Festivals are vibrant hubs of food, music, and celebration – and a prime opportunity for caterers to reach hungry, enthusiastic crowds. But navigating the unique demands of festival catering requires more than just culinary talent. Let’s explore the equipment essentials for success, and how equipment hire can streamline your festival operations.

Key Equipment for Festival Catering

Refrigeration

Festivals often mean catering outdoors, battling unpredictable weather and fluctuating temperatures. Reliable refrigeration is paramount for protecting your precious ingredients.

Consider various styles: Under-counter refrigerators offer compact solutions for smaller stalls and beverage stations, while upright refrigerators are great for displaying products. There are also patisserie displays, open fronted fridges or deli fridges that may be useful depending on the menu offer. Also consider that a walk-in refrigerator may be necessary depending on your menu’s complexity and the festival’s projected attendance.

Pro Tip: Factor in the duration of the festival when choosing your refrigeration equipment. Longer festivals might require larger capacity options.

Hot Holding

Keeping menu items hot and ready for service when there are large crowds is paramount to the success of any food service.

Bain-maries: These versatile units are perfect for keeping all manner of menu items at a safe, consistent temperature.

Heat Lamps: Ideal for maintaining the heat of larger portions like pasta dishes, curries, or roasted vegetables. 

Pie Warmers & Food Displays: Showcase hot snacks like pastries, pies, and sausage rolls with dedicated warmers that entice customers with visually appealing displays.

Hot Boxes: Are essential for high volume service spaces so food can be hot, ready for customers.

Cooking Equipment

Having the “fire power” to cook all of your menu items in a timely manner is key to keeping patrons fed and happy.

Griddles: Perfect for sizzling burgers, searing fajitas, and cooking up breakfast favourites with speed and efficiency.

Deep Fryers: A festival staple for crispy fries, chicken tenders, onion rings, and those indulgent festival treats. Choose models with appropriate capacities to match your anticipated demand.

Portable Stoves & Ovens: Expand your menu with gas cooktops for stir-fries, pasta dishes, and sautéed items. Combi ovens high are essential for demand cooking and more.

Pizza Ovens: open up possibilities of pizza, baked pastas and much more.

Handwash & Ware Washing: 

Food Safe compliant handwash and dishwashers are a mandatory requirement for all food outlets.

Handwash: Either a self contained or plumbed hand wash is essential for all food service locations to ensure compliance to Food Safety Guidelines.

Dishwashers: Think of how to wash all your catering equipment, crockery, cutlery or glassware. A dishwasher is a great solution..

Beverage Service

Dispensers: Efficiently serve cold drinks, iced teas, and lemonades with sturdy beverage dispensers.

Coffee Percolators and Hot Water Urns: Essential for having hot beverages readily available in busy environments.

Set Up & Logistics

Stainless Event Tables and Benches: Are an essential part of any kitchen or food service environment.

Shelving Units: Keep ingredients, dry goods, and supplies organised and accessible behind the scenes.

Transport Trolleys: Ease setup and breakdown by efficiently moving equipment, supplies, and food between your prep area and the festival stall.

Why Consider Festival Catering Equipment Hire?

Cost-effectiveness: Avoid the upfront investment of purchasing specialised equipment, especially items that you may only use seasonally at festivals.

Reduce storage costs and the hassle of maintaining equipment year-round.

Flexibility: Scale your operations up or down based on the size and nature of various festivals.

Adapt your menu and service style, with access to a wider range of equipment without ownership.

Experimentation: Try out specialised items like crepe makers, waffle irons, or rotisserie ovens before committing to a purchase.

Explore new menu possibilities with rented equipment to gauge their popularity.

Festival catering is an exciting and rewarding venture. By mastering the right equipment mix, and strategically utilising hire options, you’ll be perfectly positioned to serve up incredible food (and profits!) at any festival that comes your way.