Catering represents a fantastic opportunity to enterprising individuals who have a love of cuisine and entertaining to start their own small business.
In the following article we outline 10 areas for consideration before you take the plunge and proceed to start offering your services as a caterer.
1) Initial Preparation - Find out as much as you can about the catering business and how to run a successful catering operation. Try to also learn about small business administration and marketing. Completing a course on business related subjects is one excellent way to ensure that you are ready. Study the industry in your town or city. Try to learn more about what the established players are doing, the size of the market and which types of events you should be targeting. Talk to people who have hired caterers in the past to try and get a better understanding of your target market.
2) Revelant Experience - If you have never had working experience in the food and beverage industries then you should aim to find a job for a short period of time to learn more about the work that you will be doing as a caterer.
3) Health Authority Regulations and Paperwork - As a caterer you will have to comply with the regulations set out by local health authorities. Make sure that you are aware of them and give thought to how you will comply with them.
4) Food Preparation - Having access to a large kitchen is essential if you are serious about being a caterer. Is your home kitchen really sufficient or will you need to lease a commercial kitchen or work out an agreement with the restaurant owner?
5) Meet with suitable insurance companies to get an idea of the insurance policies that a catering company should have to provide cover in case of property damage or liability.
6) Design Menus and Source Supplies - Begin to put together menus that you can offer to clients. Have a look at what other caterers are offering to get ideas about what is in demand.
7) Practice makes Perfect - Why not have a trial run before you set up your catering company to get an idea of what it takes to cater a function for a large number of people. One way to do this is to hold a dinner party for a large number of friends or colleagues and ask them for their opinions on your service.
8) Building a Brand - Start thinking about a suitable name for your new venture and think about the reputation that you want to develop in the market. How can you differentiate your company from the competition? What about your company philosophy?
9) Start Up Financing - It is extremely useful if you understand exactly how much you will require in the way of start up funding so you should carefully list down all of your anticipated start up expenses.
10) The last step in the planning phase of your catering business will be to prepare a solid business plan. Even if you don't need to prove your idea to partners or bankers, a plan is still a great way to get all your thoughts and research down on paper in one central document.
Get your catering business off to the best possible start by following the above ten steps before you start offering your services to prospects. - 32406
In the following article we outline 10 areas for consideration before you take the plunge and proceed to start offering your services as a caterer.
1) Initial Preparation - Find out as much as you can about the catering business and how to run a successful catering operation. Try to also learn about small business administration and marketing. Completing a course on business related subjects is one excellent way to ensure that you are ready. Study the industry in your town or city. Try to learn more about what the established players are doing, the size of the market and which types of events you should be targeting. Talk to people who have hired caterers in the past to try and get a better understanding of your target market.
2) Revelant Experience - If you have never had working experience in the food and beverage industries then you should aim to find a job for a short period of time to learn more about the work that you will be doing as a caterer.
3) Health Authority Regulations and Paperwork - As a caterer you will have to comply with the regulations set out by local health authorities. Make sure that you are aware of them and give thought to how you will comply with them.
4) Food Preparation - Having access to a large kitchen is essential if you are serious about being a caterer. Is your home kitchen really sufficient or will you need to lease a commercial kitchen or work out an agreement with the restaurant owner?
5) Meet with suitable insurance companies to get an idea of the insurance policies that a catering company should have to provide cover in case of property damage or liability.
6) Design Menus and Source Supplies - Begin to put together menus that you can offer to clients. Have a look at what other caterers are offering to get ideas about what is in demand.
7) Practice makes Perfect - Why not have a trial run before you set up your catering company to get an idea of what it takes to cater a function for a large number of people. One way to do this is to hold a dinner party for a large number of friends or colleagues and ask them for their opinions on your service.
8) Building a Brand - Start thinking about a suitable name for your new venture and think about the reputation that you want to develop in the market. How can you differentiate your company from the competition? What about your company philosophy?
9) Start Up Financing - It is extremely useful if you understand exactly how much you will require in the way of start up funding so you should carefully list down all of your anticipated start up expenses.
10) The last step in the planning phase of your catering business will be to prepare a solid business plan. Even if you don't need to prove your idea to partners or bankers, a plan is still a great way to get all your thoughts and research down on paper in one central document.
Get your catering business off to the best possible start by following the above ten steps before you start offering your services to prospects. - 32406
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