Wokingham · England
Funeral and wake catering in California, Wokingham
Funeral and wake catering in California: fish and chips cooked fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch.
- Pub wakes
- Gatherings at a village hall or club
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
Fresh fish and chips in California
How our funeral and wake catering works in California
The wake can be at home, at a village hall or club, or at a venue with space outside. On the menu are cod and chips, gravy and mushy peas, and typical bookings are for celebrations of life and memorial events and anniversaries.
For a wake near California, a farmhouse or village hall frequently works well. Everything is fried fresh at your wake, not cooked earlier and kept warm, and handed over as soon as it’s ready.
Perfect for your wake in California
It is warm, simple food that almost everyone enjoys.
Whatever brings people together, fish and chips from the hatch goes down well. We’re frequently booked for:
- Remembrance gatherings
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
- A wake at the family home
- Memorial gatherings
Families holding a service at Church of St James often gather afterwards at a nearby hall, where the van can park.
Before you book anyone
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- If the price includes VAT
- The deposit and payment dates
- Any minimum charge
Common questions in California
Which station is closest to California?
Crowthorne station, about 2.4 miles east of the centre.
Can the van park in Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
How quickly can you come?
Ask as soon as you have the date. We will tell you straight away whether we are available.
Can you come to the house?
Often, yes. Tell us about parking at the house.
How quickly can you serve everyone?
A short menu and staggered groups keep things moving. Tell us your timings and we’ll advise.
Can our funeral director book for us?
Yes. We can work with whoever is helping you.
What if we don’t know numbers?
Start with a rough number, and we will plan with a little extra.
How much does fish and chips for the wake cost in California?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Tell us about your wake and we will send a quote.
Takeaway run or book a van?
A DIY buffet works for small groups. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and nobody has to miss the wake.
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For a crowd, a van is typically simpler.
Nearby places to California
Other occasions in California
California: halls, homes and travel
California is about 3 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Wokingham. We cover California as standard, so all we need is your date, a parking spot and a time to serve. We take the van to all 35 towns and villages in Wokingham, from the larger towns to small villages. Our bookings stretch from California to Reading (7 miles away).
For family travelling by train, Crowthorne station is about 2.4 miles away.
Anywhere in RG40, we can fry fresh for your guests. That could mean a wake at a home on Warren Lane, White Horse Lane and Fernbank or the roads around them, wherever the van can park. If your venue is just outside California, we also cover Arborfield Garrison (1 mile west), Finchampstead (1 mile south-east), Barkham (1 mile north), Langley Common (1 mile north-west) and Eversley (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Reading (7 miles north-west), Wokingham (3 miles north-east), Woodley (5 miles north), Earley (5 miles north-west), Crowthorne (3 miles east) and Lower Earley (4 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Beaumys Castle (4.7 miles west) and Wokingham Hospital (2.6 miles north-east). Within reach you’ll find Horseshoe Lake and Holt Copse & Joel Park.
- Schools near California include Bohunt School Wokingham (1 mile west)
- Pubs nearby include The Queen's Oak pub (0.7 miles south-east)
What comes out of the fryer
Cod and chips
Cod is the classic: mild, white and flaky, and it’s the favourite in much of the south. We batter it and fry it to order, so it’s crisp when it reaches you.
Gravy
In the north and the Midlands, gravy is the side of choice, and it is lovely with a pie.
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
Preparing food yourself adds to a hard day. We do the cooking. Cost depends on numbers, menu and service time, along with distance and access to the site. We quote for each booking individually.
What you get with us
- The classic sides: peas, curry sauce and gravy
- No kitchen needed
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- Bookings across Wokingham, including California
Take a look at our pricing and the cost guide.
Planners, venues and businesses
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Staggering groups helps a lot.
How it works
Here’s how the day usually runs: we arrive, park up and set up, the oil comes up to temperature, and food goes out hot at the agreed time. A wake in California in late autumn or winter may run into the dark, with sunset about 7:05pm in late September and 3:55pm in December.
- First, the plan: what, where and what time.
- We come back with availability and a clear price.
- We agree exactly where the van parks, and how it gets in.
- Batter, fish and chips all go into the fryer as people come up.
- We leave the spot as we found it.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Plan a bit of cover near the hatch if rain is likely
- Keep space clear for guests at the hatch
Getting a price
We quote for each event separately, based on your numbers, timings and travel. For a quote, use our quote form.
Read more
Where the van can park in California
A fish and chip van is a vehicle, so the spot matters, and a little planning goes a long way. These are the things we check:
- A spot near your guests
- A level, firm spot the van can drive onto
- A route in without tight gates or low branches
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we serve
- Mushy peas
- Cod and chips
- Gravy
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
Planning for dietary needs
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. Here are a few tips:
- Check the hall has an urn
- Tell us about any close family with allergies
- Ask the venue about the van
- Choose a friend to be our contact
We serve when people are ready, not to a rigid schedule.
Photos or a memory book give people something to share.
- Fried fresh to order in the van at your event
- Cod, haddock and chips, sausages and pies
- The van comes to you: homes, venues, workplaces and fields
- Served at the time you choose, from the hatch