What's Included with Salt Wind Catering (and What Isn't)

Every Salt Wind Catering booking includes the cook team, on-site cooking, our equipment, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, travel across Cornwall and Devon, and clearing up our station. It does NOT include proper crockery, glassware, waiters, drinks, bar service or tableware hire. This is a cook team only — by design.

What IS included

A cook team on site for the full service window — two staff minimum, more for larger events. All food preparation, on-site cooking and plating. Our own cooking equipment: BBQs, hog roast oven, giant pans, bottled gas, cook gazebo (3m by 6m). Disposable plates, cutlery and napkins matched to the format. Travel and fuel anywhere in Cornwall and Devon — no separate mileage line.

Clearing up of our cook station, with all food waste removed and recyclables sorted. For outdoor cooking we need roughly a 3m by 6m level patch with vehicle access for unload, plus a 13-amp socket if one happens to be available. Our extension leads are under 12 months old. If no power is available we run fully self-contained on gas.

Do caterers provide plates and cutlery?

Yes — we include disposable plates, cutlery and napkins as standard. Wooden cutlery and kraft plates for BBQ and hog roast, sturdier picnic-grade for fork buffets, small bamboo picks for finger food. All compostable where the local stream supports it. If you want proper crockery and glassware that is a separate tableware hire booking with a specialist supplier — we don't offer that service.

What is NOT included

Proper crockery and glassware. We work in compostable disposables. If you want real plates and glasses you book a tableware hire firm — Cornwall has several good ones. Front-of-house waiting staff. We are a cook team, not service staff. Food goes out as a buffet, station or live-cook, not plated and carried to seated guests.

Drinks, bar service, alcohol licences. We do not run a bar or pour drinks. Trestle tables, linen, chair covers, marquees — the venue or a hire firm handles these. Cake cutting and plating service. Cleaning the venue itself: we clear our own cook station, not the whole site.

Why we draw the line where we do

We used to try to do everything. It made every booking worse — split focus, mediocre execution on the parts that weren't food. Removing tableware, drinks and FOH meant the whole team could focus on cooking. That is the part guests remember.

It also keeps pricing honest. A caterer who promises crockery, glassware and waiters at our headline rate is either subsidising those costs from the food budget or quietly using lower-grade ingredients. We would rather charge straight for cooking. See the Cornwall catering cost guide for the full pricing breakdown.

What about allergens and dietary requirements?

Vegetarian, vegan and low-gluten options are built into every menu — tell us the breakdown at booking and we plan portions. Allergens are available on request (FIR 2014 loose food rules). For severe nut or coeliac allergies, our kitchen handles both — trace cross-contamination cannot be ruled out and we recommend medication on hand. Full detail in the allergen and dietary guide.

Things hosts most commonly forget to organise

Three regulars. First, guest seating and dining tables for fork buffets — disposable plates still need somewhere to land. Second, a bar or drinks station: even if you are bringing your own booze, someone has to pour. Third, a wet-weather plan — a 3m by 6m gazebo covers the cook station; guests need their own cover. For private events at home, ask early so the kit lands in time.

How to get a quote

Call 01209 206255 or use the quote form. Itemised quote usually back the same day. A 30% non-refundable deposit secures the date, balance due 7 days before. We are based in Redruth and cover Cornwall and Devon.

Related reading

Pricing: how much does catering cost. Portions: how much food per person. Format: hog roast vs BBQ vs buffet.