Get A Catering Quote
Six quick details and we’ll design a menu around your event. Prefer to talk it through? Call us any day between 9am and 8pm.
Tell Us About Your Event
Six details is all we need to start: your name, how to reach you, the date, how many guests and what kind of event it is. Everything else — cuisine, dietary requirements, venue — helps us quote accurately first time rather than emailing back and forth.
You will get an itemised quote within 24 hours, with menu, service style, staffing, equipment and any delivery charge listed separately. No deposit, no obligation, and we will not add you to a mailing list.
If you would rather talk it through, call 0401 338 005 any day between 9am and 8pm. Some events are quicker to scope in a conversation than through a form.
- Itemised quote within 24 hours
- No deposit and no obligation to enquire
- Menu tailored to your dietary requirements
- Fixed pricing — no surprise charges after the event
- Venue options included if you need one
- Tastings available on request
From Enquiry To Event Day
We read your enquiry and come back within 24 hours with an itemised quote. If anything is unclear — service style, whether your venue allows external caterers, how many staff you actually need — we will ask rather than guess and inflate the number.
If it suits, we arrange a tasting. Once you are happy we lock the menu, agree a run sheet with you or your venue coordinator, and confirm final numbers about a week out.
On the day our team arrives early, sets up, serves to the agreed schedule, then packs down and cleans the catering area before leaving.
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.
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
Where your event sits changes what we need to quote. Jobs in Williamstown, Yarraville, Newport, South Kingsville and Altona North are close to our kitchen and simple to scope. Point Cook, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Tarneit are routine but we plan around freeway timing. CBD and Docklands quotes need the building’s loading dock and goods lift rules, since access shapes crew hours. Community halls around West Footscray and Sunshine often have domestic kitchens, so equipment comes with us. Park and foreshore events need the relevant Hobsons Bay or Wyndham permit details. Peak-season Saturdays from October to April move fastest, so early enquiries help.
Getting A Quote — Your Questions Answered
Within 24 hours of submitting the form, and usually sooner during business hours. If your event is urgent, call 0401 338 005 instead.
Yes. Menu, service style, staffing, equipment and any delivery charge are listed separately so you can see exactly what each component costs and adjust if needed.
No. There is no deposit, no obligation and no commitment to enquire. Plenty of people request a quote while still comparing caterers.
Name, phone, email, event date, guest count and event type as a minimum. Suburb or venue, cuisine preference and dietary requirements help us quote accurately first time rather than going back and forth.
Give us your best estimate. We quote on that and adjust later — small movements are usually fine up to about a week before the event.
Enquire anyway. We will tell you whether the date is available and what it would cost, which often helps you decide.
Yes. If you are weighing drop-off against full service, or two different cuisines, say so and we will quote both so you can compare properly.
Yes. If you need a venue, tell us your guest count and we will include options at Ultima Function Centre, Fleur Weddings & Events or Amora alongside the catering.
Yes — mention it in the notes. Tastings are by appointment and we recommend them for weddings and larger events.
Call 0401 338 005 any day between 9am and 8pm. Some events are easier to scope in a five-minute conversation than through a form.
No. The quote form is for quoting. We do not add enquiries to marketing lists.
We lock in the menu, agree a run sheet with you or your venue coordinator, and confirm final numbers about a week before the event. On the day our team arrives early and runs service to the agreed schedule.
Send us your event date, suburb or venue, approximate guest numbers and the type of event, and we will reply with a written quote and a draft menu. You can use the enquiry form on this page, email or phone. There is no charge for a quote and no obligation attached to asking for one.
Date, venue or suburb, guest count, event type and intended service style. Those five things determine almost all of the cost. Significant dietary requirements are worth including too — a fully vegetarian event, a large halal count or multiple allergies changes how the kitchen is set up. If anything is still undecided, give us a range and we will quote the likely version.
Usually one to two business days for a standard event. Larger weddings, multi-day conferences and events involving venue coordination can take longer because we check availability, crew and equipment before quoting. If your date is close or you need a figure urgently, say so in your enquiry and we will prioritise it.
The quote is firm for the menu, service style and guest numbers it is written against. If those change, we re-issue it. The final invoice is adjusted to the guest numbers you confirm at the final-numbers deadline, which is why we ask for a count rather than working from the original estimate. Nothing is added without being quoted first.
Yes, up to the point where we lock the menu before your event. Swapping dishes within the same course is usually straightforward. Adding a course, a live station or extra crew changes the price, so we re-issue the quote rather than adjusting it silently. Changes after the menu lock date depend on what has already been ordered.
