Frequently Asked Questions

Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers about booking, pricing, dietary requirements and how catering with Tandoori Flames actually works.

Overview

Catering Questions, Answered Straight

Thirty of the questions we are asked most, answered properly rather than with marketing copy. If yours is not here, call us on 0401 338 005 and we will answer it directly. Tandoori Flames is a Melbourne event catering company operating from a production kitchen in South Kingsville, cooking across eight cuisines, serving 15 to 500-plus guests at your venue or at one of our three.
FAQs

Everything You Might Want To Ask

Are you a catering company or a restaurant?+
We are a catering company. Tandoori Flames operates a dedicated production kitchen in South Kingsville and our team travels to your venue, home or one of our three event spaces. We are not a venue with a kitchen attached.
Do you own venues as well?+
Yes, three: Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East, Fleur Weddings & Events in Fawkner, and Amora. All three are catered in-house by our own team, so you can book venue and catering together or catering alone.
What areas of Melbourne do you cater?+
All of greater Melbourne. Our kitchen is in South Kingsville, so the inner west, bayside and outer west are home ground — Williamstown, Yarraville, Newport, Point Cook, Altona North, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, West Footscray. We travel regularly to the CBD, north and south-east.
How much does catering cost?+
It depends on four things, in roughly this order: guest numbers, menu selection, service style, and equipment or staffing. Drop-off is the most affordable; full plated service with staff is the most expensive. Your quote itemises every component so nothing appears later.
What is included in a quote?+
Menu, service style, staffing, equipment and any delivery charge, each listed separately. Quotes come back within 24 hours of enquiry.
Is there a deposit to enquire?+
No. Enquiring and receiving a quote costs nothing and carries no obligation.
What is the minimum number of guests?+
There is no hard minimum, though menus open up above about 15 guests. Smaller orders may have a reduced menu selection.
What is the maximum?+
We regularly cater 500-plus. Above 300 guests we do a site visit before quoting so we can plan service flow and staffing properly.
How far in advance should we book?+
Two to three months for weddings and events over 150 guests. Smaller corporate and private events can often be arranged within a week or two. November to March and December book out earliest.
Can we taste the food before booking?+
Yes, and for weddings and large events we recommend it. Tastings are by appointment. There may be a small fee, credited back against your booking if you proceed.
What service styles do you offer?+
Drop-off and self-serve, buffet with or without staff, grazing and canapés, formal plated service, and live stations such as tandoor, charcoal shawarma, rice-paper-roll and dosa.
What is drop-off catering?+
We cook the food, deliver it hot in chafing dishes or sealed trays at the time you nominate, and you handle service. It is the most affordable option and suits casual events.
Do you provide staff?+
Yes — chefs and wait staff, sized to your guest count and service style. Staffing is itemised separately in your quote so you can choose to go without.
Do you supply crockery, cutlery and equipment?+
Yes, on request. Chafing dishes are usually included with drop-off; crockery, cutlery and glassware are quoted as add-ons so you can skip them if you have your own.
Do you cater vegetarian and vegan?+
Yes, and generously. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are built into every menu as standard rather than charged as an add-on.
Is halal available?+
Halal-certified meat is available on request for any booking, and we can run an entirely halal menu. We confirm certification details in writing when you book.
Can you cater Jain or no-onion-no-garlic?+
Yes. Tell us at enquiry so we can plan separate preparation and avoid cross-contact rather than retrofitting it.
How do you handle allergies?+
Flag them at enquiry. We prepare clearly labelled separate portions and brief the service team so your guest does not have to interrogate a buffet.
Can you adjust spice levels?+
Yes, and we ask at menu stage. Most event menus run a range so guests who want heat and guests who do not are both looked after, with hotter dishes labelled.
Can you cater at a venue that has its own caterer?+
Sometimes. Many Melbourne venues allow external caterers; some have exclusivity clauses. Send us the venue name and we will check their rules before you commit to anything.
Does our venue need a commercial kitchen?+
No. We cook in our own production kitchen and bring hot-holding equipment. Your venue needs space and access, not a kitchen.
Can you cater at a private home or backyard?+
Yes, and a large share of our private work is. We need to know about kitchen access, power and parking.
Do you cater outdoor events and marquees?+
Yes — parks, private properties, marquees and warehouses. We need to know about power, water, shade and vehicle access, and we plan a wet-weather contingency.
Can you combine two or more cuisines?+
Yes, and for mixed-heritage weddings it is often the right call. We cook across eight cuisines and group stations so each reads as a coherent offering.
Which cuisines do you cook?+
Indian, Sri Lankan, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, African and Samoan/Pacific Islander.
Do you cater corporate events on weekdays?+
Yes. Boardroom lunches, conferences, training days and launches are a large part of our work, and weekday slots are generally easier to secure than weekends.
Can you invoice a business and handle purchase orders?+
Yes. We issue tax invoices and can work with your procurement process, including PO numbers. Tell us your requirements at booking.
What happens if guest numbers change after booking?+
Tell us as early as possible. Small changes are usually fine up to about a week out. Larger changes may affect pricing and we confirm any revised figure in writing first.
Do you cater funerals and events at short notice?+
We will do what we can. Call us rather than emailing if the timeframe is tight.
What happens on the day?+
Our team arrives early, sets up, serves to the agreed run sheet, then packs down and cleans the catering area before leaving. You get one named event lead rather than being passed between staff.
How far in advance should I book a caterer in Melbourne?+

