Pen cai for the new year table
The layered one-pot dish that anchors a reunion dinner, ordered ahead rather than cooked on the day.
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Why pen cai is ordered rather than made
Pen cai is a layered pot: ingredients stacked in order so that what sits at the bottom takes on everything released by the layers above it during a long braise. It is a dish built for a crowd and for an occasion, and it takes the kind of time and ingredient sourcing that most households would rather hand over at new year.
It is also the single most seasonal thing on a Chinese New Year table, which means it is ordered ahead by a lot of people at once. The pots are prepared to order rather than held in stock, so the date matters more than it would for an ordinary dish.
Pen cai usually works as a centrepiece alongside a spread rather than as the whole meal. Tell us your headcount and whether you want it as part of a wider order and we will size both together.
A centrepiece, not a meal
Usually ordered alongside a spread rather than on its own.
Prepared to order
Not held in stock, so the date is the binding constraint.
Sized to the table
Tell us the headcount and we will size the pot and the spread together.
Reunion dinner books first
If the pot is for the eve, that date goes earlier than any other.
Ordering a buffet for Chinese New Year
A buffet with setup brings chafing stands, a laid-out buffet table and a crew who sets it up and returns for the equipment afterwards. Chafing stands hold serving temperature across a long afternoon, which is what most Chinese New Year gatherings actually need.
- Minimum order
- 30 pax. Below that, a mini buffet starts at 10 pax.
- Price per pax
- $20 at 30–44 pax, $15 at 45–74, $13 at 75–149, $10 at 150+.
- Setup fee
- $90, charged once per order whatever the headcount.
- Delivery
- Free on mini buffet and bento orders of $225 or more before GST. Below that a $30 delivery fee applies, and a 10 pax order always carries it whatever the order comes to. On the entry-level menus $225 is reached at 15 pax.
- Equipment
- Chafing stands and serving gear are collected after the event, so someone should be there at the end.
- Standard lead time
- One day's notice, subject to vendor availability on your date.
- Booking for Chinese New Year
- Four to six weeks ahead. The tightest dates are reunion dinner on the eve, then the first and second days of the new year.
- Public holidays
- We deliver on them, with fewer vendors operating and narrower delivery windows than a normal day.
- Changing your order
- Headcount and menu changes up to 24 hours before delivery.
- Halal
- Halal menus available from Muslim-owned stalls, certified on request, at the same prices.
- Surcharges
- $30 for delivery at 9.59am or earlier or 7.31pm or later. $15 for postal codes 71, 63, 09, 50 and 49. $50–$100 per level where there is no lift access.
A menu for a Chinese New Year buffet is released closer to the date. Tell us your date and headcount in the menu planner and we will send it as soon as it does.
How ordering works
Book early for popular dates
Our cutoff is one day before your event. In practice, order earlier: festive periods, year-end parties and weekend slots fill up well ahead, and booking early secures both your slot and the dishes you want.
Mini buffet and bento delivery $30
Drop and go: food arrives in insulated warmer bags that are yours to keep, with serving gear, cutlery, plates, bowls, a disposable table cloth and a trash bag. Free on promotional menus above $225.
Buffet delivery and setup $90
One fee covers delivery, a full setup with a skirted table and cloth, warmers, serving gear, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and our team returning to collect the equipment after your event.
Changes up to 24 hours before
Adjust your headcount, menu or timing more than 24 hours before your event, subject to availability. Within 24 hours the food and manpower are already committed, so changes and cancellations are normally not accepted and a fee of 50% to 100% of the order may apply.
Additional charges may apply for outlying areas (Tengah, Lim Chu Kang, Tuas, Sentosa, Changi Airport and Alps Avenue), deliveries before 10am or after 7.30pm, and venues without lift access. Every charge is confirmed in your quotation before you pay. See full terms.
Your menu in three simple steps
- 1
Tell us about your event
Headcount, date, budget per pax and any dietary needs like halal or vegetarian.
- 2
Get your best-matched menu
Our menu planner, with a little help from AI, matches a customised menu with prices to your budget and requirements in 60 seconds.
- 3
Customise and confirm
Swap any dish to fit your requirements, then confirm with our team on WhatsApp or email.
Frequently asked questions
What is pen cai?
A layered one-pot dish traditionally eaten at Chinese New Year, assembled so the ingredients at the bottom absorb what the layers above release during a long braise. It is served as a centrepiece for a table to share.
How many people does a pen cai serve?
Sizes vary by vendor and season. Tell us your headcount and we will match the pot size to the table — and to the rest of the spread if you are ordering one.
When should I order pen cai?
Earlier than the rest of the order. Pots are prepared to order rather than held in stock, and reunion dinner is the tightest date in the calendar.
How much does pen cai catering cost?
Chinese New Year menus are priced separately from our everyday menus and are confirmed with our partnering vendors closer to the season. Tell us your date and headcount in the menu planner and we will send the current menu with prices as soon as it is released. If you would rather book against something already priced, our everyday menus run right through the period — from $15 per pax at 15 people with delivery included.
Can a new year centrepiece be halal?
Yes. Halal menus come from Muslim-owned stalls, and halal-certified menus are available through our partnering vendors on request. Select halal in the menu planner and only halal menus are shown to you.
How far in advance should I order catering?
The latest we can take an order is one day before your event. We recommend booking earlier than that: popular dates such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas and the year-end party season are taken weeks ahead, and ordering early secures your slot and the dishes you want. For large events, the earlier the better.
Is there a delivery fee?
Delivery is free on mini buffet and bento orders of $225 or more before GST. Below that it is $30, and a 10 pax order always carries the fee whatever the order comes to. On the entry-level mini buffet menus $225 is reached at 15 pax. A buffet with setup instead carries a $90 setup fee, charged once per order, which covers delivery, laying out the buffet line and collecting the equipment afterwards. Remote postal codes, deliveries at 9.59am or earlier or 7.31pm or later, and venues without lift access can add a surcharge on top; every one is published and appears in your quotation before you confirm.
What is included with the food?
Mini buffet orders are drop and go: the food arrives in insulated warmer bags that are yours to keep, with serving gear, cutlery, plates, bowls, a disposable table cloth and a trash bag, so you can bag everything up and bin it after your event. Bento meals come individually boxed with cutlery. Buffet with setup includes a skirted table and cloth, warmers, serving gear, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and our team returns to collect the equipment.
Can I change or cancel my order?
Yes, with more than 24 hours' notice before your event, subject to availability. Within 24 hours the food and manpower are already committed, so changes and cancellations are normally not accepted and a fee of 50% to 100% of the order may apply.
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