The Times Australia
Fisher and Paykel Appliances
The Times Food and Dining

.

Tantalising treats: what to ask your afternoon tea caterers



The afternoon tea is a special occasion for Sydney workplaces looking to refresh their senses with something delightful. From the brownie to the bread, the cake to the coffee, this is a taste-tantalising shindig that is perfect for office events!

But to enjoy the ultimate afternoon tea you need the best team in the business. We’re talking about the experts in eating, those who can bring the most scrumptious goodies and serve them in absolute style, and will take care of everything so that you can focus on your job whilst they do theirs.

But how do you find this team of experts? Well, you simply have to ask them a few questions to ensure that they are the team with the most tantalising treats:

  1. What kind of goodies do you provide?

Because the best afternoon tea catering Sydney has should create a special occasion, and not one where you and your team get shafted with a couple of stale muffins and burnt coffee. They should be able to provide a plethora of mouthwatering munchies, with everything from brownies, croissants, cakes, slices, tea and barista coffee on the delectable menu!

So, the first thing you should ask when it comes to finding your team is this: “what are the goodies you are going to bring?”

  1. Can you cater for large groups?

The best caterers will be able to cater for functions big and small. Sydney has a diverse office culture that ranges from five-person startups to multinational corporations, and the caterers should be able to accommodate your requests regardless of numbers!

After all, this service is one that is typically used for office functions and special workplace events, and so it shouldn’t falter when it comes to feeding the masses of hungry team members.

  1. Do you provide servers?

Many low-grade caterers will simply pop by and drop off their meagre offerings, leaving team members to squabble over the food when they should really be enjoying this reinvigorating break from their duties. But the best catering team will provide professional, highly experienced servers who will take care of everything from setting up to service, barista duties and cleaning.

This is truly the mark of a highly professional team who is passionate about turning this event into an awkward gathering into a special, vibrant occasion!

  1. Are you available on this particular day?

Because afternoon teas often fall on the funner days of the week (at least Thursday), you want to be sure that you can bring in your experts on the day you need them. What’s more, your caterers will need time to prepare your chosen goodies and bring the right amount for your attendees, so it’s important to get in early to ensure you can book them exactly when you need them!

  1. Can you cater to different dietary needs?

Because you don’t want to go with a team who says, “nope, it’s the highly glutenous croissants and cows milk coffee or nothing at all”. Today’s workplace events should cater to all kinds of dietary needs, accommodating people for their dietary concerns, health, lifestyle and religious beliefs, so you should definitely find a caterer who is happy to meet your team’s needs across the board.

These are the five most imperative to questions to ask your prospective caterers. Once you have got these out of the way, you will know for sure whether or not they are the team to make your afternoon tea a taste-tantalising treat!

Food & Dining

How healthy are the hundreds of confectionery options and soft drinks

Walk into any big Australian supermarket and the first thing that hits you isn’t the smell of fresh bread or the neatly stacked veggies – it’s walls of chocolate bars, lolly bags, energy drinks and two-litre bottles of cola staring you down from ...

Menulog is closing in Australia. Could food delivery soon cost more?

It’s been a rocky road for Australia’s food delivery sector. Over the past decade, major platforms and a smattering of daring, minor players have been jostling for market share. That’s brought rapid change – and also seen several high-profile bus...

Restaurants to visit in St Kilda and South Yarra

Here are six highly-recommended restaurants split between the seaside suburb of St Kilda and the stylish inner-east locale of South Yarra, Melbourne — perfect if you’re planning a food-lovers outing. I’ve included details about what makes each sp...

How early is too early’ for Hot Cross Buns to hit supermarket and bakery shelves

Every year, Australians find themselves in the middle of the nation’s most delicious dilemmas - when is too early for hot cross buns? As soon as the first packs appear in supermarket aisles on Boxing Day, the country divides into two camps: the d...

Times Magazine

Can bigger-is-better ‘scaling laws’ keep AI improving forever? History says we can’t be too sure

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman – perhaps the most prominent face of the artificial intellig...

A backlash against AI imagery in ads may have begun as brands promote ‘human-made’

In a wave of new ads, brands like Heineken, Polaroid and Cadbury have started hating on artifici...

Home batteries now four times the size as new installers enter the market

Australians are investing in larger home battery set ups than ever before with data showing the ...

Q&A with Freya Alexander – the young artist transforming co-working spaces into creative galleries

As the current Artist in Residence at Hub Australia, Freya Alexander is bringing colour and creativi...

This Christmas, Give the Navman Gift That Never Stops Giving – Safety

Protect your loved one’s drives with a Navman Dash Cam.  This Christmas don’t just give – prote...

Yoto now available in Kmart and The Memo, bringing screen-free storytelling to Australian families

Yoto, the kids’ audio platform inspiring creativity and imagination around the world, has launched i...

The Times Features

Here’s what new debt-to-income home loan caps mean for banks and borrowers

For the first time ever, the Australian banking regulator has announced it will impose new debt-...

Why the Mortgage Industry Needs More Women (And What We're Actually Doing About It)

I've been in fintech and the mortgage industry for about a year and a half now. My background is i...

Inflation jumps in October, adding to pressure on government to make budget savings

Annual inflation rose[1] to a 16-month high of 3.8% in October, adding to pressure on the govern...

Transforming Addiction Treatment Marketing Across Australasia & Southeast Asia

In a competitive and highly regulated space like addiction treatment, standing out online is no sm...

Aiper Scuba X1 Robotic Pool Cleaner Review: Powerful Cleaning, Smart Design

If you’re anything like me, the dream is a pool that always looks swimmable without you having to ha...

YepAI Emerges as AI Dark Horse, Launches V3 SuperAgent to Revolutionize E-commerce

November 24, 2025 – YepAI today announced the launch of its V3 SuperAgent, an enhanced AI platf...

What SMEs Should Look For When Choosing a Shared Office in 2026

Small and medium-sized enterprises remain the backbone of Australia’s economy. As of mid-2024, sma...

Anthony Albanese Probably Won’t Lead Labor Into the Next Federal Election — So Who Will?

As Australia edges closer to the next federal election, a quiet but unmistakable shift is rippli...

Top doctors tip into AI medtech capital raise a second time as Aussie start up expands globally

Medow Health AI, an Australian start up developing AI native tools for specialist doctors to  auto...