Catering Equipment Checklist | Australia Guide

Catering Equipment Checklist for Starting a Catering Business in Australia (2026)

A clear catering equipment checklist is the difference between a catering business that delivers a 200-person wedding without a single cold plate and one that has the food safety inspector turning up midway through service. Catering is unlike any other hospitality vertical: the kitchen lives in two places (your base kitchen and the event site), the food spends hours in transport and holding rather than minutes on a pass, and every regulatory rule about 60 °C hot holding and 5 °C cold holding is non-negotiable from the moment the first dish leaves your fridge. This guide walks every category of catering equipment you need to launch and run a catering business in Australia — hot holding, transport, cooking, refrigeration, serving, prep, portable-versus-fixed equipment and event setup — with a consolidated checklist, realistic AUD budget estimates by catering type, and links to the relevant product collections.

It pairs with our HACCP commercial kitchen guide, food safety standards guide, and essential buffet catering equipment checklist — read those alongside this one if you are at the planning stage.

Types of Catering: Pick Your Equipment List

Before you spec equipment, know what kind of catering business you are running. The five types of catering used in Australia each have a different equipment footprint:

The closer your business sits to mobile / on-site cooking, the higher the up-front mobile catering equipment investment. Drop-off caterers can launch on under $10k of cold-transport gear; full wedding caterers will spend $40k–$100k+ before the first event.

Hot Holding and Warming Equipment

Hot holding equipment is the single most important category in any catering business equipment checklist. Australian food safety law (FSANZ Standard 3.2.2) requires hot food to be held at or above 60 °C from the moment cooking finishes until the moment it is plated to the customer. Drop below 60 °C for more than two hours and the food legally must be discarded.

Equipment checklist:

• Chafing dishes with gel-fuel or electric heat — the classic buffet workhorse. $80–$300 each. Stock at least one per 25 covers.
• Wet hot bain-maries — water-bath heating that protects delicate sauces, curries and braises. $1,500–$4,500 per unit.
• Dry hot bain-maries — open-element heating for fried items, pies, roasted vegetables. $1,200–$3,500.
• Hot boxes / Cambro insulated carriers — passive heat retention for transport and on-site holding. $300–$900 per box.
• Warming trays / heat lamps — for serving stations and the carving table. $200–$1,500.
• Hot holding cabinet (full-pan capacity) — best for high-volume wedding/corporate work. $3,500–$12,000.
• GN pan inserts in 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/6 sizes — the food itself sits in these inside the bain-marie or hot box.

The single most-failed inspection finding in Australian catering is a chafing dish letting one corner of the pan drop to 55 °C while the rest sits at 65 °C. Always use a probe thermometer — never trust the look.

Transport Equipment and Supplies for Outdoor Catering

Transport is where catering operations live or die. Every minute food spends below 60 °C (hot) or above 5 °C (cold) eats into the legally-mandated 2-hour service window.

Equipment checklist:

• Insulated thermal carriers (front-load Cambros) — hold 18–40 L of hot or cold product for 4+ hours. $300–$1,200 each.
• Cambro Camcarrier insulated pan carriers — fit standard 1/1 GN pans, stack vertically. $400–$1,500.
• Refrigerated transport boxes / Polar cool boxes — passive cold holding for grazing platters and dairy. $200–$800.
• Active-cooled transport vans / utes — for caterers running over 100 events per year, a dedicated refrigerated van is the only practical answer. $45,000–$80,000.
• Catering trolleys with brake wheels — for moving stacked cambros from van to venue. $400–$1,800.
• Banquet / plating trolleys — for hot plate transport on multi-course service. $1,500–$5,000.
• Eski + ice gel packs — cheap backup for cold transport. $80–$300.
• Packing crates with foam inserts — for crockery, glassware and serving equipment.

Always pre-heat hot cambros with boiling water for 10 minutes before loading. Pre-chill cold cambros with ice packs. These two steps add 60–90 minutes to safe holding time.

Cooking Equipment Needed for Catering: Base Kitchen and Portable On-Site

Caterers cook in two places: the base kitchen (where 80–90 % of the work happens) and the event site (where finishing, plating and occasional live-cook stations happen).

Base kitchen cooking equipment:
- 6-burner gas range with under-oven — backbone of any catering base kitchen. $2,500–$8,000.
- Combi steam oven — single highest-leverage piece for batch cooking. $8,000–$30,000.
- Convection oven — bread, roasts, pastry. $3,500–$12,000.
- Tilting brat pan / tilting kettle — for bulk braises, sauces, soups. $8,000–$25,000.
- Blast chiller — post-cook rapid cooling for HACCP-compliant batch prep. $5,000–$20,000.

