How Much Does Event Catering Cost in Cornwall? A Practical Guide

In short: event catering in Cornwall starts from £7.95 per head for a cold finger buffet, £13.25 for a fork buffet and £16.95 for a hot buffet. A charcoal BBQ is from £8.45 per head delivered, a hog roast from £9.15 delivered (£11.00 cooked on-site, minimum 50 guests), and live-cooked giant paella pans from £12.25. Your final per-head price depends on guest numbers, menu choice, and whether we deliver or cook on-site.

What does event catering cost in Cornwall?

Here are our current starting prices by format, taken straight from our published menus. Every figure is a "from" price per head — the real cost of your event depends on the variables further down this page.

These are honest starting points, not headline teasers. We have catered 602+ events across Cornwall and Devon since 2024, hold a 5.0★ rating from 57 reviews, and cater everything from 20 guests with no upper limit — so the ranges below come from real events, not guesswork.

Why does the price per head change so much?

Four things move the number more than anything else. Guest numbers come first: the cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the fixed costs — travel from our Redruth kitchen, equipment, set-up — are spread across more people. A small gathering of 20 costs proportionally more per head than a buffet for 120. Service style is next: a delivered cold buffet, a hot buffet in thermal boxes, and a hog roast cooked live on-site each need different kit and different amounts of on-the-day work, and that shows in the price. Menu choice matters too — a menu built around seafood and premium cuts costs more than a classic buffet. Finally, location: we cover Cornwall and Devon, with free travel on orders over £500 to Plymouth and Tavistock and over £1,500 for the rest of Devon and a mileage contribution below that. Ask any caterer to break the quote down against these four and you will understand exactly what you are paying for.

How much is a buffet versus a hog roast versus a BBQ?

A buffet is the most flexible and the cheapest way in. Cold finger buffets start at £7.95 per head, fork buffets at £13.25, and hot buffets at £16.95 — all delivered, set out and ready to serve, with plates, cutlery and napkins included. A charcoal BBQ starts at £8.45 per head delivered, or £9.95 when our cook team fires it on-site at your venue. A hog roast — a whole slow-roasted Cornish pig, carved to order — starts at £9.15 per head delivered, or £11.00 cooked live on-site, with a 50-guest minimum for the on-site version. Live-cooked giant pans of paella, curry or tagine start at £12.25 per head, minimum 50 guests, and work brilliantly for a crowd because several pans scale to any size of crowd. There is no single "right" format — it depends on your headcount, your venue, and whether you want the cooking to be part of the show.

What is included in the price, and what is not?

The per-head price covers all the food, freshly made to your confirmed guest count, plus disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and delivery within our area. For on-site formats — BBQ, hog roast, giant pan — the cook team is included; there is no separate service charge for cooking. What sits outside the per-head figure is travel beyond the free-delivery threshold (a mileage contribution below £1,500 of catering), and any specific extras you add, such as late-night food or additional sides. We do not add a wedding surcharge, a bank-holiday premium, or a hidden booking fee — the quote you accept is the price you pay. Delivered buffets cover TR and PL postcodes; on-site cooking travels further across the region.

How do I get an accurate quote for my event?

Tell us four things: your date, your guest count, your rough location, and the kind of event. That is enough for us to send a tailored quote the same day during office hours. There is no obligation and no pressure. Because we have catered 602+ events across Cornwall and Devon and cook to a confirmed guest count rather than over-producing, the quote you get reflects what your event will actually cost — not a low anchor that climbs later. A 30% deposit secures your date, with the balance due seven days before. If you want to sanity-check a quote from anyone — us included — ask them to price it by format and by guest number, and to tell you plainly what is and is not included.