5 Catering Options for Your Next Special Event

You know that sinking feeling when you realise you haven’t made any preparations for that big event you have coming up.

What are you going to serve your guests? Where will you find the time to cook everything? What if your guests have dietary requirements?

Never fear…we have you covered! Catering and private dining companies can take all the hassle out of elegant entertaining. Here are five venues to help you dish up the perfect meal:

Native fusion food to elevate your next event is what’s on the menu at Pawa Catering. Servicing the Melbourne CBD and surrounding suburbs, this catering business takes its name from the word meaning ‘to cook’ in the Gunditjmara language and is the brainchild of husband and wife team Niyoka Bundle and Head Chef Vincent Manning.

 

Merging classic Western and European favourites with locally sourced native ingredients to create an indigenous fusion experience, expect offerings such as native thyme and mushroom arancini as well as bush tomato and Parmesan. Other menu highlights include the kangaroo puff pastry pie and lemon myrtle falafels; sweet tooths salivate over bunya nut or strawberry gum brownies, wattleseed chocolate chip cookies and quandong croissants.

Find traditional pizza and pasta from recipes passed down through generations at Town & Country Pizza & Pasta on Fischer Street in Torquay. No trip down the Great Ocean Road is complete without a refuelling stop at this locally-loved eatery, where a full glass frontage lets in an abundance of natural light setting a bright and breezy vibe for chilling out with a G&T at cosy table settings.

 

Take advantage of special meal deals as an economical way to cater for your next family gathering or work lunch – think large pizzas like BBQ chicken on a tomato sauce base, Oceania with seafood mix, prawns, olives, garlic and cheese, or the Country Special with ham, bacon, hot salami, onion, mushroom, capsicum, pineapple, garlic and herbs. Pasta lovers are satisfied with plates like fettuccine with chicken, mushroom, onion, garlic and cream sauce.

Find the home of award-winning pies at Orange Pie Company on Summer Street in Orange. Nestled in The Village on Summer Centre, this gourmet pie café began life as a stall at Orange Farmers’ Market before its present bricks and mortar venue where rustic surrounds of recycled timber, matte black walls and vibrant orange pendent lights set the scene for chowing down on the best pies in town.

 

After a 20-year career in fine dining, Chef Mitch decided he wanted to make the greatest tasting pie in Australia and that is what he has done with gourmet offerings like beef, mushroom and Shiraz, along with turkey, bacon and cranberry; from trays of party pies to fine dining catering, offshoot business Orange Catering Company can handle anything you come up with for your special occasion.

Follow the tantalising aromas of slow-cooked and smoked meat down Railway Street in Rockdale to appease ravenous hunger at Smokin’ Al’s BBQ. Let Al cook for you using unique flavours and ingredients to plate up the perfect Texas-style low and slow BBQ meat, along with char-grilled Angus burgers and housemade frankfurters in fabulous hot dogs.

 

Cater for your next event with BBQ meat platters such as beef short ribs and 12-hour smoked brisket, along with smoked chicken and pulled lamb; for the burger lover, think Smokin’ Al’s signature with beef patty, American cheese, beef rasher, caramelised onion, lettuce, chipotle mayo and BBQ sauce, with sides of slow-cooked BBQ beans, mac and cheese, apple slaw and grilled corn.

Expect a Modern Australian menu with an authentic Italian influence when dining at Barista vs Chef on Clarence Street in East Sydney. Owned and operated by brother and sister team, Carmelo and Livia, this bustling café has an industrial feel from steel stools, bench and cosy table settings and cabinets overflowing with all manner of temptations for guests looking for grab-and-go options.

 

Offering a range of fresh and tasty meal options to cater for your office meetings, parties and functions, think plates like salmon, avocado and cream cheese open bagels, fresh croissants with triple smoked ham and tasty cheese, along with pasta plates of linguine with cream sauce, bacon, mushroom and shallots. Salads like slow-roasted pulled pork on a bed of greens with roasted nuts and apple slaw always hit the mark.