Based on his writing, I assume by "catered" he also meant to include ordering food to be delivered from a restaurant. In typical American usage, that's "takeout

Based on his writing, I assume by "catered" he also meant to include ordering food to be delivered from a restaurant. In typical American usage, that's "takeout" or "delivery" but not "catered". That point aside, I think his representation is also very narrow to the crowd that mostly combines business networking with socializing. That's a small minority. In my social circles (20's, middle class, highly educated tech workers), small dinner gatherings almost always follow one of three formats: the host cooks, the host asks everyone to contribute a dish, or we all go to a restaurant. Restaurant delivery is usually reserved for large groups or when the food is a secondary consideration, such as when it's a board game night and we order a pizza.