Introducing our in-house daytime caterers

Local chef-led team, Funnells Kitchen, are our personally hand-picked in-house wedding caterers for daytime receptions at Batemans Barn.

Canapés in the courtyard. Desserts to die for. An amazing feast of a wedding breakfast. Or maybe something a little more funky and less formal – a gourmet BBQ perhaps? Whatever the ideas you already have formulating around your wedding, good food is sure to be at the heart of your most important day.

Of course, you’ll want everyone to feel well catered for. Like us, you may also very much value all the amazing produce, artisan foods and delicious discoveries to be found on our South Elmham doorstep. It’s a pre-requisite that everything can dovetail and be delivered seamlessly. Stress-free and spot on is what your day deserves. And it’s what we deliver.  

Perfectly tailored for the occasion

There’s more to delivering a first class wedding breakfast, than just the food itself. Both our small Bateman’s Barn team and the Funnells food experts will work with you to consider every aspect from how you are planning to use the venue to your carefully chosen wedding colour schemes as well as all the dietary needs of your guests.

You will get to taste what’s on offer to make your menu selection. You may wish to add your own personal touches too. Whatever you decide, you can rest assured that Bateman’s and Funnells Kitchen will be working as a team to make your day just perfect.   

Catering for all tastes

Nick Philips, Founder & Managing Director, Funnells Kitchen says:
   "Our kitchen is the place where we fire up the burners and our imaginations. Every menu we create is founded on one simple idea: passion on every plate. That’s a passion for provenance, the best ingredients, the county’s finest producers, farmers, and artisans. It’s a passion for finding new flavours and reinventing old favourites.

The best food can make you happy. It can make you savour every mouthful and come back for more. For us, that’s what hospitality is all about – creating a feast of flavours and colours that delight the palate and the eye. It’s an abundance of the best." 

A true passion for local flavours & produce

We want your wedding banquet to be something you remember for the rest of your married lives. 

So what about a woodland feast grazing table, laden with the finest foods – including local cheeses or seasonal produce from Suffolk farms? Imagine it served on oak tree platters and in simple wooden bowls, decorated with fragrant flower garlands, fruits and moss…Or pie and mash is more of a friends-and-family favourite? Far from the everyday, super-tasty hand-crafted and creative - or more traditional - pies go down a treat.

From unbelievably good BBQ food to clever canapés and desserts to delight every discerning palate, the chef-led catering at Bateman’s Barn sets the perfect scene for that all together different wedding gathering.  

Our in-house caterer for all daytime receptions is Funnells Kitchen

Here's the verdict from one bride:
      "Wow! is the first thing that came to mind when we found Funnells Kitchen - before the wedding we were invited to a taster session which just blew our minds. We opted for a giant grazing table for our starter section of the meal. Let's just say it exceeded what we could have ever imagined, and all our guests were amazed at how beautiful it looked and how amazing it tasted. For our main course we had the hunky-dory BBQ which was served to us at our tables for the guests to help themselves. Everything was brilliant and the team ran our wedding so smoothly. For dessert we gave our guests 3 options which the team walked around with wooden trays which gave a lovely feel to the event, and everyone was in awe with the way the desserts were presented...We will always remember the amazing food we had for our wedding, and we can highly recommend Funnells Kitchen to anyone that needs caterers."

Funnells Kitchen Catering at Bateman's Barn I Find out more » 

Daytime wedding reception facilities at Bateman's Barn

For wedding receptions in the covered courtyard, we supply round tables with white cloths each for up to 10 guests and trestle tables too, if you wish - ideal for that traditional ‘top table’. Our lime-washed beechwood chairs are nice-and-neutral with a cream seat pad. Our in-house caterer supplies crockery and cutlery. Champagne flutes for that must-have toast to the happy couple, plus water and wine glasses are included for the reception and we also provide all bar glasses throughout your day as part of our drinks service.

Bateman's Barn - Our Covered Courtyard & Reception Facilities I Find out more » 

How we work together

Bateman’s Barn has had a wonderful relationship with Funnells Kitchen for several years and invited them recently to become resident caterer for the wedding venue.

We share a passion for fantastic local food and fundamental values which are core to our business including our eco-friendly practices and true dedication to serving our clients.

We will explain how the venue and separate wedding catering packages work when you visit the venue or speak with us. Any venue deposit paid to secure your wedding at Bateman’s Barn will also secure daytime catering services with Funnells Kitchen.

For full details of the catering quote, menu planning (and tasting!) and finalisation processes, be sure to click the box and download our 3 Step Guide to How We Work.  

Full terms and Conditions I Find out more » 

Evening Catering

Our daytime in-house caterers offer evening food options at additional cost to their wedding reception catering packages. These include the beautiful Beulah - a super little street food van serving up seasonal delights. But at Bateman’s Barn South Elmham we offer complete flexibility when it comes to evening catering and our approved evening caterers have use of our kitchen facilities on request.

Check out our 'Locals We Love' Suppliers List

This includes all sorts of wedding service providers, generally in good proximity of our Suffolk Waveney Valley spot - and amongst them, a hand-picked selection of additional local caterers for your evening food based on our extensive experience. 

From wood-fired pizza to paella, ice-cream carts and crêpes; hot dogs to hog roasts,fish and chips and more there's sure to be something which fits your vibe (and budget). And if you can’t spot what you’re looking for, just ask us at Bateman's Barn and we’ll do our best to help source a local provider.

Locals We Love Suppliers List I Find out more »