A NEW Lodge man is taking the healthy eating and deli world by storm after opening up a new deli at the Black Taxi hub in King Street in Belfast city centre.
Declan Casey has worked in the catering industry for over 20 years in some of the top restaurants and ten weeks ago decided to go out on his own after launching Prime Catering.
After obtaining the lease of a kitchen unit and premises at the King Street site, this week, he launched a new deli, offering breakfast, speciality wraps, build your own salads, soups and much more.
“I started off in my house doing healthy meal plans for seven people in my house which grew to 55 people in the space of a few weeks,” he explained.
“The kitchen premises came up and I took a lease on that. I thought it would be a year or so by the time I could open a deli but it has really taken off – so I opened it on Monday there.
“The place hadn’t been used for three years so we had do a massive deep clean to get it ready and buy in all new machinery.
“It is a good location. There are 4,500 students who go to the tech at Millfield. We have discounts for students, NHS staff and pensioners.
“I have no doubt in my mind it is going to take off but I am just easing myself in at the moment.”
Prime Catering offers a range of healthy meal options as well as a popular meals on wheels for pensioners service with food on a Sunday night and a Wednesday night to cover their meals for five days a week.
Community is also an important aspect of Declan’s new business and he says he wants to give something back.
“I am currently working with Building Bridges boxing club and I will be giving away eight Christmas dinners to families of underprivileged kids.
“I am also going to start cooking classes with kids in the Ashton Centre.
“Keeping it local is important, both with my work in the community and my products as well. I only use local butchers, bakers, fishmongers, etc.”
“I am in work for 5.45am every morning and don’t leave to 4pm. It’s a busy week but I decided it was time to have a go and work for myself.”
Check out Prime Catering and Deli on Facebook.
