Holiday party catering in Marin: what to know before you book

When to book

Three to four weeks' notice is ideal for most events. For a Friday or Saturday in December, book as early as you can. Once you have a quote, a Square invoice holds your date.

You don't need a final headcount to book. We need your final guest count four days before the event, when we shop, so you can send the invites first and confirm numbers later.

We don't book events on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, or New Year's Day.

Live grill or drop-off

With a live-grill package, Nick brings the binchotan grill to your house and cooks for your guests. It's the part people remember: the smell of the charcoal, the sizzle and a steady stream of skewers straight off the coals. Setup, breakdown, cleanup, plates and napkins are included.

With drop-off, we grill everything over binchotan in our kitchen and bring it to you ready to eat: a bento box for each guest for up to 30 people, or a buffet for bigger groups. It's the easy choice for an office party, a crowd that's staying indoors, or a night when the weather won't cooperate.

What it costs

Live-grill packages are priced by the total number of skewers, from $1,200 for 200 Classic skewers up to $5,000 for 1,000 Signature skewers. Classic, Premium and Signature differ in the share of premium skewers like pork belly, wild salmon and A5 wagyu, and you choose the skewers.

Over 30 guests, a second chef joins Nick for a flat $500. Our biggest party so far was 75 guests. Drop-off starts at $20 a person. Prices are for events in Marin County, and your quote depends on location and anything custom. Not sure how many skewers you need? Try our skewer estimator.

Planning around winter weather

Rain doesn't have to cancel a live-grill night. If you have a covered area, Nick grills right through it. The grill needs a flat spot about 8 by 6 feet with at least 10 feet of clearance from walls, fences and anything overhead, so tell us what cover you have when you request a quote and we'll make sure it works.

Guests can walk up to the grill for skewers as they come off the coals, or servers can pass them around, so nobody has to stand out in the weather.

If a red flag warning or fire ban is in effect on the day, we check with you first and cook everything ahead to bring it hot. If weather forces a cancellation, we reschedule at no charge.

A menu for a holiday crowd

Skewers make easy party food. Guests can eat standing, mingling or at the table, and kids love the chicken. Favorites like negima and momo anchor the menu, and pork belly, wild salmon and A5 wagyu make it feel like a celebration.

Shishito, tofu dengaku, zucchini and cherry tomato skewers are vegan, shiitake is vegetarian, and every dish is on our allergen sheet. Tell us about severe allergies when you request a quote.

We don't serve drinks, so plan your own bar. Cold beer, sake and highballs all go well with yakitori.

What to have ready

• Your date, town and a rough guest count.
• For live grill: the flat outdoor spot above, a covered area if rain is possible, access from the car, and a sink we can use.
• For drop-off: easy access for unloading and a table for the food.
• Drinks, and somewhere for guests to set down plates.
• Any allergies or dietary needs in your group.