There are many options.
Cheapest and easist one is to allow 60 -70 minutes for a delivery. Depending on the menu, food can be placed in hotel pans, and loaded into Cambro units, food will stay hot for over 3 hours this way. Many caterers operate this way. Cold food will stay cold in Cambros for about 3 hours as well. Cambros are great for moist items, but you can forget about crispy, baked, or deepfried items. This is the route I would choose until you actually get some money coming in from the school, and a repetoire established. If things go well, after a few months you can start looking at getting the school to invest in some equipment like commercial fridges, stoves, ovens, etc.
Um, why is a food purveor rep making your menu and calculating your food cost????? You are doomed to use his products, for once they are on the menu you will have no choice but to use them, no matter what the cost, you do not have the luxury of sourcing your own ingredients and negotiating your own prices. Just smile, nod, thank him for his effort, and use your own ideas, it's your business, not his.  |