Catering is almost always the most underestimated part of planning a group holiday. Everyone assumes it will "just sort itself out." It rarely does. Here is a practical guide to feeding groups of 10–30 over a weekend in a UK holiday house — without losing your mind or spending a fortune.
Option 1: Hire a Private Chef
A private chef is, without question, the most stress-free way to cater a group weekend. You pay a professional, they handle everything — shopping, cooking, serving, and clearing up — and you enjoy restaurant-quality food in the comfort of your own house.
Costs typically range from £45–£85 per head for a two or three course dinner depending on the menu and chef. For a group of 16, that's £720–£1,360 for one evening — split 16 ways, it's £45–£85 each, less than most good restaurants once you add service and drinks.
What's included:
- Menu design and dietary accommodation
- All shopping and ingredients
- Full table service
- Kitchen cleaned after service
- Canapés and pre-dinner nibbles often included
Book your private chef through our experiences page — we work with experienced chefs across all major UK destinations.
Option 2: Combination Approach (Chef for One Night, DIY for Others)
This is the most popular approach. A private chef handles Saturday dinner — the main event — while the group self-caters for other meals. This keeps costs reasonable while ensuring the key meal of the weekend is a genuine highlight.
Suggested weekend plan for a group of 16:
- Friday arrival: Supermarket delivery waiting at the house — antipasti, bread, charcuterie, cheese. No cooking required.
- Saturday breakfast: Pastries, fruit, eggs. The most enthusiastic cook makes scrambled eggs for the group.
- Saturday lunch: Build-your-own sandwiches, soup, salad. 30 minutes to prepare.
- Saturday dinner: Private chef. Three courses, wine pairing, full service.
- Sunday breakfast/brunch: Full English or shakshuka. The communal cooking session everyone enjoys.
- Sunday departure: Use up remaining food. Leftovers packed for the journey home.
Option 3: Rota Cooking
Split the group into pairs and assign each pair a meal. Works better in theory than in practice — someone always ends up doing more work than they signed up for, and the person who said they'd make a "simple pasta" shows up with a three-course Italian feast while the person assigned Sunday brunch panic-buys supermarket croissants.
Tips to make it work:
- Assign meals at least two weeks before the trip so people can plan
- Set a rough budget per head per meal (£8–£12 per person is a reasonable target)
- Keep a WhatsApp group for the shopping list so things aren't bought twice
- Have a clear rule about the kitchen — the cooking pair cleans up
Option 4: Supermarket Delivery
Order a full weekend shop from Ocado, Waitrose, or Tesco to arrive at the property on Friday afternoon. Coordinate dietary requirements in advance and split the bill evenly. Works best when combined with a shared meal plan document.
For a group of 16 for one weekend, budget roughly £25–£35 per person for the full shop including all meals, snacks, and drinks (excluding the Saturday chef dinner if you're going that route).
Dietary Requirements: How to Handle Them
Always collect dietary requirements at least two weeks before the trip. Create a simple shared document with each person's restrictions. Categories to ask about:
- Vegetarian / vegan
- Gluten free / coeliac
- Dairy free
- Nut allergies (always treat as serious)
- Shellfish or fish allergies
- Halal / kosher requirements
- Strong dislikes (not allergies, but worth noting)
If you've hired a private chef, pass this document on to them at least a week before — they'll adapt the menu accordingly.
Drinks Planning for Groups
Drinks are usually easier to handle than food. Options:
- Kitty system: Everyone contributes £20–£40 to a drinks fund at the start of the weekend. One person manages the kitty.
- Bring your own: Each person brings their preferred drinks. Works for some groups, can get complicated for others.
- Order in bulk: A case of prosecco (6 bottles) from Majestic or Ocado, a selection of wines and spirits delivered to the house. Often cheaper per unit than buying in smaller quantities.
For a cocktail night, consider booking a cocktail masterclass — a mixologist comes to the house and runs a cocktail-making session before the group enjoys the results.
Catering Budget Guide by Group Size
- 10 guests, DIY: £20–£30 per person for the weekend
- 16 guests, combination: £60–£90 per person including one private chef dinner
- 20 guests, fully catered: £90–£130 per person for all meals with a private chef
- 30 guests, fully catered: £80–£110 per person (economies of scale help at larger numbers)
Use our guide to splitting costs fairly to figure out how to divide the food budget, and our planning checklist to make sure catering is sorted well in advance. Ready to find the perfect house with a kitchen big enough for your group? Browse all properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
A private chef for a group holiday dinner typically costs £45–£85 per head for a two or three course meal, including ingredients, cooking, serving, and clean-up. For a group of 16 that's around £720–£1,360 for the evening — split between the group it's comparable to or cheaper than a good restaurant.
The easiest approach is a combination: hire a private chef for Saturday night dinner (the main event), and use a supermarket delivery for everything else. Order a full shop from Ocado or Waitrose to arrive Friday afternoon, and you barely need to think about food until Saturday evening.
Collect all dietary requirements at least two weeks before the trip using a shared document or group message. Record vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut, and shellfish restrictions. Pass the full list to your private chef (if using one) a week before the trip.
For a self-catered group weekend, budget £20–£30 per person. For a combination approach with one private chef dinner, budget £60–£90 per person. Fully catered weekends with a private chef for all main meals typically cost £80–£130 per person depending on group size.
Yes — all major supermarkets (Tesco, Ocado, Waitrose, Sainsbury's) deliver to holiday properties across the UK. Enter the property postcode when ordering and book a Friday afternoon delivery slot. Always notify the property owner and confirm someone will be there to receive it.
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