Sushi catering: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering sushi catering
You prepare sushi for events, rolling fresh at a station or delivering prepared pieces. Clients want rolls that look good, taste fresh and are handled carefully from the fish to the plate.
What customers ask
- Where do you source your fish?
- Can you roll on site at our event?
- Which rolls contain shellfish or peanuts?
- Do you offer vegetarian rolls?
- How long can the sushi sit out?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the guest count, the event time, the station or delivery choice and the dietary needs
- Share your sourcing and handling plan for raw fish in writing before the quote
- Show a sample roll menu with the allergens marked on each item
- Put in the quote the rolls, the fish, the chefs and their hours, the station and ice equipment, and the cleanup
- Keep vegetarian rolls on a separate board with their own knives and labels
- Plan batch rolling so the sushi is made fresh through the event
- Confirm the venue's rules for raw food and the equipment you will bring
What to put on your profile
- Post photos of sushi stations and rolled platters at events
- List the rolls and seafood you serve, and the vegetarian options
- Show your station setup and how you keep it cold
- Describe your sourcing and handling process for raw fish
- Add your permits and food handler certification status, described accurately
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a sushi-making class for the host's guests
- Suggest a standing order for the host's next celebration
- Recommend a bento box for guests who want a lunch to take home
- Share a guide on storing leftover sushi safely, or on not storing it at all
Licenses and permits
Food businesses commonly need a health permit or a food handler card from the local office that oversees food safety. Raw fish service has its own handling and sourcing rules, so keep your sourcing records and check the local food safety office's rules for raw seafood before you serve.
Questions
Do I need a permit to roll sushi at a client's party?
Food businesses commonly need a health permit or a food handler card from the local office that oversees food safety. Ask that office what applies to on site preparation of raw seafood.
How do I keep raw fish cold during a station?
Use ice and cold holding equipment as your food safety plan states, and keep the fish in small amounts that you replace through the event.
What if a guest has a shellfish allergy?
Use separate boards and knives, label the rolls, and tell the host which items are safe. Be clear about any cross contact risk in the kitchen.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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