After years of cooking and working for someone else, you have finally decided to learn everything that you can about the catering business and venture out on your own. The compliments for your cooking have always been uplifting, but in the past you really knew that many of those compliments really belonged to the restaurant owner or the menu planner. They, in fact, were the one calling the shots about what you should be preparing. They were in charge of the budget, which meant that ultimately they were in charge of the taste when their financial constraints kept you from having the top ingredients that you would have preferred.
Branching off on your own and offering outside catering services to the growing list of interested clients. And while it has been tempting to take some side jobs and cater for events while you have been working for someone else, everything you have read about the catering business indicates that they best way to be successful is to make the decision to go all in. As a result, you have turned down many requests for past catering opportunity, but you have a pretty substantial list of potential clients who want to know all about the catering business that you could offer, if you decide to go that route.
Catering Businesses Offer Customers Flexible Menus, Varied Prices, and Unique Options
Social media sites are full of the best wedding menus, the most creative cake designs, and unusual ideas for food bar themes. Instead of seeing exactly what a certain caterer has to offer, many potential clients today come to a catering meeting with some exact details and menu items that they want. As a result, one of the first decisions that a caterer has to decide is do they want to offer their own menu choices, or are they willing to literally cater to the needs and wants of every client.
Currently, 321,400 American men and women work in the food service management and catering industry, so the competition can be tough. One way that good caterers distinguish themselves is often by offering an unusual twist on their event catering ideas. For example, an italian caterer may have three or four signature dishes that are a part of every event. And while a client has some options for making changes, this Italian caterer may insist that at least two of the signature dishes are included in any event that he or she caters. As a result, these few signature dishes become well known among guests and can serve as a drawing card for returning clients as well as new customers.
In almost all cases, caterers will be willing to adjust recipes to cope with food allergies. Additionally, cooking methods can be altered to conform to religious dietary requirements or individual preferences. The best caterers ask about any of these special needs or accommodations at the first planning meeting.
When learning about the catering business, many new chefs must also decide how many accompanying services they want to offer their clients. Obviously, a caterer will be the one to manage the staff of cooks, servers, cleaners, and dishwashers. The caterer will also need to be certain that the entire team is aware of schedules, place settings, serving customs, and food safety regulations. some caterers, however, also decide to offer additional services like decor, table arrangements, and food presentation.
Catering Success Depends on Meeting Deadlines and Exceeding Expectations
Because the catering industry is so competitive, being successful is important. A caterer who completes everything on time and within the budget will be known as someone who is reliable. Even one botched event, unfortunately, can negatively effect a reputation. For these reasons, many caterers decide to start small, paying attention to every detail and building a strong customer base.
Expanding too quickly or taking on too many jobs when first getting started can be tempting, but is not always advised. Like a good chef, a good caterer understands that good things come to those who wait. Waiting on a slow cooking spaghetti sauce can enhance its flavor. Waiting on expanding a catering business until you have several successful events behind you can pay off as well.
