Are you hiring?

We are currently hiring for several positions at our Cambridge main headquarters. You can find our job postings on Indeed or e-mail your resume and preferred position/hours to steph@littlemushroomcatering.com. We offer an inclusive, welcoming space where we encourage feedback and teamwork to increase efficiency and create the best possible client experiences.

Current vacant positions:

Catering Chef, Full-time Permanent (36-44hr/week afternoons), Must be 25+, $22-24/hr + tips

Bar/Lounge Manager (32-40hr/week evenings/weekends), Must be 25+, $24/hr + tips

Daily Operations Manager (25hr/week – potential for full time with serving shifts), Must be 25+,  $20/hr + tips

So do you do take-out?

We do not offer take-out. You can dine in our lounge on Thursday or Friday evenings or Sundays for Brunch or High Tea. You can also order catering for groups of 20 or more, but we do not offer a la carte take-out.

What makes Little Mushroom Catering so special?

We can give you all the same promises as the other guys, but we don’t just talk the talk. We buy from local farmers and prove it by being Feast On Certified through the Culinary Tourism Alliance. Our amazing staff are worth every penny and we prove it by being a recognized Living Wage Employer. We are reputable, professional, and won’t disappoint. We care about the environment and prove it by recycling and composting on site at your event – we’ve even won awards for our sustainability efforts! Unlike private chef companies, we own our own equipment, delivery vehicles, and use our own trained event staff. We are fully insured, licensed and work out of a public health board approved kitchen and are happy to provide any documentation you require for your venue.

Do you have a minimum order?

Currently we are doing deliveries & pick ups for groups from 20-2000 people. Our minimum pre-tax order for delivery is $500 midweek, $1000 for weekends, and $2000 for events outside of Waterloo/Wellington. Pickups of smaller orders can be arranged.

How do you accept payment?

We take cash, cheque, debit, e-transfers, bank drafts, BarterPay dollars, Visa or Mastercard. You can call into the office and leave your payment information with our office staff at 226-791-4537. Cheques can be sent via snail mail to 131 Sheldon Dr. Unit 16 Cambridge, ON N1R 6S2. E-transfers can be sent to steph@littlemushroomcatering.com.

When do I need to place my order?

Please allow us at least a 4 day lead time for any corporate lunch catering and we will do our best to accommodate as long as we have the date available.

Our weekends get booked up very quickly, especially Saturdays for weddings. Please allow yourself as much time as possible to book our services so you don’t miss out. Orders are not guaranteed unless you have filled out a Confirmation of Catering Contract.

Can you provide alcohol services for our event?

Whether you are hosting a wedding or a corporate event, we can offer bartending packages under our AGCO license. Please inquire with our office about the latest package pricing and offerings. We must have 10 days notice in order to obtain our endorsement for your event.

Do you require a down payment for booking? What’s your cancellation policy?

For any event over $1000 we require a 25% non-refundable down payment to hold the date for you. The remainder of your payment is due within 15 days of your event. For weddings, full payment is due 15 days prior to the wedding and any final additional charges are due within 7 days after your wedding (to account for any changes in rental or staffing prices). An interest charge of 5% per month will be added to any accounts over 30 days. If you have to cancel, your down payment will act as your cancellation fee. Cancellation less than 24 hours of an event’s start time will result in full payment being required.

How much does it cost for rental dishes?

Cost for plates, glassware, mugs is $.75/piece

Cost for basic cutlery is $.35/piece

We can also provide pricing for linens, tables, chairs and any of your other rental needs. If you prefer to rent your items separately or need decor help, we suggest working with our awesome partners at AWE Events or ABC Rentals.

What venues can Little Mushroom Catering cater to?

Check out our list of preferred venues here.

We can cater to any home, private business, city hall, community centre or church. If you are booking a golf course, hotel, or other hall, please check to make sure they allow outside caterers before asking for a proposal.

Do you charge a delivery fee?

