Frequently Asked Catering Questions

Where is the food being cooked?

Many caterers cook their food in a commercial kitchen and take the food already cooked to the party site. By the time the food is served, it has been siting in an insulated box for more than two hours! This results in dry, hard, chewy and soggy food. At TOAST, we cook the food onsite. We rent a stove/oven if no cooking equipment is available at the event location. It may cost a little more, but we believe in doing things the right way. Your guest will appreciate the quality of our food. After all, you some times get what you pay for.

Do you provide alcohol?

We have a beer and wine license. Hard liquor can be provided by our clients.

How many servers do I need?

The more servers you hire, the better and faster service you will get. We usually recommend 1 server per 25 guests for buffet and 1 server per 20 guests for a platted service.

Do you do tastings?

Yes, we schedule our tastings during the week. We charge $100 tasting fee for two people ($50 will be refunded if you decide to book with us). You can bring additional people for $25/person extra fee (non refundable) up to 5 people (including wedding planner or 4 people without wedding planner). The tasting fee needs to be prepaid at least one week before your scheduled tasting date. Tastings are available for events bigger than $7,000 only. Tastings are held at our cafe (TOAST CAFE) at 11455 El Camino Real, San Diego 92130.

When is the final count due?

The final count is due 14 days before the event. This count is considered a guarantee. When your party is booked, you will be provided with a contract with the final count date.

The venue does not have a kitchen. Can you cater my event?

many venues do not have a commercial kitchen. We typically use the loading area to stage our kitchen. If that is not an option, then we create a menu where the food is brought in precooked without compromising much the quality of the food.

Can you provide tables, chairs, lighting, etc.?

We are a full service catering company. We can handle all your rental needs (dance floor, lighting, tent, draping, etc.).

What do you specialize in?

There are two types of caterers. Category A: Caterers who bring the food fully precooked to the event. Category B: Caterers who finish the food onsite. Our prices are within the Category A caterers however the quality of our food is within Category B since we cook the food fresh on site.

How should I budget my wedding reception?

Here’s a breakdown that we believe is balanced that could help you in planning your wedding (of course priorities may vary for each person): Venue (15%), Food and Beverage (28%), Wedding Planner (6%), Photographer (10%), DJ (5%), Flowers (6%), Cake (4%), Wedding Dress (15%), Groom’s Attire (5%), Miscellaneous (6%).