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Qfire Catering
San Diego County
California

San Diego BBQ & wood-fire catering.
Steakhouse polish. Full-service.

Coastal wood-fired catering across San Diego County.

Serving San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, La Jolla, Escondido, Vista, Oceanside and surrounding communities.

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As seen on Food Network
Trusted. Awarded. Proven.
Featured on Food Network
BBQ Brawl · Bobby Flay
Cutthroat Kitchen Champion
Camp Cutthroat finalist
2,500+ Events Catered
Weddings · Corporate · Private
4.9★ Client Rated
Hundreds of verified reviews
Quick Answer

How much does catering cost in San Diego County?

Qfire Catering serves San Diego County with wood-fired catering from $16.99 per guest and a Steakhouse Experience from $79 per guest. Pricing is all-in for menu, full-service staff, setup and breakdown. Chef Terry Matthews — featured on Food Network — personally designs every menu.

  • 1-Meat Wood-Fire $16.99 · 2-Meat $22.99 · 3-Meat $34.99 / guest
  • Steakhouse tiers: $79 · $94 · $133 / guest
  • Scales 25 to 2,500 guests with full-service staff
At a Glance

Qfire Catering — the facts

Service area
San Diego County
Minimum guest count
25–2,500 guests
Starting price
$16.99 / guest (wood-fired) · $79 / guest (steakhouse)
Lead time
24–72 hrs (drop-off) · 4–8 weeks (full-service) · 6–12 months (peak weddings)
Cooking style
Live-fire charcoal · wood-smoked · onsite grilling
Credentials
Food Network · 2,500+ events · Licensed & insured
Phone
(877) 848-7211
Email
Eat@QfireCatering.com
Wood-Fire BBQ Catering — Pricing

Wood-fire catering starting at $16.99/guest.

Pick your package. Pick your meats. We bring the fire, the food, and the team.

San Diego — 50 guest minimum

1 Meat Package
$16.99per person

Includes:

  • 1 meat for each guest, or your guests can choose between 2 meat options
  • 2 side dishes

Example: Choose Tri-Tip only, or let your guests choose between Tri-Tip and Grilled Chicken.

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2 Meat Package
$22.99per person

Includes:

  • 2 meats for each guest, or 1 meat for everyone plus a choice between 2 additional meats
  • 3 side dishes

Example: Everyone gets Pulled Pork, then each guest chooses either Brisket or Chicken.

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Premium Package
$34.99per person

Includes everything in the 2 Meat Package, plus:

  • Any salad option
  • 2 appetizers

This is our most popular package for weddings, corporate events, and larger celebrations.

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Want More?

Need more meat, extra sides, appetizers, desserts, drinks, staffing, bartending, rentals, or other services?

No problem! You can add anything you'd like. We'll build a custom quote based on exactly what you want for your event.

À la carte items and additional services are available for an additional charge.

Steakhouse Experience Experience — Pricing

Surf & Turf Steakhouse Experience starting at $79/guest.

Live charcoal grilling, white-glove service, and restaurant-quality presentation at your San Diego venue.

San Diego — 40 guest minimum

Buffet Style
$79/ person

Smooth. Efficient. Elegant. Restaurant-quality buffet presentation. Ideal for San Diego weddings, corporate events and private parties.

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Family Style
$94/ person

Shared dining. Passed platters. Connected guest experience. Luxury presentation, end to end.

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Plated Service
$133/ person

Restaurant-style service. Each course individually served. Our most luxurious dining experience.

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Pricing varies by guest count, menu selections and venue specifics. Final proposals are built one-to-one.

Built for Scale

The largest San Diego County event we've served: 2,500 guests.

Beachfront galas, conferences, and luxury estates from La Jolla to Coronado — staffed and executed flawlessly.

2,500+
Largest Event
2,500+
Events Catered
15+
Years
What We Cater in San Diego

Every event, the same standard.

Wedding Catering
San Diego

Weddings

Corporate Catering
San Diego

Corporate

Private Party Catering
San Diego

Private Parties

Wood-Fired Catering
San Diego

Wood-Fired

Steakhouse Experience
San Diego

Steakhouse

Bartending Services
San Diego

Bartending

Service Area

All across San Diego County.

We cater throughout San Diego County and surrounding communities. If your venue is near, we're there.

