Menus & Cuisines
Noodle Bar Catering in Medellín
Medellin Elite Catering runs live noodle bars in Medellín: woks flaring over high flame, ramen bowls built to order and teppanyaki griddles sizzling in front of the crowd. Broths, sauces and toppings are prepared in our own kitchen the day before, and the noodles meet the heat only when someone orders.
We set up noodle stations for product launches, office anniversaries, university events, weddings that want a late-night bowl and house parties where the host likes a bit of theater. They also work for mixed groups, because every bowl can be made vegan, gluten-free or without peanuts on the spot.
Since 2019, we have learned that a noodle bar lives or dies on two things: heat and speed. Our setup plans burner power, cook numbers and the queue before the first wok gets hot.
- Itemized quotes available
- Bilingual English and Spanish coordinators
Plan your event
Our Noodle Catering
We offer noodles three ways: a live wok station, a ramen bar where bowls are assembled to order, and a teppanyaki griddle for yakisoba and stir-fried proteins. Each can stand alone as dinner or be added to a larger buffet as a station, and many hosts combine a wok with a ramen bar so the line splits in two.
Noodle stations are a favorite at corporate event catering bookings, because they give a crowd something to watch and talk about. They also scale well, and for events above 200 guests we plan several identical stations so no one waits more than a few minutes.
Noodle Dishes
Every station offers three or four noodle dishes, chosen from the table below. Choosing dishes from different traditions, such as one Thai, one Japanese and one Chinese, gives guests contrast without slowing the cooks.
| Dish | Noodle | Flavor | Contains gluten? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pad thai | Flat rice noodle | Tamarind, fish sauce, egg, bean sprouts, peanuts on the side | No (with tamari) |
| Yakisoba | Wheat noodle | Sweet and savory sauce, cabbage, pork or chicken | Yes |
| Lo mein | Egg wheat noodle | Soy, sesame, ginger, mixed vegetables | Yes |
| Shoyu or miso ramen | Wheat ramen | Chicken or pork broth, chashu, soft egg, nori | Yes |
| Vegan shiitake ramen | Wheat or rice noodle | Kombu and mushroom broth, tofu, bok choy | Optional |
| Drunken noodles (pad kee mao) | Wide rice noodle | Thai basil, chili, garlic | No (with tamari) |
| Japchae | Sweet potato glass noodle | Sesame, spinach, carrot, beef or mushroom | No (with tamari) |
Our pork broth for ramen simmers for 12 hours, and the chicken broth for 6, both in our kitchen the day before. Marinated soft eggs (ajitama) spend at least 24 hours in soy and mirin, so they need to be ordered with the rest of the menu.
Rice noodles, glass noodles, soba, udon and fresh ramen noodles come from Asian food importers who supply Medellín, and we confirm stock two weeks ahead. Thai basil, bok choy, ginger, lemongrass and chilies are grown in Colombia, and we buy them fresh the day before the event.
Live Wok and Teppanyaki Stations
A live wok station means a cook stir-fries each portion to order in under two minutes, in front of the guests. The flavor known as wok hei, the slightly smoky taste of very hot oil and sugar, needs real flame, so our outdoor stations run on high-pressure propane burners.
Indoors, open gas flames are often not allowed, especially in salones sociales of residential towers and in office buildings, so we switch to induction woks and an electric teppanyaki griddle. Induction is a little gentler, which we balance with smaller batches and pre-charred vegetables.
Each station needs a 2 m table, a 3 by 2 m working area, and either open air or a high, ventilated room, because stir-frying throws off oily smoke. We bring fire extinguishers and a fire blanket, keep the burner side away from guest traffic, and ask the venue about smoke detectors before the event.
How We Keep the Line Moving
The most common failure of noodle bars is a long queue, and it comes from too few cooks for the crowd. One wok cook prepares about 60 to 80 portions an hour, so we plan one wok for every 60 to 80 guests who will eat in a 90-minute window.
Everything is prepped before service: vegetables cut, proteins cooked or marinated, sauces portioned in squeeze bottles and noodles pre-soaked. At the station, a cook only combines and heats, which keeps each plate under two minutes.
Ramen has its own trap: noodles turn soft and swollen if they wait in broth. We cook each portion in a basket for 60 to 90 seconds, hold the broth at 85 to 90 °C, and assemble each bowl only when a guest is standing in front of it.
Portions and Station Size
At a dinner where noodles are the main dish, we plan 300 to 350 g per guest, which is one full bowl and room for a small second helping. At a cocktail party or wedding late-night snack, a tasting box of about 150 g is enough.
| Event | Portion | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Office lunch, 50 guests | 1 bowl (320 g) | 1 wok, 1 ramen bar |
| Wedding late-night snack, 120 guests | 1 tasting box (150 g) | 1 wok |
| Product launch, 250 guests | 1 bowl plus toppings | 3 woks, 1 teppanyaki |
Ramen does not travel well in a drop-off order, because the noodles keep absorbing broth, so we only serve it at staffed events and send stir-fried noodle trays for deliveries. A rooftop wok station for 100 guests, a common setup for catering in El Poblado, usually runs two woks side by side next to the buffet. Gluten-free bowls follow the same rules as our gluten-free catering menus.
Questions and answers
Noodle FAQs
Can you make noodles without soy or peanuts?
Yes, we can make soy-free and peanut-free noodles, and we plan both before the event rather than improvising at the station. Soy-free bowls use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and are cooked in a dedicated wok, and peanuts are only ever a topping in a separate bowl, never an ingredient in our oils or sauces. For a guest with a severe peanut allergy we can remove peanuts from the whole station, which is the safest option.
Is rice noodle gluten-free?
Yes, rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, but the sauce often is not. Regular soy sauce, hoisin and oyster sauce contain wheat, so for gluten-free bowls we use tamari, a fish sauce without additives and a clean wok. Wheat ramen, udon and most yakisoba noodles do contain gluten, and we label them on the station menu.
Reserve your date
Book a Live Noodle Bar
Share your venue, guest count and how long the station should run, and we will reply with an itemized quote within 24 hours. You can also send details to info@medellincatering.com.
- Itemized quotes available
- Menus, staff, tableware, setup and cleanup in one quote
- Food-handler certified team and labeled allergens on every tray
- Monday to Saturday
- 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday
- Closed (events still run)