Corporate Christmas parties · Essex & London
Corporate Christmas party catering, cooked at your office
I bring the restaurant to your workplace: a hot festive lunch, canapés and bowl food, a sharing feast or a full Christmas dinner, with chefs, staff and crockery included. No kitchen needed, and no VAT to add.
- Everyone includedChefs, waiting staff, crockery, set-up and clear-down.
- No kitchen neededCooked ahead, finished at your office. Just power.
- Something for everyoneA vegan dish in every course and an allergen list for every dish.
- No VAT to addEvery package sits well inside the £150 tax-free staff party allowance.
What a corporate Christmas party costs
Corporate Christmas party catering from Tipsy Squirrel Events costs £39 to £75 a guest, with chefs, waiting staff, crockery, set-up and clear-down included and no VAT to add. Monday to Wednesday in December and any date in January are £5 a guest less.
| Package | What it is | A guest | 10 guests | 30 guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Festive Lunch | Hot Christmas buffet at lunchtime | £39 | £390 | £1,170 |
| Canapés & Bowl Food | 4 canapés and 3 bowls, standing party | £49 | £490 | £1,470 |
| The Festive Sharing Feast | Canapés, grazing board, carved roasts to share | £65 | £650 | £1,950 |
| The Christmas Dinner | Three plated courses, three choices each | £75 | £750 | £2,250 |
Food prices only; drinks and extras are optional. I cater office Christmas parties across Essex, including Chelmsford, Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay, Colchester and Rayleigh, and across London. Prices updated 12 October 2026.
Your chef
Hi, I'm Mike
I've spent over 20 years in hospitality, including nearly a decade running my own restaurant, and I trained under Gennaro Contaldo and Jamie Oliver. I'll cook your Christmas party myself, with a team I know and trust, and I'll be the one you speak to from first call to last plate.
Before Tipsy Squirrel I ran The Taste Experience Catering (2011 to 2015), cooking for weddings, corporate events and festival crowds of up to around 35,000, then Barrington Grill, which I grew to a team of around 30. Since 2024 I've cooked 250 private events through yHangry, rated 4.97 from 144 reviews (October 2026).
- 20 years
- in professional kitchens
- A decade
- running my own restaurant
- Rayleigh
- home base, cooking across Essex and the South East
How it works
- Enquire. Send your plans from this page. I'll reply the same day with a confirmed price.
- Book. A 25% deposit holds your date. Purchase order numbers go on every invoice.
- Final numbers. Numbers, dietary needs and Christmas Dinner pre-orders 7 days before, with the balance.
- The day. We arrive, set up, cook, serve and clear down. Your team just turns up.
Questions
Do we need a kitchen?
No. Everything is cooked ahead using sous vide and finished at your office, so all I need is power on a couple of circuits and a sink nearby.
Is there a minimum number of guests?
Yes, 10 guests.
Does it fit the £150 staff party allowance?
Yes, comfortably. The annual staff party allowance is £150 a head including VAT, covering food, drink, venue and transport. My packages run from £39 to £75 a guest with no VAT to add, so even the Christmas Dinner with the Grand wine package is £99 a head. Check the rules for your company with your accountant.
Why is there no VAT?
I'm not VAT registered, so the price you see is the price you pay. If that changes before your party, I'll tell you well in advance.
Which dates go first?
Thursdays and Fridays in early to mid December. Monday to Wednesday in December, and any date in January, are £5 a guest less.
Can you cater for allergies and dietary needs?
Yes. Every package has a vegan dish for each course, and every dish comes with an allergen list. Send me your team's dietary needs with your final numbers.
Do you provide the drinks?
Yes, wine packages from £12 to £24 a guest and mulled wine at £6 a glass, all from The Bishop's Cave. Because I sell the wine, I give the council a Temporary Event Notice for your party, which needs at least 10 working days. You're also welcome to supply your own drinks: glassware is £1.50 a guest and bar staff £22 an hour.
How much does corporate Christmas party catering cost per head?
From £39 a guest for a hot festive lunch, £49 for canapés and bowl food, £65 for a sharing feast and £75 for a plated three-course Christmas dinner. Chefs, waiting staff, crockery and clear-down are included and there's no VAT to add.
How far ahead should we book our Christmas party?
As soon as you have a date. Most December parties are booked by the end of November, and Thursdays and Fridays in early to mid December go first. If you're buying wine from me, I need at least 10 working days' notice for the licence.
How many people can you cater for?
From 10 to 100+ guests. For larger parties, send me your numbers and I'll put the team together.
Can we have our Christmas party in January instead?
Yes, and it's £5 a guest less. January parties are easier to book, your team isn't tired of mince pies yet, and the same four packages apply.
Do you cater Christmas parties in London?
Yes. I cater office Christmas parties across London as well as Essex. Travel is included; the congestion charge and parking are added at cost.
Where do you cater?
Across Essex and London, from my base in Rayleigh. Travel is included; London congestion charge and parking are added at cost.
How do payments work?
A 25% deposit holds your date. The balance and final numbers are due 7 days before. I'll put your purchase order number on every invoice.
Who is this best for?
Teams of 10 to 100+ who want a proper hot Christmas meal at the office, cooked and served by chefs and waiting staff, with no kitchen needed. It is not a drop-off sandwich or buffet service.
Do you cook Christmas Day at home too?
Yes. I cook one Christmas Day lunch at home each year, plus festive dinner parties through December. See the Christmas Day sample menu.