Most caterers will not tell you their minimum until you fill out a form and wait three days. Ours are on this page. Private catering with Culto Italiano starts at $750 for the mozzarella bar, $1,500 for the mobile brick oven, and $3,000 for the full pizza truck.
If your party is smaller than that, we will tell you on the phone instead of taking a week to say no.
We cook out of 49 W Church St in Bergenfield. Chef Corrado Cervelli was born in Naples and trained in his family's pizzeria there. He and his partners bring that kitchen to your house.
We've Worked With the Best People
What Private Catering Actually Is
Private catering means we come to a home rather than a venue. No hall, no event coordinator, no ballroom package with a per-plate markup.
DROP-OFF TRAY SERVICE
We deliver trays of pasta, antipasti, salad, and mains. You serve. This suits a birthday dinner, a christening lunch, or a shiva where you want food handled and nothing else on your plate.
FULL SERVICE
We set up, serve buffet style for two or three hours depending on the package, then break down and pack out.
LIVE COOKING
The mobile brick oven or the mozzarella bar makes the food into the event. A mozzarella chef stretches curd by hand in front of your guests and serves it with Caprese salad. Pizza leaves the fire in about 90 seconds.
Private Catering or Private Chef?
People mix these up constantly, and picking wrong costs money.
PRIVATE CATERING
Buffet style, larger groups, our staff serving. Right for forty people at a communion or a milestone birthday.
PRIVATE CHEF
A plated multi course Italian dinner cooked in your own kitchen for a small table. That is Dining with Corrado, and it lives on our private chef page. Right for eight people at an anniversary.
If you are unsure, describe the evening on the phone and we will point you at the correct one.
How to Book Your Party
THE QUOTE
Call (917) 325-5619 or email corrado@cultoitaliano.com with your date, headcount, and location. We quote from that.
THE MENU
Every menu is adjustable. Pick trays, pick a package, or mix the two.
THE DEPOSIT
A deposit holds the date. If your building or venue needs a certificate of insurance, ask and we will provide one.
THE DAY
We arrive, set up, serve, and pack out. Tables for food setup, utensils, napkins, and plates are included in the packages.
Why People Book Us for Private Events
We are a family run Neapolitan kitchen, not a catering company that added Italian to the menu. Corrado moved to the United States in 2017. He and his co-founders Angelo Riccio and Giovanni Massaro began with a single mobile pizza oven in 2020 and opened the Bergenfield restaurant at the end of 2022. Catering is where this business started, not a sideline we added later.
Pasta and mozzarella are made by hand. San Marzano tomatoes, fiordilatte di Napoli, Gaeta olives, and Parmigiano Reggiano come from Italy. The True Neapolitan Pizza Association in Naples sets the standard our pizza follows.
We have catered for Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck and served at the New York City Wine and Food Festival.
Where Private Bookings Go Wrong
NOBODY ASKED ABOUT THE SPACE
Live fire units need outdoor room and a flat spot to park. They also need to be able to leave when service ends. If the space does not match what was described, pricing can change or the booking can fall through.
INACCURATE GUEST COUNT
We portion to a real headcount. A rough number means either short food or wasted money.
LATE MENTION OF DIETARY NEEDS
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests are straightforward with notice and awkward without it. Tell us during menu planning.
BOOKING A WEEK OUT DURING BUSY SEASONS
Holidays and summer weekends fill first, and our minimums can shift during peak demand.
The Food
Antipasti include arancini, caprese spiedini, stuffed peppers, zucchine alla scapece, parmigiana di melanzane, polpette al ragu slow cooked for two hours, and baccala fritto.
Pasta trays include lasagna Bolognese, paccheri alla Genovese, pasta al forno, cannelloni ripieni, rigatoni all'Amatriciana, and a pumpkin and mushroom lasagna. The rigatoni, pennoni, and paccheri are made by Fabbrica della Pasta, an artisanal pasta maker in Gragnano.
Mains include pollo del cacciatore, whole porchetta of five to six pounds, short ribs al ragu, ossobuco Milano style, carre d'agnello, salmone with ginger and lemon, and branzino al cartoccio.
Salads run from Insalata Tricolore to a burrata salad with Castelvetrano olives.
Charcuterie boards are built for ten people with Prosciutto San Daniele DOP, sweet soppressata, imported mortadella with pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano, Primo Sale sheep cheese, pecorino, and mixed olives.
DESSERTS AT THE END OF THE NIGHT
Sfogliatella riccia, cannoli Siciliani, tiramisu, and our homemade gelato all travel to a private event. Gelato is made with imported Italian ingredients and works well in summer when nobody wants a heavy dessert.
DRINKS
We do not hold a liquor license and we do not supply alcohol. Most hosts handle their own bar and let us handle the food. We can bring San Pellegrino, Limonata, and Aranciata alongside the meal.
SERVING STYLES
Buffet style is the default and it suits most homes and most guest counts. Family style, where trays go on the table and guests pass them, works for a seated dinner of twenty or fewer. Tell us which you want and we plate accordingly.
Where We Go
We serve Bergen County from our Bergenfield kitchen. That covers Teaneck, Tenafly, Ridgewood, Paramus, Fort Lee, and Hackensack.
Ask about your town. Travel fees depend on distance and we quote them before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smallest private party you will take? The mozzarella bar at $750 is our lowest minimum. Below that we are not the right fit for you, and we will say so rather than stretch.
What Private Catering Includes
THE LINE ITEMS
Guest count, package, service length, travel, and staffing. Our minimums are based on transport, labor, and food cost, which is why they sit where they do rather than scaling smoothly with headcount.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Alcohol, rented furniture beyond our food setup tables, and venue fees if you are hosting somewhere other than home. We will tell you what falls outside the quote rather than letting it surface later.
WHEN PRICES MOVE
Holidays and peak summer weekends can change pricing. So can a space that turns out to be different from how it was described, because that affects setup time and whether the unit can leave on schedule.
DEPOSITS & PAPERWORK
A deposit holds the date. Certificates of insurance are available on request and we send them without fuss, which matters if you are hosting in a building that requires one before vendors arrive.
Do you cater in apartments and condos? Yes for tray service. Live fire units need outdoor space and a flat parking spot, so a condo usually means trays instead of the oven.
How far ahead should I book private catering? Two to three weeks covers most dates. Holidays and summer weekends fill faster, so call earlier for those.
Do you provide plates, utensils, and tables? Yes. Our packages include utensils, napkins, paper plates, and tables for food setup. Our team handles setup and cleanup.
Can I customize the menu? Yes. Every menu can be adjusted around your guests. Prices may change for holidays and peak dates.
Do you serve buffet style or family style? Both. Buffet is the default for larger groups. Family style, with trays passed at the table, suits a seated dinner of twenty or fewer.
Do you serve on weeknights? Yes. Weeknight dates are usually the easiest to book on short notice, since weekends go first.
Get A Quote
Private catering works best when the planning starts early and the details are honest. Tell us the date, the headcount, and where you want us to set up.
Call (917) 325-5619 or email corrado@cultoitaliano.com and we will send a quote with the right package for your space. If you want to see the full range first, our catering page lists every tray, package, and price we run.
Love this place! Authentic Italian pizza - high quality ingredients, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The service is excellent and fast. Highly recommend - you are in for a treat!
Tatyana Cherkasskaya
This take out Italian kitchen is serving up some of the best most authentic food in the area. High quality ingredients simply prepared and perfectly executed...
Stacey Glick
Having lived in Milan and entire summer stay in the south, I can attest that the best and real authentic Italian taste can be found at Culto Italiano. Best pizza in Bergenfield NJ...
Benilda Regis
