About me
My passion for food and home cooking started at a young age. Growing up as a farmer’s daughter in Stalbridge, Dorset, I developed a deep appreciation for agriculture, food production, and seasonality – a foundation that continues to inspire everything we do at Victoria O’Brien Ltd.
This early interest led me to study Food Retail Management at Harper Adams University, where I explored the full food supply chain. I was particularly fascinated by food manufacturing, which eventually became the focus of my career. After graduating, I worked in Technical Management roles within large food manufacturers, supplying a wide range of products to the UK’s leading retailers. These roles strengthened my expertise in procurement, process manufacturing, food quality, and food safety.
Despite my corporate experience, I have always been a passionate and creative home cook. After the birth of our first child, I reassessed my work-life balance and followed a long-held dream to start my own food business. In 2018, I left my role as a Factory Technical Manager to work alongside Southfields Family Ltd, a respected catering company with 30 years’ experience in events and wedding catering across Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire. Under Mandy’s mentorship, I learned the art of event catering and honed my skills in delivering high-quality, bespoke service.
In January 2019, Victoria O’Brien Ltd officially succeeded Southfields Family Ltd. Based on the outskirts of Wincanton, Somerset, we operate from a fully equipped commercial kitchen with the capability to cater for large events, sourcing and creating fresh, innovative dishes using locally sourced ingredients. We also supply a range of local farm shops, pubs, butchers, and retailers with handcrafted cakes, brownies, pies, and pasties.
I love creating new dishes and bespoke menus tailored to each client’s occasion, whether it’s a wedding, garden party, anniversary, agricultural show, or memorial. No two events are the same, and we pride ourselves on offering personalised service, taking into account tastes, dietary requirements, and your venue.
Victoria O’Brien Ltd covers Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire, offering both private event catering and wholesale supply, combining my expertise in food manufacturing, quality, and safety with a personal touch and creative flair.