Questions and answers - FAQ
What makes Maiergrill Ltd. unique as a barbecue event caterer?
Maiergrill Ltd. specialises in fascinating barbecue event catering with the world's first smoke-free barbecue. This enables unique culinary experiences both indoors and outdoors, without the nuisance of smoke or unpleasant odours.
Our customers tell us time and again that our expert advice in advance and the unique staging on site have exceeded their expectations. Thanks to our dedicated team members, your event will be realised reliably and professionally. Our premium service guarantees enthusiastic guests who will remember your event forever.
What types of events do you cater for with your barbecue catering?
We offer comprehensive barbecue event catering for a wide range of occasions throughout Switzerland, including weddings, private parties, corporate events, roadshows, Christmas parties, general meetings, top-out parties and much more.
For large events with 300 guests or more, we have created our competence centre www.bigevent.ch, which builds on 30 years of experience and is geared towards the special requirements of large events.
Maiergrill is always at its best when it comes to anchoring important moments in the lives of guests forever.
What is included in the price of your barbecue catering?
Our offers are customised and tailored to your needs. They generally include carefully selected food and drinks, the use of our smokeless barbecue, the necessary barbecue equipment and experienced service staff. Additional services such as crockery, cutlery, glasses, table linen, decorations, furniture, marquee and much more can be booked transparently as an option.
Why should we delegate our wedding catering to Maiergrill?
Of course, you want to be 100% sure that you are hiring a caterer who understands the importance of your special day and who will impress you with their reliability and professionalism. The most important reasons why Maiergrill deserves your trust:
1. we love wedding catering, cater over 100 weddings a year and therefore understand the very specific needs of those getting married very well.
2. reliability and professionalism as a wedding caterer requires a lot of experience. Experience that we have built up since 1996.
3. we want to understand your very specific needs and then advise you so that you get the most suitable solution.
4. we are considered staging specialists when it comes to ensuring that your most beautiful day is also remembered in culinary terms.
Is it true that you don't need a kitchen at the venue?
That's right. We are completely autonomous, take everything we need with us and adapt to any situation. In this way, we create additional security for the success of your event and increase your freedom in the choice of venue. Whether in a castle hall, a factory hall, a showroom, a forest hut, a marquee or even in an igloo at 2,727 m above sea level, you can count on us to help you realize the event of your dreams.
Is it possible to barbecue in-house with the Maiergrill?
Naturally! As the Maiergrill is completely smoke-free, you can also barbecue in small rooms. It is therefore not surprising that the Maiergrill is increasingly being used at events in meeting rooms, castles, detached houses and apartments, allowing you to enjoy barbecues even in the cold season and automatically making your event even more surprising and unique.
We have already barbecued under the dome of the Federal Palace in Bern, in the expensively furnished meeting rooms of private banks, as well as in the living rooms of billionaires' mansions and even in a windowless igloo.
Is it true that you prepare everything on site?
Yes, (with very few exceptions such as salad dressing or dessert creams). This is one of our most important principles! Meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruit and even the bread is grilled à la minute on the spot, in front of your guests. This ensures the unmistakable taste and increases the entertainment value.
Do you also do very sophisticated events?
In any case. Basically, each of our events is sophisticated even if the guests feel relaxed. We achieve more class in particular with the table settings, the number of courses, the decorations and the number of players in relation to the number of guests. In other words: with the staging. However, we remain true to our recipes, the Maiergrill and the front cooking system, even when serving in a castle with white gloves.
Are barbecues suitable for a festive wedding?
We are often asked this question and we are convinced that barbecues are particularly suitable for a festive occasion. The number of courses has a particular influence on the 'class' of an event. We do most of our events with our three- and four-course dishes. With the Maiergrill, we achieve a constant 'à la minute quality' even with a large number of guests, which underlines the festive ambition. The most important argument is the fact that, thanks to word of mouth from our enthusiastic wedding customers, we are now able to organize over 100 weddings a year!
Are barbecues also suitable for a stand-up party?
Absolutely. We can put together a flying buffet to meet your very specific requirements. For example, à la minute grilled beef shank canapés, giant prawns and monkfish served on a warm slate are particularly popular. For a casual cocktail event, halved barbecue skewers are ideal as they can be held comfortably on the open wood. We also like to complement the barbecues with vegetable dip, small snacks and verrines.
How is Maiergrill Eventcatering committed to sustainability?
Sustainability is a matter close to the hearts of Maiergrill and its employees, so it is logical that we are a member of United against Waste and to participate in Swisstainable, Switzerland Tourism's sustainability programme.
Genuine sustainability is evident throughout the entire service provision process, emanating from the corporate governance and, in our opinion, affects the following key aspects equally:
1. Economic:
Focus on high efficiency - only as much input as necessary - the most sustainable energy is that which is not consumed in the first place.
2. Ecological:
Focus on resource-conserving products and processes - regional purchasing, efficient manufacturing processes.
3. Social:
Employee training on the job and in training modules to understand the big picture, develop leadership skills, promote personal responsibility and common sense and install a culture of respect for people, animals and plants.
