Catering 

● cooking and serving food for a fee

● managed and run by a caterer
● typically happens during weddings, baptismal parties, business
meetings, conferences, festivals, and other important events or
occasions

Types of Catering

On-premise catering
- A caterer preparing food in his or her own kitchen and serving it in
his/her OWN dining hall
- Done exclusively in his/her own premises
- Provides an exceptional opportunity for the caterers to increase
profit
- he/she does not have to pay certain taxes

Off-premise catering
- a caterer bringing the food , serving products, and personnel to a
location other than premises when the food is prepared
-have their own refrigerated trucks and/or other equipment to keep the
food hot or cold

Home-based caterers
- Caterers who operate fr. their homes
- Have limited exp, smaller insurance policies, and less knowledge in
proper sanitation techniques
- Sometimes viewed as unfair competition to professional and licensed
caterers
- Usually charge lesser than the latter

Selecting a Caterer
- the needs of customers influence their decisions in choosing the
right caterer

There are 3 of the most important considerations a customer thinks of

in the decision making process:

Reputation
- the caterer must be known to be reliable, respected
- customers are always satisfied w/ the service
- the caterer need not make false promises
- proven by satisfied customers
Referrals
- caterer’s best instrument for advertising his/her skills and
expertise
- usually happens when customers are satisfied w/ the quality &
workmanship of a caterer
- share their experiences w/ friends and colleagues

Word of Mouth
- good advertisement for a caterer
-satisfied customers are willing to recommend a caterer
- potential customers may believe that the caterer is as good as what
their peers say -one satisfied customer will relate the experience w/
a caterer to at least three others

Catering Contract Contract

- a binding agreement between two or more parties creating an
obligation
- a caterer should understand basic business acts that involve
contracts
- a contract must be prepared carefully - to ensure a smooth &
pleasant client relationship - written details should be clear and
complete

Catering Establishments Primary Catering Establishment

- hotels, fast food, and restaurants, outdoor catering
- primarily depends on food & beverage business

Hotels
- the replace were we get food and drinks and accommodation
- main purpose of the hotel: provide accommodation along with other
facilities
- food & beverage plays a major role

Restaurants​ - a place where the guests get the food & Drinks - All day
dining resto, Speciality resto, Fast food resto, bar and pubs

Outdoor Catering
- mostly used to cate a large no. of guests outside of the hotel area
- park beach, functions like marriage conventions & parties in outdoor
catering
- all the food & drinks are prepared and delivered to the outdoor area
- transportation plays a major role in outdoor catering
Secondary Catering Establishment
- in this food & beverage business is in secondary another business
only
- industrial catering and welfare catering services
- mainly focused on their specific business
- food & beverage business will play certain amount as well
- Departmental store catering, Flight catering, Club Catering, Railway
Catering, Ship Catering, Mobile Catering, Industrial Catering, Welfare
Catering (hospital schools)

How to start a catering business?

1. Have a business plan.
2. Know the laws in your market.
3. Know who your market is & focus on that market.
4. Have the right equipment
5. Learn how to advertise your business.

Standardized Recipe 
• is a set of written instructions used to consistently prepare a
known quantity and quality of food for a ​specific location​. A
standardized recipe will produce a product that is close to
identical in taste and yield every time it is made, no matter who
follows the directions.

Good Standardized Recipe

• Menu item name​ – the name of the given recipe that should be
consistent with the name on the menu

• Total Yield​ – number of servings, or portions that a recipe

produces, and often the total weight or volume of the recipe

• Portion size​ – amount or size of the individual portion

• Ingredient list/quantity​ – exact quantities of each ingredient (with

the exception of spices that may be added to taste)

• Preparation procedures​ – Specific directions for the order of

operations and types of operations (e.g., blend, fold, mix, sauté)

• Cooking temperatures and times, including HACCP critical control

points and limits to ensure the dish is cooked properly and safely

• Special instructions, according to the standard format used in an

operation
• Mise en place​ – a list of small equipment and individual ingredient
preparation

• Service instructions, including hot/cold storage

• Plating/garnishing

Things to Remember in Standardized Recipe

• If you are starting with a home/internet recipe – make it first!

