Kent · England
Hog Roast for a Wake in Birling, Kent
From the hours of slow roasting to the last roll, a hog roast for the wake makes the food part of your wake in Birling.
- Family meals after a funeral
- Anniversary memorials
- Celebration-of-life gatherings
Slow-roasted pork in Birling
About our funeral wake catering in Birling
If the service runs late, we wait: we will hold the food until people arrive. Name someone we can call on the day. Whether it’s celebration-of-life gatherings and anniversary memorials, we can cook rotisserie chicken, salads and roast pork in rolls or on plates for your guests.
For a wake near Birling, a farmhouse or village hall often works well, with the roaster in the yard or garden. Our chef carves in front of your guests, so the pork is hot and the crackling is crisp, and nothing sits in a hot cabinet.
Where the roaster can go in Birling
Most gardens, car parks, yards and fields work with a little planning. Here’s what helps:
- Flat ground outside the hall or house
- Approval from the landlord or committee
- A friend or relative we can call
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
Popular choices
- Hog roast rolls
- Coleslaw
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- New potatoes
- Rotisserie chicken
- Vegan option (Ve)
- Salads
- Stuffing and apple sauce
What we serve, dish by dish
Roast pork
The hog roasts slowly for hours, so the meat is tender and juicy, and our chef carves it to order.
Rotisserie chicken
For guests who don’t eat pork, rotisserie chicken is the easy answer, and children normally like it too.
Prices and what affects them
Each price is built from:
- The serving time and how long we’re on site
- How many people are eating
- Plates or china
- Distance from us
Midweek and quieter months are frequently easier to book, and the menu you choose makes a difference too. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest what works.
Details that help
Good details mean a good quote. Please include:
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Any venue rules
- An estimate of numbers
- Dietary requirements
Numbers not final yet? Give us your best estimate and we’ll quote on that, and you can confirm nearer the time. Fill in our quote form.
A hog roast or other catering?
Compared with a cold buffet, roast pork on a plate with potatoes is more filling. Numbers make the biggest difference: the price per head typically falls as numbers rise, because the roaster, staff and travel cost much the same either way.
Why Birling hosts choose us
- Our staff serve and clear
- Served at the time you choose
- Sides to make it a full meal
- No surprises: everything in writing
Take a look at how we price or the cost guide.
Questions from Birling
Which station is closest to Birling?
West Malling station, about 1.8 miles south of the centre.
Can you do a hog roast in Leybourne Lakes Country Park?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
Will there be enough to go round?
We size the roast to your numbers, so a good estimate matters. The quote sets it out.
How long does a hog roast take to cook?
Several hours, depending on the size and the weather, which is why we arrive hours ahead. We work back from your serving time.
What comes with the hog roast?
Rolls with roast pork, stuffing, apple sauce and crackling. You can add lamb, chicken, vegetarian and vegan options, salads, coleslaw and potatoes.
Do you serve rolls or plates?
Plates come as standard, and china is available on request.
Where does the hog roast go?
A flat, open spot outside, plus a step-free route to wheel the equipment in. A photo helps.
Do you leave the area tidy?
Our staff clear up after service, leaving the spot as we found it.
Wakes in Birling: venues and practical details
Birling is about 6 miles south-west of Chatham, in Kent. From village halls to gardens and fields, wakes around Birling suit a hog roast. We cover all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our bookings stretch from Birling to London (25 miles away).
After a service at Church of All Saints, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone.
We bring hog roasts to wakes all over ME19 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Ryarsh Road, Masters Lane and Bull Road, and a wake on any of them works with a garden, drive or yard for the roaster. For wakes just outside Birling, we cover Paddlesworth (1 mile north), Leybourne (1 mile south-east), Lunsford (1 mile east), Snodland (2 miles north-east) and Larkfield (2 miles south-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Maidstone (6 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles east), Dartford (12 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (8 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Leybourne Castle (1.1 miles south-east) and Maidstone Hospital (4.5 miles south-east). Within reach you will find Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
- Nearby schools include The Holmesdale School (1.4 miles east)
- Local pubs include The Duke Of Wellington Public House (0.6 miles south-west)
Also in Birling
Looking after everyone
Standard rolls and stuffing contain gluten, and gluten-free rolls are available on request. A few more tips:
- Request gluten-free rolls
- Keep the alternatives labelled
- Plan separately if anyone needs halal food
- Tell us about vegetarians and vegans
Our staff are discreet and respectful throughout.
Serve on plates with salads and potatoes for a sit-down meal.
Occasions we serve in Birling
Alternatives are available.
Whatever the occasion in Birling, a slow roast goes a long way. We’re often asked to cater:
- Gatherings at the family home
- Scattering-of-ashes gatherings
- Remembrance days
- Remembrance gatherings
If relatives are coming by rail, West Malling station is about 1.8 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- How dietary needs are handled
- What crockery is supplied
- Where the roaster goes and what it needs
- What the price includes, item by item
The process
Carving is part of the show: the hog is carved in front of your guests, and the crackling is shared out so everyone gets some. Late-December sunset in Birling is about 3:50pm, so an afternoon wake in winter needs lighting by the food. In summer, there’s daylight until about 9:20pm.
- It starts with the date, venue and when people are expected.
- We check the date and the cooking spot, then send a simple quote.
- The roast cooks while the service is under way.
- We serve when everyone arrives, calmly and without fuss.
- We tidy up and leave without fuss.
Getting ready for the day
- Check there is nothing overhead or close by that could catch the heat
- Tell us about narrow gates or side passages
- Give us a contact number for the day
Ask for a quote
To get a quote, just tell us the date, where the wake is and roughly how many. A picture of the cooking area helps. Use our quote form.
Related guides
Working with your venue
For workplace bookings, ask your facilities team about outside caterers and gas cooking. We will fit in with site rules.
Planning on behalf of a committee? A single point of contact keeps things simple, particularly when timings shift.
- Roasted slowly at your venue, outdoors and under cover
- Carved to order by our chef, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Our team serves at your chosen time and clears up afterwards