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How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business by Denise Vivaldo

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Publisher: Globe Pequot Press
Pub. Date: December 2005
ISBN-13: 9780762738786
Sales Rank: 57,424
264pp
Series: Home-Based Business Series
Edition Number: 5

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Synopsis

Are you passionate about parties? Do you live to cook? Now you can realize your dream of working from home at something you enjoy - A Home-Based Catering Business. Author Denise Vivaldo shares her experiences and advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based catering business, from estimating your start-up costs and finding clients to outfitting your kitchen and staying profitable.

She even offers tips on the latest high-tech help, including CD-ROM recipe books, culinary Web sites, and computer software designed especially for chefs and caterers. Learn all about defining your market niche, selling yourself as a pro, establishing your daily schedule, pricing your services, organizing parties with ease, honing your food presentation skills, avoiding the 10 most common home-based mistakes and much more.

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How to Start a Home-Based Catering Businessby Anonymous

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July 19, 2001: Started reading the book right before my first BIG event and was able to effectively use some of the author's advice right away. This author speaks clearly on the importance of business as well as cooking good food. Does not give alot on serving sizes, but does consider guest audiences. A great book to read if you're seriously considering a Catering start-up business!

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
1	So You Think You Want to Be a Caterer?	1
	Do You Have What It Takes?	2
	Opportunities in Catering	3
	Hotels	3
	Airlines	4
	Private Parties	4
	Local Markets and Stores	4
	Special Events	5
	Does It Pay to Go to Cooking School?	5
	Apprenticeships: Learning by Doing	6
	Learning from the Mistakes of Others	7
	Learning from Your Own Mistakes	7
	Getting Organized	9
	Leaving the Security of a Job	9
	How This Book Is Organized	11
2	Working out of Your Home	13
	Setting Up and Office	16
	Training Family and Friends to Take You Seriously	19
	Employing Family Members	20
	Complying with City Ordinances	21
	Working with Your Local Health Department	23
	Sharing a Kitchen	23
	Renting a Kitchen on a Per-Day Basis	25
	Outfitting Your Kitchen	25
	Smallwares and Utensils	26
	Finding Used Equipment	28
	What to Look for in a Good Knife	28
	Setting Up Your Pantry	29
	Transportation	30
	Establishing Relationships with Wholesale Purveyors	30
	Your Next Step	31
3	Writing a Business Plan	33
	How to Structure Your Business	34
	Writing a Business Plan	36
Step 1	Writing the Summary Statement	37
Step 2	Defining Your Niche	38
Step 3	Drawing Your Organizational Chart	40
Step 4	Describing Company Management and Operation	41
Step 5	Your Marketing Plan	45
Step 6	Creating a Menu	46
Step 7	Crunching the Numbers	46
Step 8	Projections for the Future	49
	Business Books, Software, and Videos	52
4	The Legal Aspects of Your Catering Business	55
	Why You Need a Good Attorney	55
	Insurance: Can't Live with the Premiums, Can't Live with the Risk	56
	Start-Up Coverage	57
	Product Liability Insurance	57
	Public Liability Insurance	57
	Workers' Compensation Insurance	58
	Written Agreements and Contracts	59
	Working with Subcontractors or Suppliers	60
	Employees	60
	Hiring Versus Leasing Employees	68
	Employees Versus Independent Contractors	68
	Labor Practices	68
	Applications/Job Interviews	69
	Job Descriptions/Policy Manuals	70
	Becoming a Great Manager Boolist	74
5	Setting Prices, Estimating Quantities, and Writing Proposals	77
	How to Price Your First Menus	77
	Calculating Your Kitchen Labor	86
	How to Estimate the Right Food Quantities	87
	The Age-Group of the Guests	87
	The Guests' Lifestyle	87
	The Style of the Party	88
	The Time of the Party	88
	The Nature of the Party	88
	Clients' Concern about Running Out of Food	88
	Quoting Other Party Costs	89
	Estimating Wait Staff	89
	Disposables	91
	Floral, Decor, and Subcontractors' Services	92
	The Art of Bidding and Writing a Proposal	92
	How to Stay Profitable When You're Working with a Fixed Price	96
	Closing the Deal	102
	From Computer Software to the Internet: High-Tech Help for Caterers	103
6	Sales and Marketing	107
	Sell, Sell, Sell	108
	Defining Your Niche	109
	Social Catering	109
	Corporate Catering	111
	Community Affairs	112
	Choosing a Name and Logo	112
	Designing Promotional Pieces	114
	Making Your Menus Part of Your Marketing Program	116
	Standing Out from the Crowd	118
	Keeping a Portfolio	119
	Putting Together a Promotional Kit	121
	Drumming Up Business	124
	Getting Referrals and Repeat Business	125
	Advertising	126
	Tracking Your Success	127
	Inexpensive Pamphlets from the Small Business Administration	128
7	Crunching the Numbers	129
	Making Good Use of Your Accountant	130
	Accounting Systems	136
	Buying Computers and Software	138
	Invoicing	139
	The Artist Versus the Businessperson: Why So Many Caterers Fail	140
8	Setting the Stage for a Successful Party	141
	Before the Party	141
	Organizing Your Time and the Party Setup	143
	The Menu and Start-up	145
	Scheduling Staff and Assistants	150
	Arranging Transportation and Packing Out Your Party	152
	Getting Down to the Wire	158
9	Pulling it off With Ease	161
	The Day of the Party	161
	Getting to the Party	164
	Arriving at the Party Site	165
	Winding Down: Why Your Party Has to End on Time	167
	Report Cards from Staff and Clients	167
	How a Staff Report Works	169
	The Day After	172
	Two Days Later	174
	Three Days Later	175
	Two Weeks Later	176
10	Solving Problems	179
	Appendix	191
	Culinary Schooling/Education	191
	Recommended Reading	194
	Trade Shows	198
	Professional Organizations	199
	Suggested Seminars	201
	Index	204
	About the Author	213

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