Six Catering Tricks the Pros Use

Six Catering Tricks the Pros Use

You’d think that being in the catering industry would be an easy job. In between recipe creation and organizing venues, you wear more than your fair share of hats every day.

Continue reading to learn six catering tips that the pros use.

Forget the Buffet

You should only do a buffet if it’s requested by your client. Because the current trend is family-style entertaining, long buffet lines are far from intimate.

It’s also hectic when trying to ensure that everything remains both hot and full. Servers have an easier time serving everyone when you host a sit-down event. As a catering manager, your stress levels are also reduced since you’re not dealing with disgruntled guests waiting for refills.

Study Food Safety

As someone who works in the food industry, it’s crucial that you understand the basics of food safety. Obviously, your supervisor is going to train you on the main points, but here’s a brief synopsis of what you need to know:

• Cook all food to the appropriate temperature.
• Store and cool foods at the right temperature.
• Use separate chopping blocks for vegetables and raw veggies to prevent cross-contamination.
• When reheating food, the temperature should always be 82 degrees.

Pick Hot and Cold Food

If you’re a caterer, chances are you know how important food quality and service are. If you choose to cook before the event, it can be very stressful having to worry about how you’re going to heat everything in time. Many professional caterers recommend starting off with cold foods such as hor d’oeuvres or provide food that is able to be served at room temperature.

Slice Meat Into Thinner Slices

Meat is expensive, so to save money, cut big pieces of meat into thin slices. In fact, guests almost always take no more than three slices of meat regardless if it’s thick or thin.

Incorporate Signature Cocktails

No party or event is complete without a signature cocktail. Suggest a few to your client before making a final decision. Having a few main drinks makes server’s lives easier when keeping up with drink orders.

Plan in Advance

No matter what your role in the catering world is, always plan ahead. Chances are you’ll be working into the long hours of the night, so make sure that you mentally prepare yourself. Take the time for self-care as well. Working in catering is a demanding position. As such, you should carve out time where you aren’t planning or even thinking about work.

Catering is one of the most physically demanding careers, it requires great tenacity, patience, and dedication. The first few weeks or months that you’re in the catering world will be hard, however, following these steps will help you become acquainted with the process a lot faster.