' Silver Fleet, Fenwick Tunbridge Wells, and Royal Academy of Music. Services include restaurants, cafes, and event catering at fixed locations.
- Inflight & Travel Catering: Catering for private jets, high-speed rail services, and luxury superyachts. Over two decades of experience in aviation and travel catering.
- Middle East Operations: Catering and hospitality services across the Middle East region, with permanent operations established in Riyadh since 2021.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom catering services with quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Absolute Taste product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Absolute Taste provides premium event catering for high-profile sporting and cultural occasions such as LTA tennis tournaments, Silverstone, The Open Championship, Goodwood, and Garsington Opera, alongside bespoke venue catering at premier UK attractions including Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, and The View from The Shard. The company also delivers inflight and luxury travel catering for private jets, high-speed rail, and superyachts, and operates permanent catering and hospitality services in the Middle East through its Riyadh office.
Product overview
Absolute Taste is a catering and hospitality company operating as a single unified offering with distinct service divisions. The core products include Premium Events Catering (serving prestigious sporting and cultural events like LTA Championships, Silverstone, Goodwood, The Open, and Garsington Opera) and Fixed Retail & Venue Catering (providing bespoke services at premier UK venues including Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, The Shard, and Tythe). Two sub-brands extend the portfolio: Absolute Taste Inflight (catering for private jets, rail, and superyachts) and Absolute Taste Middle East (regional operations established in Riyadh in 2021). The company controls its entire supply chain including in-house butchery, charcuterie, coffee roasting, and cheese maturing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Premium Events Catering Catering services for prestigious events including LTA tennis tournaments (Queens, Birmingham, Nottingham, Eastbourne), Silverstone British Grand Prix, The Open golf championship, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival, Salon Privé, and Garsington Opera. Services range from plated dining to all-day grazing experiences for enterprise hospitality clients.
- Fixed Retail & Venue Catering Bespoke venue catering services for premier UK attractions and fixed retail locations including Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, The View from The Shard, Tythe Barn, Woods' Silver Fleet river yachts, Fenwick Tunbridge Wells, and Royal Academy of Music. Includes on-site restaurants, cafes, and event catering at fixed locations.
- Absolute Taste Inflight Catering and hospitality services for private jets, high-speed rail services, and luxury superyachts, delivering food in the air, on water, or on land. The sub-brand has over two decades of experience in aviation and travel catering.
- Absolute Taste Middle East Middle East catering and hospitality operations providing hospitality and catering at major events and supporting country development initiatives across the Middle East since 2004. Incorporated in Riyadh in 2021 to establish a permanent, world-class catering and hospitality business in the region.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serving 25,000+ hospitality covers at LTA tournaments
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Absolute Taste
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Absolute Taste technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Absolute Taste partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Sapling SpiritscorePartnership for 2024 event season combining high-quality spirits with sustainability commitment. Together they've helped plant 760 new trees, supporting Sapling Spirits' goal of 1,000,000 trees planted by 2027. The partnership aligns premium event catering with environmental responsibility.
- Smoking Lobster CowesminorPartnership for private client tastings showcasing dishes from fresh fish sushi to wagyu beef with cocktails. Collaborative tasting events combining Absolute Taste culinary expertise with Smoking Lobster's seafood offerings.
- Cobble Lane CuredcoreIn-house supplier of meats operating at Absolute Taste head office in Oxfordshire. Experts in cutting, curing, smoking, and hanging meats. Sources from select group of top-quality British farmers and producers.
- LTA (Lawn Tennis Association)flagshipPartnership spanning over a decade catering across four prestigious tennis tournaments: Queens, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Eastbourne. Provides 25,000+ hospitality covers in exclusive spaces and oversees retail food areas.
- Williams Formula One TeamflagshipAppointed official caterer for Williams F1 team, providing catering at every F1 race worldwide including The British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Serves team and invited guests.
- Mercedes-BenzflagshipProvides exclusive suite catering at Silverstone circuit and operates all food and beverage at Mercedes-Benz World venue in Weybridge, Surrey. Partnership spans venue operations and event catering.
- The R&A (The Open Championship)flagshipOfficial caterer for golf's original championship dating back to 1860. Serves 240,000 attendees across six distinct hospitality areas offering plated dining and all-day grazing experiences.
- Goodwood EstateflagshipCaters both the Festival of Speed (Clark Pavilion - 1,200 guests over four days) and Goodwood Revival (Salvadori Pavilion - 600+ daily over three days). Provides diverse dining from four-course plated meals to buffet lunch options.
- Garsington OperacoreCatering partner for over a decade, serving more than 10,000 hospitality guests over six-week opera season. Services include 300-cover restaurant, afternoon teas, pre-performance canapés, private dining, champagne bar, and bespoke picnics at Wormsley Estate.
- Salon PrivécoreCaters two annual events - Salon Privé London at Royal Hospital Chelsea with fine dining in Sloan hospitality area, and Blenheim Palace showcase featuring supercars, champagne reception, plated dining, and afternoon tea.
- Burghley HousecoreCatering partner at one of England's finest Elizabethan estates. Operates The Orangery, Garden Café, Muddy Mole, and Potting Shed locations serving locally sourced food in historic setting.
