Catering for your event, from one local caterer

A seated meal with plated courses needs the most staff and the most kitchen space, and it gives you the most control over timing. A buffet or sharing platters need fewer servers but more food, because portions are not controlled. Canapés and bowl food suit standing receptions and evening events. A barbecue or food truck is relaxed and often cheaper to staff, but it depends on the weather and on space outside for cooking.

Beyond the menu, the price is driven by guest numbers, the number of serving staff and chefs, hire of crockery, glassware, linen and furniture, travel, and how long staff are on site. Drinks may be a separate arrangement; if the caterer supplies alcohol at a venue without its own licence, a licence or temporary event notice is needed, which is covered below.

Most caterers ask for a final guest number and dietary list a week or two before the event. Agree what happens if numbers change after that point, because food ordered and staff booked are usually charged anyway.

• the menu per head, and what the minimum number of guests is
• staff: chefs, servers and bar staff, with their hours on site
• equipment and hire: crockery, cutlery, glassware, linen, tables, chafing dishes
• who clears, washes up and takes the rubbish away
• travel and set-up, and any access or kitchen requirements at the venue
• how dietary needs and allergies are handled and labelled
• deposit, final payment date, and the cancellation and postponement terms

Every food business in the UK, including home-based caterers and mobile food units, has to register with its local authority. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland this has to be done at least 28 days before trading. The council then inspects the business and, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, gives it a food hygiene rating from 0 to 5.

You can look up any caterer's rating on the Food Standards Agency website, along with the date of its last inspection. Displaying the sticker is a legal requirement in Wales and Northern Ireland but voluntary in England, so a caterer without a sticker in its van is not necessarily hiding anything. Look it up. Scotland runs its own scheme through Food Standards Scotland, which shows a pass or improvement required result instead of a number.

Offrano does not check a caterer's rating or registration. Search for the business by name before you pay a deposit; if you cannot find it, ask which council it is registered with.

Source: gov.uk

UK law lists 14 allergens that food businesses must be able to tell customers about when they are in a dish, including peanuts, milk, eggs, gluten-containing cereals and sesame. For food served freshly at your event, that information can be given in writing or verbally by staff, but it has to be accurate, so the caterer needs a system for recipes and ingredients.

Natasha's Law, in force since 1 October 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, applies to food that is prepacked for direct sale: food packed on the same premises where it is sold, before the customer orders it, such as sandwiches and salad pots in a café fridge. That food needs a label with the name of the food and a full ingredients list with the allergens emphasised. Most event catering is served on plates or platters and is not covered by that labelling rule, but if a caterer packs individual boxes before the event, ask how it labels them.

Collect your guests' allergies and dietary needs early and send them to the caterer in one list. A good caterer asks follow-up questions, explains how it prevents cross-contamination, and tells you honestly if it cannot guarantee a dish free from a particular allergen.

Source: food.gov.uk · legislation.gov.uk

Many venues have a list of approved caterers or charge a fee for bringing in an outside one. Check this before you get attached to a menu. Ask what kitchen facilities exist, whether there is power and water for a marquee or field, and when the caterer can get in to set up.

Selling or supplying alcohol, providing regulated entertainment, or serving hot food between 11pm and 5am on unlicensed premises in England and Wales needs a licence or a temporary event notice from the council. A temporary event notice covers events with fewer than 500 people at all times, including staff, and has to be given at least 10 clear working days before the event. Scotland has its own occasional licence system.

Tell us the date, the type of event, the number of guests, the location and the style of food you have in mind. We verify your mobile number with a text code and your email with a link, then show the request without your name or contact details to caterers covering the area. Exactly one caterer can buy it, paying Offrano for it, after which it disappears from the list. You pay nothing to use Offrano.

We email you the caterer's name, address and phone number before it gets yours. We cannot promise a caterer will take every request, especially at short notice; unsold requests are withdrawn after 21 days. You are free to turn down the menu offered and to talk to other caterers.