How to Prepare Food for Catering

It looks glamorous: Men and women in white chefs' uniforms gliding effortlessly from kitchen to buffet table replenishing delicacies as they're gobbled up by hungry celebrants. As the caterer, you envision yourself collecting accolades and future bookings from one particularly outstanding social affair---but don't turn your burner onto a high setting until you master the concepts covered in this tasty article.

Things You'll Need

• Commercial-size pots and pans
• Serving trays in various styles
• Satellite kitchen
• On-premise kitchen/prep station
• Serving utensils and cooking tools
• Protective wear
• Food-safe disinfectants
• Business cards

Instructions

1. Meet with the party or event planner to learn the theme, guest count and other details necessary to set a festive menu plan. Discuss the group's budget upfront so there are no surprises. Inquire into kitchen facilities at the event venue and ask about other items or duties you will be asked to provide that fall outside the arena of food preparation. Ask whether the venue reserved for the event requires a catering permit or license.

2. Consult Edith Weiss' "Catering Handbook" or another guide that gives you formulas for estimating how much food you'll need to prepare for a variety of situations and guests.

3. Provide the host or group with a menu based on your research. Expect to negotiate until the menu pleases the host and you feel confident that everything on the menu can be prepared to your own satisfaction and event deadlines.

4. Sign a contract with an authorized member of the group sponsoring the event. Ask for a deposit to secure the date for them---make it your policy never to save a catering date without a deposit. Use the head count and menu items to estimate raw ingredient costs. Try to get at least that amount as a deposit so you don't have to spend your own money upfront.

5. Start prepping several days in advance. Clean your food preparation area before you begin. Shop for ingredients. Don a head covering, apron and gloves once you begin cooking. Begin with recipes that can be made in advance and frozen.

6. Prepare dishes the day before the event. Ask if you can transfer the food to the venue the day before the party. Place dishes in insulated coolers, warming units and other temperature-controlled containers to keep cold perishable food in an environment of 41-degrees F. or below and hot dishes at a temperature of 140-degrees F. or above.

7. Arrive at the facility as early as possible on the day of the event. Clean and disinfect the food preparation areas at the site. Cook, bake and prepare final dishes on-site. Carefully fill plates with menu items for sit-down dinners or fill buffet tables with hors d'oeuvres, appetizers and other finger foods as the event's timetable stipulates.

8. Monitor food consumption during the event. Remove---or have staff remove---soiled dishes frequently. Add fresh items to serving trays as they begin to thin out. Keep your kitchen prep area tidy to accelerate cleanup time. Remember to leave plenty of business cards around the venue to garner more catering jobs in the future.

References

• Recipe Link
• Houston, Texas: Catering Tips
• Giant Food: Catering Tips