Things You'll Need:
- Business license
- Business plan
- Small business loan
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Step 1
Learn how to cook a variety of dishes. Caterers normally have a passion for cooking and food. If you want to start a catering business, familiarize yourself with a variety of appetizers, main dishes and desserts.
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Step 2
Attend a cooking school. Even if you have a natural passion for cooking, it doesn’t hurt to attend a culinary school or take a cooking class. Expert cooks teach these classes, and you’ll receive a lot of helpful cooking advice and learn valuable techniques.
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Step 3
Work for a catering company. Upon graduation from a culinary school, look for employment with a catering company. This provides hands-on experience, and it’ll help you decide whether a catering business is right for you.
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Step 4
Choose a location to run the catering business. You can operate a catering business from home or work from a professional kitchen. However, professional kitchens cost approximately $80,000. On the other hand, you can start a home based catering business for less than $1,000.
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Step 5
Get a business license and insurance. Before opening your business door, contact the local Health Department and inquire about certificates, licenses and insurance. While the Health Department may not require a certificate or insurance, they generally require a business license.
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Step 6
Write a business plan for the catering business. Every new business needs a business plan. In additional, banks normally ask to review a business plan before approving a small business loan request.
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Step 7
Market your catering business. Once you have a location, a business license and adequate funds, it’s time to market the business. Contact a few charities and businesses, place a listing in public directories, print business cards and research different advertising strategies.
