Planning a wedding in Brooklyn or the Hudson Valley usually starts with the food. You find a caterer like Fig & Pig, you fall in love with the idea of their arctic char or those famous fish tacos, and then you get the proposal. Suddenly, there’s a line item for staffing that looks like a small car loan.
If you’ve looked at Fig and Pig catering staffing cost details recently, you know they don't just "drop off" food. This is a full-service operation. We aren't talking about a guy in a van with some foil trays. We’re talking about a choreographed dance of chefs, captains, and servers that makes a 150-person wedding feel like a private dinner party.
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But why is the labor so expensive? Honestly, it’s because the "caterer" is basically building a pop-up restaurant in a venue—like The Green Building or a random field in the Catskills—that often has zero infrastructure.
The Breakdown of Fig and Pig Catering Staffing Cost
Most people assume "staffing" means the person handing you a glass of Prosecco. In reality, it’s a tiered hierarchy. At Fig & Pig, Holly Sheppard and her team (including coordinator Tammy) run a tight ship. You aren't just paying for hours; you’re paying for specialized roles.
- The Event Captain: This is your MVP. They are the floor manager. If the power goes out or a guest has a sudden nut allergy no one mentioned, the Captain fixes it. They usually bill at a higher hourly rate—often between $50 and $70 in the NYC market.
- The Kitchen Team: Since Fig & Pig is chef-led (Holly is a CIA grad), the back-of-house staff isn't just "help." You have executive chefs, sous chefs, and prep cooks. Even for a "simple" family-style meal, you need people plating at lightning speed so the food stays hot.
- Front of House (FOH): These are your servers and bartenders. In 2026, standard NYC catering server rates are hovering around $40 to $55 per hour.
- The "Shadow" Staff: This includes the porters and dishwashers. You don't see them, but without them, the venue never gets its security deposit back because the kitchen remains a mess.
Why the Service Style Changes Everything
You might think a buffet is cheaper than a plated dinner. Kinda, but not always.
For a plated meal, the staffing ratio is usually 1 server for every 10 to 12 guests. If you have 120 guests, that’s 10 to 12 servers just for the tables. Why so many? Because if one person takes 20 minutes to serve a table of 10, the first person’s steak is cold by the time the last person gets theirs.
Family-style, which is a Fig & Pig specialty, actually requires a lot of "heavy lifting." Servers are constantly swapping out large, heavy platters and managing table space. It feels casual, but the labor is intense.
Stations or Buffets might reduce the number of servers slightly, but you add "attendants" and more kitchen staff to keep the pans full and the area clean. Basically, you're trading one type of labor for another.
Hidden Factors in the Staffing Bill
There are three things that usually shock people when they see their final Fig & Pig proposal:
1. The 4-5 Hour Minimum
In NYC and the surrounding areas, you can’t hire a pro for two hours. Most catering staff have a 5-hour minimum. Even if your "party" is only four hours, the staff is there three hours early for setup and two hours late for breakdown. You’re paying for a 9 or 10-hour day per person.
2. Travel Fees
Fig & Pig works across Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley. If your wedding is in a barn two hours north of the city, you’re paying for the staff’s travel time. Sometimes the caterer even has to provide a shuttle for the crew. That cost gets passed to you.
3. The "Service Charge" vs. The Tip
This is the big one. Most high-end caterers add a 20% to 24% "Administrative Fee" or "Service Charge." This is not a tip. It covers the office staff, the planning hours Tammy spends on your rental order, insurance, and the overhead of keeping the lights on. You are still generally expected to tip the actual servers and bartenders on the night of the event (usually $50–$100 per staff member).
Real-World Math: What to Budget
Let's get practical. For a 100-person wedding in Brooklyn with a full bar and a seated dinner, your Fig and Pig catering staffing cost might look like this (illustrative example based on current market trends):
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- 1 Captain x 10 hours @ $65 = $650
- 8 Servers x 10 hours @ $45 = $3,600
- 2 Bartenders x 10 hours @ $50 = $1,000
- 4 Kitchen Staff x 10 hours @ $50 = $2,000
- 2 Porters x 10 hours @ $35 = $700
That’s roughly $7,950 in raw labor before you even buy a single chicken wing or bottle of gin. Add a 23% service charge, and your labor line item is nearly $10,000.
How to Save (Without Being Cheap)
If that number makes your eyes water, there are ways to trim the fat without ruining the vibe.
First, look at your bar. A full cocktail bar requires more bartenders and more "barbacks" (the people who haul ice and wash glasses). Switching to just beer, wine, and one signature drink can sometimes shave one person off the staff list.
Second, think about your rentals. Fig & Pig often handles the rental coordination. If you choose a venue that already has tables, chairs, and a "warming kitchen" (stoves and sinks), the caterer doesn't have to bring as many porters to set everything up from scratch.
Is It Worth It?
Honestly? Yes.
The horror stories you hear about "bad wedding food" are rarely about the recipe. They’re about the execution. A "cheap" caterer shows up with four people for a 100-person party. The Result? Your guests wait 45 minutes for a drink, the dinner takes two hours to serve, and the cake never gets cut because the staff is overwhelmed.
When you pay for the staff at a place like Fig & Pig, you're paying for the fact that you won't have to think about any of that on your wedding day. You'll actually get to eat your own dinner.
Next Steps for Your Planning
- Request the "Wedding Deck": Email the team at info@figandpigcatering.com. They are very transparent about their tiers.
- Check Venue Infrastructure: Before signing a venue contract, ask if they have a dedicated catering kitchen. If they don't, expect your staffing and rental costs to jump by 15-20%.
- Confirm the Service Charge: Ask specifically if the service charge is distributed to the staff or if it’s an administrative fee. This tells you if you need to carry cash for tips on the day of.