# Would you share your story for the first time when you start your catering business ?



## TexanChef (Jan 18, 2018)

Last night, the owner of my restaurant asked(well, more like in between ordering and demanding) creating for "catering business development plan". I have been working in the restaurant since 1997 but unfortunately I never had a chance to open up catering business in my career. 
I would love to hear anyone's story how they started and what I would face in the reality.
Thank you.

Great respects to all the colleagues!


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Click on advanced search and plug in professional catering and year 2010 and start sifting forward.
Some really great posts from members who have for the most part moved on (some RIP).
May take awhile but IMO those threads were tons of fun to participate in.
OBTW welcome to CT.

mimi


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## jimyra (Jun 23, 2015)

Ask your boss to purchase a book such as this for you; .


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## TexanChef (Jan 18, 2018)

flipflopgirl said:


> Click on advanced search and plug in professional catering and year 2010 and start sifting forward.
> Some really great posts from members who have for the most part moved on (some RIP).
> May take awhile but IMO those threads were tons of fun to participate in.
> OBTW welcome to CT.
> ...


Thank you ! I am very glad to find this site.


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## TexanChef (Jan 18, 2018)

jimyra said:


> Ask your boss to purchase a book such as this for you; .


Thank you.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

Hey Tex, Welcome to Cheftalk! Catering is a different beast. Knowledge of cooking food either on or off site puts a different spin on cooking. There has to be a lot of trust in everyone associated with the planning, cooking and serving of the party. The sales person needs to work well with the Chef in order to make sure all food could be cooked and served properly. Being good at Logistics is a big part of a successful function. Organization is also a key factor in running a good operation. In my early years of catering I saw things happen that I was real happy I wasn't part of. Catering is a hurry up and wait! hurry!!! wait!!! not yet!!! the bride is an hour late!! It's starting to rain, the kitchen is on fire. The Hotel alarm just went off and the fire Chief wants to talk with you in the lobby " Ok that one really happened during my demo wok cooking in the banquet hall" I think you get where I'm going with this.
Back in my early years I worked for a catering company in Hawaii. Talk about Logistics, some of these catering's were all over the map. I learned how important organization, planning and training is for my success in this business. I had to work on a Sunset Cruise catering one night because someone screwed it up earlier that week. I was pissed because everyone else was working Governor Ariyoshis Ball at the Capital. Everyone left for the function and I was left doing the cruise. I was packing up my food ready to leave when the phone rang. This is how it went. Spencecliff catering this is Bill....Someone on the other end in a real quiet voice said Bill, check the catering oven for me. I looked in the oven and saw eight whole lobsters sitting in a pan in the oven. I came back and told the Chef what I saw. Needless to say it wasn't the best day he ever had in this business.The eight lobsters were for the head table for the Governor and his guests. I hung up the phone and said to myself "Thank God I wasn't involved in that mess" ........This is one of a few I saw over the years. This was a big lesson to me even though I wasn't involved.
My boss who was a real proud Japanese man was pretty good at crossing the T's and dotting the i's in this business. We were doing a few large functions in Mansions for the Bankers convention on the island. This was a big deal and a lot of Logistics involved. I had my function starting later than my bosses function started. His party was on my route, so I stopped over to see how things were going. I pulled up my van and asked him how things were. He answered, the guys I brought with me to be Valet drivers don't have a drivers license and don't know how to drive. I could have given him a hard time about checking these things out in advance. It wasn't the best time to bring this up, I just speed off to my catering......I hope these catering mishaps give you an understanding on how important it is to plan, check, recheck and train good people that you can count on. Keep asking questions on some of your concerns. There are so many things to learn before you'll feel comfortable in catering.....Good Luck........ChefBillyB


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## TexanChef (Jan 18, 2018)

chefbillyb said:


> Hey Tex, Welcome to Cheftalk! Catering is a different beast. Knowledge of cooking food either on or off site puts a different spin on cooking. There has to be a lot of trust in everyone associated with the planning, cooking and serving of the party. The sales person needs to work well with the Chef in order to make sure all food could be cooked and served properly. Being good at Logistics is a big part of a successful function. Organization is also a key factor in running a good operation. In my early years of catering I saw things happen that I was real happy I wasn't part of. Catering is a hurry up and wait! hurry!!! wait!!! not yet!!! the bride is an hour late!! It's starting to rain, the kitchen is on fire. The Hotel alarm just went off and the fire Chief wants to talk with you in the lobby " Ok that one really happened during my demo wok cooking in the banquet hall" I think you get where I'm going with this.
> Back in my early years I worked for a catering company in Hawaii. Talk about Logistics, some of these catering's were all over the map. I learned how important organization, planning and training is for my success in this business. I had to work on a Sunset Cruise catering one night because someone screwed it up earlier that week. I was pissed because everyone else was working Governor Ariyoshis Ball at the Capital. Everyone left for the function and I was left doing the cruise. I was packing up my food ready to leave when the phone rang. This is how it went. Spencecliff catering this is Bill....Someone on the other ending in real quiet voice said Bill, check the catering oven for me. I looked in the oven and saw eight whole lobsters sitting in a pan in the oven. I came back and told the Chef what I saw. Needless to say it wasn't the best day he ever had in this business.The eight lobsters were for the head table for the Governor and his guests. I hung up the phone and said to myself "Thank God I wasn't involved in that mess" ........This is one of a few I saw over the years. This was a big lesson to me even though I wasn't involved.
> My boss who was a real proud Japanese man was pretty good at crossing the T's and dotting the i's in this business. We were doing a few large functions in Mansions for q Bankers convention on the island. This was a big deal and a lot of Logistics involved. I had my function starting later than my bosses function started. His party was on my route, so I stopped over to see how things were going. I pulled up the van and asked him how things were. He answered, the guys I brought with me to be Valet drivers don't have a drivers license and don't know how to drive. I could have given him a hard time about checking these things out in advance. It wasn't the best time to bring this up, I just speed off to my catering......I hope these catering mishaps give you an understanding on how important it is to plan, check, recheck and train good people that you can count on. Keep asking questions on some of your concerns. There are so many things to learn before you'll feel comfortable in catering.....Good Luck........ChefBillyB


Wow, I didn't think of having the reply like this at all ! I would like to tip my toque to you and truly appreciate sharing your story. Thank you chef Billy.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

TexanChef said:


> Wow, I didn't think of having the reply like this at all ! I would like to tip my toque to you and truly appreciate sharing your story. Thank you chef Billy.


Tex, think of some questions that may apply to your specific needs for the kind of catering you plan on doing. The way it sounds you already have a full kitchen. Now you need to start from there. I didn't even get into how I started my catering business. That may be book three of the trilogy.....


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