Catering is one of the fastest-growing segments of the food service industry. To succeed in this highly competitive arena, you need not only culinary expertise, but also a wide range of business skills. That's why Bruce Mattel, a successful caterer with more than 20 years of food service experience, teamed up with The Culinary Institute of America to create this indispensable guide. It's brimming with practical information and real-world know-how—everything you need to set up and run a profitable catering business.
Beginning with an overview of the catering profession, the book explains the various kinds of career opportunities available as well as the skills you need to succeed. It walks you through every aspect of operating a catering business, including:
Launching a catering enterprise
Pricing for profit
Setting up a catering kitchen
Hiring and managing staff
Marketing the business
Planning successful events
Establishing impressive service
Preparing distinctive food
Managing the dining room
For each topic covered, Catering provides detailed information and guidance on best practices, complete with the hands-on examples and insider tips you need to troubleshoot difficulties and creatively meet challenges in your own catering business.
This invaluable reference is full of tools and resources to help your operation succeed. To assist you with the practical aspects of your operation, you'll find a detailed sample business plan, helpful recommendations on staffing and equipment, complete examples of how to price events, and much more. And to make sure your service and food receive accolades, you'll find in-depth advice on service styles, tips on active buffet stations, and sample menus for a wide range of events. Featuring more than 70 instructive photographs and illustrations throughout, Catering is your road map to a thriving catering business, whether you're new to the field or a veteran caterer who wants to improve performance.

the Culinary Institute of America, Bruce Mattel

Mattel, Bruce; Culinary Institute of America

Hungry Minds, Incorporated

Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley

United States, United States of America

February 11, 2008

1, PS, 2008

Includes index.

viii, 358 pages : 24 cm
"Beginning with an overview of the catering profession, this book explains the various kinds of career opportunities available as well as the skills you need to succeed. It walks you through every aspect of operating a catering business. For each topic covered, Catering provides detailed information and guidance on best practices, complete with the hands-on examples and insider tips you need to troubleshoot difficulties and creatively meet challenges in your own catering business." "This invaluable reference is full of tools and resources to help your operation succeed. To assist you with the practical aspects of your operation, you'll find a detailed sample business plan, helpful recommendations on staffing and equipment, complete examples of how to price events, and much more. And to make sure your service and food receive accolades, you'll find in-depth advice on service styles, tips on active buffet stations, and sample menus for a wide range of events. Featuring more than 70 instructive photographs and illustrations throughout, Catering is your road map to a thriving catering business, whether you're new to the field or a veteran caterer who wants to improve performance."--Jacket
Includes index
Introduction to catering -- Starting your catering business -- Pricing for profit -- Setting up the catering kitchen -- Staffing -- Marketing -- Event planning -- How can we serve you? -- Food preparation and service -- Dining room and beverage management -- Sample menus and service

In this invaluable reference, The Culinary Institute of America provides all the information that caterers and would-be caterers need to set up and run a successful catering business of any kind. From launching the business, establishing pricing, setting up a kitchen, staffing, and marketing to planning events, organizing service, preparing food, managing the dining room and beverages, and developing menus, it provides detailed guidance on every aspect of the catering business, showing operators how to troubleshoot and creatively solve problems. Illustrated throughout with 50 photographs and 30 black-and-white illustrations, Catering is an indispensable guide for anyone who wants to succeed in this highly competitive field.

2023-06-28