Are you planning a summer event and you’re torn between a laid-back BBQ and a classic buffet?

Both are crowd-pleasers, packed with flavour and perfect for long summer days – but they each create a different feel.

Whether you’re hosting a garden party, wedding, corporate event or family get-together, let’s look at how you might pick the right style for your celebration.

The case for a BBQ

A BBQ adds instant character to any summer party. It’s casual, fun, and brings people together. There’s something about the smell of food cooking on the grill that gets mouths watering and conversations flowing. It’s relaxed dining at its best—easygoing, sociable, and packed with bold, smoky flavours.

Expect dishes like –

• Loaded burgers and sticky wings
• Pulled pork with soft rolls and slaw
• Mac ’n’ cheese and flame-grilled halloumi
• Charred veg and summer salads
• Zingy sauces, dips and sides

Best suited to –

• Garden parties and outdoor birthdays
• Street food-themed weddings
• Casual engagement dos
• Festivals and village events
• Company socials or team celebrations

A BBQ gives you the freedom to enjoy the outdoors, soak up the sunshine, and create a buzzing atmosphere. It’s perfect if you want your guests mingling and the vibe to feel warm, fun, and informal. Add a chef and serving team, and you won’t need to do a thing—we’ll serve everything hot and fresh, while you relax with your guests.

The beauty of the buffet

Buffets are brilliant when you want variety, flexibility and a little elegance. They’re easy to scale up for bigger crowds and work just as well indoors as out. Guests can choose exactly what they want and go back for seconds—ideal for fussy eaters or mixed dietary needs.

You might find –

• Roast sticky chilli salmon and fresh salads
• Slow-roasted pork stuffed with garlic and sage
• Stuffed portobello mushrooms with goat’s cheese
• Farro and red pepper salad or tomato and pomegranate salad
• Decadent desserts like chocolate brownie with coffee ice cream or strawberry meringue

Buffets are ideal for –

• Christenings, graduations or anniversary parties
• Corporate lunches, open days and seminars
• Weddings with a mix of ages and tastes
• Indoor celebrations or marquee events
• When you want a wide choice of hot and cold food

A buffet feels generous and thoughtful. It gives your guests time to graze and chat, and works beautifully with speeches, toasts, and entertainment. And like all our services, it comes fully catered—with set-up, crockery, cutlery and tidy-up included in our Silver Package (£34pp).

Upgrade to Gold and we’ll serve every plate and pour every drink.

Still can’t decide? Combine the two!

Who says you need to choose just one? You can start with a few light bites or canapés, enjoy a BBQ as your main event, and finish with a buffet-style dessert table. Or go for a buffet with live cooking stations for that BBQ feel without the smoke and sizzle.

Both options include our trademark stress-free service

Whichever you go for, we’ll do it all – menu planning, prep, cooking, serving and clearing up. You won’t need to worry about a thing. We tailor every menu to your tastes and the occasion, so whether you want a veggie feast, a fully gluten-free spread, or extra portions for hungry teens, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s create something memorable

At the end of the day, it’s your event – and the food should reflect that. We’re here to make sure it does.

Take a look at our Summer Dining menus. Whether you want the laid-back charm of a BBQ or the choice and elegance of a buffet, we’ll help you create a day to remember.

We want your food to be perfect for your occasion, so our menus are just a starting point. We tailor everything to suit your needs, ensuring the food is as memorable as the event itself.

Let’s chat about your next event – contact us today to start planning!