Sustainability endeavours are a rolling process that is always ongoing. This can already be seen in the following aspects:
1. wave.catering:
In order to better fulfil our responsibility for future generations and offer our customers more options for even more sustainable event catering, we created wave.catering in 2020 as a green brand to complement the red Maiergrill event catering brand, which is 90% vegetarian and vegan across the entire range of dishes and only uses around 10% meat/fish. At Maiergrill, which specialises in barbecues, the proportion of meat/fish is around 20%. The combination of the wave.catering and Maiergrill concepts is a very effective solution, especially for large corporate events that want to implement a specific sustainability policy.
2. Waste avoidance:
A: Our à discrétion buffets are very often used:
Buffet has the advantage that the guests themselves decide what they particularly like. A discrétion has the advantage that the guest knows on the first pass that he can go back to the buffet a second, third, .... time and therefore only puts the amount on their plate that they actually want to eat. As a result, the plates usually come back empty.
B: Sustainable reserve management:
We have reserves of meat on site, which remain in the cold chain and are only opened if the guests eat an exceptionally large amount or have a disproportionate preference for one type of meat or vegetable.
C: System event caterer:
Maiergrill is a system event caterer with a clear specialisation in grilled dishes and the matching side dishes, which has the advantage that we can cover a maximum of staging forms with comparatively few menu components. As a result, the consumption of the same components is high, which significantly reduces wastage and returns in contrast to a very broad range.
D: A la minute preparation of the grills:
This allows us to respond optimally to actual consumption and only put as much on the grill as is actually consumed.
E: Reusable crockery:
We use reusable crockery wherever possible and sensible. At wave.catering, we go so far as to produce over 30 dishes in beautiful preserving "Weck" jars (preserving jars with a rubber seal and clamping lid), store them in them, transport them in them and even eat them out of them once they have been brought to the desired temperature at the event venue. In this way, we promote a genuine circular economy and earn the term zero waste at wave.catering.
F: Paperless event:
Our event managers used to carry around a 20-page A4 dossier for their event. This has been replaced by an offline tablet, where all documents are available digitally and all information, such as the temperature control of the cold chain, is recorded digitally. Our employees check in and check out on their own smartphone, with digital authorisation from the event manager. This used to be one sheet per employee, per event.
G: Virtually paperless office:
We launched our digitalisation project back in 2019, which has now eliminated four media disruptions and combined the very specific processes in event catering on one platform. This has enabled us to massively increase our efficiency and quality "behind the scenes". Redundancies, multiple entries and therefore numerous sources of error have been eliminated.
3. Recycling:
A: Waste separation: We consistently separate glass, cardboard, organic waste, household waste, etc. and send these recyclable materials to their next destination.
B: Utilisation of leftovers:
Surplus food that
has been opened is distributed among the employees at the end of an
event. This is particularly appreciated by the many students, as they
are doing something for sustainability and at the same time relieving
the budget of their household or even the entire shared flat.
4. Transport avoidance:
A: Multiple locations in Switzerland, which means that an event is always realised from our nearest location. This is particularly valuable for roadshows where, for example, a customer event is organised in 30 branches throughout Switzerland.
B: Regional pools of players:
We have freelancers in all regions of Switzerland who travel directly to the event location. This reduces the amount of travelling involved.
C: Contact with the customer primarily via telephone and video conference instead of meetings at the customer's or our premises.
D: Home office option:
This eliminates the need to travel to work.
5. Energy saving:
A: Geothermal heat pump at our headquarters Rote Trotte Eventlocation in Winterthur.
B: Energy-efficient preparation directly at the event location on the smokeless Maiergrill.
C: Heating:
In the cold season, we contribute to the heating of the venue with the smokeless Maiergrill.
D: Effective resource management:
If we do not reach a certain minimum utilisation rate per year for infrastructure resources such as vehicles, crockery, furniture, tents and decorations, we rent these as required and outsource them accordingly. In this way, we are moving towards a sharing economy.
Why is the Maiergrill catering concept particularly suitable for your event in a castle?
1. The beauty of the historic castle structure contrasts beautifully with the modern Maiergrill - a stainless steel machine made in Switzerland. This enhances the experience for the guest, making the event even more memorable.
2. As we prepare everything hot on the smokefree Maiergrill on site and in front of the guests, we don't need any kitchen infrastructure.
3. We also have a portable model of the Maiergrill, which allows us to access the tower room on the 5th floor without a lift and prepare our fresh grills in front of your guests.
4. Due to its sporadic use, the castle hall can be rather cold, especially during the cold season, and the heat given off by the Maiergril then provides welcome extra heating.
5. We are partners with many castles in Switzerland and have the experience needed to organise your event in a castle.
What is the difference between a finger food buffet and a flying buffet?
At a finger food buffet, guests help themselves to a large selection of bite-sized dishes, which are presented at a buffet. At a flying buffet, smaller, exquisite appetisers are distributed and served directly to the guests on platters by our service staff, which allows for greater interaction and elegance.
Why is the Maiergrill catering concept particularly suitable for your event in the greenhouse?
