Does pizza suit an art opening?

Yes, precisely because guests walk around. An aperitivo with antipasti, bruschetta and focaccia, followed by pizza in slices, can be eaten standing without plate or cutlery. We tune the pace to the opening’s programme, with a pause during a speech or performance.

Our driveway is dolomite. Is that a problem for the equipment?

Not necessarily. Dolomite and gravel can show ruts if heavy equipment has to cross them. We check the width and load-bearing capacity beforehand and choose the route that does the least damage. Photos of the driveway and the garden help us judge this properly.

Can you place the oven far enough from our sculptures or borders?

Certainly. We discuss the set-up beforehand with a few photos or a plan of the garden. The oven gets an open spot with room all round, so the smoke clears without touching plants or artworks. Lawn and borders we leave undisturbed.

How big can our wedding party in Deurle be?

As big as you like, and very small works too. There is no minimum; one oven bakes for roughly a hundred and fifty guests, and a larger party gets a second baking station. That way the rounds of pizza keep coming smoothly, from the first table to the last.

Pizza catering in Deurle

Deurle is the village of museums and artists’ homes, tucked among trees on the Leie. Pizza catering suits an exhibition opening, a private reception or a wedding in a garden that looks like a work of art in itself.

Opening with aperitivo

At an art opening guests wander around with a glass in hand. Focaccia, bruschetta and antipasti from the wood-fired oven suit that relaxed, standing rhythm.

Respect for the garden

Lawn, borders and sculptures are left alone. Together we choose a fixed spot for oven and tent, and we clear everything before we leave.

Wedding among the trees

A wedding party in a garden on the Leie, with pizza in shareable rounds and dolci as dusk falls beneath the old trees.

A village of artists and museums

Deurle is an outlying district of Sint-Martens-Latem. Like Latem, the village attracted artists, and you can still see it today: the Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens shows contemporary art, and the homes of the brothers Gust and Leon De Smet are preserved as museums. Between those places, country houses and villas lie hidden in the greenery.

Art here is not a backdrop but a way of life. Many parties in Deurle have something to do with it: the opening of an exhibition, a reception for collectors, a birthday in a garden with sculptures. That calls for catering that stays modest and doesn’t overshadow other people’s work, yet still forms a warm centre.

A wood-fired oven does exactly that, in a natural way. The fire draws attention without noise, and the baking itself has a craft quality that belongs in this setting. We discuss beforehand where the oven goes, so it is visible to guests yet obstructs no artwork, sightline or border.

A private view with Italian aperitivo

At an opening, guests are on the move. They look, talk, walk back to a piece. That is why an aperitivo works better here than a seated dinner: antipasti and bruschetta in small dishes, focaccia in strips from the oven, Aperol, Italian wine or limoncello. Pizzas in pieces can follow, so nobody has to hold a plate during a conversation.

The first wood is already burning a good 90 minutes before the start. That way everything is ready when the first invitees arrive, and the service lasts about two hours, enough for a generous opening. For a wedding or private reception we compose the menu to measure, with Pizza à volonté and finally tiramisu or cannoli.

Gravel, dolomite and old trees

Many driveways and garden paths in Deurle are laid in gravel or dolomite, and the gardens are full of old trees. Lovely, but it calls for care when bringing in equipment. We need 2.5 metres of passage and a level patch for the tent, which covers nine or sixteen square metres. On a dolomite path we watch for ruts, on lawn for firmness.

What goes on the pizza comes straight from Italy, and the base is a sourdough that has been left to rise for two to three days without commercial yeast. Meat-free pizzas always feature on the menu; vegan and gluten-free ones we make to order in a separate zone, and the allergen list arrives ahead of the day. There is no lower limit on guests; should the list climb above a hundred and fifty, we add another baking station.

We hebben een geweldige ervaring gehad met Chloë & Mathieu van Prestigio Catering! Heerlijke pizza's met liefde bereid door 2 jonge en passievolle ondernemers. Wijzelf en onze + 40 gasten hebben enorm genoten van de authentieke smaken.…
— Caroline C.View on Google

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