Catering companies occupy a unique position in the food service world: they cook large quantities of food at a central facility and serve it elsewhere. That model creates specific FOG (fats, oils, and grease) compliance questions that are different from a traditional restaurant. Who is responsible for grease trap maintenance? Which facility's trap covers which waste? What do you need to show a health inspector? This guide answers those questions. Find a licensed grease trap service provider at greasetraplocator.com.
How Catering Companies Generate FOG
A catering company's FOG output depends heavily on the menu:
- High-FOG menus (brisket, fried chicken, pasta with butter sauces, sauteed vegetables in oil): large quantities of animal fat and cooking oil go down prep sinks and equipment drains
- Lower-FOG menus (salads, fresh fruit displays, cold cuts, vegetable crudite): minimal grease generation
Regardless of volume, any catering company that prepares food on a commercial scale will generate some FOG. Municipal FOG programs classify most catering operations as food service establishments and require them to comply with grease interceptor rules.
The Commissary Model: How Most Caterers Operate
Most catering companies operate from a licensed commissary kitchen, either one they own, one they lease from a shared-kitchen facility, or one at a restaurant or hotel that allows catering production during off-hours.
The commissary model has important FOG compliance implications:
If the commissary is your facility: You own the grease trap, you are responsible for compliance, and you are the entity inspected by the local FOG program.
If you rent commissary space: The commissary owner is typically the permit holder and primary FOG compliance entity. However, your use of the kitchen contributes to the grease load, and your lease should define your responsibilities.
Key questions to ask before signing a commissary lease:
- Does the commissary have a current grease trap permit?
- When was the grease trap last serviced? Can I see the manifest?
- Am I responsible for any portion of grease trap service costs?
- Is grease trap service frequency adjusted based on tenant usage volume?
- What is the procedure if the trap fills ahead of schedule due to high-volume catering production?
On-Site Catering: What Happens to FOG at the Event Venue
When a catering company works at an event venue, a hotel ballroom, a corporate office, a private estate, FOG generated on-site goes into the venue's drain system. The responsibility question here depends on where the food is being cooked:
Cooking at the commissary, only service at venue: The FOG was generated at the commissary. The venue's drains handle only rinse water and minor food waste. The commissary grease trap covers the primary FOG.
Cooking on-site at the venue: If you set up a full cooking operation at a venue, propane burners, commercial fryers, large roasters, you are generating significant FOG that enters the venue's drain system. The venue is responsible for its own grease trap, but as the caterer, you have a responsibility not to overwhelm it. Best practice: notify the venue when you are running high-FOG cooking equipment on-site so they can monitor their trap.
Cooking off-site with no drain connections: If you use a warming kitchen or serve room-temperature food with no cooking at the venue, there is typically no FOG issue.
Catering Vehicles and Mobile Equipment
Food trucks used for catering operations are subject to mobile food facility rules rather than fixed-establishment rules. Key points:
- The food truck must operate from a licensed commissary
- Gray water (wash water from the truck) must be disposed of at the commissary or an approved dump station
- Grease from the truck's cooking operations that goes down the truck's drain enters the commissary's grease trap system when disposed of there
Some caterers operate catering trailers, large trailers with full kitchen equipment that are towed to event sites. Catering trailers with drain systems that connect to a venue's sewer (via a temporary connection) may trigger the venue's pretreatment requirements for that event. Check with the venue before making any temporary drain connections.
Opening a Catering Company: FOG Compliance Checklist
If you are launching a catering company and establishing your own commissary kitchen, here is what you need from a FOG compliance standpoint:
Before construction:
- Consult the local FOG program office about requirements for your planned kitchen
- Include grease interceptor installation in your plumbing permit application
- Size the interceptor based on your planned equipment list and production volume
Before opening:
- Install the grease interceptor per local code
- Pass plumbing inspection
- Register with the local FOG program (separate from the plumbing permit)
- Set up a service contract with a licensed grease trap hauler
Once operating:
- Service the trap per the 25% rule or the minimum frequency in your local ordinance
- Keep manifests for three years
- Conduct dry-wipe practices, catering kitchens often process large batches of high-fat proteins; reducing what goes down the drain extends your service intervals
If you operate from a rented commissary:
- Get a copy of the commissary's current grease trap permit and most recent manifest
- Understand the lease terms regarding FOG responsibility
- Keep the commissary's contact information in your FOG compliance file in case an inspector asks
Sizing the Grease Trap for a Catering Kitchen
Catering kitchens often operate differently from restaurants: they may produce enormous FOG loads in a concentrated window of time, say, 200 lbs of brisket and 100 lbs of roasted chicken in a single prep day, followed by lighter production on other days.
