I understand, mate, however at least at most of the gatherings I have attended if you did not bring something to contribute to the get-together then something contributed monetarily to assist with the expenses was not without merit. For friends, an invite to one of _their_ get-togethers was acceptable in return. I do not recall reading that these people were putting the meal together in order to generate a profit, therefore such an event falls under the ‘private’ label. At least as I understand it from the few legal professionals I have discussed matters with.
So, there you go ~ the conditions required to get a permit ~ and to adhere to the law in every particular.
We don't need to go into the risks these laws seek to mitigate to understand that if you run a business that involves food or drink there are some basic sanitation laws you MUST adhere to.
Now if they were just giving the food away that would be something else.