18th & 21st
Hungry guests, late finishes and a lot of friends. Hog roast rolls, burgers and loaded fries served in the evening, with plenty of vegetarian options for mixed groups.
Birthday parties
Hog Roast Birthday Party Catering
A hog roast or BBQ turns a birthday into an event. We cook on site, carve to order and look after the food, so you can look after your guests.
Birthday catering, sorted
Let someone else do the cooking this time
Most birthday hosts spend the party in the kitchen or stood over a garden grill, missing the conversations they organised the day for. Booking a hog roast birthday party changes that. We arrive with everything we need, get the roast going, and serve your guests while you enjoy the afternoon or evening.
There's a bit of theatre to it as well. A whole pig on the machine, the smell drifting across the garden, crackling being broken up on the board: it gives the party a focal point and a moment when everyone comes together to eat. For guests who'd rather have something off the grill, we can run a BBQ alongside or instead.
We cover everything from relaxed family lunches to big evening parties in a hired hall, and the approach is the same: a menu that suits your crowd, food cooked fresh on the day, and a team who clear up after themselves.
Milestone birthdays
Every age brings a different crowd and a different kind of party. Here's how we usually approach the big ones.
30th
Often a garden or hired-venue party with friends from every part of life. A carved roast with good salads, or a street-food style grill, suits the relaxed mood.
40th
Family and friends together, children running around, a party that starts in the afternoon and runs late. A roast for the main meal and rolls later works beautifully.
50th
Frequently a bigger, more planned affair: a marquee in the garden, a village hall or a function room. A carvery-style hog roast or lamb roast with full sides fits the occasion.
60th and beyond
Guests of all ages, some who'd prefer to sit and be served. We can bring plates to tables for less mobile guests and keep the menu classic and generous.
Kids' birthdays with a family crowd
When the adults are coming too, a BBQ with sausages, chicken and burgers keeps the children happy while the grown-ups tuck into the roast.
Anniversaries, surprise parties and family celebrations
Birthdays aren't the only reason families gather. We cater for wedding anniversaries, from a quiet 25th in the garden to a ruby or golden anniversary with the whole extended family. We also cook for joint birthdays, family reunions and those celebrations that mark several things at once.
Surprise parties need a caterer who can keep a secret. Tell us the plan and we'll arrange arrival times, parking and set-up to fit, whether that means cooking round the back of the hall or setting up at a friend's house down the road. We'll make sure our messages go to you, not the birthday guest.
If you're planning a different kind of private gathering, such as an engagement party, christening or house party, our private party catering page covers those in more detail.
Good to know for surprises
- Tell us who to contact and who not to
- We can arrive earlier and cook out of sight
- Set a serving time after the big reveal
- Quotes and messages go only to the organiser
Garden parties: how set-up works at home
A lot of birthday parties happen in back gardens, and that's absolutely fine. We need a reasonably level patch of ground or patio for the machine and serving table, plus a route in from the road. If the only way to the garden is through the house, let us know and we'll plan how to get equipment through with care, or cook at the front and bring food round.
We're self-sufficient for cooking and don't need your kitchen. Space for a gazebo or a covered spot is useful in case the weather turns. Our team handles the serving and, at the end, we pack down our equipment and take our cooking waste with us.
Worth a thought: if you have close neighbours, a friendly word before the party is always appreciated. Hog roasts are quieter neighbours than people expect, but a grill's cooking smells can be noticed on a still day.
What to have ready for a garden birthday party
You don't need much. These few things make the day run smoothly.
- A level area roughly the size of a small gazebo for cooking and serving
- A clear route from where we park to the cooking spot
- Somewhere under cover in case of rain (we can often bring a gazebo)
- Tables and seating for your guests, or a plan to hire them
- Your final guest numbers and any dietary requirements a week or so before
- A rough timeline: arrival of guests, when you'd like food, any speeches or cake
Numbers, menus and keeping the kids happy
Birthday guest lists vary enormously, from 40 people in a garden to 150 or more in a hired venue. We scale the menu, the size of the roast and the number of staff to your party. If you're unsure how much food is sensible, our guide to how many people a hog roast can feed is a helpful starting point.
Children are usually happiest with something simple. We can add plain sausages, chicken, burgers and fries, or smaller rolls, and keep sauces on the side. For vegetarian and vegan guests we cook proper alternatives such as veggie burgers, plant-based sausages and halloumi, and serve them separately when you ask us to.
If you want a sweet finish, ask about desserts, although plenty of hosts prefer to bring their own birthday cake and let that be the pudding.
Birthday party menus
Most birthday parties start with the hog roast or BBQ menu. Pick one, or combine them.
Hog Roast Menu
Slow-roasted pork with crackling, stuffing, apple sauce and fresh rolls, plus salads and sides.
See the menu
BBQ Menu
Burgers, sausages, chicken and proper vegetarian and vegan options, cooked on the grill in front of your guests.
See the menu
Lamb Roast Menu
Whole lamb roasted on site, served with mint sauce, flatbreads and bright, fresh salads.
See the menuHow it works
Tell us about the event
Send the date, postcode, rough guest numbers and the kind of food you have in mind. A few lines is plenty to start.
Get a tailored quote
We'll suggest a menu, service style and timings that suit the event, and send a clear written quote. Tweak it as much as you like.
Confirm the details
Final numbers, dietary requirements, access, parking and timings are agreed in writing ahead of the day, so there are no surprises.
We cook, serve and clear
We arrive early, cook everything fresh on site, serve your guests from our counter, and leave the space clean and tidy.
Birthday party catering FAQs
Can you set up a hog roast in a normal back garden?
Usually, yes. We need a reasonably level area for cooking and serving and a way to get equipment in. If access is through the house or down steps, tell us and we'll plan around it.
Do you do evening food for 18th and 21st birthday parties?
Yes. Hog roast rolls, burgers and fries served in the evening are a popular choice for younger crowds, with vegetarian options for mixed groups.
Can you cater for a surprise party without giving the game away?
Of course. We'll only contact the organiser, and we can adjust arrival times and where we set up to keep things hidden until the reveal.
What can children eat?
We can add simple options like plain sausages, chicken, burgers and fries, with sauces on the side. Let us know how many children are coming when you confirm numbers.
Is a hog roast suitable for a smaller birthday party?
It depends on numbers. For smaller groups a BBQ or a smaller roast can make more sense, and we'll recommend whatever gives you the best value for your party. Our hog roast vs BBQ guide covers the differences.
Do you cater for anniversary parties too?
Yes, anniversaries and family celebrations are a big part of what we do, served in the same relaxed style as our birthday catering.
Make the birthday about the birthday
Leave the food to us. Send your date, venue and guest numbers and we'll put together a party menu and quote.