- The View from The ShardcoreOperates London's highest bar at 800 feet elevation atop Western Europe's tallest building. Provides champagne, cocktails, and dining with 360-degree views extending 40 miles on clear days.
- Woods' Silver FleetcoreCaters private hire river yachts moored at The Savoy Pier. Silver Sturgeon flagship vessel holds 500 guests and hosts prestigious events 365 days a year with Executive Head Chef Marcus Cunningham's distinctive menus.
- Fenwick Tunbridge WellsminorOperates The Terrace Restaurant at Kent's premier shopping destination. Provides alfresco dining in summer and cosy retreat in cooler seasons with breakfast, lunch, and dinner using locally sourced 'Garden of England' ingredients.
- Royal Academy of MusicminorRuns on-site 'Sound Bites' café at prestigious London music institution. Provides students, staff, and visitors a place to refuel between lectures and socialize in evenings.
- Tythe BarnminorCaters beautifully restored Cotswold stone barns venue offering three-course sit-down meals, lavish BBQs, and intimate candlelit fine dining beneath thatched roofs. Showcases extraordinary culinary creativity.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Absolute Taste competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Payne & Gunter: Bespoke UK event caterer with deep heritage serving corporate hospitality, weddings, and private events. Operates in the same premium tier as Absolute Taste, with overlapping client profiles in financial services and luxury brand hospitality.
- Rhubarb Food Design: London-based luxury event caterer serving corporate hospitality, sporting events (including Royal Ascot), and private celebrations. Closest UK head-to-head competitor to Absolute Taste in the premium sporting-hospitality and bespoke-event space.
- Searcys: UK-based premium event and venue caterer operating bars, restaurants, and hospitality at heritage and corporate venues including St Pancras, the Barbican, and 30 St Mary Axe. Directly comparable to Absolute Taste's venue-catering and premium-events model with a similar prestige-segment focus.
- Gate Gastronomy: UK premium event caterer (formerly part of the Goodwood group) operating at Goodwood events and serving high-end corporate clients. Closely comparable to Absolute Taste's Goodwood and premium sporting-hospitality footprint.
- DO & CO: Austrian-headquartered premium caterer specializing in airline catering (British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates), event catering (Formula 1, UEFA Champions League), and hotel/restaurant operations. Directly comparable to Absolute Taste Inflight and the sporting-event hospitality model, with global scale.
- Zafferano Catering: London-based Italian-rooted premium caterer for corporate, private, and venue events including the Bulgari Hotel and other luxury venues. Comparable operating model to Absolute Taste's fixed-venue and bespoke-event offerings.
Emerging players
- Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: US-based premium restaurant and catering group with deep event-catering capabilities. While US-focused, it shares the vertically integrated, family-owned, premium-events model and serves as a comparable benchmark for capital intensity and brand-led venue partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- Compass Group (UK & Ireland): World's largest contract foodservice company, operating across UK venues, sports, and premium events through sub-brands (e.g., Levy UK). Overlaps with Absolute Taste in sporting hospitality and venue catering but at vastly larger scale and broader customer base.
- Sodexo Live!: Global live-events and hospitality division of Sodexo, catering at major sports venues (including Premier League stadia, Ascot, Wimbledon hospitality), cultural venues, and corporate events. Comparable in sporting-hospitality scale but operates at broader, less bespoke end of premium than Absolute Taste.
Others
- Cobble Lane Cured: In-house supplier of cured and aged meats co-located at Absolute Taste's Bicester HQ. Listed as an Others peer because it is both a vertically integrated supplier and a strategic operational dependency rather than a direct competitor — relevant for understanding Absolute Taste's moat.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Absolute Taste social profiles
Digital presenceAbsolute Taste financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Absolute Taste leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Absolute Taste subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Absolute Taste funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Absolute Taste M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Absolute Taste
What does Absolute Taste do?
Absolute Taste provides premium event catering for high-profile sporting and cultural occasions such as LTA tennis tournaments, Silverstone, The Open Championship, Goodwood, and Garsington Opera, alongside bespoke venue catering at premier UK attractions including Mercedes-Benz World, Burghley House, and The View from The Shard. The company also delivers inflight and luxury travel catering for private jets, high-speed rail, and superyachts, and operates permanent catering and hospitality services in the Middle East through its Riyadh office.
Is Absolute Taste a public or private company?
Absolute Taste is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Absolute Taste founded?
Absolute Taste was founded in 2004. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Absolute Taste based?
Absolute Taste is headquartered in Bicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Absolute Taste make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Premium Events Catering is the primary driver. The others are fixed Retail & Venue Catering, inflight & Travel Catering and middle East Operations.
Who are Absolute Taste's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Payne & Gunter, Rhubarb Food Design, Searcys, Gate Gastronomy, DO & CO and Zafferano Catering. Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Compass Group (UK & Ireland) and Sodexo Live!. Cobble Lane Cured is listed as an others.
Does Absolute Taste have an API?
No public API is recorded for Absolute Taste.
What industry is Absolute Taste in?
Absolute Taste's product category is Event Catering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAKAI, VIP, Executive Dining & Hospitality Suites Catering, with a secondary code of THAFAIAG, Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering. Its NAICS code is 722320 and its SIC code is 5810.