Sustainable Catering
Heritage with a modern conscience
Payne and Gunter has been crafting unforgettable hospitality since 1786. We’re proud of that history, and we’re equally proud of how we’ve evolved. We’re constantly refining how we work so luxury feels within reach, and responsibility feels non-negotiable.
Being truly sustainable caterers takes discipline. It means thoughtful menu design, careful sourcing, and decisions you’d be happy to stand behind. As a sustainable catering company, we’re here to make your life easier. You’ll have a team that takes the behind-the-scenes detail seriously, so what arrives in the room feels effortless, and what happens behind it is just as considered.
Carefully crafted eco-friendly catering
Our eco-friendly catering strategy starts with menus that are inclusive and contemporary. We build in vegetarian and vegan dishes as a matter of course, not only because they’re delicious, but because they’re also naturally lower impact. We also take a more considered approach to red meat, so the overall menu feels lighter, brighter, and better balanced, without feeling like anything’s been taken away. As sustainable caterers, we keep seasonality front of mind. It’s one of the simplest ways to reduce impact while improving quality and consistency across an event.
Provenance you can trust
Great hospitality starts with what you choose and who you choose it from. As a quintessentially British brand, we source the best of British wherever possible. We believe local and seasonal produce is the gold standard, and our menus reflect that by featuring at least 80% British seasonal fruit and vegetables since 2020. More specifically, as sustainable caterers, we use free-range eggs, high-welfare British poultry and pork, and fish selected from MSC grades one to two only. We also use Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade Certified tea, coffee, sugar and cocoa. These choices add up when you’re delivering sustainable catering at scale.
Details that make a difference
We plan carefully around attendee numbers to minimise leftovers, and we work hard to use as much of each ingredient as possible. When we catered for the BRIT Awards in 2022, carrot peelings became jus and cauliflower leaves became garnishes. When surplus does happen, our partnership with the Surplus to Supper charity ensures excess food can be redistributed locally. It’s one of the many ways that eco-friendly catering can have an impact beyond your guest list.
Any sustainable catering company knows that the complexities of waste need to be managed effectively, so we’re proudly part of the Biffpack Packaging Compliance Scheme. We’re also removing unnecessary single-use items wherever we can, meaning we’ve said goodbye to plastic straws, stirrers and sauce sachets at our events.
Backed by expertise
As part of Compass Group UK and Ireland, we’re supported by wider expertise and a shared commitment to reducing environmental impact. For you, that means you’re choosing a sustainable catering company that can deliver the how, not just the why. Consistently, beautifully and at the scale your event requires.
Choose sustainable caterers with confidence
If you’re looking for a sustainable catering company for your next London event, we’d love to help. Share your details below and a member of the Payne & Gunter team will be in touch.
