How do you start a catering business?

Question

I live in a small town in OK and love to cook. I have a young child at home and 3 in school, so I need to have a flexible schedule. What tools and supplies are "must haves?"

Answer 1

Good luck.

Answer 2

The best way to start is to have a party at your home and cook all your specialties. Or what you can. And let everyone taste and see how good a cook your are. Then pass out your business cards and tell everyone you are starting a catering business, please help. Let them know what you are able to do and what you can handle. Most people like to taste the food before they make an order. You Will also need good helpers or staff, friends or relatives, who can help you but will work dirt cheap until you have established yourself. Great dishes and a pots are a plus. Get some good platters, be creative with your decorations and have fun.

Answer 3

Michale : what you need is an business slogan that has
a nice title to it Like "24 hour catering services" must advertise
in the news paper called announcements section see professionals has a business licesence because knowing
this print out some Business cards saying all types of parties
birthdays. Weddings, Varmistas, have an phone number printed
on it so customers will call!

Answer 4

Quite the challenge, I commend you for your ambition. I have read all the comments and pretty much has already been said. Set your target clientele and know what they are looking for. Ask alot of questions and have something that will be unique about your business that sets you apart from your competition. In Canada, if you are on Unemployment benefits, there is a program called Self Employment Assistance for helping people to get started in their own business. you have to be on UI or they can do a reach back if you were on UI in the last three years I believe, don't quote me on that one, you should qualify. In the States, I am not sure how it works , but if you call your human resources office, I'm sure they would be able to help. The Moto here is on your own (self employed) but you do not have to go it alone. There is help. Good luck, so much involved, hard work but you can do it.

Answer 5

It's probably a good idea to actually work in someone else's business for a while first, to see how it goes. But you could certainly cater parties for friends. Once you start doing it commercially, you not only need to worry about supplies but about permits and health codes. My friend's aunt did this, and she had to have a separate oven from her family oven, special counter space and all kinds of other health dept. requirements. You'd also need insurance if you're running that kind of business. There's a LOT to consider.

Answer 6

As you live in small town and also with young kid, i suggest you try to pick orders from working employees to provide lunch for them.
it saves much time to serve them, as you are going to pack the food and either deliver or ask their person to pick it up. this way you get more time to take care of your children.
coming to the tools and supplies: i think a gas stove and regular house hold utensils should be fine to start with.once you feel that business is getting improved you can go for other equipments.

you also need money for your working capital.

more over you will have core advantage of collecting the money in advance and spending the same for day to day activities

Answer 7

Test market your products to judge where you should be selling and what.

Then once you have a clear idea of your menu, and potential market size figure out your price points and seek capital to finance your kitchen and delivery costs.

Then get a sanitation and food processing license and set up you company on paper.

Buya kitchen and tools, set up for utilities and any other contracts.

Eventually you will have to hire staff and buy supplies .

Then you start cooking and selling to you customers. Meanwhile be canvasing the ara for more customers.

Every quarter send in your taxes to the federal goverment and FUTA.

Answer 8

Go talk to the Health Inspector.
You won't do anything without his blessing.
He will give you a list of all the stuff and the kind of building you must have to work.
It is downright depressing.

If I were you, I would do what Paula Deen did.
(She is the cook on the Food Channel.) She became the "BAG LADY" when her boys were young. She made delicious lunches and salads and desserts and then sent her boys out to sell them (on a route, I am sure) That is how she supported her family. Now she has at least one restaurant and a TV show!

Answer 9

First of all you must decide what foods you wish to Cater. That will depend upon the area that you live in to a great extent. Do a study of local Restaurants and try to think of something, tasty and out of the ordinary hum drum. Then you must go through all the beaurocratic mumbo jumbo to get a license and A food handlers permit.

Then equip your Kitchen and secure sll the necessary items that you will need to deliver the food.

Having done all of that: Hood fortune to you.

Answer 10

See if any of your kids friends are going to have a birthday or something and start there. If you get a good word out by parents then they will get you to do other things around town for them. Before you know your going to be the it girl. Thats the way i was with my boyfriends brother. I got him to do my little cousins birthdays and there parents loved how he did it. So now hes like doing everyone's parties. Kids, teenagers, adults, older people, everyone. So if you want to go that way!!!Whoo way to go. I hope this helped =D ... you can IM me and we can talk if you want to know more. Look at my profile on here.

Answer 11

Oh, the list is so long! Good pots and pans of all sizes, chafing dishes/warmers, serving spoons, whisks, the phone number of a party rental place for your plates, silverware, tables, chairs, and glasses. Ladles, a phone number for a place to get the linens, a large coffeepot/urn, big metal buckets to ice down drinks. A good rapport with your store so you might be able to get things at a discount.

And don't forget your licenses, permits, and insurance...and most of all...LINE UP YOUR HELP!