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# Catering
- URL: https://www.thoughtsfromtheroad.blog/catering/
- Published: 2026-09-01T08:08:58.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-01T08:08:58.000Z
- Author: Matt Doherty

It is time to talk about catering. In the middle of a run through a load of European festivals and a load of US festivals, and there is something very apparent. 

There are big differences between the catering setups at different festivals. Congratulations to some of the smaller Euro festivals who have taken their catering up to a whole new level with table service and an al a carte menu. I understand very well that this could not be achieved as soon as the meal numbers go up so it will remain with these smaller festivals and we will always enjoy our time in their dining rooms!

If you spend a moment to think of the *why* of catering and less of the *how* then I think you are starting from the right place. A bunch of you might well know and remember how happy you were in Auckland eating the food prepared by the Last Supper caterers. I remember years (and years) ago, talking with their wonderfully talented head chef who told me people were always asking her how she did it. She thought they were asking the wrong question. Why did she do it was more appropriate. Backing up a bit, her food needs some description for those who have not had the pleasure. Incredible food, great variety, serious (ie not fake) vego options, huge salads, nutritious and delicious....and holy cow, the desserts!...You did not mind the various people standing in front of the desert tables taking photos of the magnificent cakes...because well, they were photo worthy. The simple premise was. Nutritious and energising food that not only tasted incredible but also was presented in such a way everyone felt special eating there. Then take this incredible spread and give to people who are working extremely long hours, with little sleep, and often in adverse weather, and you are giving them the best chance to do their job to the best of their ability....simple. 

And as I was often the one signing the invoice, not too expensive at all...just clever

Now there are plenty of great caterers in our business, and hat's off to them for feeding us; keeping us going, BUT every now and then you get something that is hard to describe....coz it aint nice. Now this may not be all the caterer's fault as they can only produce to a level that the money allows. So here we get to the point.

Being happy with your caterer serving crappy food with minimal effort put into either presentation or nutrition is just telling all who come into your festival catering that you simply don't care, and I think if I pressed you on that point...you would say you do care. I would also hazard a guess that people who cook food for a living generally want to cook food that tastes good and is nutritious, and they take pride in that. So it is about money, and we can see that budget constraints in this department have such a broader impact than just *saving* that money; effecting morale, productivity, and the all important 'feel' of the backstage at a festival.

I, and many people like me, bang on about festivals creating a great atmosphere both for their audiences; to get them to want to return the following year, but also for the artists that play them; to get them to want to play again another year. Making a festival desirable is just part of good business practice. Catering is as important as a lot of the technical, production, or site budget items(and a LOT more important than stuff like fireworks or other useless fru fru\*). 

Having crap catering is damaging the festival. Seems simple enough

And yeah, the pic above is actually a 'breakfast' served to one of my crew a few weeks ago. The only good thing is it was actually served on real plates with real cutlery....(do not get me started on disposable plates and disposable cutlery).

*\*Fru Fru. Not the band, (that's Frou Frou) but bits and pieces of useless extra crap that always find a way to be on a festival site and very usually in someone's way.*