Useful Tips For Hosting The Perfect Summer Barbeque

The summer months in London and the rest of the UK are the best times to throw an outdoor party for you and your mates. Long sunny days and cloudless skies give ample opportunity to invite friends over and enjoy a summer barbecue and a few cheeky ciders – preferably Magners on ice!

To throw the perfect barbecue requires a bit of planning and you need to make sure that you have the right equipment to cater for all those friends, and friends of friends…



Consider the following:

How many people are coming?
You may be catering for a large party of over 20 people or it may be a small event. Always be prepared and then some as you will always find a few extras arrive including their brood of starving children. If you have a splash pool or blow up pool, get this out to keep the kids entertained and out of the house.

Are you catering for food only or drinks as well?
Do you want your guests to eat off paper plates or would these be for the children who are more likely to break nice expensive china? What are your guests going to drink from? If you are catering for both food and drinks you might need to consider employing the services of a catering equipment hire company, who can supply you with extra glasses, cutlery, linen and pretty much anything else you need.

Will the food be presented outside or inside?
If you are going to be eating mainly outdoors, you will probably want to keep the salads and other cold foods indoors until you’re ready to eat. Mayonnaise will go off in the sun and salad leaves will wilt making your delicious rabbit food look like a dried up kelp farm. Do you live in an area with many insects and bugs that come out later in the day? You may want to consider renting some bug lights or putting out a few citronella candles to keep the pesky bugs away.

What are the chances of bad rainy weather?
In London there is always this chance. Even in summer. The barbecue comes out and so do the rain clouds. It’s like the weather gods in the UK are in a permanent bad mood – well they probably are because the smoke from the barbecue goes up into the skies and stinks out their homes! Rent an outdoor heater & some garden umbrellas to keep you safe and dry and your party intact.

Are you going to cook on a gas grill or with charcoal?
Or maybe you don’t even have your own barbecue – what kind of a man are you? You can rent a barbecue from a local company in the event that your next door neighbour or best friend won’t lend you theirs. Consider how many people are coming and how much charcoal you will need. The last thing you want is to run out of charcoal midway and have to explain to the wife why her tenderly prepared chicken is STILL so tender and raw.

Finally and most importantly keep your guests well-oiled during the day as you don’t want them getting thirsty no matter what their tipple. Diversity is the flavor of life!

Good luck and have fun!