Yes. A deposit confirms the booking and takes your date out of availability, which matters most for Saturdays, long weekends and the November to March period. Until the deposit is paid, the date stays open to other enquiries even if you have accepted the quote. The deposit amount and payment schedule are set out in your booking confirmation.
Most quotes go out within one to two business days when the enquiry includes date, numbers, suburb and event type. Complex jobs needing a site visit, permits or multi-part service take longer because we check access and staffing before quoting. If your date is close, say so in the enquiry and it gets looked at first.
No. A quote holds nothing. Dates are only secured once a booking is confirmed, which matters most for Saturdays between October and April when several enquiries can be live on the same date. If you are close to deciding, tell us and we will flag whether that date is under pressure from other enquiries.
Expected, and the booking allows for it. Small movements are usually absorbed up to a set deadline before the event, and final numbers are confirmed at an agreed date so production and staffing can be locked. Large increases depend on kitchen and crew capacity, so flag growth as soon as you see it rather than at the deadline.
Yes. Service style, guest count and venue drive the quote far more than individual dishes. We quote against a representative menu at the level you want, then swap dishes during planning. Menu changes within the same tier rarely move the figure. Changing service style or adding live stations does, so decide direction early.
Yes, for regional Victorian events within reasonable reach, though the planning is different. Travel time, crew accommodation for early starts, equipment transport and whether the site has a usable kitchen all factor in. Tell us the town and venue and we will say honestly whether it works. Some remote sites need a portable kitchen setup to be viable.
The venue name and a realistic guest range. Those two together let us check kitchen facilities, access, travel and crew in one pass, which is most of the work. Photos of the kitchen and loading area help for unfamiliar sites. A rough dietary breakdown and your preferred service style close out almost everything else.
Get a catering quote with no guesswork in it
A useful catering quote is specific. It names the dishes, the service style, the number of crew, the hours they are on site, the equipment coming with them and anything charged separately. That is how we write ours. Send through your date, suburb and rough guest count and we will come back with a written quote you can compare against anyone else — not a vague per-head figure with the real costs hidden under it.
We quote for every kind of job we take: weddings, corporate catering, private parties, cultural celebrations and events at our own venues. If your plans are still loose, that is fine and fairly normal at this stage. Give us the range you are working with and we will quote the most likely version, then adjust as the detail firms up. Nothing is locked until you sign off and pay a deposit to hold the date.
Tandoori Flames MelbourneTalk To A Human
Call 0401 338 005 any day between 9am and 8pm, or send the form and we will come back within 24 hours.
Get An Itemised QuoteWhat you get back from us
A written, itemised quote
Your quote lists the menu, the service style, staffing, equipment, delivery or travel, and any extras. If something is not included, it says so. That means you can put it beside another caterer’s quote and see which one is actually cheaper rather than which one looks cheaper.
A real conversation first
Before we send numbers we ask about the venue, the timeline and the guest mix. Those three things change the price more than the dish list does. A ten-minute conversation stops us quoting a format that will not work in your room, which is the usual reason a quote gets thrown out later.
Flexibility while you decide
Guest numbers move. Menus get swapped. Dates shift. We re-issue the quote as things change, and we hold final numbers until a set point before the event rather than making you commit months out to a count you cannot possibly know yet.
What a typical quote covers
Here is the kind of spread that sits inside a standard shared-menu quote, so you can see what you are pricing rather than guessing at it.
Starters in the quote
Veg Pakoras, Chaat Platter, Chicken Manchurian, Mix Veggie Manchurian, Tangri Kebab
Mains in the quote
Butter Chicken, Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Saag, Dal Makhani, Veg Korma
Rice and breads in the quote
Chicken Biryani, Mushroom Fried Rice, Butter Naan, Masala Kulcha, Aloo Prantha
Sides and dessert in the quote
Raita, Onion Salad, Green Salad, Gulab Jamun, Pista 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.
What we need from you to quote accurately
Five details get you a quote that will not move much: the date, the venue or suburb, the guest count or a range, the event type and the service style you have in mind. If you do not know the service style, tell us the event length and whether guests are seated and we will suggest one. Dietary requirements are worth mentioning in the first message if they are significant, because a fully vegetarian event or a large halal count changes how the kitchen is set up and therefore the price.
Once you reply we normally come back within a couple of business days with a written quote and a draft menu. From there it is usually one or two rounds of changes — swap a curry, add a live station, drop a course. When you are happy, a deposit confirms the date and we lock the menu in writing. Final guest numbers and dietary counts are confirmed closer to the event, and the final invoice is adjusted to the numbers you confirm.
Four Packages You Can Order As-Is
These are the packages we publish, exactly as they are ordered. Every one can be swapped dish for dish at no extra charge.
Veg Banquet
Fully vegetarian, the package we run most often for temple functions, Jain and Hindu ceremonies.
