Every catering disaster traceable to procurement has the same root cause: ingredients ordered too late, in too small a quantity, or from the wrong vendor tier. A structured T-14, T-7, T-3 timeline turns event procurement from reactive firefighting into a repeatable system.
Lead times by category
| Category | Lead time | Order window | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basmati rice | 3-5 days | T-7 | Dry, sealed |
| Edible oil / ghee | 3-5 days | T-7 | Cool, dark |
| Dry spices / masala | 5-7 days | T-14 | Airtight |
| Paneer (fresh) | 1-2 days | T-3 | 0-4°C chiller |
| Paneer (frozen) | 3-5 days | T-7 | -18°C freezer |
| Chicken (fresh) | 1-2 days | T-3 | 0-4°C chiller |
| Vegetables (bulk) | 1-2 days | T-3 | Cool room |
| Disposable / packaging | 7-10 days | T-14 | Dry storage |
| LPG / fuel | 2-3 days | T-7 | Secure cage |
| Live counter equipment | 7-14 days | T-14 | Transport with event kit |
T-14 checklist (two weeks before)
- Confirm final headcount with client (+5% buffer for overruns)
- Lock menu and recipe-cost every dish — no menu changes after T-14
- Order dry goods: rice, dal, spices, oil, flour, sugar, dry fruits
- Order disposables: plates, cups, napkins, chafing fuel, gloves
- Book transport: van/truck capacity for raw materials + equipment
- Confirm equipment rental: burners, tables, chafing dishes, generators
- Assign vendor for each category; send purchase orders with delivery dates
T-7 checklist (one week before)
- Order frozen proteins: chicken, paneer (frozen), fish if on menu
- Order ghee, cream, butter — dairy with 7-day shelf life
- Pre-prep dry masala blends and marinades; label and date
- Confirm staff roster: headcount × roles (cooks, servers, dishwashers)
- Order LPG / fuel for estimated cooking hours
- Site visit: confirm kitchen access, water, power, waste disposal
- Send client a 48-hour headcount confirmation request
T-3 checklist (three days before)
- Order fresh vegetables — daily mandi buy, deliver T-1 or event morning
- Order fresh paneer and chicken if not using frozen
- Final headcount from client; adjust protein quantities ±5%
- Pre-cut and marinate proteins; store at correct temperature
- Pack event kit: knives, ladles, thermometers, first aid, fire extinguisher
- Brief staff: menu, timeline, dress code, client contact
- Confirm transport pickup time for T-1 loading
Quantity scaling: 200 vs 500 pax
| Item | 200 pax | 500 pax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basmati rice | 25 kg | 60 kg | Order T-7; 1.5× safety on rice |
| Paneer | 12 kg | 30 kg | Fresh T-3; frozen T-7 |
| Chicken | 20 kg | 50 kg | Bone-in for curries; boneless for starters |
| Onion | 15 kg | 35 kg | T-3 mandi buy |
| Oil | 8 L | 18 L | Order T-7 |
| Ghee | 3 kg | 7 kg | Order T-7 |
| LPG cylinders | 2 | 4-5 | Confirm T-7; backup 1 cylinder |
Post-event procurement review
Within 48 hours of every event, log actual ingredient usage vs ordered quantity. After 5-6 events, your consumption factors tighten and the T-7 order quantities become predictable. Caterers who skip this step reorder the same 15% overage on every event — pure margin leak.
For wedding season peak (Nov-Feb), pull T-14 to T-21 for paneer, ghee, and basmati — mandi prices spike 15-25% and supply tightens. See the wedding season ops calendar for the full seasonal playbook.
Get the catering procurement checklist →