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It is painful to admit, but even the most well-planned shoots can hit issues, and when you throw other suppliers and service providers into the mix, the problems can be exacerbated.

Production catering can be one of those problems – and if catering is affected, you can be sure that the impact will spread. From delays and crew dissatisfaction to schedule issues and a drop in performance, these are not conducive to a tightly run shoot.

Production teams need to remember that catering is a key operational function, not just a service, because when catering goes wrong, it can affect the whole day, not just mealtimes. Strong crew catering are essential to keeping a production moving effectively.

So, let’s look at the issues, why they can happen, and what you can do to stop on-set catering from becoming a headache for your shoot.

1. Crew catering that doesn’t align with the schedule.

In an ideal world, a shoot day would run from 8 am until 5 pm, and everyone would be happy. However, that is rarely the case, with 12-13-hour days (and even longer) the norm.

Issue: Meals are not ready on time, or there are delays due to poor planning or lack of flexibility.

Why it Happens: Caterers are not used to working with callsheets and can underestimate the moving parts on location that can affect timings.

How to Avoid: Choose Rose Catering, because we understand what a production schedule looks like and allow flexibility for things like unit moves and other delays. Make sure that you build time for set catering into the callsheet, especially when timings are changing.

2. Poor location planning

Shoots taking place outside of a studio environment already come with their own set of troubles, and if your catering partner isn’t ready for the challenge, you could be in for a tougher than usual time.

Issue: Long distances between kitchen and location, lack of access, or parking concerns.

Why It Happens: Sometimes, production teams don’t think about TV location catering until quite late in the decision-making process, and, when coupled with a lack of communication, it is not feasible to offer catering to cast and crew.

How to Avoid: Make sure that there is a secure unit base within 30 minutes of your chosen location, with the right water and power attachments. It’s always best to speak to the Rose Catering production liaison team as early as you can; we know what is required for location work and are proficient in the provision of hotbox catering and on set catering.

3. Food quality drops on location

Food is undeniably best when it is hot and fresh from the kitchen, but you should be able to rely on your catering team to provide excellent food wherever you need it, especially if it is away from unit base.

The Issue: Food may be cold or poorly presented, or the selection may be limited.

Why it Happens: Not every caterer working in the TV and film industry is set up for location catering, let alone hotbox catering—it is a specialist service, after all. You might find that the caterers have inadequate transport methods or lack proper facilities, or simply lack the knowledge and capability to plan for hotboxing.

How to Avoid: Choose Rose Catering, as we are accomplished in hotbox catering and TV location catering. We use professional transportation facilities, create menus based on where they are served, and ensure that the food’s presentation at the location is as good as it would be in the kitchen. We monitor temperatures and follow all guidelines so that you can be confident in the quality and taste of every meal.

4. Inadequate provision for dietary requirements.

No two shoots are the same—and that means that changing dietary requirements are par for the course when it comes to catering. At no point in your production should a member of the cast or crew feel like an afterthought when it comes to nutrition.

The Issue: Vegan options are just vegetarian options without the cheese, or dietary requirements are completely ignored or forgotten about. Allergy concerns might be overlooked, or not taken as seriously as they could be.

Why it Happens: Sometimes mistakes can be made in the initial menu planning and provision. A lack of clear communication around requirements can mean that the chef team is not aware of preferences and/or allergens. In some cases, it might be related to poor allergy management practices, lack of understanding, or lack of training.

How to Avoid: Choose Rose Catering. All our chefs are fully trained, undertake annual training on allergy management, and have extensive experience in planning menus that cater for all dietary requirements. Our crew catering team collaborates with the production team to collate allergy and dietary requirements in advance and share them with the catering team, which we will update on a regular basis.

5. Underestimating crew numbers or appetite.

Without clear communication about expected numbers, food can run out—or be wasted. Erring on the side of caution might ensure that everyone gets a meal, but it can undermine sustainability promises if too many meals are prepared and not eaten.

The Issue: Menus may lack sufficient variety, or the television catering team may not have prepared enough food to feed and satisfy a hungry crew.

Why it Happens: There are several reasons food runs out, but much of it is due to poor communication or ineffective forecasting.

How to Avoid: Rose Catering have a production liaison team working between the chefs on the ground and the production office, allowing free-flowing communication so that numbers can be forecast early and accurately. We can scale our production catering services to accommodate larger-than-expected numbers.

