Industries · Catering & Function
Catering Equipment
Commercial catering equipment for the work that happens away from the kitchen — food warmers and holding cabinets, transport and service trolleys, portable induction cooking and the benchtop appliances that turn a bare venue into a serviceable kitchen. Caterers buy differently to restaurants: the gear has to hold temperature for hours, survive the van, and set up fast wherever the function is. This range pulls that kit into one place, so you can spec production at base and service on site as a single list instead of hunting through category pages. It sits alongside our other industry equipment ranges; for the compact cooking line-up on its own, browse benchtop equipment.
Shop Catering Equipment by Category
Trolleys
Shop the trolleys range →
Bain-marie trolleys
Shop the bain-marie trolleys range →
Holding cabinets
Shop the holding cabinets range →
Induction cooktops
Shop the induction cooktops range →
Portable bain-maries
Shop the portable bain-maries range →Who this catering equipment range is for
Off-site and function catering is its own trade in Australia's hospitality industry. An event caterer's kit list is led by holding, transport and service — much of the cooking happens at base, and the job on site is keeping two hundred covers hot, moving and presentable. This range is built for event and function caterers, mobile operators running portable kitchens from vans and marquees, delivered-meals and cook-chill operations, and venues that host functions on top of daily trade — from a café that caters on weekends to a hotel banquet team. If your business is a fixed cookline serving a dining room, start with restaurant equipment; clubs running bistro, bar and function-room service side by side are covered in club and RSL equipment.
Modular Systems
Modular Systems Utility Trolley 3-Shelf JD-UC340-11280(W) x 500(D) x 960(H)mm
$148.75 +GST$175.00
Modular Systems
Modular Systems 2-Shelf Stainless Steel Service Trolley YC-102855(W) x 535(D) x 940(H)mm
$184.00 +GST$270.00
Vogue
Vogue Stainless Steel 2 Tier Clearing Trolley Large860(W) x 930(H) x 535(D)mm
$232.00 +GST$247.40
Benchstar
Benchstar Commercial Ceramic Glass Induction Cooktop EIC350M-1339(W) x 430(D) x 119(H)mm
$203.00 +GST$299.00
Benchstar
Benchstar Benchtop Heated Bain Marie ZCK165BT-1360(W) x590(D) x240(H) mm
$231.00 +GST$339.00
Benchstar
Benchstar 8L Single Tank Induction Deep Fryer IF3500S288(W) x 478(D) x 410(H)mm
$475.00 +GST$699.00
Apuro
Apuro Touch Control Single Induction Cooktop 3kW DF825-A338(W) x 418(D) x 84(H)mm
$260.00 +GST$384.90
What an off-site catering fit-out covers
Zone by zone — every line links to the matching range so you can build your kit as you read.
Food holding and warming
Holding is the heart of catering — Australian food safety rules require hot food to be held at 60°C or above, and a commercial food warmer is what gets a function through service without a quality slide. Insulated holding cabinets and food warmer carts carry trayed meals between production and plating; hot bain maries keep sauces and carved meats at serving temperature on the line; and portable bain maries do the same job where there's no bench to build around. Spec reliable holding capacity first and the rest of the fit-out falls into place.
Cooking on site and live stations
Where the menu needs finishing in front of guests, portable cooking earns its van space. Commercial induction cooktops and hotplates are the standard for live cooking station work — flameless, fast and energy-efficient, with no gas plumbing required — while benchtop deep fryers handle canapé service and fried-to-order menus. Chefs working in view of guests also want gear that looks the part — brushed stainless steel presents better than a scuffed burner.
Transport, service and clearing trolleys
Trolleys move the function: service trolleys run plates from the service kitchen, utility trolleys shift crates and equipment during bump-in, and clearing trolleys make pack-down as fast as service. Browse trolleys and racks and match deck sizes to the doorways, lifts and ramps you'll actually face.
Buffet service and display
Buffet and carvery service needs food visible and hot: hot food displays present self-serve items at temperature, and heat lamps hold a carving station or pass without drying the food out. For cocktail-style functions, two or three countertop units usually beat one big display — spreading the service points spreads the queue.
Production back at base
The unglamorous half of the operation is a prep kitchen sized for batch production — mixers, processors and slicers from the food preparation range, refrigeration to stage each function's mise en place, and a commercial dishwasher to turn crockery around between jobs. If you're building the base kitchen and mobile kit together, spec them as one system so trays, gastronorm pans and trolleys share a standard.
How to plan a catering fit-out in three steps
1
Split the menu into cooked-at-base and finished-on-site
Go through what you actually serve and mark every item as either produced at base and held, or finished in front of the customer. That single split writes most of the equipment list: held items need holding cabinets, bain maries and transport; finished items need induction, fryers or a grill plate on site — plus the power to run them.
