Start & Run a Catering Business (eBook)

Introduction: The Appetizer xvii
Chapter 1: Entrée: The Ifs and Whys of It 1
1. Before You Decide to Start a Catering Business 1
2. Types of Catering 2
3. What to Expect in Catering 5
Chapter 2: How to Become a Caterer 7
1. Starting Out on Your Own 8
2. Purchasing an Existing Business 11
2.1 Buying a business directly 12
2.2 Buying through a business broker 15
3. Buying into an Existing Business as a Partner 15
Chapter 3: Personal Ingredients 19
1. Essential Skills and Knowledge 19
1.1 Cooking and food preparation 20
1.2 Planning and organization 24
1.3 Efficiency 25
vi Start & run a catering business
1.4 Tension: If you can’t stand the heat 26
1.5 Crisis management and problem solving 26
1.6 The artistic touch 28
1.7 Dealing with clients 30
2. Desirable Skills and Knowledge 31
2.1 Marketing and selling 32
2.2 Record keeping and bookkeeping 33
2.3 Staff management 33
2.4 Financing and budgeting 36
2.5 Dealing with seasonal highs and lows 36
2.6 The holiday season: Beyond a rolling boil 37
Chapter 4: From Gravy Boats to Wheels:
Essential Equipment 39
1. Facilities and Major Equipment 41
1.1 Kitchen facilities 41
1.2 Refrigerators and freezers 42
1.3 Ranges and hot plates 43
1.4 Ovens 44
1.5 Dishwasher 45
1.6 Holding oven 45
1.7 Transportation equipment 46
1.8 Washer and dryer 48
2. Kitchen Furnishings 48
3. Other Essential Catering Gear 49
Chapter 5: Smaller Equipment 53
1. Small Appliances 53
1.1 Food processors 53
1.2 Mixers 54
1.3 Microwave ovens 54
Contents vii
2. Miscellaneous Electric Equipment 55
2.1 Coffeemakers 55
2.2 Electric kettles, heating trays, and crock pots 55
3. Kitchen Equipment 56
3.1 Knives 56
3.2 Cutting boards 56
3.3 Scales, pots and pans, and strainers 57
4. Serving Equipment 58
4.1 Serving ware 58
4.2 China, glassware, and linen 59
4.3 Baskets and other decorative items 59
5. Nonessentials and Other Small Tools and Equipment 60
Chapter 6: Menu Ingredients 63
1. Finding and Dealing with Suppliers 63
1.1 Retail versus wholesale outlets 63
1.2 Establishing relationships with suppliers 64
1.3 Ready-made versus half-ready items 65
1.4 Buying produce 66
1.5 Keeping tabs on prices and quality 66
2. Food Quality 67
3. Subcontractors 68
Chapter 7: Too Many Cooks 71
1. Selecting Your Staff 71
1.1 Part-time or full-time staff 72
1.2 Presentable, hardworking, and reliable 73
1.3 Your relationship with your staff 73
1.4 You make the rules 74
2. Paying Your Staff 75
3. How Many Staff? 77
4. Dress Code 79
viii Start & run a catering business
Chapter 8: Selling the Sizzle 83
1. Selling Your Product and Services 83
1.1 Know your client 83
1.2 Create a photo portfolio to show clients 84
1.3 Business cards and menus 85
1.4 Choose your clients well 86
2. Responding to Requests 87
3. Marketing Your Business 88
3.1 Identify your market 88
3.2 Be sensitive to your client’s needs 92
3.3 Letters of appreciation and testimonials 93
4. Pros and Cons of Advertising in the Yellow Pages 93
5. Client Feedback 94
6. Competition 95
Chapter 9: Pricing 99
1. Deciding How Much to Charge 99
1.1 What does the competition charge? 100
1.2 What are your costs? 100
2. Calculate Your Overhead 101
3. Preparation Time 102
4. Number of Guests 102
5. Perceived Value to the Client 103
6. Receptions and Buffets 103
Chapter 10: Getting the Contract 105
