What's involved
A good buffet is built as a spread to look at as much as eat from. Ours combine grazing boards, hot and cold plates, breads, salads with intent and desserts made in-house, styled and dressed for the room they are in.
Unlike the fixed packages many caterers' buffet offers are built on, nothing here is a set list. The menu is written for your event, and everything is prepared and finished on site wherever the kitchen allows, so food is presented at its best rather than sitting under cling film.
The format suits parties, christenings, wakes, office celebrations and evening food after a wedding breakfast — anywhere guests come and go rather than sitting down together at one moment.
How Top Knot Chef does it
It starts with an enquiry: your date, location and guest numbers. We then talk through the occasion so the menu suits the event you have in mind, and James writes a bespoke menu proposal with a clear quotation. Closer to the date we finalise timings, dietaries and service details.
On the day we arrive with everything required, build and dress the spread, keep it looking its best through service, and clear down afterwards — the kitchen is left exactly as we found it. Vegetarian, vegan and allergy-aware options are integrated across the spread and clearly identified, not substituted at the last minute.
What affects the cost
Because every event is bespoke, pricing is by quotation only — we do not publish fixed figures. The cost reflects your menu, guest numbers, service style, location and staffing, and the quotation is itemised and agreed with you before anything is confirmed.
The quickest way to get a number is to send us your date, location and rough guest count through the contact page. The quotation is free and there is no obligation attached to it.
What to check before you book
A few practical things are worth confirming early, whatever caterer you use:
- Kitchen access — oven and hob space, a sink and a work surface is the minimum we need
- Table space for the spread itself, and how guests will move around it
- Access times for setting up and clearing down
- Dietary requirements across the guest list, collected early rather than on the day
- Final numbers — we cater from six guests up to around 100 depending on the venue and format
Areas covered
We are based in Bishops Stortford and cater buffets and grazing across Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and The Cotswolds, travelling further afield for larger events.
Frequently asked questions
What's involved, step by step?
You send us your date, location and guest numbers. We talk through the occasion, James writes a bespoke menu proposal with a clear quotation, and closer to the date we finalise timings, dietaries and service details. On the day we arrive with everything needed, build and dress the spread, keep it replenished through service and clear down afterwards.
How long does it usually take?
We arrive several hours before service to prepare and set up. The spread then stays available through the event window you set, and clear-down happens once your guests are finished.
What affects the price, and how do I get a quote?
The menu, guest numbers, service style, location and staffing all shape the figure. Every event is quoted individually — send your date, location and rough numbers through the contact page and you will get a clear, itemised quotation back.
What do I need to do before you start?
Confirm the venue, the table space for the spread and kitchen access — oven and hob space, a sink and a work surface — and share dietary requirements and final numbers when we agree the details.
Which areas do you cover?
Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and The Cotswolds from our base in Bishops Stortford, and further afield for larger events.
Keep reading
Planning something of your own? Tell us the date and the number of guests and we will write a menu for it.