Secrets to Success In A Wedding Catering Business
Have you got a burning desire to cook for a living, or even run a catering business because you love the whole atmosphere created at special occasions? Starting a wedding catering business or any sort of catering business can work very well. In fact it is quite interesting because a catering business that offers very good food and a quality overall business can grow very quickly, a lot quicker than most new businesses.
The reason for this is that people are always looking for something new and of high quality when it comes to food, especially if they are inviting guests.
People are always looking for caterers because there are so many occasions where the host just cannot either do the cooking because they don't know how or they do not have the time when they are organizing a large event.
The skills that are needed
Before you decide whether you want to be a caterer, you need to know that catering is more -- much more -- than just being a good cook and whipping up some meals. A successful caterer needs to possess a wide range of professional and personal talents and interests, which include (but by all means are not limited to) planning and organizing, cooking, marketing and interpersonal skills.
Don't be frightened by that list of necessary skills because most people don't have them all but what they do have is the ability to choose staff to cover the areas that they are not skilled at.
For example, you may be a great organizer and party decorator but do not have the cooking skills so you would hire a chef or very good cook to do the cooking for you.
If you were going to be doing the cooking then you may have to hire a 'front of house' person once the business got really busy.
A successful caterer is not a great all-rounder, but a person who is a shrewd business person, has an artistic talent and can choose good staff. It does help to have heaps of energy and also a calm temperament.
Staffing
Different levels of staff will be needed. Some will need to be working in the food area and you may need some wine waiters as well. What skills that your staff will need will depend on the jobs that you will require them to do and the type of catering that you are going to run. Regardless, though do make sure the time is taken to train them to your way of doing things, and ensure that they have a very good customer relations manner.
Get the books looked after
If you do not have either the skills or the time to look after your books, it is a good idea to have a bookkeeper keep up with the books once a month at least because otherwise you will not know if all your costings are wrong and if you are making money.
The secrets to success in catering is having your finger on the pulse at all times and a skillful manager will make sure that they do this in their wedding catering business.
Kaye Dennan has been a reception center owner and has catered for weddings up to 380 guests. For absolutely valuable tips and information visit [http://www.cheapcooking.org] where you will be able to read the ins and outs of a small wedding catering business.
