About The Orde Food Company
The Orde Food Company is a family business combining a passion for food with a talent for organising exceptional events.
Located in the agricultural heartland of the nation, the Orde family has spent the last 50 years running businesses in the beautiful Scottish Borders. Here, company founder Gill Orde and her husband Michael’s deep love of catering and hospitality has brought life to both a family of foodie professionals and a company that has provided stable employment for a trusted team for three decades.
The Orde Food Company has its roots in sunny Johannesburg where Gill fell in love with cooking at her family home. She came to the UK in the late1960s and studied at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu cookery school before moving to Edinburgh where her first job was catering for a Ball for 400 guests.
Gill moved to the Borders in the late 70s and set up Gill Orde in Catering. Initially working from the family kitchen table, and then from professional kitchens and offices on Newton Don Home Farm, over 30 years the business developed from providing small dinner parties to catering for gala balls and operating cafes and tea rooms at leading attractions. The Orde Food Company is now viewed by many as the region’s premier catering company.
Christian Orde, Director
Like his elder brother Justin, Christian was introduced to the business early on, working alongside the rest of the family at events across Scotland. He joined the business officially in 2013 after returning from New Zealand with his partner and young family after five successful years working for the award winning Wai Dining Group where he helped to set up, launch and then manage one of Queenstown's top restaurants, Bella Cucina. Within the group, Christian delivered support and training at its other three venues. Alongside his restaurant work, Christian trained as a Barista and gained extensive knowledge of New Zealand wines, spending time on some of Central Otago's world class vineyards. This skillset is now helping The Orde Food Company go from strength to strength.
