4 answers
kyra
Student
Roseville, California
1
Question
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How much training or education is required for being a caterer
i dont really know
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4 answers
Lynn Miller
Private and Personal Chef, Food Stylist, Recipe Developer
13
Answers
Cold Spring, New York
Updated
Lynn’s Answer
While Ms. Marotta offers a general description of what a caterer does, it doesn't really reflect the scope of the job or the many alternative ways one can pursue this vocation. Here is a bit more information from someone who has actually done it.
Caterers generally fall into two categories: off-premise or on-premise caterers. Off-premise caterers have all the food prepared in a separate kitchen and transport to to the event location to serve, along with everything else needed by the hosts to stage the event-tables and chairs, dish ware, table linens, decor and flowers, other furniture, tents and dance floors, entertainment, DJs, etc.
On-premise caterers work for a hotel or event space with banquet facilities as catering managers. They work in tandem with the Executive Chef to propose and finalize menus for clients along with managing all the other details that the event entails. They also work with the Food and Beverage manager to determine appropriate beverage service-open or cash bar, wine service, other options etc. Planning also involves determining room size and set up, arranging seating and tables (both in the banquet hall and staging area), reserving all the dish ware, glass ware, cutlery, and service equipment, supervising servers, decorators, musicians, entertainment et al.
Sometimes, caterers are great cooks who may work out of a rental or ghost kitchen and prepare and deliver food with or without set up and service. Another alternative type of caterer is one who works for a specialty food or gourmet store that offers off-premise food service. Some focus their work entirely on weddings, others don't do weddings at all.
So you can see, there are myriad forms that a caterer's vocation can take from very large scale to small, intimate gatherings. What they all have in common is an ability to attract and service the client's needs for any type of gathering. It involves truly listening to the client and understanding clearly what they hope for and expect as well as anticipating and supplying that which the client doesn't even know they expect. It also requires crack financial and operational planning to assure the company makes a profit while also providing the best service to the client and careful planning of staging and delivery to assure organized work flow and "to-the-minute" timing.
Catering also involves building contacts with the suppliers of everything other than food you need-everything from service ware and linens, to wines and other beverages, to florists, decorators, DJs, musicians, Bouncy houses, dance floors, lighting designers, and on and on.
So, which type of caterer you hope to be will determine what educational route you should pursue. If you are more interested in the food service end of catering, you should go to culinary school. While there is a lot you can pick up working in a professional catering kitchen, restaurant or hotel, it will take longer to amass the broad range of culinary skills and styles you must know to do this type of work. Culinary school will provide you the fundamentals in a shorter time frame.
If you're more interested in the management, operational, and client services side of this vocation, you should get a solid education in accounting, finance, and operational management. There are some very good programs with a focus on food service/catering management offered as two- to four-year programs at community colleges.
I recommend getting formal training with certifications rather than the learning on the job . HR managers and hiring agents want to see that educational credential on your resume. Too often AI formulas on hiring platforms reject perfectly qualified applicants because their resumes lack that notation.
One more note about this work, if you are a client facing catering manager, you must be prepared to listen to every client's, bride's and bride's mother's grand imaginings and visualizations of their event complete with hundreds of TikTok and Instagram links and do it with a smile and can-do attitude. Otherwise, hone your culinary skills.
Caterers generally fall into two categories: off-premise or on-premise caterers. Off-premise caterers have all the food prepared in a separate kitchen and transport to to the event location to serve, along with everything else needed by the hosts to stage the event-tables and chairs, dish ware, table linens, decor and flowers, other furniture, tents and dance floors, entertainment, DJs, etc.
On-premise caterers work for a hotel or event space with banquet facilities as catering managers. They work in tandem with the Executive Chef to propose and finalize menus for clients along with managing all the other details that the event entails. They also work with the Food and Beverage manager to determine appropriate beverage service-open or cash bar, wine service, other options etc. Planning also involves determining room size and set up, arranging seating and tables (both in the banquet hall and staging area), reserving all the dish ware, glass ware, cutlery, and service equipment, supervising servers, decorators, musicians, entertainment et al.
Sometimes, caterers are great cooks who may work out of a rental or ghost kitchen and prepare and deliver food with or without set up and service. Another alternative type of caterer is one who works for a specialty food or gourmet store that offers off-premise food service. Some focus their work entirely on weddings, others don't do weddings at all.
So you can see, there are myriad forms that a caterer's vocation can take from very large scale to small, intimate gatherings. What they all have in common is an ability to attract and service the client's needs for any type of gathering. It involves truly listening to the client and understanding clearly what they hope for and expect as well as anticipating and supplying that which the client doesn't even know they expect. It also requires crack financial and operational planning to assure the company makes a profit while also providing the best service to the client and careful planning of staging and delivery to assure organized work flow and "to-the-minute" timing.
Catering also involves building contacts with the suppliers of everything other than food you need-everything from service ware and linens, to wines and other beverages, to florists, decorators, DJs, musicians, Bouncy houses, dance floors, lighting designers, and on and on.
