Dish
Dish is a London-based event caterer founded in 1999, serving corporate events, weddings, and private parties as a sole or preferred caterer at over 25 premier London venues under parent company The Eventist Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Dish does
Dish (legally DISH Catering Limited) is a London-based event catering company founded in 1999 by Nick James, currently operating as a subsidiary of The Eventist Group following a 2013 acquisition. The company provides full-service catering for corporate events, weddings, private celebrations, conferences, exhibitions, and Christmas/summer parties across more than 25 prestigious London venues, where it holds exclusive or preferred sole-caterer arrangements. Service styles span three-course and ten-course tasting menus, canapés, bowl food, world food stations with cuisines ranging from British to Asian and Scandinavian, and bespoke themed offerings.
The business model is professional services on a per-event basis with project-based pricing: clients pay a 75% deposit upon written confirmation and the remaining 25% within 14 days of the event, with quote-based pricing and a stated Day Delegate Rate floor of £60+VAT per person at its anchor No.4 Hamilton Place venue. Dish generates revenue through direct enterprise sales supported by dedicated Event Managers, sole-caterer partnerships at landmark venues (Natural History Museum, St Paul's Cathedral, Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, London Dungeon, Thames Luxury Charters vessels), and a free 'Venues by Dish' venue-finding service covering 40+ London and South East venues. Named clients include Comic Relief, Red Bull, Topshop, London Transport Museum, JLS, and The Children's Trust, with the company having catered 300 events and 50,000 guests in 2012 while delivering 20% year-on-year growth that year. Wine service is delivered via a Jascots wine merchants partnership, and the company differentiates on sustainable sourcing (RSPCA Freedom Food, MSC-certified fish, British Farm Assured dairy, free-range, GM-free feed) backed by a documented environmental policy. Operating geographies are London and South East England with UK-wide coverage on request; headcount stands at 108 employees.
Dish firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dish
- Legal name
- DISH Catering Limited
- Website
- https://dishcatering.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Dish is a London-based event caterer founded in 1999, serving corporate events, weddings, and private parties as a sole or preferred caterer at over 25 premier London venues under parent company The Eventist Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dish industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Catering Services
- NAICS
- Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232), Food Service Contractors (72231)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)
Keywords
Where Dish is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Dish business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Event Catering Services: Full-service event catering for weddings, corporate events, private parties, conferences, and Christmas celebrations. Revenue is generated on a per-event basis with project-based pricing. A 75% deposit is required upon confirmation, with the remaining 25% invoiced after the event.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Per event | Day Delegate Rates at No. 4 Hamilton Place |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Dish product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dish is a London-based event catering company providing full-service catering for corporate events, weddings, private parties, conferences, and Christmas celebrations. The company designs bespoke menus using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, prepares and serves food on-site at over 25 prestigious London venues, and provides professional service staff, themed food stations, canapés, bowl food, and formal dinner menus. A free venue-finding service (Venues by Dish) supports clients in selecting event spaces across London and the South East.
Product overview
Dish is a London-based event catering company offering comprehensive catering services for corporate events, private parties, weddings, conferences, and exhibitions. The core offering includes bespoke menu design and on-site catering across multiple service styles: formal dinner menus (3-10 courses), canapés, bowl food, world food stations, and themed Christmas/Summer party packages. The company operates through a network of over 25 partner venues across London and provides a free venue-finding service. Wine services are delivered in partnership with Jascots wine merchants. The business also offers sole catering partnerships at specific venues and exhibition catering services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Food by Dish: London's leading contemporary caterers offering catering for awards dinners, Christmas parties, weddings, corporate events, private parties, conferences and more.
- Venues by Dish
Products and services
- Dish Event Catering Full-service event catering offering bespoke menu design, on-site food preparation, and service staff for corporate events, private parties, weddings, conferences, and Christmas parties across London and the UK.
- Wedding Catering Bespoke wedding catering at iconic London venues including National Trust, English Heritage, Historic Royal Palaces properties and country house venues, covering wedding breakfasts, receptions, evening celebrations, and ceremony catering.
- Christmas Party Catering Festive Christmas party catering including canape receptions, multi-cultural world market experiences, and banquet-style dinners with bespoke festive packages for corporate and private Christmas celebrations.
- Summer Party Catering Summer event catering featuring themed food stations, traditional barbecues, and English luncheons with cocktail options at various London venues.
- Venue Finding Service (Venues by Dish) Free venue finding service offering clients access to over 25 (and up to 40+) partner venues across London and the South East, including historic buildings, museums, hotels, and unique event spaces.
- Sole Caterer Services Exclusive catering partnerships at partner venues including Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and Thames-based vessels (M.V Edwardian, M.V Erasmus, P.S Elizabethan, P.S Dixie Queen), including flagship in-house catering at No.4 Hamilton Place.
- Exhibition Catering Innovative and bespoke catering services for exhibitions and special events, ranging from street food stalls to fine dining options at museum and cultural venues.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20% year-on-year business growth achieved in 2012
Companies that use Dish
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Dish technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dish partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Jascots Wine MerchantscorePartnership with Jascots, an award-winning independent wine merchant established in 1990. Jascots sources wines from fifteen countries, operating from their own warehouse in West London with dedicated fleet for distribution to catering sector. They are described as food and wine matching experts.
- Thames Luxury ChartersflagshipWon prestigious contract as sole caterer for Thames Luxury Charters fleet including MV Edwardian, PS Elizabethan, MV Erasmus, and PS Dixie Queen. Partnership includes events for Oxford and Cambridge boat race and makes Dish one of the primary event suppliers on the Thames.
- London Transport MuseumcoreAccredited supplier to London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. Provides full catering services for events at this iconic venue.
- St Paul's CathedralcoreAccredited by St Paul's Cathedral as approved caterer. First place of worship in Dish's portfolio, hosting receptions, dinners, summer barbecues, and intimate lunches.
- Natural History MuseumflagshipRe-listed as approved supplier at Natural History Museum since 2006. Works in three different event spaces including the Darwin Centre and Central Hall.
- Hedsor HousecoreVoted by Brides Magazine as one of the top wedding venues in the UK. Dish provides catering services for weddings, conferences, and events at this private country house venue in Buckinghamshire.
- No.4 Hamilton PlaceflagshipIn-house caterer at this luxury Edwardian townhouse venue in Mayfair. Won £2m catering contract at this venue. Day Delegate Rates packages from £60 per person.
- Merlin EventscoreStrategic catering partner for Merlin Entertainment venues including Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, London Dungeon, and Science Museum. Multiple events catered including branded experiences.
- The Eventist GroupflagshipParent company that acquired Dish. Heart of the business remains unchanged with focus on creative, innovative food design. Eventist Group provides full event capability including flowers, production, marquees, and venue finding.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dish competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smart Hospitality: Smart Hospitality is a London-based event caterer serving corporate and private clients across the capital with bespoke menus and venue partnerships. It competes head-to-head with Dish for the same prestigious venues and high-end event contracts.
- Absolute Taste: Absolute Taste is a UK event and contract caterer serving corporate, cultural, and private events with bespoke menus. It is a comparable direct competitor for similar London cultural and corporate venue partnerships.
- Rhubarb Food Design: Rhubarb is a long-established London-based event caterer offering bespoke menus for corporate events, weddings, and private celebrations, with a similar venue-partnership and chef-led model to Dish. Both compete for the same blue-chip clients and prestigious London venues.
- Lettice Events: Lettice Events is a London-based event caterer providing bespoke catering for weddings, corporate events, and private parties at high-end venues. It competes in the same niche market segment as Dish.
- Payne & Gunter: Payne & Gunter is a London-based event caterer with a comparable heritage, offering bespoke menus for corporate events, weddings, and high-profile private functions. It targets similar London venues and blue-chip clients as Dish.
- Blue Strawberry Catering: Blue Strawberry is a London event caterer specialising in corporate and private events with bespoke menus and venue partnerships. It targets a similar premium client base and venue profile to Dish.
Broad incumbents
- Restaurant Associates: Restaurant Associates is a UK premium hospitality and event caterer serving corporate, cultural, and museum venue clients. It overlaps with Dish in the venue-based and corporate event space, though with a broader service portfolio.
- CH&CO: CH&CO is a UK-wide hospitality and event caterer serving corporate clients with a portfolio that includes bespoke event offerings. It competes for the same corporate catering contracts and venue-based events as Dish.
- Baxter Storey: Baxter Storey is a large UK contract and event caterer with a broad portfolio spanning workplace catering, hospitality, and event services. While it operates more broadly than Dish, it competes for the same corporate event and London venue opportunities.
Regional players
- Beaumont Events: Beaumont Events is a UK event caterer providing bespoke menus for weddings and corporate events, primarily outside London. It is comparable to Dish in offering profile but operates in a different geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dish social profiles
Digital presenceDish financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dish leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Dish funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dish M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dish
What does Dish do?
Dish is a London-based event catering company providing full-service catering for corporate events, weddings, private parties, conferences, and Christmas celebrations. The company designs bespoke menus using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, prepares and serves food on-site at over 25 prestigious London venues, and provides professional service staff, themed food stations, canapés, bowl food, and formal dinner menus. A free venue-finding service (Venues by Dish) supports clients in selecting event spaces across London and the South East.
Is Dish a public or private company?
Dish is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dish founded?
Dish was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Dish based?
Dish is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Dish make money?
One revenue line is on record: event Catering Services.
Who are Dish's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smart Hospitality, Absolute Taste, Rhubarb Food Design, Lettice Events, Payne & Gunter and Blue Strawberry Catering. Broad incumbents are Restaurant Associates, CH&CO and Baxter Storey. Beaumont Events is listed as a regional player.
Does Dish have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dish.
What industry is Dish in?
Dish's product category is Event Catering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAGAA, Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise). Its NAICS code is 722320.