Intro
Hi, we have had so many new followers recently so firstly, I thought I’d take the opportunity to tell you all a bit more about me and Bokkie. Secondly, say thank you for following us on social media, for commenting, and most importantly ordering from Bokkie and helping a small business survive during these times.
A bit of history.
I’m Claire, I started Bokkie in 2017 as a side hustle due to my passion for cooking and the love of all thing’s food. Whilst I like to cook pretty much anything, I wanted to bring something different to Buckinghamshire. I decided to bring the flavours of South Africa, food that my Grandmother, Mother and Aunties would make. Real good home comfort food, that we would all sit around the table, eat, share and plenty of conversation. I’m also passionate about provenance and ingredients so it was important to me to use as much local fresh produce as I could, and minimal processed ingredients.
Geoff at The Real Artisan is our baker who makes all of our Bunny Breads and Brioches. All of our meats are sourced from our local butcher Tilbury’s in Aylesbury as well as our fruit and Veg from a local supplier.
Bokkie is primarily a Street Food business and trades out of a converted Horsebox or Gazebo and we traded at Street Food Events such as MK Eat, Beer Festivals like Aston Clinton Beer Festival, Food Festivals such as Summerfest at Waddesdon or at Blenheim Palace and also catered for Private events and Weddings.
I have a fabulous young team who have all helped shape and contribute to get the business where it is today. Kaydee, Mya, Georgia, Michael, Nathan, Ellie and our newest recruit Dom who are currently not able to help due to social distancing guidelines and logistics. I’m missing their input, banter and just generally all working together but hopeful we will get back there again.
In July 2019 Bokkie stopped as a side hustle and became my full time job, I was able to live my dream! As you know, if you love what you do it does not feel like work, so I am so grateful, so very fortunate to get up every day be creative and cook dishes, receive fantastic reviews, and build a wonderful database of customers whilst doing something that I love.
Today
Since the Pandemic, like a lot of other businesses I’ve had to pivot the business from a Street Food events trader to cooking ready meals and delivering them straight to your door. Still with the same ethos of homecooked fresh food, using local quality ingredients, dishes that are affordable and good value for money, during this time the most important thing was to ensure that they were affordable. Most recently we have also introduced the Braai box. All of these can be purchased via our app https://bokkie.tillo.co.uk.
Why?
My passion for my business, what I have built from scratch all self-funded and grew month on month, I couldn’t just let is collapse. This is my dream, this is my livelihood and I did not want anything to stop or destroy what I had spent hours, months, years building. I am sure I am not alone and there are millions of small business owners who feel the same as me. Unfortunately, I fit into that 5% that do not receive any Government support and I didn’t want to give up, so during this period of time have worked hard on my own to provided great tasting dishes delivered to your door.
I went through that change cycle, I had that rollercoaster of emotions, one minute I’d cry, the next minute I’d tell myself, yes you can do this!! Cooking for 14 hours a day and then delivering for up to 6 hours and also trying to home school 2 children, is physically and emotionally exhausting. (Whilst also trying to get to grips along with the rest of the world what had just hit us with this Covid-19, lockdown, not seeing family and friends, the uncertainty, the hundreds of questions, dealing with your own and your families mental health and well being). I do this because I love it, it matters to me to provide well cooked, tasty, fresh, local produce dishes direct to your door. Regularly refreshing the menu and coming up with new dishes to keep it fresh and interesting, whilst offering choice.
I thank all of my customers from the bottom of my heart, because it is you that has given me the drive to continue when I am so exhausted, and I physically can do no more. It is you who will get us through this, it is you who is helping me to build this business and it is you that is providing me with some income to pay some bills.So simply thank you and thank you for supporting a small business
