Christmas Buffet Ideas for the Office: How to Plan a Curry Buffet Your Team Will Eat

Somebody has been put in charge of the Christmas party food. There are twenty-odd people, a meeting room with no kitchen, a mix of dietary needs, a few questions nobody has got round to asking, and a budget that was agreed in a hurry.

Sausage rolls are the default answer, but they do not suit everyone.

A hot curry buffet is a better one. It feeds a mixed team properly, everyone chooses their own heat, it is eaten from a plate with a fork, and nobody has to cook. This guide explains how to plan one: how to choose between the options, what to put on the table, what the per-head packages cost, what we supply, and what you need to organise yourself. It is aimed at festive parties of twenty or more, with a few suggestions for smaller teams too.

Why a curry buffet works for an office Christmas party

Offices and other festive gatherings are mixed groups by nature. A curry buffet puts vegetarian dishes on the table alongside the meat ones, so there is something for everyone to choose.

People pick how spicy they want their plate, go back for more, and take a plate back to their desk when the conversation gets going.

It also takes the effort out of planning it. The food arrives in chafing dishes, ready to serve at the time you agree, and you do not need a kitchen or an oven. One of the people who booked us for a conference of 100 wrote that “The food was delicious and well received by the attendees.” (Dominic Luttrell, catering reviews).

Three Christmas party food options for the team

The right option depends mostly on how many people you are feeding.

A catering package, for 20 people or more. This is a full hot buffet in chafing dishes, with starters, dishes, rice or bread, salad and sauce. It is the route we recommend once you pass about twenty, because keeping that much food hot matters as much as the cooking.

Starter platters, for any size. If you want something lighter than a full meal, or nibbles to hand round before the buffet, our starter packs are made to order and arranged on platters, ready to reheat and serve. Set packs start from £30, or you can build your own. They need 24 hours’ notice and are collected from our shop in Batley, and our party food guide has the numbers per person. Starters also work as canapés, because they are finger food that people can eat standing up.

CurryOut for a small team with a kitchen. For up to a dozen people, you can order CurryOut curries, rice and bread, which arrive chilled, and reheat them in batches on the hob. Our portion guide shows how many tubs to order. Beyond that, reheating tubs in an office kitchen becomes a long afternoon, and a catering package is the easier route.

Fewer than 20 people, or want specific dishes that are not in a package? We create a tailored option. Ring the kitchen on 01924 359300 and tell us what you need.

What a catering package costs

Our packages are priced per head, so the cost follows the number of guests, and all three prices include VAT. This is what each one costs at its minimum number.

There are a few extras to budget for. Chafing dishes are £50 plus VAT to hire, with a separate £100 refundable equipment deposit that is returned once the equipment comes back.

Delivery is charged by distance, plus VAT. If you prefer to serve the food in your own dishes, you can collect it from our shop and we will transfer it into your pans or containers, which saves the hire and delivery charges.

To secure your date, there is a booking deposit of 20% of the total, which goes towards your final bill. The balance is due seven days before the event.

The portions in the set packages are based on a buffet, so they are split between the dishes you choose rather than being full portions of each, and if you need full portions we will tailor a package. If you want to see how the per-head pricing works for other events, our wedding catering cost guide breaks it down.

What party food goes on the table

You do not have to be an expert in Indian food to get this right. The principle is a spread: one mild dish, one medium, one vegetarian, and starters that people can eat standing up. Here are three menu suggestions, one for each package, using dishes from our catering menu. They double as Christmas party food ideas if you are building your own list.

Heat ratings are from our shop’s one to four chilli scale, where one is mild and four is X hot.

Chicken Korma is the classic mild choice, and there are vegetarian dishes to choose from too. The full list of what we can put in a buffet is on the dish options page. If there is a dish you like that is not listed, ask. Our curry heat guide explains where each dish sits if you want to adjust the balance for your team.