Portable on-site cooking equipment:
- Portable LPG burners (single, twin, wok) — $200–$1,500.
- Portable gas BBQ / hibachi grill — for live cooking. $500–$3,500.
- Induction hobs (portable) — clean, indoor-friendly, no LPG cylinder. $400–$2,000.
- Pop-up canopy / pavilion for the on-site cooking station — $300–$1,500.

For full cooking-equipment depth see our best commercial ovens in Australia and commercial deep fryer buying guide.

Refrigeration and Cold Holding (5 °C Rule)

FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 also requires cold food to be held at or below 5 °C until plating. Mobile cold-chain management is the second-most-failed catering inspection finding after hot holding.

Equipment checklist:

• Base kitchen walk-in coldroom or upright fridges — $1,500–$25,000 depending on volume.
• Prep fridges / salad pans with refrigerated GN tops — $1,000–$3,500.
• Cold bain-maries / refrigerated wells for buffet plating. $1,500–$5,000.
• Insulated cold carriers (rigid + foam) — $200–$800.
• Refrigerated transport van — see Transport section.
• Display fridges for grazing-platter caterers — $1,200–$4,500.

Always use a calibrated probe thermometer at every load-out, on arrival, and every two hours during service. Keep a written temp log per event — that piece of paper is what saves you in an audit.

Serving Equipment and Catering Essentials

Buffet, plated, drop-off and grazing setups each need different serving gear.

Equipment checklist:
- Banquet plates, side plates, soup bowls, dessert bowls — count 1.5× cover number to allow for breakage and turnover.
- Cutlery sets (entrée, main, dessert) — 1.3–1.5× cover count.
- Glassware (water, wine, beer, champagne) — 2× cover count for full-service multi-course.
- Serving platters, trays, boards in stainless and white china.
- Carving stations and roast trolleys — for live-cut beef, lamb, ham.
- Drink dispensers for water, juice, iced tea, mulled wine.
- Tongs, ladles, serving spoons, slotted spoons in heat-rated stainless.
- Chafer fuel (gel or wick) — 4–6 hours' burn time per can.
- Linen napkins, table runners, table skirting if not sub-contracted.

For full buffet display setup see our buffet catering equipment checklist guide.

Prep Equipment (Base Kitchen)

Prep is the unsung backbone of catering. The base kitchen is where 80 % of the work happens, in the days before each event.

Equipment checklist (brief):
- Stainless prep benches with under-shelves
- Hand-wash basin separate from food prep sinks (Australian food safety requirement)
- Double-bowl prep sink
- Robot Coupe / vertical cutter mixer
- Planetary mixer (20–30 L)
- Vacuum sealer (sous-vide and portion control)
- Blast chiller (already listed above)
- Walk-in or under-bench freezer for prepped base products

See our restaurant kitchen setup guide for full prep-station depth.

Portable vs Fixed Catering Equipment

Most established Australian caterers run an 80/20 split: 80 % of cooking done in the fixed base kitchen, 20 % finished or freshly cooked at the event site for theatre value.

Beverage Equipment and Supplies Needed for Catering

A complete catering equipment checklist also has to cover beverages — typically 15–25 % of what guests consume and the easiest way to underspec.

• Tea and coffee urns (10 L, 20 L) — $300–$1,800.
• Drink dispensers for water, iced tea, juice — $80–$400.
• Glassware — wine, water, champagne, beer glasses; 2× cover count.
• Wine and beer fridges for chilled beverage stock — $1,200–$4,500.
• Beer keg dispenser for high-volume events — $1,500–$4,000.
• Cocktail bar kit for premium events — shakers, jiggers, bar mats.
• Ice tubs and ice buckets — $40–$300 each.

Table Settings, Cutlery and Glassware

A successful catering presentation lives or dies on what is on the table. Standard table settings checklist:

• Dinner plates, side plates, soup bowls, dessert bowls — 1.5× cover count.
• Charger plates for premium wedding and event setups — $4–$15 each.
• Cutlery sets (entrée, main, dessert) — 1.3–1.5× cover count.
• Glassware — see beverage section above.
• Linen napkins, table runners, table skirting.
• Display and decor — candles, candle holders, floral vases, table number stands.

Disposable Catering Supplies (Drop-off and BBQ Caterers)

Even premium caterers carry a starter bag of disposable catering supplies for drop-off jobs, outdoor catering and barbecue setups where collecting crockery isn't practical:

• Compostable plates and bowls (palm-leaf, bagasse, kraft).
• Disposable wooden cutlery and bamboo skewers.
• Foil trays (1/1, 1/2, 1/3 GN sizes).
• Cling film, baking paper, foil rolls.
• Eco-grade disposable champagne flutes for outdoor receptions.

Cleaning Supplies and Janitorial Items

Often forgotten until the first event:

• Sanitiser spray + microfibre cloths.
• Dishwashing liquid + degreaser.
• Heavy-duty bin liners.
• Floor mop, bucket, dustpan and brush.
• PPE: gloves, hairnets, aprons.