Book four to six months ahead for a wedding and six to eight weeks for a corporate function or private party. Saturdays between October and April go first, as do dates around Diwali and the spring wedding season. Smaller mid-week events can often be arranged with two to three weeks notice, depending on the guest count and venue.

What is the minimum number of guests you cater for?+

We cater events from around 30 guests upwards, with no practical upper limit for a buffet. Small home functions in Williamstown or Yarraville work well as drop-off or lightly staffed service. Larger weddings and corporate functions run with full service staff. For very small numbers the service style matters more than the headcount.

Do you provide staff, equipment and crockery?+

Yes. We supply service staff, chafing dishes, serving utensils and food transport as standard. Crockery, cutlery, glassware, linen and furniture are arranged on request, either through us or the venue, depending on what the venue already holds. We confirm exactly who is supplying what in writing before the event so nothing is assumed.

Can you cater at my home or an outdoor venue?+

Yes, we cater private homes, parks, halls and marquee sites across Melbourne. Home events need access to a bench or garage space for setup and we check that during planning. Outdoor sites need confirmed power, shade and a wet-weather plan. Open-flame stations such as the live tandoor depend on the site and local permissions.

Which Melbourne suburbs do you deliver catering to?+

We cater across metropolitan Melbourne, with the inner west and western suburbs as our home ground. South Kingsville, Williamstown, Yarraville, Newport, Altona North, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, West Footscray and the CBD are routine for us. We also service Keilor East and Fawkner, where we operate our own venues, and travel further for larger functions.

Can you handle allergies, halal and vegan requirements?+

Yes, we cater halal, vegan, vegetarian, Jain, satvik and gluten-free requirements, and we work to named guest counts rather than estimates. Vegan mains such as Vegan Butter Chicken, Tofu Masala and Saag Tofu are on the standing menu. Severe allergies are handled with separate preparation, separate serving gear and clear labelling on the line.

How far in advance should I book a caterer in Melbourne?+

Book peak-season Saturdays several months ahead, and anything in the October to March wedding and festival window as early as you can. Mid-week functions, corporate lunches and smaller gatherings often come together in a couple of weeks. The limiting factor is usually chef and staff availability on popular dates rather than the kitchen itself, so earlier always gives you more menu freedom.

What is the difference between a caterer and a restaurant doing catering?+

A caterer builds the whole operation around off-site service. We are a caterer, not a restaurant, so our kitchen, equipment, transport and staffing all exist to produce food that travels and holds. A venue doing catering on the side is fitting your event around its main business. That shows up in equipment, in staffing depth and in how a late running schedule gets handled.

Do you provide staff, or just the food?+

Both, depending on what you need. We can deliver and set up a buffet and leave you to run it, or supply chefs and service staff for the full event including replenishment, live stations and pack-down. Larger functions and plated service need our staff on site. Smaller drop-off catering often does not. We will tell you which your event actually requires.

How do you handle food safety when the venue has no kitchen?+

We cook to temperature in our commercial kitchen in South Kingsville, transport in temperature-controlled equipment, and hold on site with our own chafing and heating gear. Our team works to Victorian food safety requirements with documented handling. For no-kitchen venues and marquee events we plan the menu around dishes that hold safely for the service window rather than ones that do not.

What happens if guest numbers change after we book?+

Small movements are normal and we expect them. We set a confirmation date, usually about a week out, where the final number locks in because that is when food is ordered and staff are rostered. Increases after that point depend on what can still be sourced. Decreases after the cut-off generally cannot be refunded because the food is already committed.

Can you cater at a private home or a park?+

Yes, with some planning. Home events need somewhere to stage equipment and ideally access to power. Parks and reserves usually need a permit from the local council and may restrict open flame or vehicle access. Tell us the exact location early and we will work out what service style is realistic there. Some sites rule out live cooking entirely.

Our Venues

Three Melbourne Venues Of Our Own — Or We Come To Yours

Tandoori Flames is a catering company first. We own and operate three event venues across Melbourne, and we also cater your event at any venue, marquee, hall, park or private home you choose.

