Asparagus starter plated on a white plate.

Our Story

About Peapod & Co.

Peapod & Co. is an independent catering and event planning company specialising in creative food and drink for private parties, weddings, corporate events, brand activations, sporting occasions and VIP hospitality across London and the South of England.

Founded by award-winning chef Henrietta Russell, we plan and deliver events for private clients, leading brands and organisations across the UK and beyond.

From private celebrations to marquee receptions and high-profile events for over 500 guests, our team brings creativity, discretion and a highly personalised approach to every occasion.

We are trusted to deliver events of the highest calibre, with guest lists often including royalty, cultural figures, entertainers and leaders in business and media.

Creative canapes on white dishes on marble surface

Locally Sourced & Sustainable Ingredients

Rooted in quality and sustainability, our chefs prioritise locally sourced, seasonal ingredients when creating our food and drink menus.

We work with trusted British suppliers, sourcing British meat from HG Walter, the award-winning London butcher, and responsibly sourced fish, including produce from Severn & Wye Smokery and ChalkStream®.

Around 70% of our ingredients are sourced within 50 miles of our Hampshire base, supporting local producers and businesses.

Our menus feature Kent asparagus, Isle of Wight tomatoes, English wines from Candover Brook and Exton Park, and spirits from The River Test Distillery.

Our Founder & Head Chef, Henrietta Russell

A passion for food, hospitality and creating occasions to remember

Henrietta Russell, also known as the canapé queen, launched Peapod & Co. in 2019 to bring creative, seasonal menus to the South of England.

Ballymaloe-trained, Henrietta has over 20 years of catering experience, working with discerning clients and leading brands at some of the UK’s most prestigious events. Her experience includes Chelsea Flower Show, summer parties at the V&A, the Royal Academy and London Fashion Week. One of her career highlights was catering for Queen Elizabeth II during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

Previously Head Chef at Rocket Food and Sous Chef at the internationally recognised event group Rhubarb (RHC Hospitality), Henrietta has worked with leading catering teams across the UK, developing her skills and devising award-winning recipes. During her time leading the Rocket Food kitchen, the team won award twice.

Earlier in her career, Henrietta worked as a private chalet chef in Verbier and as a pastry chef with the Hotel du Vin group.

Growing up in the countryside, Henrietta developed a passion for local ingredients, seasonal cooking and protecting the British farmland that helps sustain them. This continues to influence her menus, alongside her use of inventive techniques and distinctive flavour combinations.

Henrietta Russell wearing chef shirt and green apron

Why Peapod & Co.?

The name embodies Henrietta’s love of food, hospitality and parties. Henrietta is a triplet, the youngest pea in a pod. Having grown up in the Hampshire countryside, her passion for cooking, entertaining and rural life blossomed from an early age. Close to her family, Henrietta wanted a name that celebrated these connections while being unique, fun and true to her values.

Henrietta was inspired by her mother, who hosted large charity balls in Hampshire throughout the 1990s in aid of Leuka, now Leukaemia UK. Watching the creativity, care and attention to detail that went into creating these memorable occasions sparked her own love of hospitality and her ambition to create special events and menus of her own.

Peapod & Co. reflects Henrietta’s culinary journey, her connection to family and her roots in the countryside.

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