Defining your event format and atmosphere
The structure of your event should dictate the catering style. Matching the dining experience to your objectives creates a natural flow for guests.
For board meetings, executive retreats or intimate client entertaining, multi-course Private Dining offers a formal, refined atmosphere. Courses are cooked on site and served to the table, so hosts stay in the conversation rather than managing the evening.
If your event is built around networking, standing canapés or Tapas Evenings keep guests moving and talking — a natural fit for launches, drinks receptions and post-conference gatherings.
For larger company celebrations, summer parties and informal team days, buffets, grazing tables and live-fire BBQ formats offer a relaxed but polished experience that suits a wide range of tastes.
How the menu is planned and agreed
It starts with a conversation rather than a package: the occasion, guest numbers, the style of service you have in mind and the shape of the day. From there James writes a menu specifically for your event, using seasonal produce.
Nothing is fixed until you are happy with it. Menus are usually settled a few weeks ahead so ingredients can be ordered properly, while guest numbers and dietary details can be adjusted much closer to the date.
Because we build around what is good that month, it is worth reading what we cook through the year before settling on a date-led menu.
Dietary requirements and allergies
Corporate guest lists almost always include a range of dietary needs. Share them early and alternatives are designed into the menu rather than substituted on the day. Amy lives with a nut allergy herself, so careful planning and clear communication matter to us.
Although every reasonable precaution is taken, food is prepared in environments where allergens may be present, so a completely allergen-free environment cannot be guaranteed.
Venue, kitchen and equipment
We cater in offices, private homes, hired venues and dry-hire spaces. All we need is oven and hob space, a sink and a work surface; where a venue has less than that, tell us early and we will plan the menu and equipment around it.
A limited amount of crockery and cutlery can be provided depending on the size of the event, and for larger bookings or specific tableware we work with a trusted hire company.
Timings on the day
Timing matters more at corporate events than anywhere else. Share the running order — arrivals, speeches, presentations — and service is paced around it.
We arrive several hours before service with ingredients, equipment and serving dishes, prep quietly in the background, serve your guests, then clear, wash and pack away, leaving the kitchen exactly as we found it.
Guest numbers and pricing
Our minimum booking is 6 guests and we comfortably cater for up to around 100, depending on the format, venue and kitchen facilities.
Every event is bespoke, so pricing is by quotation only. Cost is shaped by the menu, guest numbers, service style, location and staffing, and everything is confirmed clearly before you commit.
Where we work
We cater regularly across Hertfordshire and Essex, into Kent and over to The Cotswolds, and we travel further afield for larger events. Whether it is an office headquarters, a hired country house or a private venue, the chefs handle the cooking, the service and the clear-down.
The next step
Successful corporate events come down to planning early and communicating clearly. Set the format, confirm the venue logistics, then build the food around both.
Our Corporate Events Catering page sets out the service in full, or send us your date, location and guest numbers and we will come back with menu options and a clear quote.
Frequently asked questions
What formats work best for corporate networking events?
Standing canapés and tapas-style small plates work best, because guests can move freely and keep conversations going. Seated multi-course dining suits smaller client dinners where the focus is the table rather than the room.
How far in advance should corporate catering be booked?
As early as your date is confirmed, particularly for December and summer party season. Menus are usually finalised a few weeks ahead so ingredients can be ordered properly, with numbers and dietary details adjusted nearer the time.
Can corporate catering menus accommodate multiple dietary requirements?
Yes. Provide full details of dietary requirements and allergies before the event and alternatives are built into the menu rather than substituted on the day. Food is prepared in environments where allergens may be present, so an allergen-free environment cannot be guaranteed.
What kitchen equipment is needed on-site for corporate catering?
As a minimum we need oven and hob space, a sink and a work surface. Where a venue offers less, tell us at enquiry stage and the menu and equipment are planned around what is genuinely available.
Planning something of your own? Tell us the date and the number of guests and we will write a menu for it.