# Pricing a catering job in NYC



## machigane (11 mo ago)

Hello all. First time poster here.

I'm not a professional chef. I'm just a stay-at-home-dad who enjoys to cook.........and enjoys to eat. 

I've been asked to cater a small luncheon for 11 senior citizens in NYC. I live about 20 miles north in the burbs. 

The woman asking me to do this is the mother of a friend of mine who passed away a few years ago at 40 from brain cancer. Our kids played together a number of times but we were not best friends, but initially just coworkers at the time. 

Here is the menu I proposed as they requested "Italian food":

Spaghetti and meatballs - homemade sauce (12 hours for the chicken stock, 6 hours for the sauce). Making meatballs from scratch as well.
Sauteed broccoli with the meatballs
Scarmoza - smoked mozzarella cheese baked over garlic roasted red peppers and a bed of sauteed spinach
Scalloped Potatoes - bacon, onions, jarlsberg/swiss cheese
Raisin scones - served with whipped cream and raspberry jam

As these are senior citizens I was told 1 meatball each, 2 max. 

When presented with the menu the client said "I think your menu is too veggie...." and wanted me to add "2 or 3 dishes and something with seafood". 

I said I could do Camaron con aho (shrimp with garlic - which isn't Italian I know) in clarified butter and red pepper flakes. She also suggested a salad so I said I could do endive and arugula with a homemade vinaigrette.

She has a long table to allow for all the guests to sit and eat but said the kitchen is small. Reminder this is the upper west side of Manhattan in Harlem. 

At the end of our conversation I said I'd think about a price and she went ahead and said "If it's under $1000 I think that's ok."

I'm feeling like $1000 is way too little and was thinking more along the lines of at least $2000. The travel aspect of it alone is worth $500.

I'd have to hire an assistant to help with logistics (loading/unloading of the food/materials, helping prepare and plate, etc.)

Based on what I read on other threads it would seem the general rule of thumb is to calculate food costs and then choose the profit you desire. 

For some history I made scones when I went to see her son 3 days before he passed. The next weekend I was back after he passed and made crepes so she has a taste of what I can do.

I had one of the guests that day come up and ask me if I was a professional chef which made me chuckle. 

I don't know off the top of my head how much the materials will cost but I'm thinking I should price this event more as "How much do I want to get paid to travel and deal with the hassle of cooking in a small kitchen at someone else's house". I'm sure the client will be calculating by person. So $1000 would be $90 per head. 

She also wants me to provide paper plates and plastic utensils. 

I haven't heard from this lady in over 2 years as an aside. This was an out of the blue text from yesterday morning. 

I get that I don't do this every day (actually I have never done it) but I have thrown large dinner parties and have been able to handle it. But I also don't want to come across as arrogant and charge a ludicrous amount. I would imagine hiring a pro that does do this all the time would be quite a bit more than the highest number in my head. 

Thank you for any suggestions.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

machigane said:


> I would imagine hiring a pro that does do this all the time would be quite a bit more than the highest number in my head.


I believe you are off base with that thought, especially with paper plates etc and no wait staff.



machigane said:


> she went ahead and said "If it's under $1000 I think that's ok."


For a luncheon with that menu, I believe she is being more than reasonable.


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

I'm with Cheflayne on this one. It's only 11 people for a luncheon. $90 per person seems like plenty of money for a luncheon. 
As for the menu-italian with seafood means pasta and shrimp or scallops or fish. 
There are lots of pasta choices beyond spaghetti. More interesting would be Ravioli, bowtie, agnolotti or shells with shrimp or scallops or a seafood lasagna. A simpler romaine salad with parm, olives, pine nuts and peppers or something like that. I'd skip the potatoes and do broccoli rabe with garlic and olive oil. 
Anyway, for eleven people I wouldn't anticipate needing an assistant. 
Of course, you have no need to do this at all. You can simply say you have other commitments and won't be able to do it.


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## dgodinez (Nov 3, 2021)

Hi,

I looked at the menu and did a quick price calculation in my head and 90 a person is way off. I do not mean to offend you but its pasta. I agree a salad or two is needed, maybe 1 Caesar and one green for the guest to choose from and another protein. Just my two cents, if you do charge 90 per person and they client agrees to pay for it, paper plates should not be used. As for an assistant, 11 should be a good number where you do not need help. Plan ahead, make a menu and a check list and start prepping a few days ahead, you should be fine. Please keep us updated on how it went.

DG


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