Live-Fire Catering
“Crafting a once-in-a-lifetime meal for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion”
Rambler crafts memorable, lasting experiences through both public culinary events and bespoke private events. Utilizing live-fire cooking with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients from our partnering farms, we cook everything solely using wood with the oldest cooking techniques and traditions.
The Rambler Difference
Founded in 2017, Rambler offers a one-of-a-kind and innovative approach to the traditional catering options. Based in Nashville, TN, our unique concept and mobile kitchen allow us to travel anywhere to light our fires and provide an elevated dining experience.
Our menus are crafted using locally sourced ingredients with an emphasis on thoughtful, refined cuisine. Our meals are cooked fresh, on-site, using our custom equipment – solely using wood & coals with the oldest cooking techniques and traditions, it’s a difference you can see, smell, and taste.
We have conceptualized, designed, and built each piece of our wood burning cooking equipment. All of our custom pieces sit on raised “fire bases” to not disturb any type of ground we are working on.
If you enjoy elevated, thoughtful cuisine, appreciate fresh and seasonal ingredients from local farms, and are interested in a truly one of a kind, immersive dining experience, we would be a great match!
Guest Experience
Years of experience, paired with extensive culinary backgrounds, have led us to specialize in outdoor, open-fire cooking, and we want to share that with you and your guests.
Imagine as your guests arrive they see the smoke, hear the crackle of the fires, smell fresh meats and vegetables roasting over the coals, observe the chefs preparing the meal before them, and witness a unique concept that adds something special to every event.
An experience you won’t forget, we welcome you and your guests to watch us cook, ask questions, and learn about new ingredients and cooking methods.
Due to the unique nature of our open-fire cooking concept, we are able to arrive, set up, and cook on site; with no need for additional utilities or infrastructure. We can light our fires for large weddings and gatherings, or small intimate backyard dinners. Our flexibility is what allows us to work with all different types and styles of events - we need nothing extra and can travel wherever the wind takes us.
Client Experience
We love working with clients to craft a once-in-a-lifetime meal for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Typically, our clients have hand-picked people and elements to perfectly represent a specific vision - from the ambiance & vibe, to the colors, venue, and flowers. We want to make sure the meal aligns with the overall experience.
When you choose to work with Rambler, we ensure you are our top priority — we only take a limited number of private events per year, allowing our team to put our sole focus on each event or wedding we cater.
Local, Seasonal, Sustainable
We believe you should never have to settle for “catering food.” Our elevated seasonal menus are crafted to feature the highest quality ingredients available, and we work with local farmers to ensure we’re supporting the community and highlighting their hard work.
Always conscious of our environment and the footprint we leave, we utilize eco-friendly practices including using plant-based soaps and cleaning products at our event sites, ensuring minimal food waste, and composting whenever possible.
We offer two different wood-fired service options: family-style dining and a seasonal buffet spread. The former allows for sharing and brings people together, and the latter offers a more casual approach.
Seasonal Menus
We create a set menu for each season, allowing us to fine tune and perfect the meal for every event. Extensive thought and planning goes into our menus, and allows us to showcase what is in season and at its best. In addition to our seasonal menu, we also create a custom, signature dish for each event.