San Diego
Carlsbad
Encinitas
Del Mar
Rancho Santa Fe
Poway
La Jolla
Escondido
Vista
Oceanside
More From San Diego
San Diego FAQSan Diego GallerySan Diego ReviewsSan Diego BlogSan Diego Venue Pages
Service Styles Compared

Find the right format for your event

Every Qfire menu can be served in any of these formats. Here's how they compare on price, staffing, and best-fit event type.

FeatureBuffetFamily StylePlatedAction StationsOnsite Grilling
Best for guest count50–2,50020–15030–40075–50040–800
Starting price / guest$13.99$24$48$32$18
Service styleSelf-serve lineShared plattersCourse-by-courseChef-attendedLive-fire show
Staff requiredLightMediumHeavyMediumMedium
Best for weddings
Best for corporate
Best for private parties
Wood-fired menus available
Steakhouse menus available

Not sure which to pick? Tell us your guest count and venue — we'll recommend the right format inside your proposal.

4.9★ Client Rated

What our clients say

4.9 / 5 · 156 Google reviews

"Terry and his crew helped to make our special day magical. We did a food tasting a few weeks prior to the ceremony, and we were instantly sold! The food portions were more than plentiful!! There was enough food left over from the food tasting to share with our friends. On the day of the ceremony, his staff arrived on time, and they were so professional and friendly. The food was amazing, we heard about it from our guests all night long."

Wedding · 8/20/2025

"These guys were absolute rock stars at our wedding! We had to reschedule our wedding due to COVID-19, and they were so compassionate and easy to work with when making plans to change. The day of, they showed up early, set up, and provided a meal that was better than we could have imagined. The baked potato bar was so impressive! They were such professionals. By the time my husband and I picked our heads up from grace, Terry was sliding our plates in front of us. The pulled chicken was so flavorful and juicy, and the brisket was a crowd favorite!"

Wedding · 7/23/2020

"Terry's BBQ is a crowd pleaser and the way to go! All of our wedding guests are still talking about the BBQ from the wedding and how to get it! Not to mention, Terry's provides a great personal presence and energy to events. People said he could have easily been the MC! Terry was so fun and flexible to work with. He truly cares about how to make the guests happy and holds his employees to high standards that he plans ahead to fulfill. We hope to have his bbq every year on our anniversary, it is so dang delicious!"

Wedding · 11/15/2021

"We had BBQ Daddy for an 85 person wedding shower that was a nice event. Terry BBQ'd tenderloin, rib eye steaks, and salmon along with 2 cold and 2 hot appys (the bacon wrapped scallops were to die for). It was really a great event. The food was awesome and so was the staff. Terry was SUPER easy to deal with and had great communication throughout."

Wedding Shower · 85 guests · 8/30/2023

"Best 50th Birthday Dinner EVER! HUGE shoutout to Chef Terry and his amazing assistant, Leslie! We hired them to cater my 50th birthday, and they literally brought the steakhouse to my backyard. Seriously, he brought his own grill! When Chef Terry says, 'We bring the steakhouse to you,' you better believe him. Every New York Strip, chicken, and salmon was grilled perfectly to temperature. What a FEAST!"

50th Birthday · 1/20/2026

"Terry cooked up a feast for my bachelor party and delivered it right to our backyard of the Airbnb. Food was amazing!!! We got the brisket, the BBQ chicken, mac n cheese, broccoli, and baked beans. The brisket was cooked perfectly and was more fatty pieces (which is great for me cuz that's my preference)."

Bachelor Party · 5/25/2022
San Diego Catering FAQ

Common San Diego catering questions.

Everything you need to know before requesting a quote for your San Diego County event.

San Diego Catering — The Complete Guide

Everything worth knowing, for San Diego County.

Qfire is a chef-led, Food-Network-pedigreed catering company built around real fire, real proteins, and real service. We cater weddings, corporate events, private parties, and large-format galas with the same standards top steakhouses run their dining rooms by — and we do it in your venue, your home, or your office.

Every event is personally menu-designed by Chef Terry Matthews. Every kitchen line is led by a senior chef. Every proposal is itemized. Every event ends with a clean venue and a follow-up note. That consistency is the whole product.

What's Included

Your proposal, line by line.

No hidden fees, no surprise gratuities, no upsells the day of. Every Qfire proposal is itemized so you know exactly what your investment buys.