1. The exotic look of a greenhouse as an event catering venue fits perfectly with "à la minute prepared barbecues", because these are often associated with summer, the beach, the tropics and warmth, exactly the ambience that a greenhouse with lots of tropical palm trees offers in summer and winter.
2. Since we prepare everything warm on site on the Maier grill, everything is fresh and yet we don't need a kitchen. This is a big advantage, as a traditional greenhouse does not usually have a fully equipped kitchen and usually does not have the power connections required for traditional cooking equipment. This means that the caterer has to bring everything himself and may have to do without his combi steamer, which makes it difficult for him to cook fresh food on site.
3. The waste heat from the Maier grill heats the greenhouse. This means that the operator and landlord of the greenhouse has to heat less himself, which means that he may not have to pay a heating surcharge in winter.
4. The plants appreciate the propane gas-powered Maiergrill, because propane gas is converted into CO2 during combustion with virtually no residue, i.e. food for the numerous plants in the greenhouse.
5 We have decades of experience with catering in greenhouses and organise numerous events in various greenhouses throughout Switzerland every year. We are very familiar with the specific requirements of event catering in greenhouses, such as the often spartan infrastructure, the high humidity, the demanding heat management, etc. After all, your event should go off without a hitch.
Is smoke-free barbecuing healthier than conventional barbecuing?
Yes, smokeless barbecuing is much healthier. As no fat or marinade drips onto the embers, the formation of harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), which can occur with conventional grilling, is avoided. You enjoy pure flavour without any health concerns.
How far in advance should I book my barbecue event catering with you?
We recommend booking your desired date as early as possible, especially for weddings and large events, which should ideally be booked 4-12 months in advance. For corporate events, the lead time is often shorter.
>Requests at short notice are also possible, depending on availability. We recommend booking as soon as your event date has been finalised.
What information do you need to obtain a tailor-made offer?
For a precise and tailored offer, we need to know the event (private/business), the desired date and time, the exact location of the event, the number of guests expected (including children and people with allergies/intolerances) as well as your specific wishes and ideas regarding the menu and proceedings.
The best thing to do is to fill in our request form as completely as possible: Request a quote
Can you also organise the wedding cake?
We concentrate fully on the realisation of an outstanding, comprehensive wedding catering for your special day according to your wishes. Of course, we will also make you a suggestion for a wedding cake. However, you are also welcome to order this yourself from your favourite pastry chef, who will design your wedding cake according to your individual ideas. In this case, we will also ensure that the cake is professionally cut and served by our service staff, thus creating lasting memories for your guests.
How long does it take until I receive your catering offer?
We usually contact you by telephone to analyse your requirements in detail, advise you and gather all the necessary information. We then draw up a detailed offer tailored to your event and the event location. Especially for large or particularly demanding events, we discuss the concept internally as a team to ensure that you benefit optimally from our experience. We will then send you our offer, usually within 24 hours, so that you can proceed with your event planning quickly and efficiently.
Do you also offer barbecue hire for private events?
Yes, we offer the option of hiring our high-quality smokeless barbecues. This is an ideal solution for private events where you want to barbecue yourself and want to count on the "Maiergrill Smokeless Effect". This means you are equipped for any weather with a reliable and proven solution and can also move your barbecue event indoors at short notice. Collection is currently possible from our logistics centres in Winterthur-Zurich and Rossens-Fribourg. Our nationwide delivery is also an option that is appreciated by many customers.
Do you take care of the assembly, dismantling and cleaning?
Yes, our team takes care of the complete set-up and dismantling of all the barbecue equipment and service stations. We always leave the service area and the kitchen as clean as we found them. There may be an additional charge for setting up and dismantling tables, chairs and a marquee, which we will show you transparently.
Do you also offer finger food or flying buffets?
Yes, our versatile range includes classic grill buffets as well as elegant finger food options for business meetings or interactive flying buffets, where our service staff serve small, bite-sized appetisers directly to the guests. This is ideal for events with a short duration or a high need for interaction.
What is your minimum number of guests for barbecue catering?
For our full-service barbecue catering, we usually require a minimum number of 20 guests. For smaller events, we recommend booking a stand-in chef or hiring a classic food delivery service. For large events with 300 guests or more, you benefit from our specially designed "bigevent" consultation process, which ensures that you benefit optimally from our experience and answers the central and important questions that are essential for a reliable and successful event even before the detailed conception. We also regularly organise events with well over 1,000 guests. In terms of numbers, the majority of our event catering is between 50 and 150 guests.
What happens if it rains during the barbecue event?
Thanks to our smokeless barbecues, we are completely independent of the weather and can continue your event in a covered area or even indoors if it rains. Your guests will be amazed, delighted and say that you as the host have really thought of everything, making your event all the more memorable. This ensures that your event can be held even in extremely severe weather conditions.
Do you also offer catering for children?
Yes, we offer special and child-friendly prices for the youngest guests. Children from 5 to 10 years receive a reduced price, while children from two to 5 years are free of charge, but are still taken into account for the exact seating plan and meal quantity.
Do you provide staff for service and bar?
Yes, with pleasure. Our trained, professional and friendly service staff and experienced bartenders will ensure that everything runs smoothly and that you receive excellent service throughout your event. The number of staff will be optimised to suit your number of guests and the type of event.
