Funeral wake catering · Sydney
Catering for wakes. Careful, dignified, dependable.
Church halls, private homes, and other venues across the Hills District and North Shore. Call us the day you have a date.
What we do
Twelve years of funeral wake catering. We understand how it works.
Most of the wakes we cater are in church halls. A family holds the service at their home church, and the congregation & guests gather in the hall afterwards. The kitchen is there, the tables are there, and we take care of everything in between: the sandwiches, the scones & sweet treats, the hot food, the tea and coffee, and, when the family wants it, a team who sets up, serves and packs down without needing to be managed.
We also cater wakes in private homes and other non-catered venues. The food and service is the same; we just adjust the setup to suit the space.
Most people who contact us are organising this under time pressure they didn't expect. Call us the day you have a date. We'll get you a quote the same day and do everything we can to make the catering the least of your concerns.
We cater wakes at:
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Church halls Our most common venue. Anglican, Uniting, Presbyterian, Baptist and other denominations. We know how these events run and what families need.
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Private homes Drop-off or staffed. We set everything up and leave it ready to serve, or stay for the duration.
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Other non-catered venues Community halls, function rooms without in-house catering, or any space that needs food brought in. If you're not sure whether we can help, call and ask.
We don't cater at venues that require you to use their own catering facilities, such as crematoriums and cemetery chapels with contracted on-site catering. If you're unsure about your venue, we'll tell you honestly whether it's something we can do.
Menu options
Three menus. All of them generous.
Most families choose Menu Two. It's the right balance of variety and simplicity for a wake. But all three are designed to make sure no one leaves hungry.
Made with care
About the sandwiches.
People notice the sandwiches. They're often the thing people comment on, and they're frequently the reason a family calls us back for the next event. So we take them seriously.
Fresh bread, real fillings. Not white bread and margarine. Fillings rotate with availability and may include:
- Smoked ham
- Turkey and brie
- Rare roast beef
- Chicken and avocado
- Roast pumpkin and baked ricotta (V)
- Chargrilled vegetables (Vegan)
- Falafel and hummus
- Egg and lettuce
Let us know if you have specific preferences or allergies and we'll factor them into your order.
Service options
Staffed or drop-off. We'll assist you to work out which suits your event.
Both work well. The right choice depends on your venue, your guest numbers, and how much you want your family to manage on the day.
Fully staffed
Our team arrives before your guests, sets up the tables, serves throughout the wake, and packs everything down when it's done. Your family doesn't have to do anything except be there. We recommend one staff member for every 30 guests.
Staffing: $268 per staff member on a four-hour minimum. Additional time at $64 per staff member per hour. Tablecloths, crockery, cups and glasses available on request.
Drop-off
We deliver the food ready to serve, set out and ready to go when we leave. This works well for smaller wakes or when you have people in the congregation who are happy to help manage the food.
We'll advise on the right option for your guest numbers and venue when we send your quote. There's no obligation — ask what suits.
Dietary needs
Every dietary requirement handled without fuss.
We accommodate dietary requirements as a standard part of every menu. Note any requirements when you get in touch and we'll build them into what we prepare. We've fed groups where a third of the room had different needs. Just let us know what you need.
In their words
What families say.
Dear Rachel. I just wanted to thank you and your wonderful team for the catering you provided for my sister's memorial service. There were many compliments both about the quality of the food itself and also the lovely team who served us. From my perspective it was all seamless and I didn't have to think about anything, which was greatly appreciated and made a sad and difficult day a little easier. I couldn't have asked for more.
Anne
Memorial catering, Baulkham Hills
Get in touch
We'll come back to you the same day.
Funerals don't usually come with much planning time. Call us as soon as you have a date and we'll tell you honestly what's possible. Confirming a booking within 24 hours of first contact is not unusual for us.
If you're not sure whether we can help with your venue or your timing, just call and ask.
Call us directly
0403 688 486We'll pick up, or call you back on the same day during business hours. Evenings: leave a message or text and we'll be back to you first thing.
Or use the form → we'll respond the same day, or first thing the following morning.
Tell us about the wake.
A rough idea of numbers and a date is enough to get started.
Common questions
Questions we're asked most.
As early as possible, but we know this isn't always how funerals work. Call us as soon as you have a date (or a likely date) and we'll tell you honestly what's possible. Confirming a funeral wake catering booking within 24 hours of first contact is not unusual for us. If you're worried you've left it too late, call and ask. We'll do everything we can to assist you.
Our standard minimum is 30 guests. For smaller gatherings, call us, we do occasionally accommodate drop-off service for smaller wakes, particularly at private homes.
Not immediately. Give us your guest numbers, the date, and the venue. We'll send you options and a quote. Most families find Menu Two ($22.50 per person) is the right balance for a wake - enough variety without being overwhelming - but we'll guide you through the options once we have the details.
We ask for a confirmed headcount a few days before. We always prepare a buffer above that number, so a few late additions won't leave anyone without food. If numbers change significantly, let us know as early as you can and we'll adjust.
Our kitchen is in Castle Hill. We provide funeral wake catering regularly across the Hills District, the Upper North Shore (Turramurra, Pymble, Wahroonga, Gordon, St Ives and surrounds), Parramatta and surrounds (including West Pennant Hills, Carlingford & North Parramatta) and across Western Sydney. If your church or venue is outside these areas, contact us - we've travelled further than you might expect for the right event.
Yes. We work with Anglican, Uniting, Presbyterian, Baptist and other congregations regularly. The format of the wake and the hall varies. What doesn't vary is the food and the care we put into it.
Yes. We accommodate gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, nut free and other requirements as a standard part of every menu. Note any requirements when you get in touch and we'll build them into what we prepare. We've managed much more complicated requests; just let us know what you need.
Yes, tablecloths, crockery, cups and glasses are available for hire for staffed functions. In many instances churches are happy for us to use the crockery & glassware at the church. Our staff will ensure these are washed up and put away following the wake. Let us know when you enquire and we'll include it in your quote.
Where we cater
Hills District, North Shore and beyond.
Our kitchen is in Castle Hill. Most of the funeral wakes we cater are in the Hills District and the Upper North Shore, but we serve families across a much wider area of Sydney.
If you're not on this list, get in touch. We'll tell you honestly whether we can make it work.
Churches and venues we serve regularly:
Castle Hill
Baulkham Hills
Kellyville
Rouse Hill
Bella Vista
Norwest
Pennant Hills
Carlingford
Epping
Hornsby
Wahroonga
Pymble
Gordon
St Ives
Turramurra
Chatswood
Manly
Dee Why
Frenchs Forest
Parramatta
Westmead
Seven Hills
About Dinner on the Table
We've been cooking for people since 2014.
We're a social enterprise based in Castle Hill. Almost everything we serve is made from scratch in our own commercial kitchen. Speciality items we purchase are carefully selected from trusted suppliers. After twelve years and more events than we can count, we're genuinely good at this. We understand that a funeral wake has to go smoothly without anyone having to work for it.
Every booking also contributes to a program that gifts meals to families living with disability. You can read more about that here.