• Standardized recipes are a training tool for employees

• A good recipe is like a well-crafted formula – it has been tested

and works every time

• S.A.M.E. – Standardization Always Meets Expectations

Benefits of Standardized Recipe

• a consistent quality and quantity

• standard portion size/cost

• assuring nutritional content and addressing dietary concerns, such

as special diets or food allergies
• helping ensure compliance with “Truth in Menu” requirements

• aiding in forecasting and purchasing

• fewer errors in food orders

• incorporating work simplification principles and aids in

cross-training
• assisting in training new employees

• incorporating HACCP principles

• reducing waste

• more easily meeting customer expectations

Recipe Adjustment
• It involves the measurement of the ingredients in the recipe that
need to be adjusted.

• Measurement can be by volume, by weight, or by count.

Number or COUNT

• Number measurement is only used when accurate measurement is not

critical and the items to be used are understood to be close in
size.

• For example, “3 eggs” is a common measurement called for in recipes,

not just because 3 is easy to count but also because eggs are graded
to specific sizes. Most recipes call for large eggs unless stated
otherwise.

• Numbers are also used if the final product is countable. For

example, 24 pre-made tart shells would be called for if the final
product is to be 24 filled tart shells.

Volume

• Volume measurement is usually used with liquids or fluids because

such items are awkward to weigh. It is also used for dry ingredients
in home cooking, but it is less often used for dry measurement in
the industry.

• Volume is often the measure used when portioning sizes of finished

product.

Weight

• Weight is the most accurate way to measure ingredients or portions.

• Weighing is a bit more time consuming and requires the use of

scales, but it pays off in accuracy.

• The reason weight is more accurate than volume is because it takes

into account factors such as density, moisture, and temperature that
can have an effect on the volume of ingredients.

 
Table Setting and Service 
● Table setting (laying a table) or place setting refers to the way
to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and for
serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called
a place setting. It is also the layout in which the utensils and
ornaments are positioned.
● Table service refers to the varied ways in which food is
presented and served at the table and the objects utilised at the
table such as dishes, glasses, plates, silverware and table
linens. The style chosen can directly influence the ambience and
 tone of the event therefore it is key to get it right.

American Service

● Food is prepared in the kitchen and plated in plates. Server

brings pre plated dishes to the guest table.

Silver Service

● Food is brought in a platter and presented to the host for

approval. (Platter to plate, Host service, Family service)

French Service

● Unprepared/partially prepared food is brought from the kitchen

and the cooking is completed tab=leside, usually on a cart.

Cart Style/Gueridon Service

● Includes food that requires short time to prepare. Only style

where food is served from the right hand side of the guest.

Banquet Style

● Server holds the tray in one hand and serves 2 silver forks in
the other hand.

Russian Service

● Similar to french. Food is brought out at once. Food courses

brought to the table sequentially. Food is being portioned on the
plate by the waiter.

Tableware Classifications

​ erveware
1​. S

Serveware is used for serving. This category comprises of ​serving bowls,

platters, salad bowls, dessert bowls, casseroles, soup pots, tea pots and
any other dishes that are used to bring and present food into the table.
Utensils such as serving spoons, ladles, pair of tongs and containers used
for serving drinks such as pitches are also classified under this
category.

​ innerware
2​. D

Dinnerware also known as ​chinaware or crockery​, is comprised of anything

that is ​used to serve individual portions during a meal​. Dinnerware
consists of an array of dishes that ranges from the ​basic plate and bowl
to more specialised dinnerware with unique shapes, colours and sizes for
specific purposes. The courses of meal served will influence the choice
and arrangement of dinnerware. It is usually made with materials such as
melamine, porcelain, glass, stoneware or earthenware.

​ ilverware
3​. S

Silverware also known as ​flatware​, is comprised of cutlery such as ​spoons,

forks and knives​. They may vary in size and shape depending on the
variety. Silverware comes in different price points where you can choose
from depending on your budget.

​ rinkware
4​. D

Drinkware​ is used to describe any item that can be ​drunk from​. This
category of tableware is comprised of ​mugs, cups and glasses​. Drinkware
comes in different shapes and sizes, the specific glass is usually chosen
depending on the beverage or theme of the occasion.