Catering: A Guide to Managing a Successful Business Operation

A COMPREHENSIVE, UPDATED GUIDE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO LAUNCH AND OPERATE A SUCCESSFUL CATERING BUSINESS OF ANY KIND

Today, most customers attending a catered event demand that the overall experience of food, beverage, and service be as good as, if not superior to, that provided by their favorite restaurants. Add in the skyrocketing numbers of high–end food trucks, pop–up restaurants, and farm–to–table dinners dotting the landscape from coast to coast, and the opportunities to impress through creative marketing, alluring merchandising, and menu innovation with catered events have never been greater.

In this Second Edition of Catering: A Guide to Managing a Successful Business Operation by Chef Bruce Mattel and The Culinary Institute of America, all the information that caterers and would–be caterers need to set up and run a successful catering business of any kind is provided.

From launching the business, establishing pricing, setting up a kitchen, staffing, and marketing to planning events, organizing service, preparing food, managing the dining room and beverages, and developing menus, Catering, Second Edition provides detailed guidance on every aspect of the catering business, showing operators how to troubleshoot and creatively solve problems. This book is an indispensable guide for anyone who wants to succeed in this rapidly expanding segment of the foodservice industry.

This Second Edition is thoroughly revised and updated to include information on catering for dietary restrictions and food allergies, contemporary techniques such as sous–vide technology, and plating and presentation. A new chapter of practical mainstream and on–trend recipes has been added, in addition to sample menus for a variety of catered events from brunches to black–tie affairs. Meanwhile, this Second Edition and a companion website include essential business forms and caterer′s checklists, making planning of events even easier.

Catering, Second Edition is an effective training tool for caterers and would–be caterers, showing how to plan and execute profitable and creative on– and off–premise catering operations.

1: Introduction to Catering
2: Starting Your Catering Business
3: Pricing for Profit
4: Setting Up the Catering Kitchen
5: Staffing
6: Marketing
7: Event Planning
8: How Can We Serve You?
9: Food Preparation and Service
10: Dining Room and Beverage Management
11: Sample Menus and Service
12: Recipes for Catering

BRUCE MATTEL is associate dean for food production at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. After graduating from the CIA with honors in 1980, Mattel worked as a chef at several notable restaurants including Prunelle, Coq d′Or, and Le Bernardin, all in New York City. Prior to joining the CIA in 1998, he was chef and owner of Custom Cuisine, a catering company and gourmet shop in Tarrytown, NY. Mattel was named the CIA′s Faculty Member of the Year in 2005.

Founded in 1946, THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA is an independent, not–for–profit college offering associate and bachelor′s degrees as well as certificate programs. As the world′s premier culinary college, the CIA provides thought leadership in the areas of health and wellness, sustainability, and world cuisines and cultures through research and conferences. The CIA also offers programs for professionals and food enthusiasts, as well as consulting services for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The CIA has campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore.