cuisine
Asian wedding catering
Asian wedding catering in the UK costs £25 to £60 per head for a full menu with staff outside London, and £40 to £80 in London, with live food stations and extra events priced separately. Many established caterers are registered for VAT, so check whether a quote includes the 20 percent.
What this covers
What it costs. Asian wedding catering costs £25 to £60 per head outside London for a buffet or served menu with starters, mains and desserts, and £40 to £80 in London. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- A Punjabi wedding reception for 400 with live tandoor and chaat stations
- A vegetarian Gujarati menu for a two-day wedding
- A halal walima dinner for 300 at a banqueting hall
- Mehndi night food for 150 in a marquee
- A South Indian wedding lunch with a dosa station
What is involved
Asian weddings are often several events: a mehndi or sangeet in the days before, the ceremony, and a reception or walima, each with its own menu and guest list. Caterers cover Punjabi, Gujarati, South Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Sri Lankan and other cuisines, and many specialise. Service is a buffet or served at the table, and live stations such as chaat, dosa, tandoor, pani puri or hot jalebi are a common upgrade. Menus may be fully vegetarian, Jain, halal or a mix.
Venues shape the choice. Many banqueting halls that host Asian weddings have their own kitchen team or an approved list, and some allow outside caterers for a kitchen fee; some caterers own their venue. For a marquee or a venue without a suitable kitchen, the caterer brings mobile cooking equipment. Where halal meat is required, ask which body certifies the supplier; where vegetarian and meat menus are both served, ask how the kitchen keeps them apart.
The practical check is the full quote. Ask for the price per head at your real numbers, and whether it includes VAT, staff, crockery, the tea and dessert service, and the venue's kitchen charge. Those items are usually the difference between two quotes that look alike. caterers.trade lists only caterers rated 3 or above, or Pass in Scotland.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask which cuisines they specialise in, and for a tasting of your menu rather than their standard one. Ask for the price per head at your numbers with VAT, staff, crockery and live stations listed. Ask whether they have worked at your venue and what kitchen fee it charges. Ask which body certifies their halal meat, or how they run a separate vegetarian or Jain kitchen. And ask how many weddings they cater on the same day.
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Common questions
How much does Asian wedding catering cost per head?
£25 to £60 per head outside London for a full menu with staff, and £40 to £80 in London. Live stations and extra events are priced separately, and VAT may add 20 percent.
Can I bring my own caterer to an Asian wedding venue?
It depends on the venue. Many banqueting halls have an in-house kitchen or an approved list, and some charge a kitchen fee for outside caterers. Ask the venue before you choose a caterer.
Do Asian wedding caterers provide halal meat?
Many do, and some cook only halal. Ask which certification body their meat supplier uses, since families differ on which they accept.
What are live food stations?
Counters where chefs cook or assemble food in front of guests, such as chaat, dosa, tandoor, pani puri or hot jalebi. They add theatre and fresh food, and each is usually priced per head in addition to the main menu.
Can a caterer do a separate vegetarian or Jain menu?
Yes, many specialise in vegetarian and Jain cooking. Ask how the kitchen keeps vegetarian food separate if meat is also being cooked for the same event.