How do you ensure that the food stays fresh and warm?
We attach great importance to the quality and freshness of our food. These are freshly prepared on site. For longer service times and to ensure an appealing presentation, we use high-quality chafing dishes and warming appliances to guarantee the optimum temperature and full enjoyment of the food at all times.
Can you also organise the event decorations or rental items?
We focus primarily on the culinary experience, usually including crockery, cutlery, glasses and table linen. However, we are also happy to organise rental items such as tables, chairs or even larger elements such as marquees, stages, dance floors, lounge furniture and decorative furniture for you. For table decorations and the organisation of rental plants for your event location, we work together with creative partners who will be happy to provide you with stylish suggestions.
What are the advantages of hiring a Maier grill instead of a conventional horizontal grill?
1. If you offer your guests a Maiergrill, you will certainly receive compliments from your guests for your barbecue catering, especially for the choice of the original Maiergrill concept and the resulting quality of the food preparation.
2. Thanks to the "Maiergrill smoke-free effect", you are flexible and can decide at the last minute, depending on the weather, whether you want to hold your event indoors or outdoors.
3. The Maiergrill is child's play to operate and guarantees consistency from the first to the thousandth guest thanks to the simple setting options. Meanwhile, the preparation quality of a classic horizontal grill depends 100% on the experience, daily form and concentration of the griller. With the Maiergrill, your barbecued food is grilled to perfection, remains juicy, tender and flavoursome.
4 With the Maiergrill, you get a modular system that you can customise precisely to your needs.
Our five service levels are explained below.
What service levels do we distinguish in barbecue hire?
E: Collecting the barbecue and barbecues from one of our logistics locations and doing everything yourself is the cheapest way to benefit from Maiergrill quality.
D: Collecting the barbecue, barbecues, side dishes, drinks, desserts and infrastructure such as crockery and furniture from one of our logistics locations and doing everything yourself is very smart, because we advise you in all areas so that you think of everything and have enough of everything and yet there are no personnel costs. Personnel costs are the biggest cost driver in event catering.
C: Having the barbecue etc. delivered and doing everything yourself is very intelligent, because you delegate the logistics to us, which requires a vehicle that you may not have yourself.
B: Having a barbecue etc. delivered with a barbecue chef who grills, thereby relieving you of this task and giving your event class through his appearance is very convenient and yet extremely inexpensive, because you invest in personnel costs where the greatest expertise is required.
A: Full-service event catering with an event manager who takes care of the effective staging and punctual running of your event from A to Z and a service crew who competently looks after your guests with a smile is the convenient feel-good formula if you want to spend maximum time with your guests.
Full-service event catering is divided into the following four different service levels.
What service levels do we distinguish in full-service event catering?
A: Full-service event catering with an event manager who takes care of the effective staging and punctual running of your event from A to Z and a service crew who competently look after your guests with a smile is the comfortable feel-good formula if you want to spend maximum time with your guests.
Within full-service event catering, we differentiate between three further staging and service levels:
AA: Additionally more complex and extensive menus, more exclusive selection of drinks, more service staff.
AAA: Additional, more exclusive crockery, more elaborate decoration, event technology to reinforce the desired staging.
AAAA: Additional event agency services, such as overall conception, script, invitation management, signalling, show acts, moderation, shuttle service, supplier management, .... For this level of service, we would be happy to recommend an event agency or wedding planner in your area.
What level of service would you like for your event?
How is the temperature regulated on the smokeless grill?
The temperature of our smokeless grills can be precisely adjusted from minimum to maximum using a rotary knob on each burner. In addition, the grill spit speed can be set to the second from 4 minutes to 12 minutes. This enables flexible and precise cooking, ideal for a wide variety of grilled food such as juicy meat, tender fish, crunchy vegetables, grilled potatoes, sweetcorn, bread rolls and even sweet fruit. The Maiergrill Rondo with a capacity of 80 grill skewers per hour, which is most frequently used for grill hire, also has fixed pre-settings for all these different grilled foods, which makes using a Maiergrill child's play.
What does event catering at Maiergrill cost?
This depends on many factors and ranges from CHF 30 to over CHF 200 per guest. We recommend that you take advantage of the non-binding advice of one of our experienced event coordinators and get a concrete quote.
Information on the factors that determine the event catering price can be found here.
You can request a non-binding quote for your event catering here.
How are the costs of event catering made up?
For a full-service event catering for a company event with 100 guests with barbecues à discrétion, a simple aperitif at 6 pm, a main course buffet at 7 pm and a dessert served at the table and flambéed at 9 pm, including drinks with an event manager, two event assistants and three service crew members, i.e. a total of 6 competent employees who take care of your well-being and the well-being of your guests, in an easily accessible event location within an 80 km radius of one of our locations, we charge around CHF 105. - per person excluding VAT and CHF 114 including 8.1 % VAT.
You can therefore expect a total price of around CHF 10,500 excluding VAT.