When sizing a grease interceptor for a catering commissary:
- Use your peak production day as the sizing baseline, not your average day
- Account for all fixtures that will connect to the trap: prep sinks, pot-wash sinks, floor drains near cooking equipment, dishwasher pre-rinse stations
- Consult your local FOG program's sizing standard, some jurisdictions size based on average daily flow, others on peak flow
An undersized interceptor will fill rapidly during heavy production weeks and require emergency service, which is expensive. Size up when in doubt.
See our guide on how often a grease trap needs service for factors that affect catering kitchens specifically.
FOG Compliance for Caterers at Venues: Best Management Practices
When catering at venues, even if the venue is responsible for its own trap, good practices protect your reputation:
Grease containers at the event: Bring your own covered grease disposal containers for fryer oil and cooking fat. Never drain fryer oil into a venue's kitchen sinks or floor drains.
Solid waste capture: Bring disposable drain strainers. Caterers working large events generate significant solid food waste that can block venue drains. Leave them cleaner than you found them.
No grease on pavement: When working outside (weddings, corporate tents, outdoor events), never dump grease on the ground or into parking lot drains. This is both an environmental violation and a liability issue.
Document your practices: Some upscale event venues and corporate clients require caterers to provide documentation of their FOG compliance program as part of the vendor vetting process. Having your commissary's current manifests on hand can win you contracts.
Common Compliance Pitfalls for Catering Companies
Assuming the commissary handles everything. If you operate under a commissary lease and believe you have no personal FOG responsibility, re-read your lease. In some jurisdictions, health inspectors inspect caterers separately from the commissary facility, and you may need to demonstrate that you have a formal FOG management plan.
Not adjusting service frequency for high-volume seasons. Catering companies have peaks, wedding season, holiday corporate events, summer festivals. If your grease trap is serviced quarterly during normal operations, it may need monthly service during a production peak. Monitor the trap more closely in busy periods.
Forgetting floor drains in the catering commissary. Floor drains near cooking equipment must be routed through the grease interceptor in most jurisdictions. Caterers sometimes install an HGI under the sink but overlook the floor drain. An inspector will catch this.
Using a commissary with a lapsed grease trap permit. Before renewing your commissary rental agreement, ask to see the most recent grease trap manifest. A commissary with a non-compliant grease trap can affect your ability to renew your food handler's license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a catering company need its own grease trap?
If you operate from your own commissary kitchen, yes, you need a grease trap installed at that facility and must maintain it per local FOG requirements. If you rent commissary space, the commissary typically holds the grease trap permit, but your lease should define any shared responsibility.
What if I only cater out of a hotel or restaurant kitchen?
You are using the host facility's grease trap. That facility is responsible for the trap, but you contribute to the FOG load. Notify the facility when you run high-FOG production, and confirm they are current on service.
Do I need a grease trap for catering events at outdoor venues?
Typically no, as long as you do not make temporary drain connections at the venue. Bring your own grease containers, dispose of all waste at your commissary, and do not drain grease into any site drainage.
How often should a catering commissary's grease trap be serviced?
Service frequency depends on production volume. The 25% rule applies in most jurisdictions. High-volume caterers producing large batches of fatty proteins daily may need monthly service. Lighter operations may be fine quarterly. Check your trap more frequently during peak catering seasons.
What records do I need to show a health inspector?
For your own commissary, keep three years of grease trap service manifests. For a rented commissary, keep copies of the facility's manifests plus any documentation of your own FOG BMP practices. Some jurisdictions also require a written BMP plan.
Can I operate a catering company out of my home kitchen?
In most jurisdictions, no. Home kitchens do not have commercial grease traps, and operating a commercial food service business out of a home is generally not permitted under commercial food safety regulations. Some states allow cottage food operations with restrictions, but full-scale catering typically requires a licensed commercial kitchen.
Conclusion
Catering companies may not have dining rooms, but they have the same FOG obligations as any commercial kitchen. Whether you own your commissary or rent time in a shared facility, know who holds the grease trap permit, what your lease requires, and how to document your compliance. Keep your manifests, monitor your trap during heavy production periods, and work with a licensed service provider who understands high-volume catering operations. GreaseTrapLocator lists pre-screened contractors across North America, find one near your commissary now.
Author: Grease Trap Locator Editorial Team
The Grease Trap Locator editorial team covers FOG compliance, grease trap maintenance, and commercial kitchen regulations across the US and Canada. Our guides are written for restaurant owners, facility managers, and food service operators who need practical, accurate information without the fluff.
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