Here's to Mum and Dad
What it takes to feed and cater for the love of ADT Champion Audi 
By Margot Orenchuk
Photos courtesy Margot Orenchuk

LA SARTHE, France (June 10, 2004) -- Diana and Stu are the dynamic duo-catering powerhouse that spearhead Champion Audi’s corps of staff that looks after the feeding and hospitality of the team. From dawn until well after sunset these unsung heroes are serving up unending meals for hundreds of drivers, media, VIPs and tires changers. As gasoline is required to run the R8s, so is food required to run our bodies, and Mum and Dad are around to fill the bill.

Margot Orenchuk: So, how long have you been involved in this business?

Diana: This is our 27th year.

MO: How on earth did you get involved in this crazy world of 20 hour days, 7 days a week? This is so involved! You must truly love your work.

Diana: Well, I have never done catering before. I’ve never had any cooking training. We used to go to grand prix as spectators. And back in those days you could walk around and it was easy to get into the paddock. We used to just get talking to people, and we started doing just a small BBQ, and wrote to a few teams, and didn’t really get any answers, then we did, and they kept our records on file as they say, and we did one or two years, and in those days you just did May to September so you had to go back to normal jobs but then we realised that normal jobs just aren’t for us. (laughs) So we formed a little company and we have sort of gone on from there.

MO: And how did you get involved with Champion Audi?

Diana: This is the first year we have done then, we’ve always known of Champion since Johnny was there; I’m a great friend of Johnny Herbert (last years driver). I helped them secure the purchase of their catering vehicles. We are also friends of Kaye (Team Coordinator) She asked us if we would like to do hospitality this year and we had to see if we could fit it in; because last year we couldn’t fit it in. So it’s our first year with Champion but they are lovely, lovely people and they are so appreciative. It’s quite nice to have a change of team, like anything you are never really appreciated until you are gone. I think they were a little bit wary of us at first, coming from F1, but we are not like that.

MO: How many people do you have on staff?

Diana: Well, here there are 7 of us because of the shift changes for the 24-hour race. Normally there wouldn’t be but because of the hours involved.

MO: Do you have any special meals you have to prepare? Any fussy eaters?

Diana: There are a few of them that have a few likes and dislikes.. like the tire changer Keith you spoke to earlier.. he is very fit. When he comes in we know he likes his 6 egg whites whipped and scrambled. So we look for him to come thought the door and we pass the message through the kitchen and we say, “egg man is here!” There is one that just needs meat of any sort. We don’t have any vegetarians. There isn’t any actual extreme ones on this team. I find them very easy compared to F1 drivers.

MO: F1 doesn’t have any 24-hour races, have you ever done one of those before?

Diana: No, we haven’t. I must admit, this is our first. But we are prepared. We will be taking meals up to the pits, but nothing too heavy, obviously that is not what they want. We will do some soup, some chicken salad wraps.

MO: What will you be providing for the hospitality side here during the race?

Diana: Not a whole lot. There is a suite box above the pits that is catered we are not involved in. When we did the Pre-Q we did that, but not the race. But we are prepared if Mr. Audi were to walk in here, we are prepared for any request!

MO: How often do you go shopping?

Diana: Every day. We use local ingredients. We use English tea bags, although not so important to the American lads! Wherever we are we buy locally. The metro cash and carry are fantastic, and the local Hyper-Mart is what we use, too.

It’s been very different working with an American team. They are very laid-back compared with the European teams we are used to dealing with. Obviously, we are hoping for a great result this weekend.

MO: So, you have an 8 o’clock breakfast. When does your day start?

Diana: Staff gets here a minimum of an hour before to prep, but we really like to get things done the night before. But by the time people are finishing breakfast we are already working on lunch; and as soon as that is done we start working on dinner and snacks for the evening session. Of course know we are getting into the all night session and to will be 24-hour days. This is when we start working in the pits. And they have little fridges in the pits that we have to keep our eyes on. So my day started at 5am and will go through until 1am. Same tomorrow, and Friday is a bit of a break, and then it’s the Big Day.

They eat quite well, but they seem to contain themselves to the meal times. It quite surprised us. The drivers do eat at the same time as the team; this series does seem to be all about the team.

Breakfast is either healthy or a full cooked English. Lunch pasta, pasta and lots of salads. And a meat portion in the evening.

Diana and Stu kindly provided me with lunch as I was interviewing in the Champion hospitality that day, and I had a marvelous meal there. They are fine cooks, indeed! Thanks to Mum and Dad for their hospitality, and I can testify Champion Audi never have to worry about going hungry!