The crew behind
Adelaide's better events
We've been cooking for Adelaide's weddings, boardrooms and backyards since 2014. Here's who we are and why we still love a 5am market run.
One van, one coolroom,
one stubborn idea
Gourmet Catering Hub started the way most food businesses do: too much optimism and not enough fridge space. A decade on, the optimism stayed. The fridges got bigger.
"The best compliment isn't a five-star review. It's when a guest tracks us down at 11pm to ask who made the brisket." — Daniel Mercer, founder
The first gig
Daniel caters a mate's engagement party for 60 people out of a home kitchen. Three guests ask for the business card that didn't exist yet. The business registers the following month.
First commercial kitchen
We move into a proper kitchen and hire our first two chefs. Corporate clients find us through a single very good sandwich platter at a tech meetup.
Aberfoyle Park HQ
The Hub Dr kitchen opens with a tasting room, coolroom and enough bench space for 400 covers a night. Weddings become our biggest book.
The hard year
Events stopped, so we pivoted to home dining boxes and kept every chef employed. When events returned, our book doubled in six months.
Today
32 crew, 850+ events behind us, and a calendar that fills months ahead. Same rule as day one: cook it properly or don't serve it.
Three rules we
don't bend
Buy local or don't bother
Around 90% of what we cook comes from South Australian growers, fishers and producers. Fleurieu lamb, Coffin Bay oysters, Adelaide Hills greens. Shorter supply chains mean better flavour and money that stays in the state.
Cook it properly, on site
A chef leads every event we run. Food gets finished on site, not reheated from a tray that's been sitting since Tuesday. It costs us more in labour. It's worth it every single time.
Straight prices, no asterisks
The quote you get is the price you pay. Staff, equipment and cleanup are in the per-head rate. If something costs extra, we tell you before you book, not after.
The people you'll
actually deal with
A tight crew of chefs, planners and floor staff. No call centres, no account managers reading from scripts.
Daniel Mercer
Founder & exec chefStarted the business from his home kitchen. Still writes every wedding menu himself.
Grace Liang
Head of eventsRuns logistics for 100+ events a year. Has a spreadsheet for everything, including her own wedding.
Marco Ricci
Head chefFifteen years in restaurants before joining us. Owns more knives than most people own socks.
Holly Brennan
Floor managerLeads the front-of-house crew. The reason your nan gets her tea exactly how she likes it.
Events we're still
thinking about
A few jobs from the last season. Every one different, every one finished to the last plate.
Not bad for a crew
that started in a home kitchen
96% of clients rebook or refer us
Most of our calendar fills before we spend a cent on ads.
Restaurant & Catering Awards finalist, 3 years running
Nominated in the SA catering category 2023, 2024 and 2025.
40+ charity events catered at cost
We cover our costs on community fundraisers. It's the least a food business can do.
Common questions
about the company
Want the longer version? Come meet us. The kettle's always on at the Aberfoyle Park kitchen.
Like how we sound?
Let's plan your event.
Tell us the date and the guest count. We'll come back with a menu and a price.