Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a collection of our most asked questions. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact us through the enquiry forms on the Catering Page, or through the Connect page.

General

  • I am a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner that specialises in cooking Ayurvedically for retreats and other events. I have over half a decade of experience in retreat cooking, backed up by a decade of working in kitchens all over the world, ranging from being a line cook in busy restaurants, to working in cafes both front and back of house.
    I am not a chef, nor would I ever claim to be. My qualifications are specifically experience based, meaning I have not under taken any apprenticeships or study aside from self study, self teaching and an Advanced Diploma of Ayurveda.

  • Whilst majority of my experience in a professional sense is based around cooking vegan and vegetarian wholefoods, I am entirely capable of cooking meat and animal products. If you desire these options within your retreat, I am more than happy to discuss options with you. However, due to the price of animal products, there may be extra costs incurred.

  • Unfortunately, due to past experiences surrounding excess waste age of unused, or half used milk options on retreats, I no longer provide milk options to accompany hot drinks. Instead, I encourage you to ask your guests to bring their own milk of choice. This way, we ensure that all guests have their preferred cup of tea experience, and they can then take any leftovers home with them, saving myself and the facilitator from having to deal with unwanted, opened products.

  • Traditionally in Ayurveda, we discourage the consumption of leftovers as the prana of the food decreases after a certain time frame. However, when cooking on retreats it is essential that I ensure there will be enough food to nourish all the bellies, which often means there may be some leftovers after a meal or at the end of the retreat. Because of this, I will often suggest to the facilitator before the event, that they organise some containers to be prepared for the chance of their being leftovers.
    If leftovers are unclaimed, depending on the quantity, I will either take them home for my chooks, or if there is a large amount left, I will endeavour to drop them at a soup kitchen or housing centre for people in need of some extra nourishment.

  • I pride my offerings on providing you and your guests with more than just food on the table. I create an ambient dining setting that can be tailored to your requirements, and is always specific to the food being served, including meal time prayers and introductions to food ethics, as well as speaking into the creation of each individual meal and the healing qualities behind it.
    In a nut shell, the various pricing options of my offerings include, but are not limited to:

    • All food costs including multiple hot drink options

    • Time spent planning a menu that is free from improper food combinations, is suitable and tailored to all levels of digestion and any dietary requirements there may be

    • Time spent prepping any spice mixes, preserves or condiments before the event. Everything you consume on retreat is home made with love

    • Travel to and from the event within the designated area - see Retreat Catering for travel fee information. (Please note, my accommodation is not included, meaning that if there is no room for me to stay at the venue, extra travel or accommodation fees may be incurred after discussion with the facilitator).

    • All prepping, cooking and serving of food during your event

    • Set up and pack down of the dining area, including candles, flower arrangements, meal time prayers, introduction of food ethics as well as each individual meal etc

    • Cleaning of dishes after each meal (including you and your guests), as well as a top to bottom clean of the kitchen at the end of the event to ensure no cleaning fees of the venue itself are incurred at a later date by the facilitator

  • Unfortunately not. This is because there are multiple elements that create the back bone for the pricing structure. Whilst the produce is definitely a big part of that, it is not the only component.
    The price options are reflective of the experience as a whole, and there is a lot more that goes in to my work than just putting food on the table. Please refer to the ‘Testimonials’ section to help you gain a better understanding of the experience that comes with using Ayurmātā as your caterer.
    On top of that, I deeply value densely nutritious food, and know that it on top of adding more flavour and profile to the meal, it also ensures a much higher nutrition content when organic. The quality of our food is an integral part of being able to heal our bodies as a whole, hence my reasoning for always opting for organic and spray free produce where possible.

  • Upon verbal confirmation of your event and using us as your caterer, you will be sent a contract outlining the details and pricing selections of your retreat. Once you have signed and returned this, everything is finalised and you will receive an invoice to pay a deposit of $1,000, due within 7 days of signing the contract. This amount will be deducted from the total of your retreat cost, and is non-refundable 6 weeks out from your event, unless an event completely out of your hands happens, in which case Mohini will use her discretion to determine the outcome of your payment.
    The next step will be paying the outstanding amount of the retreat. Final numbers are required 3 weeks out from the retreat, and you will be sent an invoice for the outstanding amount, due within 7 days. This is non-refundable unless an event completely out of your hands happens, in which case Mohini will use her discretion to determine the outcome of your payment.

  • We ask that you notify us as soon as there is the possibility of needing to postpone or reschedule your event. We understand that sometimes life happens and things need to be moved around, and we will do our very best to accommodate your needs. However, we ask that you understand that unfortunately, it is possible that the new proposed date may already be claimed, which Mohini will discuss with you.
    In terms of payments, at Mohini’s discretion after discussion with you, it will be determined what will happened. Most likely, your deposit will be transferred to your new dates. On the chance that these dates are already claimed, and depending on the time frame, refund options will be discussed with you.

  • We ask for guest numbers to be in 3 weeks before your event and the final amount to be paid at 2 weeks before your event to ensure we have ample time to order the ingredients and other necessities. However, we understand that sometimes people spontaneously join retreats, and we love that. These guests will be added on as they come in at the agreed price per head, and any minor alterations will be made to the orders that have been placed.

  • Unfortunately, within that time frame, the food ordering will have already been placed, accounting for any guests that later decide to pull out. because of these costs already being incurred, the price per guest of the individual will remain non-refundable.

Pricing & Logistics