In our detailed offer you will find the following approximate breakdown of costs:
56 % food & beverage
21 % infrastructure hire for barbecue, buffets, buffet tents, crockery (plates, cutlery, glasses, coffee cups)
20 % Staff costs
3 % Transport and logistics
= 100% costs
Depending on the desired service level and selection of food and drinks, the effective price may be less or more. In any case, the distance to your event location only has a very small influence on the total price. This is because the logistics costs are primarily determined by the loading and unloading for the outward journey and the loading and unloading for the return journey. This part remains exactly the same, regardless of whether your event takes place within a radius of 1 KM or 100 KM from one of our logistics centres.
Why should we entrust you with our roadshow at 10 locations throughout Switzerland?
1. we are used to organizing regular events in all parts of Switzerland and maintain several branches in order to be able to do this efficiently.
2. we speak the various national languages and are familiar with many cultural differences that need to be taken into account.
3. our comprehensive infrastructure and our large pool of competent, motivated team members allow us to guarantee a consistent event experience even at several venues at the same time.
Why is the Maiergrill smoke-free?
Thanks to the 'Maiergrill smokeless effect', for the first time you can hold a barbecue event indoors, even in the cold season. The six most important reasons on which our fascinating innovation is based are
1. vertical arrangement of the heat source
2. contactless grilling process
3. food moves permanently
4. low-emission heat sources
5. precisely controlled cycle time
6. several burners arranged on top of each other
What makes the Maiergrill catering concept the ideal solution for our next staff Christmas dinner?
1. We prepare the food on the Maiergrill on site and in front of your guests, which guarantees an experience and quality. This means that your employees will remember the thank-you meal for a long time as a successful token of appreciation, which will have a very positive effect on their motivation.
2. With our participative buffet concept à discrétion, everyone is guaranteed to find exactly what they like best, making your invitation a first-class experience even for those employees who are considered discerning.
3. You can also enjoy the party and spend your valuable time with your employees, because you delegate everything you want to us. As part of our needs analysis, we take a detailed look at your requirements and provide you with modular support.
4. We are recognised by our customers as being very budget-conscious. When we provide you with a detailed quotation, you will also receive realistic empirical values from us regarding drinks consumption.
Detailed information on the organisation of your employee Christmas dinner
Why should we choose Maiergrill for the catering of our Annual General Meeting?
A general meeting is a special event format. There are numerous reasons to book Maiergrill as your caterer. The most important are
1. By choosing Maiergrill as your caterer for your AGM, you are making a strong statement: you are demonstrating innovative strength thanks to the smokeless Maiergrill and showing appreciation for your shareholders with our widely recognised premium quality meat and service.
2. Precision and exact timing are among our strengths, which experience has shown to be important at a general meeting.
3. We are very budget-conscious, as we quote in detail and also use realistic empirical values for drinks consumption.
4. You can sleep soundly in the run-up to your AGM, because we support you with our proven experience in the organisation of major events, which we have been gathering for 30 years.
More information about Maiergrill catering for general meetings
Can we put together a customised menu or adapt your suggestions?
Absolutely! We love to create unique and customised menus for your event. All our menu suggestions are fully customisable and we are happy to advise you on how to perfectly implement your individual wishes, preferences and the theme of your celebration.
How does Maiergrill Eventcatering ensure that waiting times remain short for an à la minute barbecue buffet for 1,000 guests?
As an event manager, the idea of barbecuing for 1000 guests à la minute would not let me sleep peacefully without the fully automatic Maiergrill. With the Maiergrill, however, it becomes a precisely predictable and therefore plannable project.
Our basis is your specifications. It makes a big difference whether you have exactly 45 minutes for lunch at a large group event or 3 hours for an enjoyable dinner at an employee Christmas dinner. The more guests are served in a short space of time, the more infrastructure and players we set up in parallel so that the flow of guests is guaranteed at all times. In any case, we will advise you so that your desired culinary experience runs smoothly.
How do you cater for guests with food allergies and intolerances at Maiergrill Catering?
It is important that Maiergrill Catering is also a great experience for your guests with food allergies, food intolerances and special dietary requirements, which is why we take special care and make various arrangements for this:
1. We enquire in advance exactly what food intolerances and food allergies your guests have and, if necessary, contact the affected guests by phone or email to clarify.
2. The fact that we are a system event caterer has the great advantage that our menu components are precisely formulated and we therefore know in advance exactly what is in what and accordingly what works and what does not.
3. We suggest alternatives for menu components that do not fit.
4. Our event manager has the detailed information and actively approaches guests with food allergies and intolerances at the event venue to cater for them and ensure that they are informed about what is in what.
Experience has shown that our approach gives those affected the necessary security and creates a good feeling, thus ensuring a successful event.
How can I make my party for 50 guests as affordable as possible and still offer my guests a fascinating experience?
1. rent a forest hut which has crockery and furniture:
• Forest hut directory German-speaking Switzerland
• Forest hut directory Western Switzerland
2. hire a Maiergrill for the main course and order the ready-made barbecues and collect the whole thing yourself from one of our locations (fits in a passenger car). Request a quote
3. set up the still-raw barbecues as a self-service buffet.
4. let your guest choose a skewer and place it in the Maiergrill themselves. This ensures the quality of the main course, gives your guest a memorable experience in front of the grill and you still have time for your guests.
