Catering - the prearranged service of food and drinks to groups for varied situations or occasions.
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Types of catering
Industrial Catering –the services to workers or employees in the work area.
Institutional Catering – service in school or hospital.
Transport Catering – service in airplanes, ships, trains, wagons or vans.
Social Catering - service during social functions. This is also classified into On premise, Off premise and Accommodator catering.
- On Premise - the caterer has his/her own banquet hall and kitchen facilities where the food preparation and service take place
- Off premise - the caterer prepares the food in his/her kitchen to be served in another venue.
- Accommodator - the clients supply all the food and equipment needed while the accommodator prepares and serves the food on the client’s premises for a fee.
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Factors for a successful catering business
- Creativity
- Quality of food
- Record Keeping
- Management Skills
- Professionalism
Before the Catering
- Gather all the necessary information about the catering function from your clients.
- Be ready with your menu proposal.
- Discuss the menu with the client for possible suggestions and added information.
- Be ready with the contract.
- Anticipate all the possible problems and thresh out with your client.
- Do not make any promises that you cannot fulfil.
- Plan the catering.
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During the catering
- Observe all the specification based on the agreement.
- Do not be late for the catering function.
- Make sure that the food you’re going to serve are appealing and palatable.
- Avoid panic with problems arise.
- The servers must perform the tasks with confidence.
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After the catering
- Evaluate your performance.
- Gather opinion and suggestion from your client.
- Find out if the guests were satisfied. 4.Keep portfolio of every event
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Catering Staff Sheet-gives the following information:
- Name of Party
- Date
- Party Coordinator
- Employee name
- Party description
- Time in/ time out
- Rate per hour
- Responsibilities
Balance Sheet
Income statement
Cash Flow statement
Employee’s Contract
Events Quotation
Sample menu pricing form
Daily food cost sheet
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Qualities of a caterer
- Should possess basic cooking skills.
- Should have a working knowledge of food preparation and menu planning.
- Should enjoy working with people and make them comfortable and at ease.
- Should be a problem solver. 5.Should be creative and resourceful.
- Should be gracious and polite under stressful situation.
- Should be good in budgeting.
- Should be comfortable in promoting oneself.
- Should have a good business sense
Factors to consider in the selection of food service workers for catering business.
- Should lane certified to be physically healthy.
- Should maintain a professional and positive attitude at all times.
- Can write, read and compute.
- Should be cheerful and alert.
- Should be clean and neat at all times.
- Must be honest and trustworthy.
Must be dependable and responsible.
Basic cooking equipment
- Range
- Oven
- Steamer
- Fryer
- Preparation table
- Electric Blender
- Coffee maker
- Kettles
- Chaffing dish
- Cooking pans
- Trays
- Soup Tureen
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1.Catering box
2.Truck
3.Van
4.Trolleys
Table appointments/implements
- Silverware/Flat ware - Dinner spoon, dinner fork, table knife, salad fork, soup spoon, and dessert teaspoon, etc.
- Glass wares - tumbler, juice glass, and champagne glass, etc.
- China wares/Dinner wares - dinner plates, soup plates, platter, cups and saucer, bread and butter plates, etc.
- Table linens - tablecloth, table napkins (18-24 inches), top cloth, and table sheet, etc.
- Apprenticeship - term for on-the-job training (OJT). OJT is a way of acquiring work practices and skills in restaurants or catering establishments.
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Opportunities for employment:
- Waitering
- Assistant cook
- Chamber maid
- Domestic helper
- Salesgirl
- Counter girl
- Entrepreneur
- Barmaid
- Caterer
- Bartender
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Reasons to be an apprentice:
- to increase confidence;
- to improve equipment manipulative skills;
- to improve attitude towards work;
- to improve ability to relate with others especially superiors and co-employees; and
- to improve productivity
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Places to apply for apprenticeship:
- Hotels
- Country clubs
- Restaurants
- Yacht
- Airlines
- Local market and store
- Private catering services
Desirable personal attributes
- Responsible
- Industrious
- Patient
- Honest
- Trustworthy
- Cheerful
- Punctual
- Neat
Employee policies
- Wear clean clothes or well-pressed uniform.
- If hair is shoulder length, keep it tied at the back at all times. Wear hairnet if directly handling food.
- Wear minimum pieces of jewelry.
- If possible, wear black socks and shoes.
- Fingernails should always be short and clean.
- Not smoking or chewing gums on the floor while in the vicinity.
- Eating and drinking should only be at scheduled breaks.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs during your shift.
- Maintain a professional and positive attitude at all times.
- No employees are allowed to take any food or beverages outside the facility.
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Cooking - exposure of food to intense heat by three methods such as conduction, convection, or radiation
Conduction - the transfer of heat through direct contact from one substance to another.
- Example: Grilling, Frying and boiling
Convection - Heat is spread by the movement of air, steam or liquid.
- Example: Baking, Steaming
Radiation - involves the transfer of energy by waves from the source of the food. Example: microwave
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