Pondering on how to start a catering/food company? There’s a lot of research and planning to do. Humans around the globe are fond of dining and entertainment, which together, have created a huge market for off-premise catering. Food Venture Company offer food and beverages across a multitude of events. As of now, quite a few social and business events are offering a stage for caterers to cook some lip-smacking dishes.
Organized, consistent and creative are the recipe for a successful catering company. Also, caterers enjoy not working in the same environment daily. But with preparation in plenty, cleaning and serving become monotonous.
So without further ado, here are some of the essential tips that can give your Food Venture a perfect kickstart. Prior to that, let us discuss few major markets for off-premises catering.
1. Social events – Oodles of cash is spent on social events like weddings, anniversaries, etc. With food topping the charts under major spends during events like these. Additionally, birthday parties and graduations are other such social events where help from a caterer is used.
2. Corporate Events – Essentially, the demands for this event are food for breakfast and lunch, albeit, stakes are high for cocktail parties and dinners too.
3. Cultural Organisations – Symphonies and art museums are conventional hubs to host cultural events and probably the best when talking about catering. In events like these, foods that are usually served range from light hors d’ oeuvres to formal dinners.
Besides the aforementioned markets, this industry holds a range of exuberant markets and specialties.
Here are a few things to consider while launching your own food venture:
Consider the Costs
If you have a sufficient budget to kickstart a catering service in Bangalore, there is a plausibility that your business may taste success sooner.
Since you will be starting the first time, try having the first few events self-serve. This way, you can curb down some money on hiring dedicated staff for serving.
Try starting with the close ones – friends and family; along with the feedback, you might as well receive some funding. Gradually, you can take bigger projects that will fetch you a considerable amount of money.
Permits, License and Insurance
Business like catering must ensure that it is a legitimate one. And for a business involving food it brings in certain risks. There are licenses to show that you are a genuine vendor.
If you intend on serving alcohol, you need to apply for a license from the local authority.
As part of this business, you will have to adhere to food safety and hygiene regulations. Consequences like a financial penalty or a prison sentence may be enforced upon you if failing to comply with the standards.
Check out the responsibilities that you, as a caterer, must contemplate:
- Assure the food you prepare is safe to eat.
- No fallacious statements with regards to ingredients contained in the food.
- Tracking the origin of your food.
Caterers also need to prepare themselves against unforeseen circumstances. Failure to do so may cost you a financial hit and could result in the closure of the business.
Consider investing in the following policies:
- Van Insurance
- Stock Insurance
- Employees Insurance
Bringing in Equipments
Starting a catering business calls for a lot of catering equipment. For starters, you will require refrigerators to keep supplies fresh and get cooking equipment like oven, fryer and grill and food preparation equipment.
Here’s a list of utensils that you need to carry for operational and serving purposes.
- Knives
- Sauce Dispensers
- Peelers and Graters
- Thermometer (to check if the meal is cooked to the right temperature)
- Tongs/Spatulas/Serving spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Scissors
Although this is not a comprehensive list, however, it depends on the kind of event you are catering to. Albeit the list covers a few of the basic items to accommodate your cooking/serving needs.
Customizing a Menu
With all the equipment in place, it is time for you to prep the menu. Creating a menu is “no child’s play” and requires your focus on what kind of cuisine you’d want your clients to satiate their hunger with.
Do not be petrified with your offerings; be flexible with the menu you are about to create. Designing a menu for events like parties and weddings may end up eating too much of your time.
Marketing and Advertising
There are a myriad of options on how to start advertising; we recommend you to keep it as simple as possible. With well-established players in the market, there is undoubtedly a need for hard work to make a mark for your business in this industry.
Here is a checklist to help you with:
- Offer samplings to customers
- Good photographs of your food
- Taking part in catering exhibitions
Numerous things go into starting a food venture and with many reputable catering services in Bangalore attracting eye-balls of event planners, surviving in this industry can get hard at times. But the competition shouldn’t stop you; for your objective now must be focusing on your own operations.
And to finish this, here are some kind words from Chef Gordon Ramsay-
“The pressure on young chefs today is far greater than ever before in terms of social skills, marketing skills, cooking skills, personality and, more importantly, delivering on the plate. So you need to be strong. Physically fit. So my chefs get weighed every time they come into the kitchen.“.
