The Italian Job Catering

Wedding menus include one chef in the price. When you get quoted we add any extra required staff depending on your numbers and to ensure a perfect and smooth service.

Corporate and parties menus will be quoted by adding the necessary chef + staff required for each event.

We understand that the guest count can shift between the time you request a quote & the actual event. We allow for up to a 5-10% reduction from the initial confirmed quote when locking in the date. If the decrease is beyond 5-10%, you can always add extra canapes or services.

We cannot reduce numbers after the Final payment has been done, 4 weeks prior to the wedding.

Pizza menus: We typically need access to the venue about 2 hours before service starts. However, if there are any logistical challenges, we might request extra time to ensure everything is ready on schedule.

Non-pizza menus & Party events: We usually arrive about 1h before the start of food service.

We’re happy to coordinate directly with the venue to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Our set-up is quite self-sufficient! Our trailer or pop up catering is equipped with all the necessary tools a woodfire oven and gas bottles along with all the necessary equipment to cook and preserve ingredients in perfect conditions, setting us free from using any other facilities and being able to cater in remote and logistically challenging spaces.

Our food trailer setup is designed for versatility and accessibility as well as our pop up catering set up. All our vehicles are 4WD, allowing us to access anywhere. For our setup, we only require a straightforward 3x3 flat area with easy access and a standard power point to power a small fridge & a light. We come prepared with extensions.

It is ideal to be located close to the event area.

Pizza Menus: Our setup adds a touch of rustic charm to your event. Our trailer feature a seamlessly integrated woodfired oven that adds to the visual appeal and gets a lot of attention! For a closer look at our setup, see a photo that captures more detail.

Non-pizza menu: We set up a pop up catering station, occupying around 3x3 area.

Rain won’t put a damper on your catering experience with us. We’ve got you covered, literally! We bring gazebos to shield our set-up. We do however request to be located in a dry floor area if possible (non-muddy ideally) and closer to the service area. This way your food stays delicious and dry and your event remains memorable, rain or shine!

We will arrive at the venue 2 hours before the start of Canapes unless told otherwise. This gives us enough time to set up, turn on the woodfired oven and do all the necessary prep to serve everything on time.

Our trailers vary from 2.4m to 2.7m height

We only need power for a small light and a fridge, we need access to a normal power point and we bring all extensions necessary.

While we can be flexible with placement, being close to the main event area ensures the food is served hot and fresh. If we’re positioned far from the event space, let us know in advance so we can plan for any additional logistics such as extra staff to ensure a smooth flow of food.

We handle our own waste and bring bins for internal use only, taking all our rubbish with us after the event. However, we don’t provide bins for guests, so please ensure there are floor bins available for customer rubbish, drinks, etc.

We take great care in selecting our ingredients & suppliers, valuing the significance of sustainability in our business and our lives in general. Our commitment is to craft dishes from scratch using local, fresh products & suppliers. We get our premium meat, fruit and veggies from the Northern Rivers & Tweed Valley areas.

We bring plenty of food to ensure all guests are well-fed. Our menus are thoughtfully designed to offer a range of options served gradually, allowing everyone to enjoy a variety of dishes and fill up comfortably over time. By the end, your guests will leave feeling fully satisfied!

The cocktail hour follows the ceremony & group photos, typically lasting around 1 - 1.5 hours. It starts with a grazing table or platters that set the tone for your guest’s culinary experience. During this time, your guests have the chance to mingle around chatting away whilst we keep surprising them with different canape options. Our attentive team moves through the crowd making sure we reach everyone and also looking after the dietary requirements.

The main service comes in two styles: Cocktail-style or sit-down. It usually goes for around one hour.

For cocktail-style mains, we arrange a labelled buffet table where guests can help themselves. The variety of dishes is set up attractively, inviting your guests to enjoy a diversity of options

For sit-down mains, we pre-set up the tables with plates & cutlery as well as food stands. The dishes are then placed at the centre of the tables, creating a shared dining experience similar to a family feast. This setup encourages interaction and allows everyone to enjoy a communal meal together.

Cocktail hour: We provide everything to serve the food, including disposable napkins. For cocktail-style mains, we include in the price disposable plates, cutlery & napkins, however, you can choose to upgrade to our formal sets of cutlery & crockery.

