When you’re planning a special event, there’s a lot to think about. Menus, guests, timings, presentation, and how everything will run on the day. Choosing the right caterer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, and it’s about far more than simply picking someone who can cook good food. It’s about finding a team you trust to deliver exactly what you’ve envisioned. Knowing the questions to ask your caterer before you commit gives you the confidence that they’re the right fit for you, your guests, and your venue.
At Green Fig Catering Company in East Sussex, we actively encourage these conversations, because the more we know about your plans, the better we can make them happen.
1. Can You Work With My Venue?
Venues vary widely in what they can offer a caterer. Some have fully equipped kitchens, while others might just have a small prep area and a fridge. Certain venues have strict rules about outside caterers, so it’s vital to find out early on if your chosen team is able to work there.
This is one of those questions to ask your caterer that can save you a lot of time. At Green Fig, we’ve worked in a wide range of East Sussex venues. From elegant manor houses to rustic barns to outdoor marquees in private gardens. If a venue doesn’t have the right kitchen facilities, we simply arrange to hire in exactly what’s needed, from ovens to prep tables, and this is all agreed from the start and built into your quote so there are no surprises later. For marquee events, we’ll work out the required equipment based on your numbers and menu, and ensure it’s all taken care of well before the big day.
2. Can You Cater for All Dietary Requirements?
Dietary requirements are a normal part of catering, and asking about them early helps ensure no guest is left out. This is one of the most important questions to ask your caterer, because you need to know they can manage special requests confidently.
At Green Fig, we can cater for a range of needs, from vegan and vegetarian to gluten-free or allergy-conscious, and we keep full ingredient and allergen lists for every menu. These can be emailed to you ahead of time so you can check them against your guest list. This way, everyone knows what’s in each dish, and you can be confident that your guests’ needs are being respected without compromising on taste or presentation.
3. Where Do You Source Your Ingredients?
Food quality starts long before it reaches the plate. One of the smartest questions to ask your caterer is where their ingredients come from. Local sourcing often means fresher produce, seasonal menus, and the chance to support local farmers and suppliers.
At Green Fig Catering Company, we source fresh, quality produce from trusted suppliers across East Sussex and the surrounding area. From Sussex vegetables and meats to fresh fish from the south coast, we choose suppliers we know and trust. We believe this not only creates better-tasting dishes, but also supports the community we’re proud to be part of.
4. How Do You Handle Timings on the Day?
Events don’t always run exactly to schedule, and it’s important to know how your caterer will adapt if things change. This is one of the questions to ask your caterer that can tell you a lot about their experience and flexibility.
At Green Fig, we work to an agreed timeline but we don’t plan to the exact minute. Instead, we keep a close eye on the flow of the day and adjust our service times if there are delay. We don’t hot hold food, as we want it to be served at its best, so we’ll tweak timings in advance if we sense things are shifting. With canapés, we prepare a set amount based on your guest numbers, and they’re served during the agreed time window so everyone has the chance to enjoy them at their best.
5. What’s Included in the Price?
Budgets are important, and so is knowing exactly what’s covered in your caterer’s quote. This is one of the questions to ask your caterer that can prevent unwelcome surprises later. Does the price include equipment hire, crockery, cutlery, linen, and staff? Some caterers offer these as part of the package, while others list them as extras.
Green Fig believes in complete transparency from the very start. When we send you a quote, it includes everything we’ve agreed you’ll need. From the hire of ovens and cooking equipment (if required) to all service staff. We sort this from the off, so there’s never a moment on the day where you’re caught out by missing kit or unexpected costs.
Why These Questions Matter
Choosing a caterer isn’t just about who can cook the tastiest food. It’s about finding a team who understands your vision and works seamlessly with you and your venue. These five questions to ask your caterer will help you uncover the details that really matter, from where they source ingredients to how they adapt to changes on the day. At Green Fig Catering Company, we believe the best events are built on clear communication and mutual trust, and we’re always happy to answer as many questions as you need to feel confident in your choice.
By taking the time to consider these five key questions to ask your caterer, you’ll have a clear picture of what they can deliver, how they work, and whether they’re the right fit for your celebration. At Green Fig Catering Company, we treat these discussions as the start of a genuine partnership. The better we understand your vision, the more perfectly we can bring it to life. So whether it is wedding catering you are looking for, a club or society dinner, a business event, a large family party or some Christmas entertaining, then we have you covered!
If you’re ready to start planning, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at info@greenfigcateringcompany.com or use our contact form to get things underway. Let’s create an event your guests will be talking about for all the right reasons.