# What is your concept in building your own catering service?



## rockbottom (Feb 9, 2009)

just wanna ask, what is the concept of your catering service? also, do you have strength/s and weakness/es of your catering service? Thank you.,:chef:


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Hi rockbottom, interesting question.....are you doing a project on various catering options?


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## rockbottom (Feb 9, 2009)

hi ms. shroomgirl, yes i am. :chef:


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Serve Quality with pride, Customer comes first, charge a lot, give a lot, The rest follows.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Catering is taking your show on the road. I have catered on the beachs of Hawaii, to Desert of Washington State. I never let the customer do the menu, they always screw it up. I just find out their likes and dislikes and take off from there, That would be for a Wedding, and I hate Weddings. I charge a lot and give twice what they asked for. I always like something carved, Baron, Prime Rib, whatever. I like a choice of 3 entrees and starch and vegetable that would go nice with all of them. when you take your show on the road, you better know what your doing. Dont leave anything to chance. If it could go wrong, it will. The party isn't a place to try something new. The catering is the hardest part of foodservice that you will ever do. The catering is planning, planning, planning, Hard work, Hard work, Hard work. When it is over it will be the most fun and the biggest Adrenaline rush........Bill


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

As a small offsite caterer who does events from 600 down to small events....
using a lot of local food. Most events are considered tablecoth events.
check out my website for more info.

Strengths: being able to cook a lot of different cuisines, rifting with what's available, having farm sources that supply me with top quality products many I've asked them to grow......having the ability to do a mydrid of things:
manage/direct a food stage
food styling
talking to chefs in their language, ie having an understanding of what it takes to create food.
teaching
writing
creating events
designing and creating farmers markets
being able to create menus that reflect:budget, guest preference, space, season etc



Weaknesses: being small means I do everything, or hire someone to do things.

Sometimes weaknesses have been turned into strengths. gotta get to the winter farmers market as they open in 45 minutes and there are very little greens this time of year, supply vs demand....if you don't get them within the first 15 minutes you don't get them until the next market, two weeks later


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## bbally (Jan 2, 2005)

Pick the level of service you offer and be the best at it.

Know you can not be best at all things catering, so figure out what you do and do it correctly on every execution!

Always over deliver.

Have a great qualification questionaire to be sure the potential client fits your business plan. (sometimes the most important client is the one you send to the competition cause they will never be happy)

Know your costs, know your overhead, know your profit margin, don't compromise on any of them.

Understand marketing, and that the best marketing is the way you look and the way you taste..... which means you need to support the non-profits that offer tastings, and have Boards of Directors that can steer business your way.

Purchase all the equipment to expand at auction.... Capital equipment liquidation from people whom wrote a bad business plan offer your greatest chance to increase return on investment!


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