Catering is the service that prepares and supplies food and drink away from the client’s kitchen: at an event, an office, a country estate or a function room. The RAE dictionary records it as an English word and defines it as a “service supplying meals and drinks to aircraft, trains, schools, etc.”.
What catering is
In Spain the word is used for almost any food service for a group away from home. But catering goes well beyond the menu: it covers everything that happens between the kitchen and the last tray cleared away. Production, transport, set-up, service and clear-away are all part of the job, and most of the types come from how many of those pieces you take on yourself.
Types of catering by format
There is no official classification. The most useful one if you are hiring separates what you provide from what the caterer provides, which is also how we present it on Events and catering:
| Format | What it includes | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| On-site kitchen | The chef and the kitchen; the venue, set-up and service are yours | People who already have the space and the staff |
| Informal | Food, simple set-up and disposable tableware; service, if you want it | Parties, group lunches |
| Full-service | Complete set-up, tableware, glassware, linen, waiting staff and clear-away | Formal celebrations, corporate events |
Types of catering by occasion
The occasion changes the menu and the rhythm of the day:
- Coffee breaks and other breaks in the working day, with coffee, drinks and small bites.
- Standing lunch or drinks reception, based on finger food, for presentations and openings.
- Sit-down lunch or dinner, with waiting staff and plated service.
- Live rice or paella, cooked in front of the guests.
- Local fiestas and comparsas, with kitchen and bar set up in the marquee, for a single meal or for several days.
- Daily service for centres and companies, in gastronorm trays, plated or with the tables laid: we handle it separately, under Contract catering.
Catering, banquet and buffet
Three words that get mixed up but mean different things:
| Word | What it is | RAE definition |
|---|---|---|
| Banquet | The event | “Meal that many people attend to celebrate some occasion” |
| Buffet (bufé) | A way of serving | “Meal made up of a variety of cold and hot foods, laid out at the same time on one or several tables”, generally offered in hotels and social events |
| Catering | The service that makes it possible | “Service supplying meals and drinks to aircraft, trains, schools, etc.” |
The buffet at an event
A buffet has clear advantages: each guest chooses what they want and at their own pace. On the other hand, it needs more table space, constant topping up and easy access so that queues do not build up in one spot. If you are considering one, ask how it will be topped up, how many serving points there will be and how each dish is labelled with what it contains.
What a caterer has to comply with
Anyone who prepares and serves food for others is a food business: it must run its own food hygiene control system and give allergen information for what it serves. We explain both in HACCP (APPCC) and in the 14 allergens.
How to choose
Before asking for quotes, be clear about the day, the venue, how many of you there are and what format you want; that way each supplier quotes the same thing and you can compare. If it is for a company, see catering for corporate events and what to include in a coffee break; if it is for a family celebration, catering for celebrations. And when you are ready, get a quote.
