The demand for corporate and private caterers has grown rapidly by 20% over the last decade. This industry will generate $22 Billion to professionals in 2019. Find out how to perfect your catering skills, avoid common mistakes and impress event attendees with these tips.

What is the best way to cater?

You need to be able to impress your clients and guests by knowing how to prepare delicious menus and properly for events.

Learn how to cater for beginners

These catering tips are perfect for those who want to learn more about menu planning, event preparation, and the little extras that make a client’s experience memorable. Discover how to use these practical ideas to excel in catering corporate and private events.

Create amazing menus

Create delicious menus to delight your guests and work within the budget of your clients. This will help you establish yourself as a caterer. Avoid common catering mistakes with these simple steps and you’ll be able to ace your event.

1. Select your service style

Choose between three main types of catering services: Buffet, tray pass and plated.

Self-serve catering is a service that consists of a variety of self-serve stations. This option is a cost-effective way to save money for event staff, and to speed up production by filling large dishes at once rather than making food on order.

Tray passes involves serving food to the group. Choose this economical meal option to add variety to your menu while using fewer ingredients.

Plated catering is any meal served to guests at an event such as a wedding or charity fundraising. This formal dining option is ideal for large gatherings or smaller events.

2. Choose a theme.

Choose your theme according to the type of event, the client’s objectives, and the location. For casual or private events in the warmer months, consider a casual theme such as a BBQ. If you know who will be attending the event, then explore the catering ideas that are suitable for each generation. Start with a single feature menu item to build your theme around.

3. Use your signature dish.

Use a signature dish, or a specialty cuisine whenever you can in your catering menus. This will be your calling card when it comes to future catering jobs. More than 50% of future business is likely to come from word-of-mouth. Plan on receiving calls for catering opportunities from previous attendees who dream of the one menu item that you made.

4. Markup is a good idea.

Remember that the markup on your menu should be three times as much as the cost. This should be done before finalizing the menu to avoid any budget surprises.

5. Saving money is easy.

Simple catering hacks can help you service clients on a tight budget. Choose a menu of small bites over full meals in order to feed guests without spending too much. To reduce the amount of ingredients, consider meals like soups and roasts.

Don’t hesitate to bargain for local produce and choose recipes that are based on vegetables. Slice meat thinly to allow guests to refill their plates as they need it and reduce food waste.

6. Avoid cross-contamination.

Separate cutting boards and utensils for raw, cooked, and fresh food. Wash all cutting boards, utensils and other items thoroughly with hot soapy water both before and after handling any animal products. Change gloves as well when you switch between categories.

7. Sharpen knives.

This expert video will show you how to sharpen knives. It can help you portion food correctly, improve the presentation of your food, and speed up your preparation process. Buy a Japanese whetstone from a highly rated brand such as Kitayama, or Sharp Pebble.

8. Check the temperature of food.

Watch your two main cooking appliances: the oven and refrigerator. In the oven, cook meats and seafood to temperatures above 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your fridge at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and use both an exterior and interior thermometer to measure.

9. Prioritize hygiene.

Hand sanitizers, soaps and industrial cleaning products are always available. Use the right size of kitchen prep gloves and a hairnet for long hair or beards. Each time you taste an item, use a newly sanitized sampling spoon. Hands should be washed before and after touching meat or seafood. Remove any jewelry from your fingers and wrists.

10. Prepare some dishes in advance.

Spend two days shopping before your event and the day before, clean, cook, and pack. Store vegetables like potatoes and carrots in an airtight container. Prepare any cold meals without meat, seafood or eggs. You can then easily unseal them and add the final touches at the event. Save time by freezing freshly-cut doughs for cookies, bread, and crusts. Add some chopped herbs to the dough while you are at it.

11. Serve food in a beautiful way.

Add color to plain dishes by adding unexpected elements, like rosemary sprigs on mashed potatoes. When creating your menu, don’t forget to consider your color palette – the more colors you have the better! Keep plenty of herbs, spices, flowers, nuts, sprinkles and chopped nuts on hand for decorating plates. For a professional look, layer plate items instead of placing them side-by-side. Drizzle sauces using a cleaned out spout.

12. Bring props, decor and other items.

Keep some whiteboard or mini chalk food markers on hand, along with card holders or thick decorative toothpicks. Create allergy cards that feature your logo and warn guests about common food allergens. Bring along seasonal decor such as pumpkins, wreaths and dried flowers to fill in the blank spaces between dishes. You can also order decorative fruits like pomelos that come with stems and leaves to add color and texture to otherwise boring table scapes.

13. Create strategic layouts.

Enter your exact serving area dimensions along with your custom serving platter measurements and furniture measurements in order to capture your client’s vision of the flow and presentation for your catering. If your client has already chosen an event layout, you can get a sense of how your team and you will work by creating stations for preparation, cooking, presentations, and cleanup to save time on the big day.

14. Save leftovers.

Serve your clients and event hosts their favorite leftovers. Then, surprise your hosts with some extra meals that you have neatly packaged (using their own storage containers). You can create a dinner package for two if you are catering a private event at someone’s house or prepare a batch of office snacks for clients the following week. These little perks add value to your experience as a caterer and keep guests happy long after the event has ended.

15. Invest in beautiful service tools.

Even the most basic dishes can be elevated with beautiful serving spoons and forks. You can bring a set of quality gold or silver tools with you in case your host or venue requires extras. While you’re packing, pack a couple of large white serving dishes. You can use them as a way to store extra bottles and ice at the bar. Or, you can flip them over to make them into platter stands that will add height to your table scape.