So, which type of caterer you hope to be will determine what educational route you should pursue. If you are more interested in the food service end of catering, you should go to culinary school. While there is a lot you can pick up working in a professional catering kitchen, restaurant or hotel, it will take longer to amass the broad range of culinary skills and styles you must know to do this type of work. Culinary school will provide you the fundamentals in a shorter time frame.
If you're more interested in the management, operational, and client services side of this vocation, you should get a solid education in accounting, finance, and operational management. There are some very good programs with a focus on food service/catering management offered as two- to four-year programs at community colleges.
I recommend getting formal training with certifications rather than the learning on the job . HR managers and hiring agents want to see that educational credential on your resume. Too often AI formulas on hiring platforms reject perfectly qualified applicants because their resumes lack that notation.
One more note about this work, if you are a client facing catering manager, you must be prepared to listen to every client's, bride's and bride's mother's grand imaginings and visualizations of their event complete with hundreds of TikTok and Instagram links and do it with a smile and can-do attitude. Otherwise, hone your culinary skills.
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1879
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Kyra !
Caterers are chefs that own a company. Their company prepares food for weddings, parties, events, conferences, and other large events. Since it is a business, knowledge of and experience in management and food service is required. Caterers hire food preparers and chefs and supervise the activity. They are more like managers but they can originate dishes and cook, too, but they usually have staff that does that. A caterer is experienced in all aspects of business management, cuisine and food safety. It requires many years of experience to gain the expertise to own your own company as well as manage large scale food accommodations. People usually can tell when they are ready to open their own business.
Since catering is a company, the person will usually wait until enough financial means exists to rent or buy a space and open their own place of business. So to have your own catering business is a large financial investment. You also have to do advertising, hiring and let the community know that you are there by networking. You also have to think about getting a food service permit or a catering license and if you also serve alcoholic beverages, a liquor license.
Caterers are expected to have a Food Safety certification and the requirements are different from state to state. This career doesn't require school, rather many years of experience.
I hope that this helped a little. Best wishes to you !
Caterers are chefs that own a company. Their company prepares food for weddings, parties, events, conferences, and other large events. Since it is a business, knowledge of and experience in management and food service is required. Caterers hire food preparers and chefs and supervise the activity. They are more like managers but they can originate dishes and cook, too, but they usually have staff that does that. A caterer is experienced in all aspects of business management, cuisine and food safety. It requires many years of experience to gain the expertise to own your own company as well as manage large scale food accommodations. People usually can tell when they are ready to open their own business.
Since catering is a company, the person will usually wait until enough financial means exists to rent or buy a space and open their own place of business. So to have your own catering business is a large financial investment. You also have to do advertising, hiring and let the community know that you are there by networking. You also have to think about getting a food service permit or a catering license and if you also serve alcoholic beverages, a liquor license.
Caterers are expected to have a Food Safety certification and the requirements are different from state to state. This career doesn't require school, rather many years of experience.
I hope that this helped a little. Best wishes to you !
Jason Fraser
chef
12
Answers
New City, New York
Updated
Jason’s Answer
If you're only thinking about catering, you should start working in a establishment that has both a restaurant and a catering hall. I have been in the catering business for over 30 years and this was the path that got me started. You learn to hustle on the line which helps you develop speed and timing which is crucial for both. catering will teach you mass production and quality control and at the same time how to get large amounts of food ready at the same time . Being a catering cook will broaden your food knowledge because everybody wants something different all the time. You learn different techniques from experienced chefs on how to produce for large amount of people. Being a catering chef also teaches you a lot of math. From weights, break downs, quantities and individual portions from a given amount. One thing for sure is usually you know the end number, so you just have to figure out how to get there with every dish and equipment you have . The working hours can be a little crazy and inconsistent. Events happen at all times of the day and year. In the end I feel catering is a great way to expand your food knowledge and people always celebrate many occasions. I feel catering opens a lot of doors for work opportunities such as Hotels, cruise ships, banquet halls and of course your own business. It also allows you to make a lot of your own ideas to shine when customers are looking for something different other then what's offered on the menu. Pay can be really good too because of all the overtime and tips sometimes. Its hard work but you get a satisfaction out of knowing you can feed so many people at one time and hopefully make them happy.
Jerome Dees Jr.
Sales Professional and Networking Expert
607
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Jerome’s Answer
This is an interesting question. Virtually anyone can start a catering company with little to no experience. All it really takes is a license, insurance and the necessary permits.
If you want to be good/successful, the experience level needed will depend on what you are looking to sell. If you want to do create your own omelette bars, that is something you could learn to do well with a few months of experience, but if you want to prepare high end dishes, you could practice some of those skills for years.
I started my catering company with about 4- 5 years working in a commercial kitchen and some of what we did was still a challenge. Hope that helps some.
If you want to be good/successful, the experience level needed will depend on what you are looking to sell. If you want to do create your own omelette bars, that is something you could learn to do well with a few months of experience, but if you want to prepare high end dishes, you could practice some of those skills for years.
I started my catering company with about 4- 5 years working in a commercial kitchen and some of what we did was still a challenge. Hope that helps some.