salt spring 17

Also a fan of Italian fare and family traditions, Jayde loves her
carbs and the bonding that happens over the trattoria table. “I love
the way Italians make a big deal about coming together for a meal.”
A close family is one of the reasons Jayde decided to turn her
passion for feeding people into a business. “They all told me this
was something I should be doing. I had a vision to be working
for myself. It’s definitely where I want it to be.”
Having never seen herself as a nine-to-five girl, Jayde admits,
“I’ve always loved cooking and entertaining guests. I always
thought I would do something creative.” She enjoys styling
the whole food event, from the flowers to the vessels in which
they’re arranged, to the food. “I work alongside the client and
create. It’s about so much more than just delivering the food.”
Connecting with Jayde is easy; clients can call or arrange to meet
in person, or simply order online, making their selection from
three separate packages, which can be customised to take into
account any dietary requirements before Jayde begins honing
the finer details. The theme can be as feminine and delicate or as
rustic and earthy as a client likes, with many themes built around
Jayde’s upcycled timber cheese boards, purchased locally from an
artisan who repurposes the wood salvaged from storm-damaged
trees. Jayde says, “It looks beautiful when the whole table is one
big cheese board. I’m a huge cheese lover. My favourite thing to
do is a baked brie with blueberries and honey.”
She says that people love the decadence of a generous grazing
table, offering much more food than can be consumed during
the event. But this also means she has had to consider what to do
with any leftovers. “It wouldn’t be the same effect if it was sparse,
so I always make sure I have containers for take away. It’s always
packed up and ready to go. There’s no waste.”
Jayde uses crisp white tablecloths, soft cushions, pretty picnic
rugs, and locally sourced fresh flowers to complement the
food. Her Modern Goddess Table launch event in June had
a deliberately feminine feel, attracting attention across her
Facebook and Instagram accounts. She recognises the value
in offering superior presentation, happily noting that guests
love to post their foodie photos online. “Everybody wants to
photograph it and share it.”
Jayde appreciates the value of word of mouth and her growing
social media tribe. “The launch party made it possible to connect
with Sunshine Coast businesses, including top wedding planners
and event managers,” she says. “When you’re new you’ve got
to put yourself out there. Realistically, it’s about getting to
know what the businesses and clients want, and making the
connections in the industry.”
She admits there is some trial and error involved in starting a
small business from scratch, but Jayde is determined to grow
Modern Goddess Table organically, keeping the focus on quality,
local products and nurturing partnerships with suppliers.
Jayde says of her business, “I’m so protective of it and I’ll have to
learn to delegate when the time comes to grow. The dream is to
have teams all over the country.
“I didn’t even think it would come this far! I was thinking it
would be for friends and family on the side, but each time you
get a call you get a boost of confidence.”
moderngoddesstable.weebly.com
ROUGH
& CUT
OPALS
The Opalcutter, Montville
Contemporary Jewellery
& Art to Love & Give
Potter’s Workshop, South Africa
POTTERY
& ART
Daniel Vior, Spain
The Opalcutter, Montville
JEWELLERY
OPEN 6 DAYS 10—5
(Closed Wednesdays)
Eva Stone, Poland
Ti2, United Kingdom
07 5442 9598
www.opalcutter.com.au
Shop 4 ‘The Pottery’
171-183 Main St Montville