Interview with Catering Professional

The following is an interview between Catering Worker's M.D. Michelle Sutherland and experienced professional caterer Elizabeth Sutherland .

Michelle

M: How long have you worked in the catering industry?

E: I have worked in the catering industry for 25 years.

M: What skills do you need to have to be a manager in catering?

E: These are the skills you need to be a manager in catering:

• Professional
• Knowledge of cooking
• Adaptable
• Ability to manage and train staff
• Good listener
• Ability to communicate with clients, staff and boss
• To be a leader and lead by example
• Knowledge of all legislation (IE food safety, health safety, laws)
• Awareness of cost of food
• Ability to manage profit

M: What skills do you need to have to be an employee in catering?

E: These are the skills you need to have to be a catering employee:

• Knowledge of all relevant Legislation (e.g. food safety etc)
• Reliable
• Willingness to learn
• Flexible
• Certified and experienced with cooking
• Professional

M: What would do think would be the first thing you would do when starting your own catering business? And what would follow on from this?

E: These are the steps I would carry out when starting my own catering business:

• The first thing you must consider is the amount of capital that you have to invest in your business.
• Then you must carry out Market Research either by yourself or by marketing professionals. This will allow you to assess your competitors and the catering industry.
• Create Business Plan for bank
• Create Competitive Strategy
• Location would be the next factor to consider
• Contact Environmental Health Advice and then register with them
• Talk to suppliers for discounted rates
• Contact businesses and offer to provide catering
• Prepare presentation for businesses you are wanting to provide catering for in the future
• Lastly, remember businesses run on good reputations from customers so ensure you provide excellent services for every business you are providing catering services for.

M: How do you adhere to Health and Safety and Food Standards regulations everyday in the catering industry?

E: You could carry out the following tasks regularly:

• Manuals and posters supplied to staff explaining the regulations and also stating that they are responsible if the regulations are not adhered to.
• On going staff training on all regulations
• Managers making sure staff are following regulations
• Keeping up to date with the Environmental Health

M: What things do you need to consider when purchasing catering equipment?

E: These are the things you need to consider:

• Cost of equipment
• What is required for business
• Starting equipment (i.e. the essentials)
• Discounted prices form suppliers
• Food safety regulations (e.g. people aged 16-18 are not allowed to use electric slicer)

M: What do you have to do when pricing food products?

E: When pricing products you have to consider the following:

• Plan the menu and ascertain the recipes
• Determine what ingredients are needed for these recipes
• Obtain supplies into unit cost
• Do recipe costings at net price
• Gross Profit required to make a profit
• Add wastage
• Train staff to adhere to recipe costings and portion control
• Look at different suppliers to get best unit price

M: What would you do to get new business in the catering industry?

E: Market your company well by advertising on Internet, newspapers and other businesses Source out the person within businesses responsible for the catering Arrange meetings with the person responsible for catering and highlight what service and costs your business can offer to the client Communicate and sell your company everywhere. Offer your business service with a competitive edge to it. (ie Offer something that you competitors are not providing)

M: What does it take to make a successful catering business?

E: This is what is required to make a successful catering business:

• Above all Reputation of a good job done
• Good professional management with knowledge and experience in industry
• Continues to be competitive and keeps up with market place and high street
• Consults customers and ascertains what customer service they want
• Always run a professional business
• Always communicate with clients and follow up everything discussed at meetings
• Ensure both contracts are signed by both parties
• Keep staff trained and motivated in their jobs

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Added: May 1, 2008
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