Hello, I have about twenty years experience in the restaurant business, in both cooking and management. I own a cajun themed cafe that I've built up over the past year or so, without incurring any debt. It is kinda small but we cover dine in/take out, deliveries, some catering. We also wholesale some of my baked goods to local stores and other restaurants. Anyway, I need some advice. A local charter school is begging me to cater 150 to 300 breakfast, lunch & snack for the coming school year. Sounds great right? Well I have a few logistical problems.
1. My kitchen is 30 min away from the school, but the only way there is plagued by frequent traffic jams. So I'd need to lease space near the school to insure timely delivery.
2. Leasing space would mean also leasing food prep equipment. I can't spare any of the high priced items that my cafe uses.
3. Moving both my cafe and the catering job close to the school would ruin a well established and rapidly growing customer base Where I'm at.
4. Leasing space with close to the right equipment already there is nearly impossible to find.
5. Due to unforeseen problems within the school, they just now began looking for a local caterer. They are all booked up in their institutional divisions. Only three week until school starts.
6. The school wants me to run it no matter who does the actual work. They know and trust me.
7. They want me to give them terms and sign by the end of next week.
I have a new cargo van, and trusted people to do the job. I have a great sysco rep working on a menu plan and food cost for me right now. He has also given me some great advice on pricing & contract details. I want to continue avoiding debt at all cost.
My questions:
Can I sub out the actual kitchen and prep staff to another caterer or restaurant? And my people and I just deliver,serve & cleanup?(the van can be kept there and we could leave very early in the morning, avoiding the traffic or at worst going the other direction to get there. You would not have that option with hot food on board)
Should i ask them to provide their own leased space/equipment?
Should I pad the bid to cover all these extra expenses?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