5. round off your self-service buffet with homemade starters, salads and desserts.
Why don't you organize events with fewer than 20 guests?
The unique Maiergrill concept is optimized for larger events, promotes encounters and exchanges between guests and really comes into its own when there are 20 or more guests. In addition, the fixed costs become less advantageous with a lower number of guests.
We would like to hold our wedding in an alpine hut. There is only cold water available and a 220 V connection. Is that possible?
Absolutely. Our minimum power requirement is 200 watts and normal 220 volts. If there is no power at all, we simply take our generator with us. We have already worked in the most remote event locations and know the peculiarities of deliveries by ship, helicopter, snow groomer, snowmobile and mountain railroad.
How is it that you are active throughout Switzerland? Isn't it much cheaper to choose a provider from the same village?
Our strategy is to cover the whole of Switzerland and our infrastructure is designed to do this very efficiently. Even if we don't currently have a local branch on your doorstep and the journey takes a little longer, this has little impact on the order amount. There are three main reasons for this:
1. the number of hours worked on site is in any case a multiple of the travelling time and therefore determines by far the largest part of the personnel costs.
2. the time taken to load the material at our location and unload and reload it at the event location, as well as unloading it on return, remains exactly the same, whether it is only a 10-minute journey for an event in the city or 120 minutes for a journey to Davos.
3. we give you the return journey time for event catering.
Conclusion: Even if your event is taking place in Ticino, Engadin or Upper Valais, it is worth contacting us for a non-binding consultation.
We expect many vegetarians at our event. Is Maiergrill Catering also suitable for vegetarians?
In any case. If possible, tell us in advance how many vegetarians you are expecting so that we can take the special veggie options into account. Especially with our main course buffet with six different vegetables, every vegetarian will be happy. In addition, with our 'sister concept' wave.catering, we have now been able to offer you over 30 very versatile dishes since 2020. Of these, 17 are vegetarian and 10 are even vegan.
Is it true that you are not active in countries close to the border?
Yes, but this is currently too time-consuming for customs reasons.
Why don't you have a restaurant, a butcher's shop, a bakery or a hotel as your main business like other caterers?
In fact, the majority of catering providers have a stationary main business and see the party service sector as a lucrative side business. We are 100% committed to event catering. This has the advantage that our thoughts, all our processes and the infrastructure are uncompromisingly geared to the very special task of catering.
As a result, you benefit from an excellent price/performance ratio, our professionalism and our wealth of experience and know that your catering event is our priority at all times.
Is it a compulsion to order drinks from you?
No, but we warmly recommend it for three reasons:
1. Drinks play a crucial role in a successful event. The right temperature is just as important as choosing the right wine, the right presentation and the right quantity. Just as we have coordinated the individual ingredients of our menus, we have also developed our drinks suggestions. For the quantity, we rely on our experience.
2. Thanks to the purchase of large quantities, we offer you wine in particular at very reasonable conditions.
3. The idea of organizing drinks yourself rarely comes from the fact that the customer particularly likes to carry bottles, dispose of old glass or is annoyed by warm refrigerators, but simply because it seems cheaper at first glance. Check our prices and you will see that our rates are worth the service. What's more, you only pay for what you consume.
How late into the night do you work for us?
Why should I fill out the inquiry form when I could just as easily call?
Of course we are happy to receive any form of contact and during our office hours we are also happy to receive your enquiry by telephone. However, the enquiry form has several advantages:
1. the information you provide in the form regarding the type, location and size of the event allows us to allocate the enquiry to the most suitable event coordinator straight away.
2. the event coordinator can optimise his or her response to your wishes before contacting you.
3. they plan the call in such a way that they can take the time to give you comprehensive advice.
As all our event coordinators are also regularly deployed as event managers themselves, it can happen that we are all travelling. Our enquiry form, on the other hand, is available 24/7.
How can I be sure that I am operating the Maiergrill correctly when renting a Maiergrill, even if I have never seen it before?
1. thanks to the precise setting of the throughput speed in conjunction with the grills that are optimally matched to the Maiergrill, operation is child's play.
2. you will receive individual instructions when you take delivery of the Maiergrill.
3. you will find the most important points in the operating instructions supplied.
4. if you have any questions during your event, you will receive answers and support on our on-call telephone number.
Is the Maiergrill just a skewer grill to rent or does it fulfil other functions?
Everything that is prepared on the Maiergrill is first mounted on a 30 cm and 6 mm thick beechwood skewer. Whatever your heart desires can be grilled à la minute: meat, fish, seafood, sweetcorn, vegetables and fruit. Our famous grilled potatoes are pre-cooked so that they develop the optimum colour and flavour in a single pass.
In around 7 minutes, a grill skewer is placed fully automatically in the warming zone in a single pass. It therefore also takes on the function of the grill master, who has to decide for himself when the skewer is perfectly cooked on a classic grill.
In the cold season, the Maiergrill can also take over the function of heating the event location.
Can you help us choose an event location in Switzerland?