Dietary needs in a mixed team

A few things are worth sorting out before you book. All of our meat is halal. The catering menu includes vegetarian dishes and vegetarian starters, but there is no fish on it.

Please collect any dietary requirements from your team, including any allergies, and let us know when you enquire. The easiest way is to ask in the invitation. You are welcome to ask us about the ingredients in any dish you are considering, and it helps to label the dishes on the day, including which are vegetarian, so guests can choose for themselves.

If a colleague has a strict requirement, ring us before you book and we will talk through what we can and cannot do. The CurryOut product pages list ingredients and allergens in full and are a useful starting point, but confirm the details of any catering dish with us directly.

What we supply and what you need to organise

It is drop-off catering. The food is delivered at the time we agree, ready to serve, or you collect it.

That means you will need plates, cutlery and napkins, somewhere to set up the buffet table, someone to put the food out and a way to clear up afterwards. Ask us what comes with the chafing dishes when you book. After the event, you return the hired chafing dishes to our shop in Batley yourself, unless we have agreed something different in advance, and your £100 refundable equipment deposit is returned once they are back.

A simple timeline

1. Fix the date and the headcount. A rough number is enough to start with.
2. Ask about dietary needs. Put the question in the invitation.
3. Pick a package and dishes, or ring us for a tailored quote.
4. Send your enquiry through the catering page, by phone on 01924 359300, on WhatsApp on +44 7308 221300 or by email to catering@spicesandrices.co.uk. Bookings are subject to availability, and December is a busy month, so enquire as soon as you have a date and a rough headcount.
5. Pay the 20% booking deposit to secure the date.
6. Pay the balance seven days before the event.
7. On the day, receive the food at the agreed time, or collect it, and set up.
8. Afterwards, return the hired chafing dishes to Batley.

How much food you need

The set packages are buffet portions, shared between the dishes you choose, so the amount of each dish depends on your package. Essential has two dishes, Celebration has three and Signature has four, and all three packages include rice or bread. The number of starters grows with the package too: two for Essential, three for Celebration and four for Signature.

If your team is hungrier than average, or you would like full portions of each dish, tell us when you enquire and we will tailor a package. Our party food guide has more on starter numbers per person.

A few tips for the day

Set the buffet table up somewhere with room to queue, so guests can work along it. Put the mild dish at the front and the hotter ones further along, so that people can choose how spicy they want their plate. If you are not sure about numbers, tell us when you enquire, because it is easier to adjust the plan beforehand than on the day.

Frequently asked questions

How much food do I need for an office Christmas buffet?

It depends on the package, because the buffet portions are shared between the dishes you choose. Essential has two dishes, Celebration has three and Signature has four, and all three packages include rice or bread. If you would like full portions of each dish, tell us when you enquire and we will put together a tailored quote.

What is the minimum number for catering?

Our Essential package starts at 20 people, Celebration at 40 and Signature at 50. For fewer than 20, or for specific dishes, we create a tailored option.

How far do you deliver?

Across West Yorkshire and the surrounding areas, as far as York. Delivery is charged by distance, plus VAT, and collection from our shop in Batley is also available.

How much notice do you need?

Bookings are subject to availability, so enquire as soon as you have a date and a rough headcount, and pay the 20% booking deposit to secure the date. Starter packs need 24 hours’ notice.

Is the food halal?

Yes. All of our meat products are halal, and everything is cooked in our HACCP-compliant kitchen in Batley.

Can you cater for vegetarians?

Yes. The catering menu includes vegetarian dishes and vegetarian starters, so there is plenty to choose from. There is no fish on the catering menu.

Can we collect the food instead?

Yes. You can collect your chosen set menu from our shop and bring your own serving pans or containers. We transfer the food into them.

Plan your office buffet

Send an enquiry through our catering page, call the kitchen on 01924 359300 or message us on WhatsApp on +44 7308 221300. For a smaller team, order from the CurryOut range, or build a starter pack from £30. Either way, the food is cooked in our own kitchen in Batley, where Spices & Rices was established in 1996.