Introduction
This advice is intended to help you select a caterer to supply safe food for a once-off social event, such as a private celebration (e.g. birthday, family gathering or other occasion). These events may be held at private locations (such as homes) or hired venues (e.g. function room or community hall).
Seeking recommendations from others who have previously used the services of the caterer you are considering is a good start. It is also important to verify that the caterer meets food safety standards to ensure that the food supplied will be safe to eat. Before placing an order, consider asking the following key questions to confirm compliance with food safety laws:
1. Is the caterer registered as a food business?
It is a legal requirement for food businesses, including those operating from a home, to be registered with the relevant competent authority. Ask the caterer for a copy of their registration letter or approval certificate. This will confirm that their kitchen is registered, inspected regularly and has established a food safety management system, including effective management of allergens.
2. How will allergens be handled at the event?
- Ask about food allergies: If possible, ask your guests in advance if they have any food allergies, so you can notify the caterer. This will allow the caterer to plan appropriately.
- Providing allergen information: For your guests to make safe food choices, the caterer must provide written food allergen information indicating the presence of any of the 14 priority food allergens in the food supplied. The caterer must make accurate, written allergen information available directly to guests using materials such as signs next to food items, menus, labels or leaflets.
- Minimising the risk of cross contamination: Provide dedicated serving utensils (e.g. tongs or spoons) for each dish to prevent cross-contamination between dishes. Advise guests not to move utensils between dishes.
3. Are the caterer’s staff trained or supervised?
Ask the caterer to confirm that their staff are adequately trained to prepare, handle, and serve food safely. By law, all food workers must receive hygiene, food safety, and allergen management training appropriate to their roles.
4. Who will be responsible for transporting food safely to the venue?
Whether you collect the food, or the caterer delivers it to the venue, food must be transported and delivered:
- In clean and covered containers to protect food against contamination (e.g., insulated boxes or thermal bags)
- In a clean vehicle
- At the correct temperatures:
- Hot food: above 63°C
- Chilled food: below 5°C
- Frozen food: below -18°C
- The food must be transferred into the appropriate storage (e.g. fridge or hot holding unit) as soon as it arrives at the venue.
5. Who will be responsible for the safe storage, handling and serving of the food?
If you are responsible for storing, reheating and/or serving the food, follow the caterer’s instructions to keep food safe. Those instructions should include, but are not limited to:
- Keeping chilled food, such as sandwiches and salads, refrigerated below 5°C until it is ready to serve and during service, where possible. Minimise the time it is kept out of the fridge and throw out any food left at room temperature for more than four hours
- Using cooked or reheated food within two hours of cooking if not kept above 63°C. Note: Food can only be reheated once to piping hot, greater than or equal to 70° C at the core of the food. Food can never be reheated twice.
- If equipment, such as a bain-marie or chafing dish are used, ensure food is kept above 63°C at all times, and throw out any leftovers.
If the caterer is responsible for the preparation, cooking/reheating and serving of the food at the venue, it would be recommended that the caterer visits the venue beforehand to ensure that appropriate facilities are available to safely store, prepare, and serve the food (e.g. fridges, kitchen space and cooking equipment, if required). If appropriate facilities are not available, the caterer should consider hiring extra equipment (such as fridges) to ensure safe food storage.
If the caterer does not provide proof or confirmation of the above requirements upon request, you may want to reconsider using this caterer to supply food at your event, as it may not meet the legal obligations. You may also consider informing the FSAI by completing our online complaint form. The same form can be used if you are unhappy with the caterer’s food safety or hygiene practices during or following the event.
Further Information
Additional guidance on food allergens, food safety and hygiene can be found in our consumer advice section.