In these difficult times, when we are all confined to our homes and unable to see our loved ones, celebrating special moments remains just as, if not more, important.
While a get-together might be slightly smaller than normal, there is no reason to compromise on the delicious food you have within your bubble, or that you send to someone special on their special day. The Sybarite speaks to India Timmis from Stargrazing Co, a company that makes a delicious range of grazing platters that not only taste good, but put focus on looking beautiful as well.
“You eat with your eyes”, India tells our Sybarite Editor. India started Stargrazing Co after doing a food nutrition course while balancing her job and being a mum to two little kids, “I would put the kids to bed and study for about 4 hours each night - I loved what I was learning”. After her course, India saw the gap in the market to start Stargrazing Co as a children’s grazing table company. India is adamant on giving children healthy food but that is also visually appealing, “Kids will eat what looks delicious, and if you mix some of their favourite sweets with colourful crudités and homemade dips, you will see wonderful results in what they learn to eat!”
A true instagram success story, Stargazing Co’s Instagram page has been the source of a lot of India’s clients. A week after starting, @stargrazingco had over 1000 followers, and India vowed to increase her page’s following by 1000 people monthly for the next year. Currently at 28.2K followers, it is unsurprising that India’s bright, bold and fun platters have gained a consistent as well as celebrity following since her star in 2019.
Once grazing tables became more popular, India knew it was time to turn her business up a notch. “I knew that the gap in the market for adult grazing snacks would be to focus on ensuring all products were homemade. This is also when I decided it was time to leave grazing tables behind and focus on platters”. Coming at 70cm in diameter these platters are a beautiful addition to any table, and the themed platters brighten up any birthdays or themed events - as is evident from the incredible pictures on her website and Instagram.
Although Stargrazing Co’s beautiful platters have been the centerpiece at parties for Facebook and British Airways, and a host of celebrity clients have her number on speed dial, India remains as humble as ever, “For me it is all about having high quality products. Yes, I love food styling and the visuals are really important but the food must taste exceptional as well. I work with a lot of exotic fruits and I am extremely picky about where they come from and that they are natural and organic. Stargazing Co is a personal brand, I do school runs in the morning and then spend hours in the kitchen, taking on any challenge for any theme that is thrown my way. I am a perfectionist, so no platter that I don’t love will ever leave my kitchen”.
And these are truly platters we will all fall in love with - ranging from 50-70 cms, with options of sweet, savoury, crudites, dips, breakfast, children rainbows - all colours, shapes, sizes and themes are possible, as well as bespoke platters for special occasions. Recently, India added boxes to her range, particularly handy for smaller households during lockdown. The rainbow theme is our favourite, aesthetically pleasing as well as delicious, but the 4 person breakfast box (with wine) cannot go amiss.
“Whereas I used to make everything myself, as the company grew, I now also work with local delis, bakeries and even my family, to allow Stargrazing Co to make even more amazing platters with wonderful, new ingredients”. Her favourite platter? “It has to be the Italian platter - I have Italian roots and we use the finest ingredients from buffalo mozzarella and products brought straight from Italy to the most wonderful homemade bruschetta”.
Talking to India is an absolute joy, and you can tell the love and passion she puts into every single thing she makes. What she is most excited about at the moment? “The new Christmas range! It should be coming out by the middle of November, so keep your eyes peeled!”. Head to @stargrazingco now for a feast for the eyes, order one of the gorgeous and delicious platters for a loved one (delivery in London and home counties) and sign up to The Sybarite newsletter for an exciting Stargrazing Co discount coming your way!
