Onda Catering

A Zurich caterer that publishes its prices

Onda Catering, run by Onda Catering & Events GmbH, is an event caterer based in the center of Zurich that works "in Zürich und der ganzen Schweiz" (in Zurich and all of Switzerland). Weddings are one of its 3 main lines, alongside corporate events and private parties, and the homepage describes a wedding offer of full-service catering combined with wedding planning. What sets it apart for a couple comparing caterers from abroad is simple: the homepage prints sample menus with prices per person.

The about section says Onda grew out of a shared passion for fine food and has become a committed team in the heart of Zurich. It describes the menus as created by talented cooks and the business as always looking for new flavors and culinary trends.

The wedding offer

The wedding section promises support for every moment, "von exquisitem Essen über stilvolle Dekoration bis hin zu mitreissender Musik" (from fine food through stylish decoration to lively music), and says the team takes care of every detail from planning to the last course. Under it, the page lists what that means in practice: Fullservice-Catering, Cocktail-Catering, Hochzeitsdekoration (wedding decoration), Digital & Print, and Band & DJ.

The services section adds event planning, event styling, rental of tableware and furniture (Geschirr- und Mobiliarmiete) and entertainment. The formats on offer are a buffet, an apéro or Apéro Riche, vegetarian and vegan catering, a seated dinner and a flying dinner, where small plates are served to guests who move around. The homepage also mentions live cooking for private parties and says clients benefit from creative ideas and "exklusiven Locations", though it names no venues.

The sample menus and what they cost

The sample menu block starts with a condition that matters more than the prices themselves: "Die Preise verstehen sich zzgl. Personal, Getränke, Mobiliar, Infrastruktur, Dekoration, Floristik". The prices exclude staff, drinks, furniture, infrastructure, decoration and flowers. They are food prices, and a real wedding quote will be considerably higher.

Apéro. The smaller apéro ("Apero klein") is 9 bites per person at 42.00 CHF per person, and the "Apero Riche" is 16 bites per person at 58.00 CHF per person. The sample list includes blini with salmon tartare and rye, beef tartare with truffle salsa, crispy shrimp with miso, a tartlet with Gorgonzola, pear and walnuts, focaccia with vitello tonnato and fried capers, seared scallop with pumpkin purée and sage, a beef croquette with cauliflower and herb cream, and a mini taco shell with corn, pumpkin and basil aioli. Desserts are chocolate cake with caramel popcorn, mille-feuille with mascarpone cream and berries, and sfogliatelle with vanilla.

Buffet. 75 CHF per person, from 20 people. The sample buffet has rosemary focaccia, polpette with sugo, puff pastry rolls with feta, labneh with cauliflower and pickled Tropea onion, smoked tomato tartare, handmade ravioli with ricotta, lemon and sage, baked sweet potato with feta and date honey, cavolo nero with walnuts and pecorino, celery tonnato, a baked beet carpaccio with salsa verde, and pita filled with falafel and tahini. Desserts include banana bread, a strawberry crumble and mille-feuille with forest berries.

Seated dinner. 125.- per person for 4 courses, each with a vegan alternative. Whipped butter with Ruchbrot (a Swiss country bread) comes first, then a beef croquette with green vegetable ragout and flowers (vegan: arancini). Next is salmon crudo with avocado, lime crème fraîche and grapefruit (vegan: smoked carrot carpaccio), then beef fillet with rosemary jus, sweet potato purée, Jerusalem artichoke wedges and Brussels sprout leaves (vegan: a marinated mushroom skewer with vegetarian jus). Dessert is mille-feuille with vanilla, fermented plums, caramel tuile and cinnamon.

The cocktail bar

A separate page covers cocktail catering, and it lists weddings first. Onda brings "eine voll ausgestattete Cocktailbar, geschulte Bartender" (a fully equipped cocktail bar and trained bartenders) and a range of classic and modern drinks, from a Mojito or a Negroni to its own creations. It says it works indoors or outdoors, in a rented venue or an office, for a small gathering or a large party, and that its team has years of experience in cocktail catering. It names fresh, seasonal ingredients, sustainable products and first-class spirits. No cocktail prices are published.

Sustainability

The zero-waste section says "Bei ONDA hat Nachhaltigkeit denselben Stellenwert wie Geschmack und Präsentation" (at Onda, sustainability matters as much as taste and presentation). The company says it relies on responsibly produced products, works climate-neutral and consistently aims to leave as little waste as possible. The page does not say how climate neutrality is achieved or which suppliers it uses.

Contact and booking

The inquiry form asks for name, phone, email, number of guests, venue, date and time, plus a message. The homepage gives 079 405 81 42 and hunger@ondacatering.ch, and the cocktail page gives 079 232 02 41. The footer links to general terms (AGB), a gallery, a client list, a Friends & Partners page and a page for catering in Zug.

What the site does not settle

• Language. The site is written in German and addresses couples with the informal "du". There is an "EN" link on the page, but the wedding and menu content is German, and the site does not say whether planning is done in English.
• Minimums. Only the buffet states a minimum, 20 people. The apéro and the seated dinner give none.
• Full cost. Staff, drinks, furniture and flowers are extra, and the site publishes no rates for them, nor for wedding planning or styling.
• Deposit and cancellation. The wedding and menu pages state no deposit or cancellation rule. The footer links to the AGB, which a couple should read before signing.
• Travel. Onda says it caters across Switzerland but does not say how travel outside Zurich is charged.

Who it suits

Onda suits couples marrying in or around Zurich who want modern, Mediterranean-leaning food, a bar that draws a crowd and a single company for catering, decoration and music. The printed menus make early budgeting much easier than with most Swiss caterers, and the vegan alternative on every dinner course helps with mixed guest lists.

The catch is that the printed prices are only the food. Couples on a firm budget should ask for a full quote, including staff, drinks and rentals, before comparing Onda with a caterer that quotes all-in.