In this issue’s Meet the… feature, we chat to Megan Larcombe, Cafe Manager at Tray Cafe in Peterlee, who tells us more about the food served at the popular café, why using local suppliers is something the team is incredibly passionate about, and why she believes the restaurant is a hidden gem within East Durham’s thriving food scene.
EDB: Firstly, tell us more about Tray Cafe and where we can find it. ML: The Cafe is located within Traynor Hub at Traynor Business Park, which can be found between Peterlee and Shotton Colliery.
It’s open five days a week, from 8am every day, and serves a wide selection of home cooked breakfasts and lunches, light bites, sandwiches and wraps, cakes, and hot and cold drinks. Everything we serve is prepared on site by our chef — we really pride ourselves on serving fresh food that has a home-cooked feel to it.
We’ve been open a couple of years now and recently we’ve seen a real increase in footfall as more and more people are finding out about us. Initially people maybe thought we were just open for tenants on the business park, but we’re not — we’re open to the public as well.
EDB: Tell us a bit about the team. ML: Our café is led by chef Natalie Lister, who joined us fairly recently. She is so passionate about the food she prepares and she wants people to have a quality experience when they come in — to not only have a vast choice of dishes to choose from, but that they all taste delicious too.
Then there’s our front of house team. I am the café manager so am responsible for the day-to-day running of things, and I am supported by Bee, Georgia and Leonie who are the front of house assistants.
We’re a lovely team, like a family really, and I hope that comes across to our customers.
EDB: So what kind of food can we expect on the menu? ML: Our breakfast menu is available from 8am every day and includes your staple dishes like bacon and sausage sandwiches, cooked breakfasts (including a vegan option), omelettes and toasties, as well as healthier choices such as avocados or eggs on toast.
From 11am our lunch menu starts, and you can order things like jacket potatoes, pies, curries, quiches and loaded fries, all of which are made from scratch each day. Then for those who prefer a lighter lunch, we serve a range of salad boxes, sandwiches and wraps.
We also have a daily specials and seasonal menu which are always popular. Our menu is so varied that there’s something on there for everyone, and it’s all prepared that day so everything is fresh.
EDB: You’re also committed to using local suppliers, aren’t you? ML: Yes, absolutely. The ethos of the directors is to use local suppliers and sustainable produce as much as possible.
Some of the suppliers we use from the North East include Bridgewater Bacon, A&M Milk, Cakehead, Pumphreys coffee, Taylors Bakery and Hodgesons Fish. We trust them, and we know the quality of their produce is second to none. Our customers tell us that comes across in our food too.
It’s also really important to us that we support local businesses as much as possible, to encourage a thriving business community within the North East.
EDB: The Cafe is a popular choice for remote workers, isn’t it? ML: Yes, we get a lot of people who use the Cafe for quick meetings or emails with a hot drink, and without the interruptions that the office can bring.
The corporate market is definitely something we’re keen to tap into. We know we’re popular with our tenants and businesses on the park, but we’re keen to strengthen links with the wider business community and expand our corporate catering offer.
I don’t think it’s something people are fully aware of, but we can offer food packages for lunchtime events and it’s something we want to do more of. We know the business community in East Durham, and particularly Peterlee, is thriving and we want to make sure everyone knows we’re here and are aware of exactly what we can offer.
Tray Cafe is a bit of a hidden gem in Peterlee. The food we serve is fresh, tasty and uses the very best ingredients, and I know when people come here they’re often surprised at not just how much we offer, but also how good our food is.
So if you’re in the area, come and give us a try. You won’t be disappointed.