Guide for Clients

A complete walkthrough of using Cennaire to find, book, and review caterers for your event.

Browsing Caterers

The Browse page shows all caterers listed on Cennaire. You can search and filter without an account.

Using Filters

• Search — Type a business name or cuisine keyword.
• Cuisine type — Filter by cuisine category (e.g., Mediterranean, Asian Fusion, BBQ).
• City — Narrow results to caterers operating in your event's location.
• Guest count — Enter your expected guest count to surface caterers with matching capacity.
• Sort — Order results by name, starting price (low to high), or star rating.

Premium caterers appear at the top of results — they've invested in the platform and tend to be highly active. Caterers with a verified badge have had their business credentials reviewed.

Reading a Caterer Profile

Click on any caterer card to open their full detail view. You'll see:

• Photos — Cover image, logo, and gallery
• Bio — Their business description and specialities
• Packages — Service packages with pricing and dietary options
• Reviews — Star ratings and comments from verified clients
• Location and capacity — City and min/max guest counts
• Verified badge — If present, the caterer's business documents have been reviewed

You can also Book a Package directly from the detail view if you want to skip the quote request flow.

Posting a Catering Request

A catering request is a brief for your event. Caterers who match your criteria can send you quotes in response.

How to Post

1. Go to Post a Request (requires a free account).
2. Fill in the required fields:
   • Event title — A clear name like "Company Summer BBQ" or "Wedding Reception"
   • Event type — e.g., Corporate, Wedding, Birthday, Private Dinner
   • Event date — The date of your event
   • Guest count — Your expected number of guests
3. Optionally add:
   • City — Where the event is taking place
   • Cuisine preferences — Any specific cuisines you're interested in
   • Budget range — A min and max per-head budget (helps caterers calibrate their quotes)
   • Notes — Dietary requirements, service style preferences, anything else relevant

Tips for a Great Request

• Be specific with your guest count — it helps caterers assess feasibility.
• Add a budget range. Caterers who can't meet it won't quote, which saves everyone's time.
• Include any dietary needs upfront (vegan, halal, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.).
• Mention if the event is indoors/outdoors and whether a kitchen is available on-site.

Managing Quotes

Once your request is live, quotes from caterers will appear in your dashboard.

Viewing Quotes

Go to Dashboard → Requests and click on your request to see all received quotes.

Each quote includes a professional breakdown with:

• Line items — Itemised list of food, drink, and services with quantities and unit prices
• Fees — Any additional charges (service charge, delivery, equipment hire, etc.)
• Subtotal, fees, and grand total — Clear pricing summary
• Guest count — The number of guests the quote is based on
• Validity date — Act before this expires
• Cover message — A personal note from the caterer
• Deposit terms — If the caterer requires a deposit, the percentage and terms are shown

Accepting a Quote via Share Link

Caterers can also send you a direct share link to their quote. You can view the full professional quote and accept or decline it directly from the link — no login required.

Evaluating Quotes

Consider more than just price:

• Star rating and reviews — Check the caterer's track record.
• Verified badge — Has the caterer been verified?
• Gallery photos — Does their food presentation match your event's standard?
• Packages — Does their style match what you envisioned?
• Cover message — Did they address your specific requirements?

Accepting a Quote

Click Accept on the quote you want. This creates a confirmed booking. You'll see it in Dashboard → Bookings.

Once you accept a quote, your request is closed to further quoting.

Messages

Once you're connected with a caterer through a quote or booking, you can communicate directly via Dashboard → Messages. Messages are organised by conversation with event context shown, so you always know which event you're discussing.

Your Dashboard

Your client dashboard has three main sections:

• Requests — All your active and closed catering requests.
• Bookings — Confirmed bookings with event details, guest count, and agreed total.
• Messages — Direct conversations with caterers.
• Profile — Your account settings.

Booking Statuses

Leaving a Review

After your event, leave a review for your caterer from the Booking detail page. Your honest feedback helps other clients and rewards great caterers.

Reviews require a completed booking and can only be submitted once per booking.