1. Safeguard against Cancellations 105
1.1 Always ask for a deposit 106
1.2 Always confirm the engagement 107
2. Establish a Refund Policy 112
Contents ix
Chapter 11: It Takes More Than a Hot Oven 115
1. Planning and Organizing an Event 115
2. Thinking Ahead 116
3. Checking the Site Beforehand 117
4. The Supply List 119
5. The Work Schedule 120
5.1 Minimize preparation time 120
5.2 Organize your equipment 121
5.3 Coordinate your staff 124
5.4 Other details 124
6. Transportation 125
Chapter 12: Executing the Event — It’s Show Time! 127
1. Arrive Well Ahead of the Guests 127
2. Receptions 128
2.1 Setting up 128
2.2 Unloading 129
2.3 Staff pep talk 130
2.4 Keep everybody busy 131
2.5 Hot and cold foods 131
2.6 Keep small batches circulating 132
2.7 Replenish some items, ration others 133
2.8 Clean as you go 134
2.9 Leftovers 135
3. Self-Service Meals 136
4. Full-Service Meals 137
4.1 Full staff 138
4.2 Kitchen facilities 138
4.3 When to take the plate away 139
5. After the Event 140
x Start & run a catering business
Chapter 13: Diary of a Caterer 143
1. Event 1: A Reception 143
1.1 The beginning phase: Client-caterer contact 143
1.2 The middle phase: Planning and organization 147
1.3 The final phase: Day of the event 151
2. Event 2: A Full-Service Dinner 153
2.1 The beginning phase: Client-caterer contact 153
2.2 The middle phase: Planning and organization 155
2.3 The final phase: Day of the event 159
Chapter 14: The Cookhouse: It’s Not All a Picnic 167
1. Running a Small Catering Kitchen 167
2. Recipes 167
3. Labeling 171
4. Continuing Your Education 172
5. Sharpening 174
6. Kitchen Supplies: Shelf Life 177
7. Waste Reduction 179
7.1 Supplies 180
7.2 Staff 181
7.3 Space 181
8. Cleanliness and Cleanup 181
8.1 Avoid contamination 182
8.2 Staff 183
8.3 Utensils and equipment 183
8.4 Work space 184
9. Health Department Code 185
Chapter 15: The Office: No Picnic at All 189
1. Planning the Office Space 189
2. Basic Equipment for the Office 190
Contents xi
3. Bookkeeping and Other Records 191
3.1 Records 192
3.2 Records of employee hours worked 193
3.3 Events and appointments 193
3.4 Client and event records 193
3.5 Invoicing events 194
3.6 Accounts of events 195
3.7 Notes on past events 195
3.8 Inquiries and requests 195
3.9 Paying your bills 196
4. Monthly Summary 196
5. Payroll 197
6. Annual Summary 197
7. Income Taxes 198
Chapter 16: Legality: As Necessary as Dishwashing 199
1. In the United States 200
2. In Canada 203
Chapter 17: Kitchen Hints for Caterers 205
1. Spices, Herbs, and Flavorings 206
2. Onions 207
3. Breads 208
4. Legumes 208
5. Stocks 209
6. Vegetarian Cooking 211
7. Using Your Freezer 212
8. Blanching 213
9. Browning Meat and Chicken 213
10. Extra Food 214
11. Brand-Name or Store-Brand Products 215
12. Flavoring Foods 215
13. Defrosting 216
14. Safe Eggs 216
15. Wine in Cooking 217
16. Exotic and Rare Ingredients 218
SAMPLES
1 Letter of Agreement 78
2 Cover Letters 89
3 Questionnaire Cover Letter 96
4 Client Questionnaire 97
5 Pricing a Recipe 101
6 Contract and Order Forms 109
7 Event Checklist 123
8 Proposal Letter: Reception 146
9 Reception Menu 149
10 Supply List and Detailed Schedule 150
11 Proposal Letter: Full-Service Dinner 156
12 Preparation Schedule for the Full-Service Dinner 158
13 Order List 160
14 Recipe for the Novice Cook 169
15 Recipe for the Professional Cook 170