Catering
Fresh Grill BBQ wedding buffet with on-site grilling and full-service team for 100-plus guests. A casual yet curated BBQ wedding reception built around live on-site grilling. Designed for couples hosting one hundred or more guests at outdoor venues, ranches, vineyard fields, and rustic estates across Santa Cruz County, the Monterey Bay region, and most of San Benito County who want a relaxed, smoky, hand-grilled food program with full china and staff service. The published per-person rate covers the food program, china, linens, the on-site service team, and the standard ten-hour service window.
Menu structure. The Fresh Grill BBQ buffet opens with three chef-passed appetizers, continues with two seasonal chef salads, lands on a two-grill main built around two protein selections from a BBQ-forward list (tri-tip, BBQ chicken, hand-pulled pork, smoked brisket, grilled salmon, sausages, marinated skirt steak), and rounds out with three accompaniments from a barbecue side list (corn on the cob, baked beans, cornbread, garlic potato salad, mac and cheese, coleslaw), a garden vegetable, fresh-baked breads, and full dessert and cake service. The live grill operates on site through the meal so guests can watch and smell the cooking, which is part of the experience the team designs into the floor plan.
What is included in the per-person rate. China place settings (rather than disposable), silverware for hors d'oeuvres, buffet, and dessert courses, one stemmed water glass per guest, polyester linen napkins, full-length linen tablecloths in over thirty colors, a banquet captain, front-of-house service staff, a back-of-house service team, and an on-site kitchen team are all included. Service covers a ten-hour on-site window (three hours setup, six hours active event, one hour cleanup). Champagne pour service, tableside wine and water service, and cake cutting service are included at no additional charge. There is no corkage fee. Two vendor meals are included free of charge; additional vendor meals are billed at half the per-person rate.
Service style and event flow. The flow opens with passed appetizers during cocktail hour while the grill team finishes proteins on site. Guests are released to the buffet by table after toasts. Front-of-house staff plate each guest at the line. The grill chef finishes the live proteins through the buffet pass so the meat is hot off the grill. Dessert and cake service runs tableside, coordinated with the DJ, planner, and venue manager.
Dietary and allergen accommodation. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, kosher-style, nut-free, and organic options are accommodated on every menu. A vegetarian protein alternative is built into the line on request so vegetarian and vegan guests receive a full plate. Cross-contamination protocols are followed on the grill line for guests with severe allergens. Ingredient lists can be supplied during the menu confirmation stage.
Tasting and planning support. Complimentary tastings are offered for confirmed wedding groups of 75 or more guests and include a venue walk-through where logistics permit. A custom menu design pass is included; couples bring protein and side preferences and the chef team writes the menu document for the program insert. The planning rhythm runs contract signing, a one hundred and twenty day check-in for menu lock and grill protein selection, and a two-week-out finalization pass for guest count and dietary cards.
Pricing transparency and what is additional. The per-person rate on this tier covers the food program and inclusions described above. A nineteen percent service charge plus applicable California city and county sales tax are added at booking. A delivery fee applies based on travel distance from the Watsonville-area kitchen. The on-site grilling adds a $350 grill chef fee plus equipment rental for the grill rig. Groups of 75 to ninety-nine guests add $5 per person; groups under fifty use the Intimate Wedding tier. Family-style table service is available at ten dollars per person and requires wider tables. Bar service is sold separately. Specialty entree upgrades (skirt steak at $3 per person, short ribs at $5 per person, salmon upgrades) are quoted at booking.
Venue compatibility. This package is built for outdoor ranches, vineyard fields, beachfront halls, garden estates, and rustic open-air reception sites across the Bay-to-Monterey corridor. The grill rig needs a level outdoor pad at least twelve feet from any tent or structure, with overhead clearance and a clear smoke path. The team prefers venues with level prep area, water access, and vendor parking. Service runs Santa Cruz County, Monterey County (excluding Big Sur), and most of San Benito County. Travel outside this footprint is quoted case by case.
