Starting and Running Catering Busin by C. Godsmark

Acknowledgements     x
Preface     xiii
Running Your Own Catering Business     1
Why run a catering business?     1
Skills you need     2
Types of catering     3
What next?     7
Working out your strengths     7
Getting Into the Catering Business     10
Starting your business from scratch     11
Making your business unique     13
Being a sole/joint partner     13
Partnerships     14
Forming a company     15
Buying an existing business     16
Becoming a partner in an existing business     19
Working for a catering company to learn the ropes     20
Which route to take?     20
Finding and Equipping Your Business Premises     21
Registering food premises     22
Moveable/temporary food premises     23
Working from or at home     24
Renting or buying dedicated catering premises     24
Renting or buying an established catering company     27
Scrutinising the property     29
Ventilation requirements     29
Hygiene     30
The kitchen     34
Kitchen equipment     36
Cooking equipment     39
Hiring equipment     42
Storage and refrigeration     45
Transporting your food     47
Health and Safety     49
Fridge storage and temperature control     50
Food poisoning     51
Hygiene standards     54
Environmental health requirements     56
Safety in the kitchen     59
Transporting food     60
Further information and useful contacts     61
Business Finances     63
Your business plan     64
Estimating your start-up costs     65
Estimating your business finance     66
Your assets and liabilities     67
Dealing with seasonal peaks and troughs     68
Calculating menu costings     69
Raising capital     72
Dealing with banks     72
Business partnership     73
Capital expenditure     73
Next steps in finding funding     74
Bookkeeping and accountancy     76
VAT     78
Payroll     80
Insurance     80
Credit/debit cards      82
Top legal tips     83
Avoiding debt     84
Professional advice     84
Useful contacts     85
Marketing Your Business     88
Making marketing a priority     88
Identifying your target market     89
Choosing a name     90
Your signage     91
Promotional material     92
Advertising     95
Your media profile     98
Other ways to publicise your business     101
Cookery classes     101
Adult education classes     103
One-to-one cookery classes     104
Masterclasses     104
Charity functions     105
Personal chef     106
Writing a column or a cookbook     106
Farmers' markets and food festivals     108
Looking After Your Customers     109
What will your catering company offer?     110
Pricing your catering services     110
Meeting the client     112
The right kind of clients for your business     115
Sample letter and proposal     116
Invoices     125
Post-event summary     127
Food and Drink     128
Working out what you can do     129
Compiling a menu     130
Sample menus     131
Different diets     133
Your clients' equipment     133
Dinner parties     134
Keeping up to date     135
Sourcing your ingredients     136
The sandwich and salad trade     136
Clients with unsuitable menu requests     138
Recipes     139
Instructing kitchen staff     140
Guide to food quantities     142
Guide to tables, seating and dance floor space     148
Special diets     149
Drinks     151
Wine     151
Water, coffee and tea     158
Designing Menus     159
Creating a menu     160
Menu planning and dish creation     162
Create contented customers     164
Good food communication between kitchen and waiting staff     165
Menu writing     166
Food Suppliers     168
Finding suppliers     169
Tips for buying     170
Sourcing your ingredients     170
Quality and provenance of produce      175
Useful contacts for sourcing produce     176
Specialist Suppliers     180
Dealing with specialists     181
Marquee hire companies     182
Equipment hire     185
Tips for dealing with specialist suppliers     186
Staffing for Your Catering Business     187
The importance of service     188
Waiting and kitchen staff     189
Finding staff     189
Motivating your staff     193
The staff interview     194
Other employment tips     198
Overtime     201
Employers' responsibilities     202
Kitchen hierarchy     207
A kitchen career     209
Kitchen and waiting staff working together     210
Staff behaviour     211
Service     213
Staff rotas     214
Cleaning     215
Briefing waiting staff     216
Keeping Your Business on Track     218
Keeping your customers     219
Effective time scheduling     219
Solving business problems     220
Reducing risk     222
Long-term success for your catering business      224
It's Show Time! Running an Event     225
Dealing with crises     225
Planning ahead     227
Example dinner party     228
Managing an event     230
After the event     232
Being a caterer     233
Helpful hints from experienced caterers     235
Glossary     238
Useful contacts     240
Bibliography     242
Index     244