The Catering Business Explained

Cater
1. To Provide food, service etc., as for a party or wedding: to cater for a banquet
2. To provide or supply what amuses, is desired or gives pleasure, comfort etc.
www.Dictionary.com

As we grow up we all have a vast level of various skills to which we can develop or get help for. Cooking is a skill that I have greatly advanced beyond many others and started a company based upon my skill. Just like those that are amazing electricians or masons, self-employed people sell our master skill in the form of goods and services. There is a DIY gene in all of us, and that is where you see the level of skill often diminish when not done by a professional. Catering I feel is one of the most difficult businesses to succeed in because everyone thinks that they can do it. Often a caterer will be on the phone and when we give the price some people will flip out and give the comment of "well I can do that myself for cheaper". Of course you can do it yourself if you have good cooking knowledge and know how to properly run a function. The reason you hire a caterer is our expertise in the field. So I felt it necessary to take so may people out of the shadows when it comes to what it takes to run a catering business and explain some charges. I assure you that this model is not unlike every business that you may hire to save you time and preform at a high skill level. After all if they can not do a good job why would you give them your money in the first place.

Contacting your Caterer

I started my company to give people an option for better food made from scratch. The recommendation I will give you when contacting a caterer is know exactly what your budget is and what you are looking to do. At Artisanal Palate for example, the first question we ask you is what the budget is and are their any guidelines like allergies etc., that we may have to follow. From that point the caterer can then put together a package for you.

Always get to know the caterer you are working with. Do they use frozen foods? Is what they have made fresh with good products or with a bunch of preservatives and ordered from a certain distributor? The fact is not many caterers or restaurants make their own stuff anymore. This is where power turns to the client because if so many are using frozen products and happen to be the same product you can find at M&Ms or Costco then just do it yourself. You are paying a caterer for expertise not to heat products you can buy yourself. Unfortunately, you usually do not find the quality out until the event date, so ask or look to make sure that the caterer will give you a tasting or let you see what they are doing for you. You work hard for your money so make sure you are getting great value.

Be Realistic

It is easy for a caterer to get frustrated when dealing with a client that has massive ideas and absolutely no idea what they cost. This is a very expensive business that goes well past the cost of food, so be willing to compromise if your vision is not as important as your budget. We will gladly help you work within it.

So Why Can Catering Be So Expensive?

Caterers take on a lot costs to bring you your special day and an understanding on some of the costs may help you better plan your budget.

Just like most businesses with a service or product the cost of your raw goods is usually the smallest part of our costs. Unless you have hired a company as mentioned before as buying frozen and cheap quality foods, labour will be one of the largest expenses. Here is an alphabetical list of some expenses.

Equipment
Food
Insurance (auto, business, WSIB)
Labour
Lease/Rent
Licencing
Loans
Supplies
Taxes
Training
Transportation

As the Prices of every business rise, it is often harder and harder for a business not to elevate its pricing as simple inflation like electrical and gas go up. A caterer can witness over $3500 just to run the location. So when you are creating a budget and have a menu in mind think about 18-25%. That is the food percent costs needed for a business to be at all successful. So if you have 50 people coming and your budget is $200 and you want a server.....good luck.

Conclusion

We could start an entire class to the hidden costs of an event, but that is why you hire a caterer. As a professional personal catering service we are here to help you in your decision to get your event professionally catered. Understand that all of the work you do to run your event is not free to a company and is actually paid for. So for the next time you put on an event yourself and are driving around, making menus, organizing the day, getting help, please realize all of those little details are paid. Understand that as someone can always do it themselves and save money, if you want something done right and stress free, call a professional. It is a lesson even most entrepreneurs do not learn. So remember, have a budget and the kind of event you want to have in mind. Know that you are looking to have about 25% of the price as the cost of the food so if you want a lot make sure that you work your budget accordingly. Always research into the kind of food you are being served and ask for a tasting. If you are requesting a server expect any reputable company to charge at least $80 per person for a few hours. We are all trying to make a living and we all understand things are not free.

Artisanal Palate Professional Catering Services will always be there to help you out through http://www.niagaracatering.ca/ if you have any questions about catering or your next event. If you are looking for personal catering then get a hold of us and we can help you out. If you have had a bad experience about a catering service then leave a comment and start a discussion on getting treated better by professionals.

Slainte and Happy Cooking