To Your Door: Beijing’s Best Catering Services

Below are a few of the finest caterers in Beijing, ready to open their kitchens to make your holidays a scrumptuous success.

Culinary Capers (6532 5905)
Since its Olympic era entrance into the Beijing catering market, Culinary Capers has made a name for itself, winning the International Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE) Award for 2009. Their unique, mouthwatering creations – like sablefish with miso apple broth, or sparkling wine gelée with summer fruit and sweet cream – are evidence of the tremendous attention to detail that Culinary Capers prides itself on. The company also works with several event venues, both contemporary and historical, that they can suggest based on your preferences.

San Francisco eatz! (136 4108 1724)
The work-study brainchild of Peking University Law School professor Bruce Quan, San Francisco eatz! delivers life lessons to its caterers as they deliver food. The company launched in March 2009 with the purpose of serving customers healthy fusion food and providing Chinese law students – who comprise half the wait staff – with the opportunity to develop soft skills such as social and business etiquette. Since then, Quan’s service has served such well-recognized clients as US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, as well as the Canadian and Australian embassies. But don’t be intimidated; Quan’s services are open to all sorts of events, no matter how informal.

Harry’s Kitchen (139 1169 0944; harryskitchen@hotmail.com)
Variety is the spice of life with Harry’s Kitchen, which specializes in Western, South Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. With hundreds of foods to choose from (BBQ chicken sandwiches, spiced meat skewers with peanut sauce, and mixed Indian vegetable curry, to name a few), it is no surprise that HK’s catering options are as varied as their cuisines. From classic catering, to finger foods, to set menus, to BBQs, if you want it, you can have it. While the sheer volume of choices might be overwhelming for the indecisive, ambitious party planners will be sure to make the most of it.

Global Cuisine Catering (catering@globalcuisinebeijing.com)
Shunyi family-favorite restaurants Little Italy and The Mexican Kitchen (and The American Cafe in CBD), are stalwarts for satisfying Western food cravings. Run by the same owners, Global Cuisine Catering brings customers their restaurant favorites for family functions or professional events. Global Cuisine Catering handles all the catering for this trio of restaurants, but it also offers a bit more. In addition to the various menu options offered by the three eateries, catering can also include wine tasting, holiday parties, and piñata parties (Mexican Kitchen only). Any of the restaurants can also be rented out for private events.

FLO Prestige (6595 5135)
For luxury catering at its finest, FLO Prestige is an excellent service to consider. FLO Prestige catering is a sub-brand of Groupe Flo, the largest restaurant chain in France. And while FLO Prestige maintains the gourmet French influence of its dining counterpart, Brasserie FLO, its catering is not limited to French cuisine. It also offers innovative fusion options, as well as traditional international fare. With over 30 years in the business, it’s no surprise that FLO Prestige has catered for some noteworthy customers, including Hugo Boss, Dior, the Greek embassy, Hermes, and L&K Gallery.

Richard’s Banquet Catering (8430 1623)
The first professional banquet catering service company in Beijing, Richard’s Banquet Catering remains a reliable staple for Western or Chinese banquet cuisine. Richard’s has hosted banquets for a variety of embassies, including Canada and Kenya, and worked numerous company events for clients like Coca Cola, Motorola, Volvo, and Microsoft. If you want to add a little flash to your event, feel free to peruse the website’s VIP services, which include ice sculptures and something they’ve dubbed “froth carves,” balloons, specialized cakes, and flower arrangements.

Alameda (6417 8084; alameda_beijing@yahoo.com)
To enliven an event with some Latin American flare, consider Alameda restaurant’s catering service. This Brazilian-contemporary cuisine hotspot in Sanlitun has been creating customized menus for various events since 2005. Not only do they offer custom menu options, but they also provide catering consulting for those that may be new to the business of hiring help for events.