  • Custom menu personally designed by Chef Terry
  • Premium proteins (Wood-Fire BBQ, Live-Fire Steakhouse, surf & turf)
  • Buffet, family-style, plated, or stationed service
  • Chef-attended live-fire grilling on-site
  • Uniformed, polished service staff
  • Full setup, refresh, and breakdown
  • Disposable Dinnerware or upgraded china/glassware rentals
  • Linen-draped buffet and chafing equipment
  • Optional bar program with licensed bartenders
  • Travel and on-site logistics handled end-to-end
  • Dietary coverage built into every menu
  • Single point of contact through event day
Planning Tips From Chef Terry

What experienced hosts get right.

After 2,500+ events, these are the calls that consistently separate an unforgettable evening from a stressful one.

01

Tell us the goal of the event

An anniversary feels different from a launch party. The right menu and service style start from what the night is supposed to feel like.

02

Match service style to the room

Buffet for energy, plated for elegance, family-style for intimacy, stations for movement. Tell us the room — we'll match it.

03

Pick one signature moment

A live carving station, a chef-attended raw bar, a late-night brisket slider drop. One memorable beat beats six average ones.

04

Plan the dietary minority up front

GF, vegetarian, vegan, allergy-specific — built in from day one, not patched on at the end.

05

Reserve early

Premium dates fill 6–14 months out. Lock the date with a 35% non-refundable Date Retainer (applied to your final invoice) and refine the menu over time.

06

Use one vendor for food, bar, rentals

One contract, one team, one timeline. Easier to coordinate, cleaner to budget, calmer on event day.

The Booking Process

From first inquiry to final plate.

A simple, transparent path designed to remove guesswork. Most clients book in under 10 days.

  1. 1

    Inquiry

    Share date, venue, headcount, and the vibe you want.

  2. 2

    Discovery call

    Quick call with our team — and often Chef Terry directly — to align on menu and service style.

  3. 3

    Custom proposal

    Itemized PDF proposal in a few business days.

  4. 4

    Reserve the date

    Deposit applied directly to your final invoice.

  5. 5

    Refine the menu

    Refine over the next weeks or months as planning evolves.

  6. 6

    Lock final details

    Final headcount, dietary counts, and timeline 7–14 days out.

  7. 7

    Event day

    On-time arrival, calm execution, restaurant-grade plating, full breakdown.

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What To Expect

Before, during, and after your event.

Before
  • →Inquiry response within 4 hours
  • →Itemized proposal within a few business days
  • →Menu refinement across multiple touches
  • →Site visit available for unfamiliar venues
  • →Final lock 14 days before the event
During
  • →On-time arrival and clean setup
  • →Chef-attended grilling and plating
  • →Polished, uniformed service staff
  • →Hot food on cue and on standard
  • →Calm kitchen energy at any scale
After
  • →Buffet broken down without disruption
  • →All Qfire equipment removed
  • →Trash bagged and hauled per venue policy
  • →Final walkthrough with you or your planner
  • →Follow-up email within 48 hours
Why Qfire

What actually makes us different.

A short list of things our clients tell us they couldn't find anywhere else.

Chef Terry designs every menu

Television-tested standards. Personally built proposals. Not handed off to a junior coordinator.

Real wood, real fire

Oak, hickory, mesquite, pecan over live coals. No gas shortcuts, no liquid smoke.

Restaurant-grade plating, any venue

Polished service staff in chef coats. True steakhouse presentation in your venue.

Two-region operation

Phoenix Metro and San Diego County fully staffed — one chef, one team, one set of standards.

Booked With Confidence

The reassurance most caterers won't put in writing.

Itemized, all-in pricing

Every proposal lists food, service, rentals, travel, and gratuity separately. No surprise fees. No day-of upsells. The number you sign is the number you pay.

Licensed, insured, food-safe

Fully licensed and insured with ServSafe-certified leadership. Most premium venues already have us on their approved-vendor list.

Date held with a fair deposit

Your date is reserved with a transparent date-charge applied directly to your final invoice — not a sunk fee.

Menu stays flexible until 15 days out

Refine your menu, swap proteins, and adjust guest count as your plans evolve. The contract holds the date, not the menu.

Chef Terry personally designs every menu

You aren't handed off to a junior coordinator. The chef who appears on Food Network reads your inquiry and builds your proposal.

On-time setup, every event

We arrive early, set with calm precision, and finish service on schedule. Our reviews on Google and The Knot reflect it.

More Questions, Answered

A deeper knowledge base.

The questions thoughtful clients ask once they're seriously considering booking.

Which areas do you cater in this region?

+

We cover the full metro area and most reasonable drive-time destinations from our home base. Travel is quoted transparently inside your proposal.

Do you handle weddings, corporate, and private parties?