WINTER 2024
December • January • February
SPRING 2024
March • April • May
SUMMER 2024
June • July • August
AUTUMN 2024
September • October • November
Investment & Details
What’s Included
(3) Passed or Stationary Hors d'oeuvres
Seasonal, Wood-Fired, Family-Style or Buffet Dinner
Purified Water for Guests
Culinary Event Manager
Service Captain
Service Staff
Chefs/Kitchen Staff
Vendor Meals, up to 10 meals
Construction & Breakdown of our Mobile Outdoor Kitchen
Set up & Breakdown of our Custom Wood Burning Cooking Equipment
Tenting for Our Kitchen and Cooking Areas
Serviceware, depending on service style
Family-Style: Serving Platters & Utensils
Buffet: Chafing Dishes, Platters, & Serving Utensils
All Kitchen Equipment and Supplies needed
Firewood & Charcoal
Operational Fees
Travel Costs within a 25 mile radius of downtown Nashville
Printed Guest Menus (upon request)
Assistance with Logistics and Rentals (upon request)
What’s Not Included
Guest Tables, Chairs, & Linens
Guest Table Settings
Alcohol
Bartenders
Sales Tax
Gratuity
Processing Fee if paying by credit card (3.5%)
Supplements
Grazing Table | $12 per guest
Additional Vendor Meals | $30 per vendor
Additional Hors d’oeuvres | $4 per guest
Late Night Fare | $15 per guest
Non-Alcoholic Beverage | $3 per guest
Coffee Service | $4 per guest
Custom Menu Creation | $500
Garbage Removal | based on event size
Additional Travel Cost | assessed per occasion
Pricing
We aim to be completely transparent, offering all-inclusive pricing with no hidden costs or fees. You know exactly what you are getting and how much it will cost you – making it streamlined both for you and for our team.
Family-Style Service
2-50 guests | $185 per guest
51-75 guests | $170 per guest
76-100 guests | $145 per guest
101-125 guests | $130 per guest
126-150 guests | $120 per guest
151-175 guests | $115 per guest
176-200 guests | $110 per guest
201+ guests | $105 per guest
Seasonal Buffet Spread
2-50 guests | $180 per guest
51-75 guests | $165 per guest
76-100 guests | $140 per guest
101-125 guests | $120 per guest
126-150 guests | $110 per guest
151-175 guests | $105 per guest
176-200 guests | $100 per guest
201+ guests | $95 per guest
* Both service styles require a $7,500 minimum
We own and provide everything needed to prepare and serve our meals. Typically, caterers would require these items to be rented on top of the cost of their services. Beside is an estimated breakdown of the rental cost of kitchen and serving equipment for a 100-person event.
Family-Style Platters & Utensils | $675
Kitchen Equipment & Tables | $758
Catering Tenting | $1,280
Additional Service Needs | $165
Delivery Fees | $150
Total Average Rental Costs | $3,028
(this is included in our pricing!)
What Our Clients Say
How it Works
Below is the process for reserving Rambler for your special event.
Schedule a call with us so we can meet and discuss the details of your event.
1
Once we have all the details, we will put together your proposal.
2
Once a proposal is approved, we will send over your catering contract and a link to pay a 20% deposit. Once we have both, we will officially block the date(s) and secure our services!
3
We will then split the remainder of the balance into multiple payments leading up to your event day.
4
Between the booking and event day, we are always available for questions, advice, or anything you may need leading up to your event.
FAQs
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We suggest allowing around 90 minutes for a seated meal.
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Depending on the size of the event, we typically need to arrive at the property 4-5 hours before the start of any food-service to set up all our equipment, light our fires, and start cooking. For larger events, it’s always easier for us to set up the day before if possible.
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Yes! We always do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions and always come prepared for any surprise common dietary needs.
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Due to our unique concept and hyper-seasonal cooking, we handle tastings a bit differently. We treat tastings the same as we would a private in-home dinner party. Depending on the location and number of guests attending the tasting, we would invoice appropriately for the "dinner party".
Please note: we only schedule tastings Monday through Wednesday.
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Yes, we do! While our forte is outdoor open-fire, we do occasionally work with indoor venues and those that do not allow cooking on premises. Please feel free to contact us if you have a vision in mind that is different from our standard offerings.
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Not at all! All of our wood burning equipment sits on custom elevated fire bases. We leave the properties where we work exactly the way they were when we arrived.
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All the time! Due to our unique concept, we have the ability to travel anywhere to perform our services.
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Travel fees are assessed on a per event basis. Out of state events and events further than 3 hours from Nashville will require lodging.
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Our services are rain/snow or shine! We supply tents that we work under in the case of precipitation. We have cooked in storms (lost a few tents), floods, snow, and in 100+ degree heat. We are always prepared for whatever mother nature throws our way.
