New Member considering business in catering

[patricia b]

Hi, I'm Patricia from CT. I've loved cooking since I was child. I've worked part time for restaurants and caterers in the past 25 years while raising 4 children. I've always cooked dinners from scratch, making breads and soups, etc. I'm currently the office manager of our family business (for 15 years) which has nothing to do with food!

I was currently asked to be a private chef for Catholic priests 2 days a week. I was nervous about cooking for other people at first, but after a few dinners, I was much more confident because I was getting such good compliments on the food.

Then I realized this could be something I could do on a more regular basis and that's when I started looking online for more information on starting a formal dining service business. This service would include an hors d'oeuvre, soup, salad, main course with side dishes and dessert. I would provide the flowers, candles, linens, china etc. It would be served by waitstaff in the customers' home -for approx 8-12 people.

Is this a service that could be cost effective for the time involved? Is there a demand for such a service or is the personal chef who cooks for working families more in demand?

I really appreciate your imput.

thanks,
Patricia

[Mezzaluna]

Welcome to Chef Talk, Patricia. I'll move this to the Professional Catering Forum where it'll get the answers you're looking for.

Mezzaluna

[shroomgirl]

Huge demand for parties of 12 and under.....most caterers dread these small dinner parties because it's difficult to make a profit unless you are charging $100pp.....

First off, you have to shop, prep (in an inspected kitchen or at the client's home) set the table etc, have staff, serve, clean up......
If you are preparing sauces, soups, breads from scratch....look at the amount of time you are spending, staff costs, equipment.

Private cooking is a different animal. You normally cook alone, multiple dishes at a time.....etc.

Nothing says you can't try them both out to see what works for you.

[boar_d_laze]

In Berkeley, then Los Angeles, I did something like you're proposing in the mid seventies through mid-eighties. My business was called, "Predominantly French" and provided all the food and most of the services you describe. As a money making proposition, the business did a little better than break even -- unless you consider some rather high-ticket equipment purchases. The business allowed me to depreciate and write-off the equipment, which was very useful because my "real" job provided significantly more income without any offsetting expenses.

In Berkeley, I developed a fairly reliable client base consisting mostly of Cal professors. In Los Angeles, my clients were mostly from that wild, wacky biz they call show -- and were a lot more fickle.


In retrospect, half of what I was in it for was the toys. The other half was the pleasure of the craft. Good thing, because of the limitations on income. In Berkeley, I was trying to make it as an actor, finishing my degree, and the extra income came in handy. In Los Angeles, I needed a real income and ended up on the technical side of the business. After a few years of steady income, having children, etc., catering took up too much time and effort to justify the limited income. It paid for the toys, but frankly I averaged more money in the Paramount poker game.

You'll have to work to keep and expand your client base. Even at $100/head, very steep for most communities, you'll have to work two parties a weekend to clear more than $1,000/week -- even if you add liquor and wine service. On the other hand, it's a real niche market and your principle competition is not other caterers but the hosts and hostesses themselves -- and if they're hiring you, they've already come to terms with their own limitations.

For your own satisfaction and independence, it's a great idea. If you're hoping to get rich, forget it.

[patricia b]

Thanks so much for your response. We've been working the numbers, and I know it's not going to make me rich, but that's ok. I think its an important service to provide in todays world - too much fast food - eating needs to be elevated to another level. There's a coziness with dining in your own home; with so many restaurants, I think people are getting tired of eating out!

Thanks again,
Pat