For full catering functions, we charge a $50 delivery & equipment fee within the region. Outside of Waterloo Region, the fee is based on the kms from our home base. If you are ordering boxed lunches with no equipment and we only have to do a single trip, delivery within Waterloo Region is $15.

Do you charge an auto-gratuity?

We appreciate any and all gratuities, but as Living Wage employers, we do not expect our staff to rely on tips to be able to meet their needs. For serviced events, we include a gratuity on your invoice of 10% of the food and drink charges (not service, rentals, or taxes). If you would like to add more gratuity for great service, just let us know and we can add it to your bill. Gratuities are shared between staff based on the number of hours they worked the day of your event.

Do you supply servers & bartenders? How many do I need?

We have SmartServe Certified servers & bartenders available to you for a rate of $35/hour. You need an additional bartender for every 60 guests at your event.

For plated meals we have a minimum 16:1 ratio for servers. Buffets & Stations have a 20:1 ratio and cocktail style receptions have a 50:1 ratio

Do you offer tastings?

We offer tastings in our Dining Lounge, located in Unit 17, 131 Sheldon Dr., Cambridge, ON. Get in contact with our wedding coordinators to book your Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon/evening tasting. Cost is $50/person for up to 10 guests. If you book your wedding or event with us, we will credit you $25/person back from your tasting. Our tastings include some time with your wedding coordinator to ask questions about timing, menu, and other needs for your big event.

Do you have a guarantee?

We stand by our products and services and are happy to discuss concerns with our clients. We do, however, ask that all concerns are brought forward within 24 hours of your event so they can be dealt with as quickly as possible. We have Event Coordinators to answer your questions and offer you guidance leading up to your event to ensure that you won’t be disappointed. We try to work with your budget, but the age-old adage goes, you get what you paid for, so please heed our warnings and make sure you order the proper quantities for your event. It is fully up to our discretion whether a customer satisfaction discount is warranted.

Where are you located? Do you rent kitchen space?

Our main catering headquarters and dining lounge are located on Sheldon Drive in Cambridge, ON. We cater for events over $2000 from Burlington to London, Simcoe to Hanover and everywhere in between. We also have a rental kitchen at this location, where we are home to Rock Our World Ice Cream and WickedSmart Hot Sauce. We currently do not have any additional vacancy for our rental kitchen.

We have a satellite location in Babylon Sisters Wine Bar at 23 King St N in Waterloo, ON. Open Wed-Sunday for supper only.

We also provide food services for Sugar Run Speakeasy and the CentreStage Lounge (located in the Centre in the Square) in Downtown Kitchener.

Do you have an environmental policy?

We are committed to environmentally sustainable practices in our work place. We have a full recycling & composting program at our kitchen. We encourage our clients to use our rental dishes rather than disposables and all of our serving dishes are reusable. We buy from local suppliers whenever possible, including our friends at Oakridge Acres, T & J Seafood, and 3Gen Organic. In 2017, we were awarded a Business Excellence Award for our Sustainability efforts by the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and were featured in a case study by Energy Plus. In 2021 we were nominated for a Tourism Ontario Sustainability Award.

Do you have an AODA policy?

Our tasting room & washrooms are accessible for guests who have mobility restraints. We are conscious at our off-site venues in regards to accessibility for all people, including using lower tables for our pop-up bars and training our servers in best practices. We have also hired through the March of Dimes program and offer accommodations for any and all staff who require it. If you have any feedback regarding AODA compliance, please contact our hr@littlemushroomcatering.com.

Do you sponsor groups or events?

Little Mushroom Catering is an avid supporter of the arts, business & social enterprise in Waterloo Region. We sponsor many community events and offer silent auction items to dozens of fundraisers every year. If you would like us to consider providing catering services for your fundraiser or community event, please fill out our handy dandy Sponsorship Form and send any additional information to our office e-mail at info@littlemushroomcatering.com.