Ultima Function Centre

Keilor East — eight event spaces and capacity to 800 guests. Catered in-house by our own team. Visit site →

Fleur Weddings & Events

Fawkner — a glamorous single-room reception for up to 400 guests. Catered in-house by our own team. Visit site →

Amora

Melbourne — our third event space, for clients who want a hotel-grade setting. Catered in-house by our own team.
Where We Cater

Melbourne-Wide, From Our South Kingsville Kitchen

Our production kitchen is in South Kingsville and our vans go everywhere — the inner west, the CBD, the bayside suburbs, the north and the outer west. Any delivery charge is quoted up front, never added later.

South Kingsville · Williamstown · Newport · Yarraville · Altona North · Point Cook · Hoppers Crossing · Tarneit · West Footscray

We cater right across Melbourne from our South Kingsville kitchen. The inner west runs easiest for us, covering Williamstown, Yarraville, Newport, Altona North, Footscray and West Footscray with short transport times, which means more live cooking is practical. We regularly travel further to Point Cook, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Keilor East, Sunshine, Craigieburn, Fawkner, Dandenong and Springvale, and into Melbourne CBD venues where loading docks and lift access set the schedule. Longer drives change the menu slightly, favouring dishes that hold well. Tell us the venue early and we will plan the logistics around it.

In Detail

Straight Answers Before You Book A Caterer

Most people hire a caterer two or three times in their life. The questions are always the same and the answers are rarely written down anywhere useful. This page collects what clients actually ask us, from how far ahead to book through to what happens if the guest count changes a week out. Tandoori Flames has been catering Melbourne events since 2013, so the answers come from running real functions, not from guessing what sounds reasonable.

We are a catering company, not a restaurant. We cook in our own kitchen in South Kingsville and bring the food and the staff to your venue, your home or one of the three venues we own and operate. That distinction changes the answers to a lot of these questions, particularly around minimum numbers, equipment, staffing and what we need from a venue before we can commit to a date.

Tandoori Flames Melbourne cateringTandoori Flames Melbourne

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Why Us

Three Things Worth Knowing Early

Book the date, refine later

Lock the date and approximate headcount first. Menus get finalised two to three weeks out, once you know your dietary numbers. Trying to settle every dish before securing the date is the most common reason people lose their preferred Saturday in peak season.

Venue rules shape the menu

Some venues ban open flame, some have no kitchen at all, some charge for using theirs. That affects whether a live tandoor station is possible. Tell us the venue early and we will tell you what can and cannot run there.

Dietary numbers, not guesses

We need counts, not estimates. Twelve vegetarian, four Jain, two gluten free, one severe nut allergy. Named counts let us plate and label properly. Rounded guesses are how guests end up with nothing they can safely eat.

Sample Menu

What A Standard Melbourne Function Menu Includes

A typical function menu is built in four blocks, and most questions about dish counts become simpler once you can see the structure.

Arrival and Entree catered by Tandoori Flames Melbourne

Arrival and Entree

Onion Bhaji, Veg Pakoras, Chicken Tikka, Chilly Paneer, Amritsari Fish

Vegetarian Mains catered by Tandoori Flames Melbourne

Vegetarian Mains

Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Tadka, Aloo Gobi, Veg Korma, Amritsari Chole

Meat Mains catered by Tandoori Flames Melbourne

Meat Mains

Punjabi Butter Chicken, Lamb Korma, Chicken Madras, Mutton Curry, Chilly Prawns

Rice, Bread and Dessert catered by Tandoori Flames Melbourne

Rice, Bread and Dessert

Veg Biryani, Onion Zeera Rice, Butter Naan, Gulab Jamun, Mango Kulfi

A starting point, not a fixed list. Swap any dish at no extra charge — the menu is built around your guest list, your budget and the dietary needs in the room.

How It Runs

How A Booking Runs From Enquiry To Pack-Down

An enquiry starts with four facts: date, venue, approximate guest count and event type. From there we send a menu proposal. Once you are happy with the direction we take a deposit to hold the date. The menu stays open for changes until roughly three weeks out, when we confirm final numbers, dietary counts, service style and timings. Tastings are arranged for larger functions, usually weddings, and are booked separately from the event date. We put the agreed run sheet in writing so the venue, the photographer and the MC are all working to the same times.

On the day our team arrives ahead of service with food, chafers, serving gear and anything the venue does not supply. Setup time depends on whether we are running live stations. Service runs to the agreed sheet, adjusted on the fly when speeches run long, which they always do. After service we clear our own equipment and leave the kitchen and buffet area as we found it. Rubbish handling depends on the venue and we confirm that in advance so nobody is arguing about bins at midnight.

