Tasked with catering a work event and no idea where to start

You've just been given the job of arranging catering for a work event. Maybe it's a small team lunch, a client dinner, or a large conference. Either way, you're probably wondering: do I hire someone to do the whole thing, or just supply food and drinks? Where do I even find someone? What's the difference between all the options out there?

The tension at the heart of this task is time versus control. You can hand the entire event to a full-service caterer and step back, or you can stay hands-on and source elements separately. Neither is automatically right—it depends on your event's size, your budget, how much you want to delegate, and how much the final experience matters to your employer's reputation.

The catering landscape is wider than you might think

When people say "caterer," they often mean one thing. In reality, the market breaks down into several distinct roles, and knowing the difference is your first step.

Full-service catering firms handle the whole package: menu design, food prep and cooking, staff, service, setup, breakdown, and equipment hire if needed. They're used to corporate events and understand timings, dietary needs, and professional presentation. This is the "hand it over" option.

Food suppliers and meal prep specialists focus on providing the food itself. They may design menus and handle delivery or pickup, but service and setup fall to you or someone else. This option suits small to mid-sized internal events where you already have space, basic equipment, and perhaps a colleague who can supervise.

Independent chefs and culinary freelancers often work on a per-event basis, sometimes partnering with you to design something custom. They're typically more flexible than large firms but less equipped to manage logistics.

Contract catering companies work with regular clients—offices, schools, hospitals—on standing arrangements. If your firm has weekly team lunches or monthly meetings, this might be your model.

Food truck operators and pop-up vendors bring a different energy and work well for informal outdoor events or late-afternoon functions.

What separates a basic quote from a realistic one

When you first approach a caterer, you'll get wildly different answers depending on what you ask. "How much per head?" is too vague. The price changes based on:

• The type of event (lunch, dinner, cocktail, breakfast)
• Menu complexity and ingredients
• Headcount and location
• Setup and service requirements
• Equipment hire (tables, chairs, cutlery, glasses)
• Staffing (servers, kitchen assistants)
• Timing and preparation demands

A good caterer will ask you detailed questions before quoting. If they don't, that's a red flag. They want to understand what success looks like for your event.

Start with what you actually know

Before you contact anyone, nail down the basics:

• Date and time: Not just the event date, but what time service should start and end. Catering logistics depend on this.
• Location: On-site in your office? Off-site venue? This affects their staffing and equipment costs.
• Headcount: Rough number is fine; they'll confirm closer to the event.
• Event type and tone: Is it a working lunch where people eat while standing at their desks? A sit-down dinner to impress clients? A casual team celebration? The caterer's approach changes completely.
• Dietary needs: Vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, allergies—get a sense of what's needed so you don't waste time on quotes that won't work.
• Your budget range: You don't need an exact figure, but "under R200 per head" versus "R500+" determines which providers make sense.

Walking into the search with these answers means you'll ask better questions and providers will give you realistic quotes.

Finding the right fit

A few types of providers work well for first-time corporate catering hunters. Look for established catering companies with experience in events your size—they've done this countless times and have systems. Check whether they're registered with the relevant health authority and can show you references from similar work events. Ask whether they offer flexibility on menu design, because cookie-cutter packages rarely impress.

On Strove, you can browse verified catering providers in your area, read reviews from other corporate clients, and request quotes from several at once. This speeds up the comparison and takes the guesswork out of vetting someone new.

Don't overthink this stage. The goal is to find someone who understands corporate events, has availability, can work within your budget, and will ask you smart questions about what you're trying to achieve. That conversation is where confidence starts.