If it’s a sit-down setup, we do provide all the serving bowls, shared platters & utensils. We do recommend hiring our plates & cutlery sets for the tables. We have three different styles. They start at $7/head and include setup & cleaning up at our depot. If you choose to hire it externally, please note we charge $4/head for washing up, and it might not be possible in some venues if they don’t have a dishwasher & sink areas.

We do not set a strict timeframe for our services to conclude. We are there until everyone is full. However, to ensure a smooth and well-paced service experience, we recommend a certain time gap between the start of canapes & the commencement of mains

For pizza menus: we recommend starting mains 2h after the start of canapes

For non pizza menus: they have a certain duration specified in our brochure.

Absolutely! We know the world we live in and that’s why we give special attention to all dietary requirements & allergies, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, etc.

The only exception is for diagnosed coeliac (a very rare medical condition not to be confused with gluten Intolerant). We advise arranging alternative meals through an external supplier, and we would be more than happy to serve them during the event. We handle flour in our kitchen which could mean risks for individuals with coeliac disease.

We do cater for gluten-intolerant individuals with plenty of options available. Please make sure your guests are aware of the distinction between coeliac and Gluten intolerant and ask them if they would be ok with a small risk cross-contamination of gluten.

You have our green light to organise your guest’s seating arrangements as you please. We will make it easy on the night to reach all of those who need special meals.

Absolutely, we understand that plans can evolve. You have the flexibility to add or remove add-ons & make changes to guests’ numbers and menus. However, please keep in mind that any modifications should ensure that the final quote remains no less than 5-10% of the initial accepted quote. For final confirmation, we kindly request it 6 weeks prior to the event. No changes are allowed after the final payment is done, 4 weeks prior to the event.

We bring a rubbish bin to ensure a clean and organised prep area and we take our rubbish with us. We recommend arranging bins for the floor area to help keep the floor tidy and prevent leftover food and waste from accumulating. While we make every effort to maintain a clean environment, especially during busy periods, having designated bins can enhance the overall experience for everyone.

We understand the importance of a smooth and well-coordinated event. Once we have all your preferences, we usually contact your wedding planner or venue manager to pass on the information and ensure we are on the same page. We want you to fully enjoy your special day, that's why on the wedding day, the wedding planner or organiser will be our main contact.

Wedding days are very long for all the staff involved. As a gesture of appreciation, we offer vendor meals at a very reasonable rate of $15 per person. When it comes to head counts, you don’t need to include vendors in your main guest count unless they are part of your guest list. Vendors usually receive their meals when the service pace slows down and we communicate with them on the day to know their preference.

We know that the bridal party can miss out on some canapes while they are away for photos. To ensure they don’t go hungry, we usually prepare a platter and a couple of garlic breads. We’ll request this information in the final form as we need to know if this is something you want to happen.

The more details we have, the smoother we can make your event.

This information is asked during the final form and it helps us ensure top-notch service.

Our staff will arrive at the venue 1-2 hours before the start of the service of food.

When cocktail hour starts, the canapes will be spread out over the course of the function, cooked fresh just before it is served so that it’s hot and delicious. Our professional staff will circulate around your guests with platters and napkins, explaining what each canape is and ensuring every guest gets to try each item. We will be serving canapes for 1-1.5h depending on menu and guest count.

After that, we will serve Mains in sharing platters on the tables when sit-down style or in a buffet station for cocktail style. In addition, if cocktail style & pizzas, our staff will walk around serving a variety of pizzas. We recommend allowing at least an hour for mains without interruptions. If you are planning to do speeches, we recommend doing them after the mentioned times.

Desserts/cake will be served after speeches & once the floor has been cleared up.

We will then do a final cleaning, pack up and leave.

You can swap your dessert canape for a deluxe canape.

We offer Tasting Boxes—a personalised experience you can enjoy at home! Simply select your preferred menu items online, and we’ll prepare a box for pickup at our depot (1/6 Fortitude Cr, Burleigh Heads). Our tasting boxes include dishes that travel well, so you can savour the flavours, though please note that freshly cooked at your event, they’ll be even better! Available for pickup Wednesday to Saturday. For more details or to place an order, visit our Tasting Boxes page here.