2
Size holding and transport to your biggest booking
Work from your largest realistic function, not your average one: covers, travel time and the hold window between production and service set how many holding cabinets, warmer carts and trolleys the operation needs. Under-sizing holding is the catering equivalent of under-sizing an oven — it caps every job you can quote on.
3
Check venue power and access before you order
Most of this range needs no fixed installation, but venues differ wildly: count the circuits available at a typical site, check each product page for the model's exact power requirements and dimensions, and confirm your loaded trolleys roll through the doorways, lifts and van tailgate you'll actually use. One appliance per circuit is a solid working rule for performance on unfamiliar switchboards.
Catering Equipment FAQs
What equipment do I need to start a catering business?+
A working baseline: a holding cabinet or food warmer cart, portable bain maries for the service line, an induction cooktop for on-site finishing, service and clearing trolleys, and the small catering supplies — gastronorm pans, platters and transport crates — you'll stock the van with. Behind that sits a base kitchen with prep equipment, refrigeration and warewashing. Write your service list per function type first and let it set the shopping list.
What is a commercial food warmer and which type do I need?+
Commercial food warmer covers three different jobs. Bain maries use wet or dry heat to hold open pans on a service line — best for sauces, carved meat and buffet trays in active service. Holding cabinets and warmer carts are enclosed and hold full trays for longer windows, which suits functions where food travels or waits. Hot food displays add visibility for self-serve. Choose by hold time and whether guests or staff do the serving.
How do I set up a portable kitchen for off-site catering?+
Build it as stations that pack flat: benchtop induction cooktops for finishing, a benchtop convection oven if reheating volume demands it, bain maries for the line, and trolleys that double as work surfaces during service. Map every appliance to its own circuit before the event, confirm water access for hand-washing, and rehearse the bump-in — a portable kitchen succeeds or fails on how fast it stands up.
What equipment does a live cooking station need?+
The core of live cooking station equipment is an induction cooktop or electric hotplate — flameless units are what most venues will approve indoors — plus a heat lamp to hold finished plates, a presentable stainless-steel bench or trolley to work from, and cold storage within reach for the mise en place. Keep the station to one or two appliances per circuit and agree the power arrangement with the venue before the day.
Are gas or electric hotplates better for off-site catering?+
Electric wins indoors: most venues won't approve open flame inside, and commercial hotplates and induction units run anywhere the circuits allow, with induction the faster and cooler-running of the two, and typically the best energy efficiency and lowest power consumption for the same output. Gas earns its place outdoors and in marquee work where power is scarce — but LPG rules vary by venue and council, so confirm approval before you commit.
Is it worth buying second-hand catering equipment?+
Second-hand looks cheap until a holding cabinet dies at 5pm before a 200-cover function — used gear usually comes without warranty, with unknown service history, and with heating elements and compressors closest to end of life. Everything in this range is new commercial equipment with manufacturer warranty; see our warranty and service information for cover details.
Can I finance catering equipment instead of buying it outright?+
Yes — SilverChef Rent-Try-Buy is available on eligible equipment, with weekly payments that keep cash reserved for staff, stock and the quiet weeks between bookings — a common route for new caterers, and for cafes and restaurants adding a catering arm. Eligibility shows on each product page, and our team can talk through options for your business needs on 1300 111 901.
Do you deliver catering equipment across Australia?+
Yes — Commercial Kitchen Store is an Australian catering supplier, and we supply hospitality businesses Australia-wide: shop the range online and trolleys and benchtop units travel on standard freight from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane, Perth and Hobart, while larger carts and cabinets ship on palletised delivery. Free pickup from our Granville showroom in Sydney is available if you're local, and Australian-based phone support is on 1300 111 901 if you'd like help speccing a full kit list against your menu and van.
Catering equipment finance and pricing
A catering fit-out lands all at once — holding, transport, cooking and the base kitchen — right when a new operation's cash flow is thinnest, so many operators finance the kit rather than buy outright. SilverChef Rent-Try-Buy is available on eligible equipment — eligibility shows on each product page. The range runs from workhorse units to high-quality commercial kitchen equipment from premium brands at competitive prices, so put the spend where customers see it — the live station and the buffet line — and save on the back-of-house solution that just needs to work.
Writing your first kit list? Our catering equipment checklist walks through the essentials job by job.
Popular picks: the F.H.E Single Door Food Warmer Cart HT-40S carries trayed meals at temperature from kitchen to function room, and the Benchstar Commercial Ceramic Glass Induction Cooktop EIC350M-1 anchors a live cooking station without a gas line — check the product page for its power draw before matching it to a venue circuit.
Why buy from Commercial Kitchen Store
Free kerbside delivery
To metro SYD, MEL, BNE & ADL on eligible items only — plus free pickup at our Granville showroom.
Finance available
Spread the cost of your fit-out with SilverChef Rent-Try-Buy weekly payments.
Reviews & support
Genuine customer reviews on our product pages, plus warranty and service support after the sale.
Fitting out more than one space?
See all industries, or get a tailored fit-out quote from our team.