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Hannah Gregory at Wandersups: Supper Clubs, Tacos and Finding Food Inspiration

Meet Hannah Gregory, MasterChef quarter finalist and founder of WanderSups supper clubs. We were lucky enough to enjoy the fabulous WanderSups experience at Tacos Under The Stars in the gorgeous gardens of The Northgate, Bury St.Edmunds after creating Mexican inspired table flowers in fuchsia, tangerine and sunshine yellow for the event. We sat down with Hannah over coffee and cake and chatted about her rise to fame in the world of supper clubs, tacos and what inspired her culinary journey. Margaritas all round!

How did the idea of Wandersups come about?

I guess I knew I always wanted to go into food. I didn’t know how or what that looked like. Because I've worked in events my whole life I just presumed my life would be events and cooking was a hobby. Always wanted to go onto Masterchef, that’s been a dream since I was 20, I applied five times and got through to the interview stages but it always coincided with work and other commitments I had to go on and I finally applied again in the fifth year and got on! It’s one of those things that you dream about but never actually think it would happen. When I came out of MasterChef, everyone asked if I was going to do anything and I felt that the natural thing was supper clubs. I did a road trip to the east coast of America in 2018 and fell in love with the food trucks. I love food and travel so I knew I had to do something that linked the two and that’s where Wandersups was born.

Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers
Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers

Is this your first business – if so how have you found it?

In a sense yes: if you class a business as creating a brand and setting up taxes and employees but I've been working as freelance almost my entire working life so I always feel as though that’s a business in itself. I feel like I had all the skills from my freelancing to be able to launch and run a business from pitching to designing and managing so it came pretty naturally to me! It’s been so rewarding and I have lovely customers who give me great feedback and I've had some fantastic reviews but my need to overcome my self-confidence and my self-doubts are my biggest struggle to overcome. I work on my own so there’s no-one there to bolster you up when things aren’t going the way you’d planned.

Tell us about your job/life before masterchef?

My full-time job is a festival designer. I work for one of the largest festival groups in the UK designing layouts, where things go from place to place and how the overall event looks and works. I love music and travelling and I've been able to work on some amazing projects in my career so far. I moved to Suffolk recently and the food and cheffing community is so tight-knit and produces the most amazing food. I lived in Malawi for a time which was the most amazing experience and the sense of community is something I will never forget and I don’t think could be replicated in the UK like it is there. I’ve always been interested in food and that’s how I've ended up here!

What are your top 3 favourite foodie destinations?

Mexico – My mecca. I think I could eat tacos every day until I die and I wouldn’t get bored of them. There’s are loads of regions that are so different and use flavours in a variety of ways to create tasty, smokey, spicy food that is just delicious.

America - specifically the low country and southern states. Shrimp, grits, yes! I look back on these foods and I can see so much history in them which adds to the love of the food there.

Coastal Mediterranean Countries – sitting on the beach with fresh fish and a glass of rose. The whole culture in general with the freshest produce. Simple ingredients make the most wonderful food. The sun and heat help too!

Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers

What’s the ultimate goal for Wandersups?

I have a large ultimate dream which might surprise people but it would be to own a guesthouse in Africa with a lakeside restaurant attached. Malawi is my dream destination but it isn’t foody at all but there is a lot of tourism and people looking for a tasty meal. I’d love a taco restaurant on the beach and I've already pre-planned what it would look like and how I'd get everything there. A closer goal would be to open a Tacoria in Bury St Edmunds which is on the back burner at the moment but watch this space. A podcast and a book are on the list amongst other things but one goal at a time!

What tip would you give to someone hosting their first dinner party?

Preparation. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the kitchen and your friends are buzzing around you or stuck at the dinner table. I’m all about a spreadsheet, plus timings are key. Prep everything you possibly can and I even get all of the serving bowls ready with a post-it note in each one so I know what goes where when it’s ready to be served.

Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers
Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers

We love how you style events! What's your creative process behind styling the supper clubs?

I always design them in advance, the dream would be to find a huge blank canvas venue and go to town with it but that can’t always be the case. Supper clubs are generally in small, intimate spaces so there’s not always a lot of room for decoration. My mind is design-led and I'm always thinking about how everything will look in the final event. There’s a very fine line between styling and theming so for me it’s all about defining the little details like flowers that makes a nod to the aesthetic and working from there. I love making my events multi-sensory so I’m always thinking about the bigger event using candles, incense and specific playlists to create an atmosphere that works with the food.

Catch the next Wandersups dates below and check out Hannah’s recipes for tasty, comfort food and Mexican inspired dishes. We love creating bespoke flowers for businesses and events so drop us a message at support@shida.florist for all bespoke enquiries.

Preserved and dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers

Interview by Becca Woollam