I love when someone shares their story with us. Katja is a German Girl from Berlin who now lives in the UK and runs her own German Catering Company. Just thinking about it makes me HUNGRY. I know you will enjoy her story too. If you have a story to share, email me at [email protected]
My name is Katja, I’m German and I have been living in the UK for 18 years now. Bishbashbangers is my private German catering company and I have been catering for Oktoberfest in the UK for 6 years. When I started my business it was late September and Oktoberfest was one of my first big events. I can remember it like it was yesterday. We were all dressed in traditional outfits and had schlagers banging in the background. We were filled with nervous excitement and looking forward to the Oktoberfest fun.
Since then I knew – I want to show the UK what it means to be part of a real Oktoberfest. It is all about quality food, a variety of delicious beers and classic German music to get the party atmosphere going.
Starting my Own Business and Catering for Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is now a very popular theme in the UK. We have catered for so many birthday parties, anniversaries and weddings that are Oktoberfest themed. I can honestly tell that these parties are the best we’ve done. The traditional attributes of the festival create a warm and joyful atmosphere so much so that Oktoberfest parties are being put on at other times of the year. Sometimes we receive requests for Oktoberfest in the middle of July and we love it.
Brits really love good quality sausages, sometimes they try to compare bratwurst to traditional British Cumberland sausage. Whilst I am fond of the British sausage, I think my bratwurst is truly supreme! You just can’t resist my hot dog with all its trimmings – fried onions, sauerkraut, jalapenos and a variety of sauces – ketchup, mustard, sweet mustard, mayo and remoulade. I’m so proud of all my products as they all come directly from Germany. Everything is imported fresh and ready to be served for hungry customer.
Nothing Beats Homemade!
The product I’m most proud of is my homemade curry sauce – you either love or hate it, there is no in between. You should have seen how many curry sauces I cooked before I found the best version. My mom and all her friends from East and West Germany were always chipping in with their own tips and advice. Someone even advised me to add Coca-Cola! Madness!
Now I can make it with my eyes closed and no one has my special recipe except me. You should see my reaction when someone asks for the recipe, “how can you ask that?!” It’s like my baby: created, nurtured and perfected by me.
German Home Cooking
Whilst I am bringing a selection of Germany’s finest sausages, schnitzel, pretzels, burgers and mulled wine to the UK, I still miss typical German home cooked food like a Kohlrouladen oder Schmorgurken rouladen. A proper cosy, family-run German restaurant is something I have struggled to find in London.
There are German restaurants, but they are rarely run by Germans. Knowing the culture and the recipe is not the key. The key is having eaten the food since you were a child, being aware of the special ingredients which only your grandma knows. That’s how I run my business – every dish and every portion has that little bit of me, a little bit of experience and a touch of the memory of “how it used to be in Berlin”.
Bratwurst, Frankfurter, Bockwurst, Weisswurst, Beef wurst, Vegan wurst, Frankfurter filled with cheese and Currywurst are all some of the most requested sausages in the UK. I customize a menu for every request and sometimes when I send out my menu people are shocked about the variety of sausages we are offering.
Going Vegan…
I love sharing my food. If you came to my house you would always find a variety of tasty dishes ready to eat. This is the same with my business. I want everyone to be able to enjoy Bish Bash Bangers’ food. Therefore, in the past couple of months I have decided to start a new chapter – Vegan German catering.
Since I was pregnant with my second child, I have stopped eating meat and yet still crave a good sausage. From this craving my idea was born. I already offer vegan/vegetarian options, but I want to take it to the next level.
Vegan burgers, vegan schnitzel, vegan potato salad. The desire to feed everyone is not the only reason I want to start a vegan menu for Bishbashbangers. There are other issues such as rising ecological problems and uncontrollable animal cruelty that have contributed to my decision.
Whilst Green Bangers are not running yet, I’m doing everything to make Bish Bash Bangers as earth friendly as I can – we use only wooden cutlery and paper plates, reusable containers and avoid plastic packaging as much as we can.
Thank You!
I hope I have given a good indication of how I’ve felt as a German girl living in the UK for quite a few years now. Even though I’ve made myself a home here, I truly love German cuisine and what my culture has to offer. As for my business’ future, I am embarking on a tasty new culinary and catering journey which I hope to share with you all at some point!
Check out the BishBashBangers website
Thanks again to Katja for sharing her story with us. If you are in the UK, and have a strong craving for German Food… Click–>BishBashBangers
BIO BOX:
My name is Katja and I am a German girl living in the United Kingdom. I decided to start a German hot dog catering company because I wanted people in the UK to experience what it is to eat German street food, which I absolutely love. I’m proud of my business and have worked really hard to promote the cuisine I was brought up with. We cater for Oktoberfest every year and I make sure to offer dishes that are true to this traditional festivity. If you’re ever in England and need of some authentic Oktoberfest catering do get in touch. I’ll be more than delighted to impress your guests with our traditional Oktoberfest menu!
I shop at Aldi, always satisfied.