At A Glance

Quick Answers To The Questions Clients Ask First

The short version of what people most want to know before they get in touch, with the detail covered further down the page.

What you are asking aboutShort answerWhat to have ready
How far ahead to bookPeak Saturdays go months out; mid-week and smaller events need far less noticeYour date, venue and rough guest count
Minimum guest numbersWe cater small gatherings through to functions of several hundredA guest range rather than an exact number
Travel areaAcross metropolitan Melbourne, including outer west, north and south-eastVenue address and access details
Dietary requirementsVegetarian, vegan, Jain, satvik, halal, gluten-free and allergy needs are all standard workA count by requirement, not just a note
StaffingWe can supply chefs and service staff, or deliver and set up onlyWhether your venue provides its own staff
Equipment on siteWe bring our own chafing and station equipment where the venue allowsKitchen access, power and loading details
Worth Knowing

Four Things That Go Wrong When Hiring A Caterer

01

Quoting on the wrong guest count

People brief a caterer on invitations sent rather than guests expected, then adjust down late. That changes the food order, the staffing and the equipment. Give a realistic range from the start and confirm the firm number at the agreed cut-off. A range quoted honestly is far more useful to both sides than a single optimistic figure.

02

Assuming the venue allows anything

Venues differ on load-in times, open flame, power capacity and whether external caterers can use the kitchen. Some ban live cooking outright. Check the venue’s rules before you design a menu around a tandoor or a wok station. We will contact the venue directly if you prefer, but it has to happen before the menu is locked.

03

Collecting dietaries as a vague note

A booking that says ‘some vegetarians’ is not usable. We need counts: how many vegetarian, how many vegan, how many strict Jain, how many with a nut allergy. Numbers decide how much we cook and how we separate it. Ask your guests the specific question when you RSVP, not in the final week.

04

Forgetting the timeline, not just the menu

Most catering problems are timing problems. Speeches running long, a late ceremony or a delayed photo session will sit hot food under cover for too long. Give us the actual run sheet with service windows, and tell us who makes the call on the night if things shift. We build the cooking schedule backwards from that.

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    Still Have A Question?

    Call us on 0401 338 005, or send your date and guest count and we will come back within 24 hours.
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    From Chats to Desserts, We Serve Ultra Lavish Catering Concepts

    Dive into the tangy flavours of attractively laid elaborate chat platters or pamper your senses in sublime desserts. Whatever is on your mind, we bring it on your plates! No matter what is the nature or scale of your party, our expert team of chefs help you pull off an indelible soiree.

    Looking for catering for Indian food in Melbourne? Contact us today

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    Flavours that Brings Back Memories of India

    Preparing Indian spread is not everyone’s cup of tea! It takes a great deal of understanding about the intricacies of Indian flavours to create an extraordinary culinary experience. Our chefs are all well-trained with a passion for Indian food and prepare a menu that gives strong “Indian Vibes”.

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    Hear From Our Clients

    Had my daughters 1st bday party. Food was very yummy and all my needs were taken care off. Special Thanks to Neha!! She helped us throughout the party with all our needs and made sure everyone is being served well.Great place for party. Staff was professional and active.Jimmy n Deepti n Reena made sure things are managed well!!

    ish@ k@il@

    We celebrated our son’s first birthday at Tandoori Flames. We were really happy with the whole arrangement. The food was to die for and the staff were extremely polite and took great care of all our guests. Our guests were raving about the whole arrangement too. A big thanks to Jimmy and his team for making this big day truly special for us. Highly recommend this place

    Raghav Suri

    Great venue for a family function. Amazing setup and service. Delicious food at a good price. All my guests and I had a great time. Thank you for making my function even better. We will definitely be coming back for more. I recomend Tandoori Flames to anyone looking for a venue or just looking for a place to dine. 👍

    Gareth Peppin

    Last weekend we celebrated our nephew’s wedding reception in Tandoori Flames & experience was extremely delightful in all respects.

    Ruksana Rahman

    We had our little one’s first at Ultima however the catering and event planning was done by Jimmy from Tandoori Flames. Jimmy was cooperative throughout the whole process, impeccable presentation and food was great too. Recommended

    Vinay Ranjit Bhardwaj

    My best to go place for authentic Indian food. Loved the food and paneer curry!!

    Taras Singh

    Food was great, especially for vegetarians. Had a lovely dine in experience as well with Ravinder serving us 🙂

    Jonathan Leibel

    Nikhil is an incredible chef with fantastic charisma that sparkled in his interactions with guests. All 3 serving staff were thoughtful, considerate and professional. Servers attended well to needs of guests.

    Kaumil Shah

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