Here are some steps you can follow to get you started with your own home based catering business.
1. Enroll in a cooking school
Attend culinary school and learn more than you know now. If you are a natural cook, you’ll be amazed with the useful training you will receive in such schools. It will enhance your cooking talent, develop your cooking skills and make you a better well rounded kitchen expert. Familiarize yourself with several cuisines, appetizers, main dishes, desserts as well as food presentation and kitchen management.
2. Practice cooking several dishes
Get hand on experience. Work for a hotel or a catering company. Do several volunteer cooking works for schools, for social events, parties, and special occasions like birthdays. Get practical experience and hone your skills.
3. Set your catering business
- Prepare your recipe catalog: Begin by developing a workable recipe catalog. Start with 3 menus you are familiar with and good at. Identify appropriate appetizers, main dishes, and desserts that are consistent for each of your menu. Develop sample menus for clients.
- Write down a business plan: Decide how you want to operate your catering business. Will you do customized catering services? Will you work fulltime? How will you service your clients from your own kitchen at home?
- Financing: Determine how you will bankroll your catering venture. The beauty about home based catering is you significantly cut down on several expenses like rent and staffing. If it takes $100,000 to start a professional kitchen, a home based catering business may cost you under $3000.
- Choosing a business name: Find and register a business name that you like and that describes the type of food catering business you do. Find a name you will like today and remain to like 10 years later.
- Business license: Visit the Department of Health and verify what is needed to start your venture. Fill out the necessary paper work and get licensed.
4. Start your catering business
- Investing on equipment: Identify what other kitchen equipment do you need to invest in to do your dishes. Search the web for suppliers and purchase equipment with multiple usage. By the way find equipment that will fit your present kitchen space.
- Food suppliers: Find the freshest of food available. Find food suppliers who can cut deals with you even if you are an in home based business. Make friends with them and value their business with you.
- Estimate, pricing and payment: Develop projected estimates which include possible food price fluctuations to show your clients. This way it will be easier to justify your pricing. Request to settle at least 30% as partial payment or make an initial deposit and schedule another date for final payment.
- Kitchen management: Depending on the volume of food, schedule ahead of time what needs to be prepared and cooked for the catering event. Consider food spoilage, food freezing, food transportation time, and quantity preparations in your kitchen management plans.
5. Market your business
Begin by contacting charity events and business. Offer corporate catering discounts. Be flexible to the type of event that is available for your business whether it be for cocktail, buffet or formal dinner.
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Your plan for starting a catering business also applies to all businesses.
The apprenticeship phase will also ensure that you have made the right choice.
Putting it all together in a plan is so very very essential, if you are to succeed, never neglect this aspect of starting a business.
Comment by Steve Coleman — August 7, 2008 @ 8:54 pm