Spitz and Bitz Catering, taking care of all your function needs.

You take care of the memories, ​they​'ll  take care of the rest! At Spitz & Bitz ​they​ specialise in organizing and creating memorable functions for ​their​  valued clients ranging from birthdays to corporate functions.

There is no special occasion to big or small. ​Their ​highly trained staff will make every effort to make your special function unforgettable for your guests. From a succulent lamb on the spit with all the trimmings​,​ to intimate functions where you are the braai master​, they will​ arrange it all for you, taking all the stress out of organising any function. 

All ​their​ menus are based around you, your budget and your guests. With many years having been spent in the restaurant and hospitality industry, the Spitz&Bitz​ service is ​one that is ​driven and dedicated to bring you the best possible experience, in a setting of your choice.

Name of interviewee: Tyron and Nadene Langley

Position of interviewee: Owners of Spitz and Bitz Catering

Tell us a little bit about Spitz and Bitz and how the brand came about?

We love food, and we love making great food; we always have. Spitz and Bitz represents that for us; although we specialise in spit braais, we also supply all the bits that make up the perfect meal.

How did you get into the catering industry - tell us where it all started?

As mentioned, we have both always had a great love for making food, and especially making food together. When Ty’s brother decided to sell his fairly new catering business we felt it was a sign and we grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Since then we have grown our business from just 2 spit braais with the 2 of us catering one event at a time, to the capacity to cater on average 7 separate functions or events at any given time. We often reminisce about the days when catering for 50 people was a rush for us, and how now we easily cater for 1600 people in a single event while still running 2 or 3 other events at the same time. We have built up our brand by being consistent and building a great team that represents our core values, which include making every event the best one, and by ensuring that our food is always of the same high standard as people have become accustomed to receiving from us.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

We love the opportunities we get to help people celebrate the special occasions in their lives. We meet a lot of different people and we take pride in making their special occasions memorable. Life is so rushed and people often forget to see the good, but we see these moments each week as we see people laugh and celebrate the things that matter to them and their friends and families – it reminds us how much there is to be grateful for in our lives.

What is the biggest misconception about catering when it comes to planning the perfect party?

People think it’s hard work to host a party, and admittedly it can be when you’re trying to do it all on your own. People also think that if they get outside help in the form of a caterer for instance, it will become completely unaffordable, but that’s where we come in. We strive to take all the stress and running around out of the event, while also striving to remain affordable. As a mom, I used to look back at my children’s birthday party pictures and realise that I wasn’t even in any of the pictures because I was so busy behind the scenes – with our service it puts you back in the pictures, because it lets the host and hostess enjoy the party without the hassles traditionally associated with hosting a party.

Talk us through your latest party, which was none other than Professional Rugby Player, Ruan Dreyer - what was the brief in terms of the food they wanted, and what elements did you then include in making it a success?

We have various menu options available, but we are also completely flexible and can happily customise a menu to suit our clients’ preferences. We were asked to supply whole lamb on the spit with chicken portions, spit roasted baby potatoes and veggies, two salads and dinner rolls – this our ‘The Boss’ menu. As part of our standard service we supplied the cutlery and crockery, buffet style serving station, complimentary sauces and white paper serviettes. Of course we also provide professional staff members to prepare and serve the perfect meal. We also supplied glasses and special kiddies (plastic) cutlery and plates for the kids, since it was a small kiddies’ party 

What one tip would you give all clients, when searching for the right catering company?

Make sure you know what you’re getting. It’s easy to be lured away by what looks like a real bargain, only to realise later that you need to source your own cutlery and crockery, or to find that the serving station provided is not what you had in mind. Be sure the company you’re using is reputable as well, as the last thing you need is to be caught on the day of your event without any food. Ask for references if you should feel uneasy, check out the company’s social media page/s and website too, so you know what to expect.

Let’s talk food! Because everyone loves good food. Why did you decide to make a “spit braai” the main element of what you offer?

Yes! We sure do love food! Spit braais are a fairly cost effective way of catering for varying group sizes in a variety of settings. As Ty will tell you, there is also just nothing that beats a whole lamb on the spit. My personal favourite is a whole pig on the spit though, as the meat is so tender and juicy while the crackling is simply perfect. You’d be surprised how many people have never experienced meat that tender and juicy before! And let’s not forget the baby potatoes in the bottom of the spit – who can beat a potato that’s been slow roasted in the juices of the meat for at least 4 hours… heaven on earth!

What services does your company offer? (explain all services)

We are primarily a catering company specialising in spit braais and traditional South African braais, but we are always expanding and adding to our range, with some of our new offerings including a DIY taco bar, schwarmas and wraps, build-a-boerie bar, and gourmet slammer bar. We also offer platters, cakes, cupcakes, novelty cookies, starters and desserts. We’ve customised menus to cater to themes as well, such as an American themed lunch or a Hawaiin themed dinner. We’re currently exploring the idea of introducing a festival option where we’ll supply various stalls with a variety of foods – this will of course be more geared toward larger events but we’ll see how what happens with this one. We also rent out glassware and other equipment on request.

What in your opinion, are the 3 biggest must-haves at any party? When it comes to catering?

Great food (of course), good music and lekker drinks make up the recipe for a superb party, but when it comes to the food itself, the meat needs to be perfect or people will not enjoy the meal at all – all the other food kind of just falls in around the meat. Then it’s always good to take into account what season you’re in as the weather definitely affects people’s eating habits. Warmer weather will see people preferring salads rather than warm veggies, but of course in winter this changes around again, and that’s why we have a summer and a winter menu which helps people to cater accordingly. Lastly, don’t be afraid to make changes or add things on when you’re booking with a catering company – I’m not sure about other companies, but we are super flexible and love to cater to people’s specific preferences. An example of this: we’ve catered an event where just a handful of people enjoyed skilpaadjies (liver in an intestine casing) so the hostess asked us to add in a few of these so everyone felt included and valued. Food is fun, so don’t be afraid to play around with it.

Where can we stay up to date with all things Spitz and Bitz?

You can visit our Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/SpitzandBitz/ or our website on www.spitzandbitz.co.za – we are always innovating and growing our offering, so be sure to check in regularly so you can stay abreast of these exciting changes.

Follow them on social media.

Facebook: @SpitzandBitz

Website: http://www.spitzandbitz.co.za/