6. Service bottlenecks or long queues

If you have a hungry crew and a limited lunch break, service has to be swift and effective. Delays can have a domino effect on the rest of the afternoon, making a tight schedule even tighter.

The Issue: Delays in service cause cast and crew to wait too long to eat. This can then impact turnaround for afternoon shooting and can make people unnecessarily hungry.

Why it Happens: Catering might be in a difficult position, which prevents a smooth service flow. They might not have the staff available for speedy service, including FOH and washing up.

How to Avoid: The Rose Catering team will plan the catering according to numbers, whether that is from the kitchen or on-set catering. We will provide easy, well-flowing access to the serving area. Rose Catering understand how to staff ourr kitchen properly, ensuring enough chefs and support crew to keep up with demand during busy TV catering service periods.

7. Lack of flexibility on location

The great outdoors might be an excellent location for a shoot, but it also means that you can become a victim of changes outside of your control—like the weather.

The Issue: Catering that cannot adapt to schedule changes and is thrown off by weather changes and moves.

Why it Happens: Caterers who have rigid set-ups are not always able to ‘go with the flow’. They can sometimes have inexperienced team members who only know one way to get something done.

How to Avoid: Rose Catering is an experienced TV location catering company, used to fast-moving productions and we build contingencies into service plans to allow for more flexibility. Our purpose-built kitchens and support vehicles mean that we can adapt and provide reliable set catering and production catering flexibility.

8. Sustainability & Waste Issues

Many productions are aligning themselves with BAFTA’s Albert guidelines, and that means that thoughtful catering is going to be challenged with sustainability practices.

The Issue: Crew catering teams that are not sustainably minded will create excess food waste, overuse disposables and single-use plastics, and rely heavily on red meat.

Why it Happens: Generally, issues with sustainability are down to a lack of understanding of the issue, no sustainability policy, and a lack of systems in place.

How to Avoid: At Rose Catering, we already align with Albert principles and understand what sustainability means for production teams. We offer a plated service, and if required, we will provide compostable disposables. We plan our movements to reduce travel and mileage, and we have our own sustainability policy, as well as that of our suppliers. We are happy to create menus to support meat-free days and reduce red meat during service, and we will focus on local and seasonal food within our production catering operations.

9. Hidden Costs and Budget Overruns

Purse-strings are getting tighter everywhere, and when every penny counts, an overspend in one area can severely affect another.

The Issue: Unexpected catering charges that drain funds from other areas, or that require catering services to change to stay within the expected budget.

Why it Happens: Caterers might not have explained how their charges work, how they invoice, or included all the extras that need to be paid in their original quote.

How to Avoid: By choosing Rose Catering, you are choosing a television catering company that prides itself on transparent pricing and accounting. We are always willing to discuss the details of our pricing, and we will explain all charges to you. This, plus weekly invoicing, will mean that there are fewer surprises at the end of the shoot—and more money left in the pot.

Why The Right Caterer Prevents Most Problems

Most production catering issues come down to one thing—lack of experience. A chef team can create the most delicious food, but when they have not produced food at volume on location for production teams, the learning curve can be incredibly steep. Choosing Rose Catering means that you have the experienced chef and support team ready to feed your cast and crew.

Production teams need the assurance that the catering team chosen know exactly how to work with a shoot. Rose Catering has the infrastructure for success; we plan for almost any scenario and will ensure that every single meal is crafted with consistency across all TV catering, crew catering, and on-set catering services.

Other catering problems stem from a lack of clear communication. Between the chefs on the ground and the production management team, information needs to be shared—from callsheet numbers to allergies and dietary requirements, to moves and hotboxing requirements—and even just acting on feedback received from cast and crew. Rose Catering has a dedicated team in the office on hand to disseminate details, answer questions, and provide the necessary information to the team.

Working with Rose Catering as your chosen production catering reduces risk, improves productivity, and increases morale. It is so much more than food.

Rose Catering is your trusted partner for location catering. Come and meet the team on location at one of our projects, have some lunch with us and discuss your needs.

Got shoot dates planned and want to check our availability? Call the Production Liaison Team at Rose Catering Head Office on 01869 345204 or email us at office@rosecatering.co.uk. Take advantage of our experience for advice and get a tailored proposal early in the planning stages, so catering is one less thing to worry about.