TWO former Basingstoke students are aiming to take away the stress of hosting dinner parties after setting up a home catering business.

Max Roberts and Dave Ragan have launched The Two Home Dining after noticing a gap in the market.

The pair, who are both friends and run together with Basingstoke Mid Hants Athletic Club, will cater for dinner parties in the comfort of people’s homes, allowing the host to spend their time with guests rather than stressing in the kitchen.

Thirty-one-year-old Dave, from Kempshott, who has a degree in event management, said: “To put it simply, we enable you to have the perfect dinner party or family meal without any of the hassle.”

Max, 26, from The Harrow Way, Basingstoke, who studied at Basingstoke College of Technology and who has catered at weddings, added: “I’ve always wanted to set up my own business and we’re really excited that we’ve already got our first bookings.

“Cooking is my passion and friends and family often ask me to cook meals at their homes for special occasions, and I saw a gap in the market for taking this further as a business.

“People enjoy entertaining in their own homes and this way they get the best of both worlds – they can have friends over for dinner without all the stress of cooking or the chore of washing up afterwards.”

Max and Dave, a former Queen Mary’s College student, can provide a whole range of home dining experiences, from a standard three-course meal, to a seven-course tasting menu, canapés or buffets.

Max said: “Whether you know exactly what you want, need a little inspiration or would like us to design a menu from scratch around your favourite flavours, everything will be the way you want it.”

Dishes on The Two Home Dining’s example menu include seared scallops with sweetcorn puree and crispy pancetta, fillet of beef with crispy polenta, artichokes three ways and truffle yolks, and strawberry parfait with basil puree, fromage frais mousse and black pepper.

The pair will also provide all table dressings, crockery, cutlery, glassware and a waiter if required. So at the end of the evening, the host will have no washing up and the kitchen will be left as if no one was ever there.