Kent · England
Funeral and Wake Catering in Stanford
We bring fish and chips for the wake to Stanford and nearby, frying fresh at your venue.
- Life celebrations
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
- Pub wakes
A chip van near Stanford
Looking after everyone
Most events have a few guests with dietary needs. To look after them:
- Funeral directors can help with numbers
- Ask the venue about the van
- Ask a friend to run a tea table
- Cater for a few more than you expect
When everyone has eaten, we pack up quietly.
Tea and coffee from the hall’s urn, or a friend’s tea table, goes well alongside.
How our funeral and wake catering works in Stanford
Fish and chips is informal, which suits a wake where people move around and talk. On the menu are cod and chips, sausage and chips and gravy, and we’re frequently booked for wakes at venues and village hall wakes.
Near Stanford, wakes are frequently at home or in the hall. Let us know about access. The fryers are in the van, so the cooking happens right there at your wake, so the batter is still crisp when it’s handed over.
What else we do in Stanford
The process
We get there well before service, park the van and get the fryers going. Guests usually gather round the hatch as soon as we open. In winter, it is dark in Stanford by about 3:50pm, so an afternoon wake in winter needs lighting near the van. Summer wakes have daylight well into the evening.
- You, or your funeral director, tell us the date, the place and rough numbers.
- We check the spot for the van and send a quote.
- Timings allow for the service and travel from it.
- We serve calmly from the hatch when everyone is ready.
- Afterwards we pack up quietly and leave the spot tidy.
Before we arrive
- Have a level parking spot ready
- Check the venue or landowner is happy for the van to park
- Clear the route for the van
Getting a price
We only need a few details to quote: the date, where the van would park, roughly how many people and when you’d like to eat. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Stanford?
There is no kitchen work for anyone.
Big or small, the van works the same way. Typical bookings include:
- Scattering of ashes gatherings
- Memorial events and anniversaries
- Pub wakes
- Family meals after the service
For a service at a church like All Saints Church, choosing a wake venue nearby helps older guests.
What your quote should include
- Whether there’s a minimum
- When payment is due
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- How allergens are handled
Why fried-to-order beats a buffet
Next to a buffet, a van gives everyone a hot meal, which helps when numbers are hard to predict. The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, because the van, travel and set-up cost much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why book our van in Stanford
- Hot food handed straight over
- No kitchen, no crockery, no washing up
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
Take a look at our prices page and our guide to van hire costs.
Questions from Stanford
Can you serve after a service at All Saints Church?
Yes, at a nearby hall, home or venue with somewhere for the van. Churches rarely have space for a catering van, so the food is typically elsewhere. Send us the address.
Can the van go to venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules for vehicles; ask your venue. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Can a friend deal with you?
Yes. We are happy to deal with the funeral director or a family friend.
Can you cater for allergies?
Yes, we can tell you which allergens are in each item. Battered fish contains fish and, in standard batter, gluten. Send us any allergies in writing.
Can you serve children?
Yes. Children typically love sausage and chips. Include children in your numbers.
What about guests who don’t eat fish?
Yes: sausages and pies, with chips. Give us a rough idea of numbers.
What food do you serve?
Fish and chips, of course, plus sausage or pie and chips. The sides are mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy.
How fast is service?
That depends on numbers, menu and timing. Tell us your numbers and how long you have for food, and we will plan service around it.
How we price fish and chips for the wake
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The minimum booking
- Distance and any road charges
- The length of service
- Parking and the way in
Travel, tolls and charges such as ULEZ can affect the price, so tell us exactly where your wake is.
Details that help
You do not need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Your date and serving time
- A photo of the parking spot
- Expected numbers
- Where you’d like the van to go
Not sure of numbers yet? No problem: give us a rough idea and the date, and we’ll firm it up nearer the time. To start, use our quote form.
Arranging a wake in Stanford
Stanford is about 3 miles north-west of Hythe, in Kent. People in Stanford book us for all sorts of reasons, but it always starts the same way: somewhere to park, a time to serve and fresh frying. We take the van to 922 places in Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 12 miles away.
Relatives arriving by train should know that Westenhanger station serves Stanford directly. Stanford is within about 5 miles of the Kent Downs National Landscape, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access. The coast is within about 3 miles of Stanford.
For wakes in TN25, we just need to know where the van can park. That could mean a wake at a home on Stone Street and Kennett Lane, as long as there’s somewhere for the van. Neighbouring places where we serve wakes include Postling (1 mile north-east), Sellindge (2 miles west), Moorstock (2 miles north-west), Skeete (2 miles north-east) and Woodland (2 miles north-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Ashford (8 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north), Dover (12 miles east), Folkestone (6 miles east), Hythe (3 miles south-east) and Tower Hamlets (11 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Hythe Museum (2.9 miles south-east) and Royal Victoria Hospital (5.8 miles east). The countryside around Stanford includes Hatch Park and Tolsford Hill.
Organising for someone else?
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Parks, greens and streets typically need permission for a catering van. The council or landowner will tell you what they need.
What the van needs
A fish and chip van is a vehicle, so the spot matters, so a few things need checking. Here’s what we look for:
- Lighting nearby for evening events
- A clear area by the serving hatch
- Confirmation that the van can park there
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Stanford
- Cod and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Pie and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Mushy peas
- Gravy
Cannot we just order from the chip shop?
Weighing up a takeaway order against booking a van? Consider your numbers and how fresh you want it. Ask us for a quote and compare.
A DIY buffet works for small groups. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and you get to enjoy the day.
- 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