Yes, with pleasure, we work with a large number of tried and tested event locations in various Swiss cantons. Based on your requirements, the number of guests and the desired ambience, we can make suitable suggestions and support you in your selection. If you would like to get an overview yourself, we recommend our event location directory at maiergrill.com and:
What costs for staff parties are accepted by the Swiss tax authorities per year?
The costs of staff parties can be recognised as business expenses in the business accounts, provided they are reasonable and serve the purpose of employee relations. As a rule, an expense of CHF 500 per event and employee is accepted for a maximum of two events per year. This means CHF 1,000 per employee per year.
Only very few companies in Switzerland utilize this limit. Experience shows that most budgets for staff parties are between CHF 100 and CHF 300 per employee per year. Of this, CHF 60 to 200 is used for catering and the remaining amount for the event location, entertainment, event technology and agency services.
How much budget is appropriate for a company party?
1. you cultivate employee relations and promote identification with the company and lay the foundation for a motivating business culture and high productivity.
2. you promote cross-departmental, cross-functional and cross-hierarchical dialogue among your employees, which increases mutual understanding and improves communication. If many employees spend part of their time working from home or are spread across different locations, this is doubly valuable and a must after a company merger or reorganisation.
3. you set an example with every company party and say thank you to your employees in a tangible and therefore effective way for their performance in achieving the business objectives.
4. you create a platform to convey important messages from eye to eye in an efficient way. Every live event is also an excellent opportunity to create a link to your company values, your mission statement and the external identification of your brands, thus anchoring them even more firmly as a common "corporate language".
5. show your corporate culture in a media-effective way and create impressive messages and images for your website and social media activities. This puts your company in the best light for future employees (employer branding), your customers (new customer acquisition and retention of existing customers) as well as your suppliers and business partners. With this in mind, the cost of your company party can also be split between your personnel budget and your marketing budget with a clear conscience.
How much budget is appropriate for your company party can also be answered if we put the costs for your company party in relation to personnel expenses: The median income in Switzerland for 2024 is CHF 85,100 gross per year for a full-time position. If the employer's social benefits of around 11% are added to this, we are talking about personnel expenses of around CHF 94,350 per employee per year (source). So if you spend CHF 300 per employee per year on your staff party, for example, that's just 0.31% of personnel expenses. Even if you invest the maximum amount accepted by the tax authorities of CHF 1,000 per employee per year in your company parties, you are still only spending a good 1 % of personnel expenses. Common sense also tells us that this is certainly an appropriate investment to pursue the five business-relevant objectives described above.
The above statements apply not only to privately organised companies, but also to non-profit organisations, cooperatives, administrations and state organisations.
For most companies, there is still considerable room for improvement and we recommend that our clients budget even more generously for these investments in their most important asset - human capital - especially in times of crisis, as the benefits are multi-faceted and the expected return on investment is very high.
As an event caterer operating throughout Switzerland for important moments in life, we consider it a privilege to have been supporting you competently on this path for almost 30 years. Every single employee at Maiergrill draws a lot of meaning and motivation from this. That's why we work "always with ardor" when it comes to creating fascinating and unique experiences that will stay with our guests forever.
Why do we usually recommend that we create a personalised menu for your guests?
2. Upon arrival, your guests are immediately given an overview of the culinary journey, enhancing the experience and presenting you in an even better light.
3. We include your welcome message to your guests in a prominent position, further reinforcing your message.
4. We include your photo or logo, making your ‘brand’ even more memorable and highlighting your quality.
5. Many guests take the menu home as a souvenir to talk about your event with people who were unable to attend. This ensures your event’s impact extends far beyond the guests present and the day of the event itself.
6. The menu can also be used as a name badge. The menu conveys a sense of high quality. It features a subtle, embossed round Maiergrill symbol on the cover and is printed on high-quality natural white paper.
Why is the Maiergrill concept ideal for catering at a topping-out ceremony?
1. We are used to the fact that the access road to the construction site is usually not yet ready and we also have experience with delivery by crane.
2. We prepare the food on the Maiergrill on site and in front of your guests, which guarantees an experience and quality. This makes sure that the thank-you to all those involved in the construction will be remembered fondly.
3. You receive a turnkey solution, as we bring everything with us and do not require any infrastructure on site. This saves you time and allows you to concentrate on your core tasks.
4. We bring the premises to a pleasant temperature with the smokeless Maiergrill. The waste heat from a smokeless Maiergrill Torro L is equivalent to heating an apartment building. Even during the cold season, it is usually sufficient to start the Maiergrill three hours before guests arrive to ensure a pleasantly warm indoor climate.
More information about Maiergrill event catering for topping-out ceremony
Can suckling pigs also be cooked on the Maiergrill?
We are known for unique and fascinating barbecue events. No wonder we often receive requests to hire a suckling pig barbecue. Because a suckling pig grill is also a very original way of cooking. Of course, a suckling pig does not fit on the Maiergrill in one piece, as the spit would have to be up to 100 cm long, made of stainless steel and be able to hold up to 25 kg.
