About the food
- Is the paella cooked from scratch on site? Live cooking is the point; check the paella isn’t pre-cooked and reheated.
- Which paellas do you recommend for our guests? A good caterer asks about diets before suggesting a menu.
- How do you handle vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal food? Separate pans and utensils matter.
- How do you manage allergies? Ask how allergen information is provided.
About what’s included
- What exactly is in the price? Bread, salads, sides, desserts, staff, crockery, travel, VAT.
- How many staff, and for how long?
- Do you provide plates, cutlery and napkins? Or disposables, or nothing?
- Is a tasting available? And is there a charge?
About the venue and the day
- What space do you need? Level ground, clearance, ventilation, access for unloading.
- What happens if it rains? Ask for the wet-weather plan.
- What timings do you need? Arrival, cooking and serving, and how flexible they are around speeches.
- What documents can you send our venue? Many venues ask caterers for insurance and food hygiene details.
Red flags
- A price with no breakdown of what’s included
- No questions about your guests’ diets
- Vague answers about rain
- Reluctance to talk to your venue
Why these questions matter
Most catering problems on the day come from assumptions: the couple assumed plates were included, the caterer assumed there’d be a covered space, the venue assumed the caterer had sent documents. Asking the questions above turns assumptions into a written plan.
Questions your venue will ask
Venues often want to know where the caterer will cook, what fuel they use, how they’ll protect floors or lawns, how waste is removed, and what documents they hold. Ask your venue for its requirements early and pass them on.
Getting it in writing
Once you’ve chosen, make sure the booking confirmation lists the date, times, address, menu, numbers, diets, staff, extras, price, deposit and payment dates, and what happens if numbers change or the event is cancelled.
Questions about experience
It’s fair to ask how often a caterer cooks at events like yours. A wedding in a marquee, a festival stall and an office lunch each have their own challenges. Ask what they’d do differently for your event, and what they’d need from you and your venue.
Questions about the menu
Ask what comes with the paella (bread, salad, lemon, alioli), whether you can mix and match paellas, and how they decide how much to cook. A good caterer will ask you questions back about your guests, the timings and the rest of the meal.
Questions about the team
Ask who will be cooking on the day and how many staff will come. If you need waiting staff or bar staff, ask how many and for how long. For a large event, ask who the main contact on the day will be.
Questions about changes
Plans change. Ask when final numbers are due, whether you can add or remove guests after that, and what happens if the date has to move. Get the answers in writing.
Questions about the clear-up
Ask what the caterer clears away and what’s left to you or the venue. Most caterers pack down their own cooking area, but clearing guests’ plates and tables may be a separate service.
Using the answers
Once you have answers from two or three caterers, put them side by side. Look at what is included, how the caterer handles diets, the wet-weather plan, and how clearly they answered. The caterer who asks you the most sensible questions back is often the one who will run the day best.
Price matters, but so does confidence. A caterer who has thought about your venue, your timings and your guests is less likely to give you surprises on the day. When you’ve chosen, make sure everything you’ve agreed is written down in the booking confirmation, not just in an email thread.
Questions about the menu in more detail
Once the basics are settled, it’s worth going into the menu in more detail. Which paellas would they recommend for your guests, and why? What comes with the paella: bread, salad, lemon, alioli? Can you mix and match tapas, and how many pieces or dishes are included? Are desserts made by the caterer or bought in? If you’re having seafood, what seafood will they use, and are premium options available?
These questions aren’t about catching anyone out. They help you understand exactly what your guests will eat, so there are no surprises on the day.
Questions about timing
Paella is best served as soon as it’s ready, so timing matters more than with some other catering. Ask when the caterer will arrive, how long they need to set up, when they will start cooking, and how they will adjust if your day runs late. For weddings, ask how they will coordinate with your venue or toastmaster. For work events, ask how they will fit around a fixed lunch break.
Questions about the venue visit
For big events, especially weddings and festivals, it can help for the caterer to see the venue beforehand or to talk to the venue directly. Ask whether they need a site visit, or whether photos and a call will do. If the venue has a coordinator, ask the caterer to talk to them about access, the cooking spot and timings.
Finally, ask what they need from you and by when: final numbers, dietary details, the running order, venue contacts and payment. Knowing the deadlines up front makes the final weeks much less stressful.
Ask us
We’re happy to answer every one of these. Tell us about your event.
Quick answers
Should we meet the caterer?
It helps for big events. A call or video call is often enough.
How early should we book?
As soon as you have a date and venue, especially for summer weekends.
Can the caterer talk to our venue directly?
Yes, and it saves you passing messages back and forth.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll suggest a menu and send a quote.