subject: Is A Catering Business In Your Professional Future? [print this page] Even before the job market became as volatile as it is today, many dreamed of self employment, of being their own bosses. Today, many are doing just that by necessity if not by choice. With so many jobs lost and others insecure, it's little wonder why so many are looking for new opportunities and ways of supporting themselves and their families. For those who love to cook and entertain, catering may be just the entrepreneurial opportunity to pursue.
Party catering can begin as a small, home-based business and often does. Many begin their catering businesses on a part-time basis to earn additional income by catering small dinner parties or preparing party trays for business events. Because a successful catering business is built primarily on word-of-mouth recommendations, doing an excellent job on just a few events can snowball into considerable business. Of course, the key here is "excellence." That is excellence in the quality of the food, the superiority of the service, and the elegance of the presentation. It is also listening to the client and a offering a performance that exceeds expectations.
Starting and operating a successful catering business requires more than a gift and love for cooking. It requires a business plan that includes who your market is and how you will sell your services to that market. The plan will include short-term and long-term goals as well as the specific steps needed to be taken to meet them. You will need to research the regulations and laws pertaining to food service in your area and ensure your compliance to avoid future, potentially costly problems.
One of the biggest hurdles for most in starting a catering business is investment capital. Catering business expenses include more than purchasing food. You may already have adequate cooking pots, pans, and bowls, but what about serving pieces? To serve many events, you will need to provide everything from dishware and glassware to stainless steel silverware to insulated thermos servers. When a caterer is hired, elegant and fanciful presentation is expected in addition to delicious chef-quality foods. The quality of the serving pieces and dishware will affect the positive or negative perception of the quality of food offered, making those equally important.
When beginning a catering business or if you're already a successful caterer, it's important to have a solid list of vendors for foods, wines, and catering equipment distributors. You never know when you will get the opportunity to cater that next big event that requires a trusted source to come through for you to make that event one that will put your business on top.
by: Art Gib
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