With the Maiergrill, the skewer is 30 cm long and made of beech wood. This is large for a skewer, as it can hold up to 250g of meat. Pieces of pork are also excellent on the Maiergrill. Pork neck and pork rump in particular are exquisite. An experience that is guaranteed to be remembered is of course also guaranteed with the Maiergrill, even if it is completely different from a suckling pig grill.
However, operating a Maiergrill is much easier than a suckling pig grill for the following reasons:
1. Less lead time required:
Most suckling pig grills are heated with charcoal, which requires some lead time to reach maximum temperature. The Maiergrill uses propane gas. The maximum heat output is reached after just 3 minutes.
2. Sort cycle guaranteed:
The first skewer is ready after 7 minutes. A suckling pig takes 6 to 8 hours to cook.
3. Fully automatic grilling process:
Thanks to the grilling process, which is controlled to the second, each skewer is automatically placed in the warming zone after around 7 minutes. So there is no need for a grill master to decide when the grilling is finished.
4. Delivered in portions:
No need to cut up the suckling pig. Each skewer corresponds to one portion. Half a skewer is a portion of an appetiser.
5. Can be used flexibly and regardless of the weather:
The Maiergrill is smoke-free. This means you can also barbecue indoors.
Why is Maiergrill’s DIY barbecue hire the perfect choice for your private or corporate event?
2. Impressive quality thanks to the Maiergrill, which operates with split-second precision
3. Cost-effective thanks to our tailor-made solution
4. A reliable solution whatever the weather thanks to the smoke-free Maiergrill
5. You can achieve maximum impact on a minimal budget, as there are no staff costs involved
Why is Maiergrill a member of Swisstainable and United against Waste (UAW)?
For many years now, we have been working to optimise the sustainability of our event catering concept. Waste reduction is a top priority in this regard.
The Maiergrill concept is about much more than just event catering; it is about our contribution to the society of the future, one that pays due attention to both our planet and the development of its inhabitants. In this regard, we feel a particular obligation towards the younger generation, to whom we offer meaningful work as freelancers alongside school and university, enabling them to put valuable principles and skills into practice and develop them further.
Can we arrange a tasting dinner in advance?
Yes, with pleasure! Especially if you have never experienced the unique quality of Maiergrill's barbecues before, it makes sense to plan the cost of a tasting meal accordingly. Our Executive Chef will prepare the desired menu items for a tasting meal according to your customised offer. You will be charged for the cost of the rehearsal dinner, most of which will be deducted from your final bill after the event.
Do we have to clean the barbecues ourselves after hiring?
No, when you hire our barbecues, we usually do all the cleaning for you. We want you to be able to enjoy your event without having to worry about the follow-up work. Barbecue cleaning is a fixed item on the detailed order you place with us. Only in exceptional cases, when the aim is to put together the most favourable solution possible, can you take care of this yourself.
How do I pay for your catering service?
Once your event has been confirmed, a deposit is due to secure your date. You can then pay the balance conveniently by invoice after your event has taken place. The exact payment modalities and deadlines are specified in detail in your offer and contract.
What are your cancellation conditions?
Our detailed cancellation conditions are listed transparently in your individual offer and contract. As a rule, cancellation is possible with a minimum processing fee up to a certain period before the event, after which staggered fees apply depending on the exact time of cancellation.
Are you insured and licensed?
Yes, Maiergrill AG and Maiergrill (Romandie) SA are fully licensed and insured, including comprehensive product and liability insurance. All our staff are also covered by industrial accident insurance to guarantee you maximum safety and professionalism at every event.
What opportunities are there for me, as a student, to get a foothold in event catering, even though I don’t have any experience in the catering industry yet?
1. A clear career path with the following roles: Trial placement, Junior Service Crew, Service Crew, Junior Event Assistant, Event Assistant, Senior Event Assistant, Junior Event Manager, Event Manager, Senior Event Manager.
2. In our training modules for Service Crew, Event Assistant and Event Manager, students in particular learn the essential basics of event catering and acquire knowledge and skills specific to the Maiergrill concept. We run these event catering training modules several times a year, and they are also open to non-Maiergrill staff. Our training modules are highly regarded within the event catering industry. Course announcements
3. A great deal of knowledge and skills are systematically learnt directly at events. This is facilitated by the personal Event Assistant Scorecard and the Event Manager Scorecard, each of which lists around 30 specific tasks that must be mastered in this role. In the junior role, these tasks are demonstrated by an experienced event manager; at the next event, our trainee then demonstrates that they can carry out this task accurately and independently. This is certified by the event manager on their scorecard after the event.
4. Minimum age >17 years. This means that a career in event catering is also open to sixth-form students and other career changers.
We are convinced that our team members gain highly valuable life skills through event catering. Every event catering operation must succeed first time round, and even at 4 am our guests should be able to enjoy our friendly service. Individual performance is trained and strengthened. Implementing the tried-and-tested Maiergrill processes at the right time, in the right place, with the right tools and the right food, and staging a fascinating, unique event that will remain etched in the guests’ memories forever is an achievement of which every team member can be proud.
Thanks to the Maiergrill career entry on their CV, a future employer will see immediately: this candidate has honed their resilience, developed a first-class presence as a service provider and is ready to go the extra mile. Vacancies in catering