+

Yes — all three are core service lines, with dedicated regional pages for each. One vendor, one team, all event types.

Can you scale a large event in this region?

+

Phoenix scales to 2,000 guests. San Diego scales to 2,500. Larger events are quoted with additional grill stations and staff.

Do you have an approved-vendor list with local venues?

+

Yes — we're on the approved-vendor list at many premium venues in both regions. Tell us your venue and we'll likely already know the kitchen.

What's the fastest you can turn a quote?

+

For smaller drop-offs and meeting catering, often 24–48 hours. For weddings and large events, 3–5 business days for a fully itemized proposal.

Leave a Message Full FAQ
Before You Book In San Diego

The hesitations every client mentions — handled.

We've catered over 2,000 events. These are the things our clients tell us kept them on the fence — and exactly how we handle each one.

What if my guest count changes?

Totally normal. Your final headcount locks in the week of your event — add or reduce within reason without a penalty. We staff and prep to your live number, not your first guess.

Are you licensed, insured, and venue-approved?

Yes — fully licensed, fully insured, and we provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) on request for any venue, country club, or HOA that asks.

What does the deposit look like? Is it refundable?

A 35% Date Retainer secures your event date and credits 100% toward your final invoice. If you need to reschedule due to weather or emergency, your payment holds as a credit toward one future event within a year (minimum 80% of original contracted value). No surprise fees, ever.

Will there be enough food — and will it stay hot?

We carefully calculate portions and actively manage service so every guest is fully accommodated. Professional-grade equipment and timing protocols hold optimal food quality throughout service — nothing sits in a chafer drying out.

How do you keep the buffet from being picked clean by guest #50?

Staffed service controls portion flow and balances distribution across the entire guest list. We replenish on cue so the last guest in line gets the same plate as the first.

Who handles setup and cleanup?

We do. Setup, full-service execution, breakdown, and complete cleanup are included. Our team manages every operational component so you stay fully present at your own event.

What if something unexpected happens day-of?

Thousands of events across two regions, zero missed dates. We operate with contingency planning for weather, venue changes, and last-minute scope shifts — structured processes, not improvisation.

What's included — do I have to rent plates, staff, anything else?

Our packages include uniformed chefs and servers, full setup, on-site live-fire grilling, service throughout your event, and complete cleanup. Premium dinnerware, linens, bars and rentals are optional add-ons we can coordinate for you.

Will you really show up — and on time?

Over 2,000 events catered across two regions without missing a date. Our staff arrives 2–4 hours early to set up, fire grills, and prep so your timeline runs exactly as planned.

Can I customize the menu, or am I stuck with a fixed list?

Every menu is 100% customizable. Dietary needs (gluten-free, vegan, kosher-style, allergies), regional favorites, and family recipes are all on the table. You have until 2 weeks before the event to finalize the menu and guest count.

What if it rains, the venue changes, or my date moves?

We've cooked in 110° heat, monsoons, beach winds, and backyards with no power. If your date or venue changes, we work with you to move the booking — most of the time at no additional cost.

How is your price actually calculated? Will it balloon?

Your proposal is itemized — food, staff, travel, optional rentals. The price you sign is the price you pay. The only things that change the total are guest count adjustments or items you choose to add later.

Request My San Diego Quote

Free quote · Custom proposal in 4 hours · No obligation

San Diego Booking Is Simple

From request to event day — exactly what happens.

No pushy sales calls. No 12-page contracts. A quote request is just a conversation — you can walk away at any step.

  1. 01

    You submit your request

    Takes about 60 seconds. Just the basics — date, region, guest count, vibe. No credit card, no commitment.

  2. 02

    We reply within 4 hours

    A real human (often Chef Terry) reviews your event, confirms availability, and starts your custom proposal.

  3. 03

    Proposal in your inbox — within 4 hours

    Custom menu, transparent line-item pricing, service style, and staffing — not a generic price sheet. Refine as many times as you like.

  4. 04

    Lock your date

    A 35% Date Retainer secures your event and credits 100% toward your final invoice. Menu, guest count, and upgrades stay flexible.

  5. 05

    Finalize 15 days out

    Menu and final guest count both lock in about 15 days before your event, once RSVPs are in. Small changes after that — no problem, we roll with it.

Prefer to talk first?
Call or text Chef Terry's team directly — quotes by phone in minutes.
(877) 848-7211See If My Date Is Available
Ready When You Are

Let's plan your San Diego event.

Tell us about your event. We'll send a custom proposal within 4 hours.

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