Top 7 Qualities of a Good Caterer

Just like many careers, catering often takes a combination of hard work, carefully honed skills, and extensive training in order to succeed despite heavy competition. While there’s much in common with chef’s job, caterers happen to face more additional challenges. Most of the time, caterers have to handle additional business related tasks such as marketing, customer relations, and accounting aside from ensuring the food’s quality.

Since the competition is getting a lot heavier as time passes by, finding certain ways to stand out among the rest is extremely challenging, not to mention you should integrate inspired culinary vision to sound business savvy. But if you are able to go through these challenges, a successful career ahead of you is certainly crystal clear and completely attainable.

But the question is: what are the things that make a good caterer? Below, we have listed some of the many things that good caterers possess:

1. Quality Cooking

At its extremely basic level, catering revolves around food. No matter how carefully you have arranged the settings in the place or how the venue have been beautifully decorated, clients will certainly not return if the food you serve is awful. In addition to that, a good caterer must have enough cooking experience in order to make plan menus, recipe substitutions, as well as prepare, transport and reheat large amounts of food in a safe and timely manner.

2. Safety of Food

A good caterer, including their workers, must comply and be completely aware of the most up to date laws for food safety in their particular state. The FDA organization is in charge of the regulations for food safety throughout the nation, and you can find your state agency on FoodSafety.gov. Further training and seminar in the catering field is offered in many local colleges and culinary institutes.

3. Customer Service

Catering service providers work with customers to come up with a unique setup of menu. Being tactful, diplomatic and courteous is very important, since you might need to persuade a customer to change a dish or substitute and ingredient. Good client relationship as well as communication skills are also important in building up repertoire with your client, enabling you to have a successful and profitable catering even. A satisfied client is certainly the best word of mouth and recommendation you can ever have, remains as one of the most effective yet free advertising out there.

4. Creativity and Flexibility

Sometimes, recipes may have to be adjusted or replaced in order to manage food allergies. In addition to that, certain cooking methods may also have to be altered in order to meet the dietary requirements of religions or even personal preferences. An adaptable and imaginative person will certainly be able to succeed in these situations as well as instill their clients’ confidence in the process.

5. Leadership

A good caterer has to effectively manage a staff of servers, cooks, dishwashers and cleaners, while making sure that their team is completely aware of their schedules, serving customs, food safety regulations as well as place setting. It is also important that a good caterer knows how to give advices and directions to customers, which can help them run a successful event.

6. Motivation

Caterers must also be proactive and enthusiastic in order to promote themselves as well as succeed in business. During peak seasons, a caterer might need to work long hours or seven days a week that usually demands stamina. In addition to that, it is important for a caterer to motivate his or her employee, while staying motivated and positive as well, in times when business is slow or unproductive. A good caterer must also make sure that he or she is motivated enough in finding the right solutions to every issue that is affecting to his or her business.

7. Business Management

In general, a catering service is more than just cooking and it has to be a very profitable and successful business in the food industry. In order to be successful, a good caterer should know basic and complex administrative or business management tasks such as dealing with accounting, pricing services, managing employees, taxes, organizing budgets and schedules as well as ordering food.

8. Financial planning

Lastly, fluctuating work is also a big part of the job. The usually busy periods like holidays and weekdays should be balanced with some times of the year when business operation is only trickling in. Therefore, being able to plan carefully all the financial aspects of the business is important to every caterer.

Why You Should Hire a Professional Catering Service for Your Home Party

Oftentimes, one of the most challenging factors of hosting a party or welcoming a group of guests at home is giving them best foods. It is because it can be one of the multi-faceted tasks that can involve making sure you are able to cater the preferences and needs of all your guests. In addition to that, you must also make sure that the foods you offer to your guests are special to make your party even more memorable. It is certainly true that it can be quite challenging and frustrating to come up with a menu that your guests prefer, most especially if you are not an expert when it comes to party food preparation. Fortunately, there are a lot of best catering services out there that can help you make your party more special, fun and exciting since they have enough experience and expertise in offering the best possible party foods in order to make sure that all your guests enjoy their meal.

The safest way to do if you are throwing a party at home but you don’t know how to cook party foods is to hire a professional catering service. When you are looking to hire an expert caterer for your party, it’s important that you choose the one with many years of experience. After all, most professional caterers are more than just people that supply you with beverages and food. Professional catering services prepare your food in such a way that will be beneficial to the requirements and needs of their clients.

One thing that can usually make or break any occasion whether it is a wedding, corporate event, charity event, or even a simple party at home is the catering services provided. Therefore, it is very important that you ensure that the catering service you choose to hire offers high quality and professional service. You should also make sure that their team of caterers is highly trained, skilled, and trusted so you stay worry free knowing that your party is in good hands. In this article, we have gathered some of the benefits of hiring a professional catering service for your party at home.

1. Professional Service

Generally, professional catering services have expert team of caterers who are highly skilled and experienced when it comes to handling catering for any occasion. Therefore, you will never have to worry about the food you serve to the guests when you choose to hire a professional catering service since they know exactly how the food must be presented and they also know how they can get the interest of the guests through elegant plating and food presentations.

2. Expertise and Experience

Professional catering services can also give you a wide array of meal suggestions for your party. The experience and expertise of professional catering service providers are a great help to your party because they know what certain meal can be offered to your guests depending on the type of guests you have. For example, if most of your guests are your business partners, clients, boss, or even colleagues, professional caterers can suggest you meals that can represent a high sense of class and professionalism.

3. Impression

Professional catering service providers prepare the meal in such a way that anyone who eats it would be impressed. Most people think that a catering service is something that they shouldn’t be totally concerned about; however, it is actually supposed to be a top priority since the food serve as the most important factor in your party.

You should make sure that your party will have starters that are mouth-watering, finger-licking major meals, as well as delicious desserts that can certainly be enjoyed by your visitors. However, these foods are not easily attainable without the help of professionals, which is why hiring a professional catering service is important if you want to leave an impression to your guests.

4. Time saving

Cooking is really a challenging task if you are hosting a party at home. If you are planning to invite many guests, hiring a professional catering service is the most ideal thing to do as it can help you save time. Since catering service providers are already experts in their own field, they already know the things that they should do as well as the output you want to have under minimal supervision. This means you will have more time that you can use in other aspects of your party. With a professional catering service, you will not be pressed for time knowing that experienced individuals are taking good care of the menu for your party.