Based on an interview with local caterers (a 2 person operation)
We don’t have any “canned” or “starter” menus. Meal selection is tailored for each event. This is because each event is different and has its own meal requirements. A party catering Sydney for Kids brings to life the magic of your child’s special day through fun-themed party food.
Most of the food is prepared ahead of time. Exceptions would be if the food item has to be really fresh or if they are catering an outdoor event that is more like a giant camp-out (we then cook out of our completely furnished trailer).
The minimum number of guests is 2 and the maximum would be around 1000.
The client normally takes care of the event setup – tables, chairs, and so on. If not, we work with local company that rents such items.
Most of the food products are ordered through large vendors; however in the summertime, we try to use as much locally grown food as possible.
Our vendors need at least 7 days notice for food products, sometimes longer for specialty items.
Tastings (by the client) can done ahead of the event by cooking maybe one or two of the menu selections for them.
Food is transported in a 30 foot long trailer that has its own kitchen including range, refrigerator, freezer. Warmers, heaters, and refrigerators are used to keep food either hot or cold. After arrival at the site, food is maintained at the proper temperature using chafing dishes or ice chests.
Any left-over food is given to the client in sealed containers.
If liquor is to be served at an event, we work with a local bar who brings the alcohol and the servers to the event.
Most clients have an idea of what they want but sometimes it’s necessary to “guide” a client. Nearly all have a set food budget which we use to determine what type of meals will be prepared.
Clients are asked to place a deposit down when the contract is signed. 30 days prior to the event, client must pay ½ of the price. About 10 days before the event, a final count of the number of guests is provided by the client. If there are fewer guests than this count, client is still charged for the agreed-to number of people.
We ask clients about any special food needs – allergies, vegan, religious. It depends on how many of these there are as to what our response will be – if a lot of people have the quirkie needs, then the menu could get changed to reflect that; if only one or two people have special food requirements, then these will be noted and they will receive meals different from the rest.
We use stoneware, glasses, and real silverware for nearly all events; if an event is more casual, we will use Bamboo-based products. If the meal portion of the event is over and there are still gets around sipping beverages, we will switch out plastic glasses and cups for the real glasses so we can leave (we don’t wan to be there till all the guests leave; we do have a life).
We clean up our own food trash at an event, but any other garbage is handled by the client. We place the food trash in our trailer and bring it back to our home base for disposal there.
Staffing is flexible depending on the size of the event. Staffers are notified a couple of months in advance if they will be needed. It usually takes one server per 20 guests.
We tried advertising in the local newspaper but that wasn’t effective. We don’t have brochures or flyers; at the present time, we not taking pics of the events but plan on doing so. Our vehicles and staff outfits do not yet have a company logo on them. We have a web site but it needs to be updated. The best advertising so far has been word of mouth.
The only time a catering job is turned down is if there is not enough lead-time to do a good job or because of an experience that did not turn out well when working with a prior client.
Tips:
– expect to do heavy lifting; food products come in bulk from vendors, prepared food has to be loaded up for transit to the event site and then unloaded there.
– anticipate working long hours, especially on weekends which is when most events happen; it’s not unusual to work 14-18 hours each weekend day
– you need to possess really good listening skills to make sure you and the client are not only singing the same song but also the same verse
– If you have a partner, you both need to have the same vision for the business; if one wants it to grow in new directions but the other is happy with the way it is, then you have a fundamental business problem; it’s much better to sit down with your potential partner BEFORE forming the business to talk about how each of you sees the business 5 or 10 years down the road.
– figure on having at least 1 year’s income set aside before starting the business (or count on a working spouse).
– for a two-person operation, you can easily spend $150k getting set up with equipment, vehicles, trailer, and a location; we started out initially leasing a place that had a commercial kitchen, so that helped save money in the beginning
– whenever possible, buy good used equipment – new equipment is just so expensive
– be careful how you spend money for advertising; newspaper ads are tempting but not necessarily effective; the same goes for local radio and TV
– be prepared to deal with clients who don’t know what they want or seem to frequently change their minds; at some point, you have to get them to commit. If this seems to be a problem for them, then they may better off working with a different catering service.
Ecommerce and database specialist in the janitorial, food service, office supply, and catering industries.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Eric_Kampel/111892
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