Furniture, Seating and Event Setup Equipment

The bits operators forget on their first event:

• Trestle tables (1.8 m × 75 cm) — 1 per 8 covers for buffet, 1 per 10 for seated.
• Tablecloths / table skirting to council standard (some venues require flame-retardant).
• Portable handwash station — required by some councils for outdoor catering.
• Power leads + RCD-protected power board for hot/cold gear.
• Lighting for evening setups (LED bar lights, fairy lights).
• Waste bins + bin liners + recycling stream.
• First-aid kit + fire blanket + small dry-chemical extinguisher.
• PPE for staff — non-slip shoes, aprons, hair restraints.

Consolidated Catering Equipment Checklist

Use this as your printable starter list — tick off as you buy or hire.

Hot Holding ☐ Chafing dishes (1 per 25 covers) ☐ Wet bain-marie ☐ Dry bain-marie ☐ Hot box / Cambro carriers ☐ Warming trays ☐ Hot holding cabinet ☐ GN pans 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/6

Transport ☐ Insulated thermal carriers ☐ Camcarrier insulated pan carriers ☐ Polar cool box ☐ Refrigerated transport van ☐ Catering trolley with brake wheels ☐ Banquet trolley ☐ Esky + ice gel packs ☐ Packing crates

Cooking ☐ Base 6-burner gas range ☐ Combi steam oven ☐ Convection oven ☐ Tilting brat pan ☐ Blast chiller ☐ Portable LPG burners ☐ Portable gas BBQ ☐ Portable induction hob ☐ Pop-up canopy

Refrigeration ☐ Walk-in coldroom (base) ☐ Prep fridge / salad pan ☐ Cold bain-marie ☐ Insulated cold carriers ☐ Display fridge (grazing) ☐ Probe thermometer + temp log

Serving ☐ Plates / bowls (1.5× covers) ☐ Cutlery (1.3–1.5× covers) ☐ Glassware (2× covers) ☐ Serving platters ☐ Carving station ☐ Drink dispensers ☐ Tongs / ladles / spoons ☐ Chafer fuel ☐ Linen

Prep ☐ Stainless benches ☐ Hand-wash basin ☐ Prep sink ☐ Robot Coupe ☐ Planetary mixer ☐ Vacuum sealer ☐ Freezer

Event setup ☐ Trestle tables ☐ Tablecloths ☐ Portable handwash station ☐ Power leads + RCD ☐ Lighting ☐ Waste bins ☐ First-aid + extinguisher ☐ PPE

Safety & compliance ☐ Probe thermometer ☐ Temp log book ☐ FSANZ Food Safety Supervisor cert ☐ Public Liability insurance ☐ Council mobile-catering registration

Budget Estimates by Catering Type

These figures cover owned equipment only. Many Australian caterers hire trestle tables, linen and chair-and-glassware sets for one-off larger events rather than owning them outright — it pays for itself if you only do six 200-cover events per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most essential piece of catering equipment?

The single most essential piece is an insulated hot/cold thermal carrier (Cambro-style) — without it, you cannot legally transport food and hold it at safe temperatures (above 60 °C hot or below 5 °C cold) between your base kitchen and the event site. Even a tiny drop-off catering business needs at least two.

How much does it cost to start a catering business in Australia?

A drop-off / grazing catering business can launch on $5,000–$20,000 of equipment. A small event caterer needs $15,000–$40,000. A full medium-size event caterer (50–150 covers) sits at $30,000–$80,000. Large-event caterers and wedding specialists routinely spend $60,000–$150,000+ on owned equipment plus an active-cooled transport van.

What is the 60 degree rule in catering?

FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 requires hot food to be held at or above 60 °C from the moment cooking finishes until plating. If hot food drops below 60 °C for more than 2 hours, it legally must be discarded. The same rule applies in reverse for cold food held at or below 5 °C.

What permits do I need to start a catering business in Australia?

At minimum: council registration as a food premises (your base kitchen), a Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) certified on the team, mobile food premises permit from the council areas you operate in, public liability insurance (\$20m minimum for most events), and workers compensation if you have employees.

Can I run a catering business from a home kitchen?

No, not legally. Australian state food acts require a registered, council-approved commercial kitchen for any catering business. Shared commercial kitchen rentals exist in most Australian cities and are the most affordable starting point — typically $25–$60 per hour including some equipment.

Next Steps

If you are starting a catering business, work your way through the consolidated checklist above and shop the categories most relevant to your service style. Browse our hot bain-marie collection, cold bain-marie collection, gastronorm pan collection, commercial cooking equipment and commercial fridges to build your equipment list.

For deeper compliance reading, pair this guide with our HACCP commercial kitchen guide and food safety standards guide.