Planning a halal catered event in Orange County comes down to four decisions: the format, the headcount, the menu and the booking date. Ribs 'n' Kabobs in Artesia caters live BBQ stations, buffets, plated dinners and office lunches across Los Angeles County and Orange County, with at least 24 hours notice for small orders and 4 to 6 weeks for weddings and large events. Everything we serve is HFSAA-certified, 100% Zabiha Halal, so there is nothing on the table a guest has to ask about.
This guide walks through the steps in order, from the first call to the day of the event. It is written for anyone organizing a wedding, a nikah dinner, an Eid gathering, a graduation party or a company lunch anywhere in Southern California.
What kinds of halal catering can you book?
We cater in four formats, and most events use one or a mix of two:
- Live BBQ stations and onsite grilling. Our team brings the grill to the venue and cooks kabobs in front of the guests. Smoked ribs and brisket come from the restaurant's hickory smoker, since brisket takes about 12 hours and cannot be done on site.
- Buffet. Trays of ribs, kabobs, biryani, sides and naan set up for guests to serve themselves. The usual choice for weddings, masjid events and large family parties.
- Plated service. Each guest gets a plated meal. Good for seated dinners and formal receptions.
- Office lunches. Individual plates or a small buffet delivered to the workplace. We cover these in our post on corporate lunch catering.
We have catered events of 200 or more guests, and there is no minimum order to book. A minimum may apply for delivery, which we confirm when you call.
How do you plan a halal catered event, step by step?
- Set the date, the venue and a rough headcount. The headcount can move, but we need a working number to quote. Note whether the venue has a kitchen, power and space for a grill if you want live cooking.
- Choose the format. Live grilling suits outdoor venues and backyard weddings. A buffet suits halls and community centers. Plated service suits hotel ballrooms and seated dinners in Cerritos or La Palma.
- Build the menu. Start with one or two proteins from the smoker (Back Ribs, Short Ribs, Brisket Burnt Ends) and two or three from the grill (Beef Seekh Kabob, Chicken Malai Kabob, Chicken Tandoori Boti, Grandma Recipe Lamb Seekh Kabob). Add Chicken Biryani for a South Asian crowd, then sides: basmati rice, naan, BBQ beans, green salad, grilled corn. Finish with gulab jamun or kulfi. The catering page lists what we offer.
- Estimate portions. Use the rule of thumb in the next section, then round up. Leftovers travel well; running out does not.
- Decide on delivery or pickup. Tell us the delivery address and the serving time. If the venue is outside our usual delivery area, pickup from Artesia or a quoted delivery fee are both options.
- Sort out serving gear. For buffets, confirm who is providing plates, cutlery, chafing dishes and serving spoons so nothing is missing on the day.
- Book with enough notice. At least 24 hours for small orders. For weddings and large events, 4 to 6 weeks, so we can hold the date and order the meat.
How much food do you need per guest?
There is no exact answer, because a lunch crowd eats less than a wedding crowd and children eat less than teenagers. A simple planning rule we suggest as a starting point:
- One to two skewers of kabob per guest when kabobs are the main protein.
- Three to four pieces of ribs per guest when ribs are the main protein, which means a 40-piece Ribs Platter covers roughly ten to twelve guests.
- Roughly one serving of rice or one piece of naan per guest, more if the meal is mostly rice.
- One small dessert per guest.
Treat these as a rule of thumb, not a promise. When you call, tell us the mix of adults and children and the time of day, and we will fine-tune the order. Our FAQs page answers other common ordering questions too.
Where does Ribs 'n' Kabobs deliver catering?
Our regular catering delivery area covers Artesia, Cerritos, Norwalk, Lakewood, Paramount, La Palma, Hawaiian Gardens, Bellflower, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Downey, Los Alamitos, South Whittier, Rossmoor, Santa Fe Springs and Stanton. That takes in most of southeast Los Angeles County and the northwest corner of Orange County.
Anaheim, Irvine and the rest of Orange County sit outside that list, but they are a short freeway drive from Artesia on the 91, the 605 and the 405, so for an event there, ask about delivery when you book. The same goes for Long Beach: for Long Beach events, ask about delivery before you settle on the venue. Pickup from the restaurant in Artesia is always an option.
When should you book, and what happens after you call?
Book as early as the date is fixed. For a wedding or a large event, plan on 4 to 6 weeks. For a last-minute office lunch or a small family dinner, 24 hours notice is enough.
After you call or send a message through the contact page, we confirm the headcount, the menu, the format and the delivery time, then send a quote. If you want to taste before you decide, come to the restaurant for dinner and try the ribs, kabobs and sides from the regular menu; the catering trays are the same food in bigger pans.
For a wedding specifically, the timeline, the biryani question and the dessert table are covered in catering a Pakistani wedding in California.
Book your event
Ribs 'n' Kabobs, 18925 Norwalk Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701, is a family-owned, HFSAA-certified, 100% Zabiha Halal BBQ and grill restaurant serving Los Angeles County, Orange County and the rest of Southern California since 2014. Every rib, kabob and tray of biryani that leaves our kitchen for a catered event is hand-slaughtered Zabiha halal, with no pork and no alcohol on site. The standard is set by HFSAA and you can read it at hfsaa.org.
Tell us your date and headcount, and we will take it from there.