Start A Home Catering Business

You are a top notch chef. And you want to start a home catering business.  Bon appetit!  Mangia!  And, yes! we are available as your guinea pigs.

There is absolutely nothing like a home cooked meal, even if it was made for 50 people.  It still has that special touch -- yours.  And while strong culinary skills are essential as a caterer, that is jus the beginning.  Let's take a peek at some of the other skills you will need as well.

Business Skills For A Home Catering Business

Wow.  Even with a small catering business, there's just a slew of stuff you need to know.  For example:

BIDDING AND COSTING JOBS.  This is a biggie.  It doesn't matter how many catering jobs you've got.  If you can't bid them right, you can't make money.

ESTIMATING START UP COSTS WHEN YOU START A HOME CATERING BUSINESS.  Sit down and list every single thing that you will need.  Everything.  No fudging.  Include mundane things like plastic bags for cleanup and napkins for serving.  Include the costs of hiring a bookkeeper or accountant if you need it, or printing flyers, or providing free promotional lunches.  Whatever it is that will make your business succeed, include it here.  One of the best lists we've seen for itemizing start up costs is in Your Home Based Business-- use it to help you get a handle on just what everything costs.

MARKETING SKILLS.  This covers a whole plethora of skills, from identifying your target market to actually promoting to them.

MANAGEMENT SKILLS.  With luck you won't be able to do all the work yourself, so identifying and hiring the right help is an essential skill when you start a home catering business.  Where will you get the help you need, and how much will you pay them?  And who will manage what they do?

NEGOTIATING SKILLS.  Here's where "people power" really comes into play.  You will likely be negotiating with everyone from the county health inspector to the client with the barking dog.  There are a lot of tasks you can hand over to others, but this is one skill you really need to possess yourself as you start a home catering business.

And that is all before you put flipper to skillet.

Kitchen Skills And Resources

Knowing how much your kitchen can handle, and going after projects that fit your circumstances, are key elements to your success.  There is a massive difference between creating a hot dog stand catering business and a gourmet dining experience catering business, both in approach and in resources needed.

Personal Resources For Your Start Up Catering Business

And, truthfully, just how much can your psyche stand?  Having a "home" business sounds so delightful, but how often can you totally disrupt your family's eating and still be a welcome member of the family?  Your kitchen will need to meet health standards.  Can your family maintain those standards?

As you well know, providing a great dining experience is a lot more than putting the food on the table.  There is all the planning, prep work, serving, cleaning and everything in between.

When you start a home catering business you are making a commitment to your clients.  Be very sure that you can meet that commitment, both in the kitchen and with all else.

Here's to a memorable dining experience, both for you and your clients!