Catering a barbecue looks simple from the outside: meat, sides, done. In practice, most of the work is deciding three things before you call anyone — how many guests, how much service you want, and whether you want the fire in the room. Here is how we think about it after 100+ events across Geneva, from ten-person dinners to festivals.
The three formats, in plain language
- Delivered buffet — the BBQ arrives hot and ready to serve, set up without staff staying on site. Best when your venue has a team that can handle service, or when the event is informal.
- Staffed buffet — the same food with SMOK’ED staff to set up, serve and clear. Best for corporate events and anything where you would rather be a guest at your own party.
- Full SMOK’ED experience — food, grill, set-up and staff, including a live BBQ cooked in front of your guests. Best for weddings, brand events and anything with a “moment” in mind.
The food itself does not change much between formats — the difference is how much of the evening you spend working. If you are unsure, choose the staffed buffet: it is the format that quietly removes the most logistics.
How much food to order
For a barbecue, plan on roughly 250–300 g of cooked meat per guest when two or more meats are served, plus two sides and bread. That sounds like a lot until you remember that BBQ is a sharing format: people take a little of everything, come back for the brisket, and the bread and sides do the filling. Our platters are built on that logic — the same cuts, scaled to the room.
The mistake we see most often is over-ordering meat and under-ordering sides. Mac & cheese, slaw, cornbread and a salad are what make a buffet feel like a meal instead of a carving station, and they are also what covers the guests who do not eat much meat.
Dietary requirements, without a second menu
Vegetarians are straightforward: cauliflower wings, BBQ veggie sandwiches, mac & cheese, slaw, cornbread and salads all work as a full plate. Many of our dishes are gluten-free or can be served gluten-free — the buns are the main exception, and we can supply gluten-free buns on request. Tell us about allergies when you ask for the quote, not on the day: the menu is built in advance, and that is when substitutions are free.
Drinks and the extras that make it an event
A BBQ without drinks is a missed opportunity. We can add a craft beer bar, a cocktail bar, homemade iced teas and lemonades, and a dessert buffet — plus a live fries station if you want the smell of fresh fries doing your marketing for you. For larger events we build a complete food, drinks and service package around the celebration, including children’s menus and premium smoked meats.
Timing: when to book
Book as early as you can, especially for summer weekends and December — those are the two windows that fill first. Smaller events can sometimes be accommodated at shorter notice, but the smoker is a 16-hour commitment and brisket does not scale in an afternoon. As a rule of thumb: six to eight weeks for a summer weekend, three to four weeks for a corporate lunch, and call us anyway if you are late — sometimes the calendar has a gap.
Where we cater
We cater throughout Geneva and the surrounding region, and we travel further across Switzerland for larger events. We deliver, serve and clear up. If you would rather use the restaurant, we host groups from 10 to over 100 people in the old town — the room is yours for the evening and the menu is built the same way.
How to get a quote
Call +41 22 310 03 53 or send the request through the catering form on this site with four numbers: date, guest count, venue and service level. With those we can come back with a real proposal rather than a range. Everything else — menu, extras, timings — is easier to settle once those four are on the table.
And the short version: the same meat, the same cherry wood from Valais, the same 16 hours in the smoker that we serve in the restaurant. Catering is not a different kitchen — it is our kitchen, arriving at your venue.