- Entrée: Veg Pakora, Aloo Tikki
- Mains: Malai Kofta, Dal Makhani
- Served with: Saffron Rice, Salad, Raita, Plain Naan
Silver Banquet
Our entry package for corporate lunches and smaller private functions.
- Entrée: Chaat Papri, Veg Manchurian
- Mains: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani
- Served with: Saffron Rice, Salad, Raita, Plain Naan
- Dessert: Pista Kulfi
Gold Banquet
The most-ordered wedding and engagement package — three mains and two desserts.
- Entrée: Aloo Tikki Chaat, Veg Manchurian, Chicken Tikka
- Mains: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Rogan Josh
- Served with: Saffron Rice, Salad, Raita, Plain Naan & Roti
- Dessert: Pista Kulfi, Gulab Jamun
Platinum Banquet
Full reception service — pre-starters, five mains, desserts and drinks.
- Pre-starters: Hara Bhara Kebab, Amritsari Fish
- Entrée: Tandoori Chicken, Seekh Kebab, Onion Bhaji
- Mains: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Rogan Josh, Paneer Balti, Palak Kofta
- Served with: Saffron Rice, Salad, Raita, Plain Naan & Roti
- Dessert: Pista Kulfi, Gulab Jamun
- Drinks: Soft drinks, Juice
Every package can be swapped dish for dish at no extra charge. Swap Rogan Josh for Lamb Korma, drop the chicken entirely, add a second vegetarian main — it is your menu, the package is just a sensible starting point.
Seven Things That Move Your Catering Quote
Caterers who hide this make you guess. We would rather you walked into the conversation knowing which levers are yours to pull — most clients find at least one that saves real money without touching the food quality.
Per-head cost falls as numbers rise. The jump from 50 to 120 guests is the single biggest saving available to you, because fixed costs — staff, transport, equipment — spread further.
Drop-off is the cheapest. Buffet sits in the middle. Plated service is the most expensive because it needs roughly one waiter for every 20 guests.
Each additional main adds cost. Three well-chosen mains feed a room better than six thin ones, and most of our best-reviewed events run four.
Each station needs a dedicated chef for the service window. Budget for one or two, not five.
Goat, lamb and seafood sit above chicken. Vegetarian and vegan sit below it. A 60/40 veg-to-meat split is the usual lever when a budget is tight.
Saturdays from October to March, and the whole of November and December, book out first and price highest. A Friday or a Sunday is materially cheaper.
Metropolitan Melbourne is included. Anything beyond is quoted as a separate line so you can see it.
Send us your date and headcount and the itemised number comes back within 24 hours. Start here →
What To Have Ready Before Requesting A Quote
Quotes come back faster and closer to final when these details are settled, so here is what each one changes on the costing.
| Detail | How firm it needs to be | What it determines | If it is still unknown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date and start time | Firm | Staff availability and whether the date is open | Give two or three options and we check all |
| Guest count | Within about 10 percent | Portions, crew size and equipment | Quote the upper range, adjust down later |
| Venue or site address | Firm | Travel, kitchen setup and loading plan | Tell us the suburb and venue type |
| Service style | Direction is enough | Staffing, service ware and timeline | We will suggest options for your numbers |
| Dietary breakdown | Approximate counts | Separate preparation streams in the kitchen | Estimate now, confirm two weeks out |
| Inclusions wanted | Rough list | Whether linen, furniture or staff are in scope | We quote a standard scope and you trim it |
Why Catering Quotes Come Back Hard To Compare
Asking for a price with no brief
An enquiry that says only “catering for 200” gets a number that means nothing, because the same 200 guests could be drop-off platters or staffed plated service. Send the date, suburb, venue type, rough numbers and the kind of event. Five lines of detail turn a meaningless figure into something you can actually compare against another quote.
Shopping on the headline number
The lowest quote is usually the narrowest scope. Staff, crockery, glassware, linen, transport, hot holding and pack-down either sit inside the quote or land on you later. Read what each quote excludes before comparing. A line-by-line scope check takes twenty minutes and explains almost every difference between two caterers on the same event.
Quoting the hopeful guest count
Booking portions for the number you wish would come rather than the number likely to attend goes wrong in both directions. Invited is not attending; typical drop-off runs ten to twenty percent for large social events. Quote on a realistic range, confirm final numbers at the agreed deadline, and ask how late adjustments are handled.
Leaving the venue undecided
Site conditions change a quote more than menu choices do. A venue with a commercial kitchen, loading dock and furniture costs less to service than a bare hall or a park needing portable equipment and generators. Lock the site first where you can. If you cannot, say which options you are weighing and we will quote both.
