The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Lora Arduser (Author), Douglas R Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2005

Do you need a comprehensive book on how to plan, start and operate a successful catering operation? This is it--an extensive, detailed manual that shows you step by step how to set up, operate and manage a financially successful catering business. No component is left out of this encyclopedic new book explaining the risky but potentially highly rewarding business of catering. Whether your catering operation is on-premise, off-premise, mobile, inside a hotel, part of a restaurant, or from your own home kitchen you will find this book very useful. You will learn the fundamentals: profitable menu planning, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, and food safety and HACCP. The employee and management chapters deal with how to hire and keep a qualified professional staff, manage and train employees, and report tips properly in accordance with the latest IRS requirements. The financial chapters focus on basic cost-control systems, accounting and bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning. You ll also master public relations and publicity, learn low-cost internal marketing ideas, and discover low-and no-cost ways to satisfy customers. One section of the book is devoted to home-based catering entrepreneurs. With low startup costs and overhead, a home-based catering business can be an ideal do-it-yourself part-or full-time business. Another section is for restaurateurs that wish to add catering to their restaurant operation. A successful restaurant s bottom line could be greatly enhanced by instituting catering functions in slow hours or down time. For example, many restaurants are closed on Saturday afternoons, so this would be an ideal time to create a profit by catering a wedding This book is also ideal for professionals in the catering industries, as well as newcomers who may be looking for answers to cost containment and training issues. There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most comprehensive catering publication I have ever seen. Valuable reading for even the seasoned caterer!" -- Mary Crafts, Owner / Senior Event Planner, Culinary Crafts

"This leaves no possibility unexplored. If catering is an art, assimilating this book will make a Picasso out of you." -- Wahid Fakhir, [e-mail]

"The most comprehensive catering publication I have ever seen. Valuable reading for even the seasoned caterer!" -- Mary Crafts, Owner / Senior Event Planner, Culinary Crafts

"This leaves no possibility unexplored. If catering is an art, assimilating this book will make a Picasso out of you." --Wahid Fakhir, [e-mail]

ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards Reference - Gold; Business Winner - Eric Hoffer Awards 2007 --Book Awards

Product Details

• Hardcover: 624 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Company (December 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0910627606
• ISBN-13: 978-0910627603
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Resource, April 12, 2006

By 

Brandi M. Seals (Fayetteville, AR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business (Hardcover)

"The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to open and operate a financially successful Catering Business" by Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown is a great resource for anyone in the catering business. The book covers the start-up basics such as getting a loan, do on-site or off-site catering, and much more. It also goes further into the catering world by providing samples of catering contracts, profiles of caterers, and a comprehensive list of catering equipment one would need for any sized operation.

The book seems to focus mainly on off-site caterers specializing in weddings, but they do bring up other functions that require caterers as well as briefly touch on on-site catering operations.

I loved the guides within the book on table settings for various kinds of meals. From dinner with salad to breakfast, I now know the proper table arrangements. The book also gives examples of room layouts for various functions and tips on how to layout the buffets so that guests don't over-consume the more costly items.

For those that will be serving alcohol there is an excellent section that discusses kinds of liquor, suggestions on what to stock and what to look for. The authors define different bar terminology, but it is fairly basic - such as virgin and on the rocks. They cite sources to visit for more information on wine, but do provide a list of descriptive wine terms and a guide as to what serving temperatures are appropriate.

I think the section on cost control is very extensive and can help anyone in the industry become more aware of ways that money can be easily and inadvertently wasted. There is also a catering and event check list that I think is invaluable to anyone just starting out. I wouldn't have thought to ask so many questions about the upcoming event and I would have been paying for it later. Anyone can use their guide to make sure they are covering all their bases.

I think this book is a great resource for anyone in the catering industry. It provides wonderful basic information on getting the business up and running and then provides more in-depth information on actual catering concerns.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars College-level culinary schools in particular must have this reference, June 19, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business (Hardcover)

If you want to enter the catering business, there are plenty of lighter guides on the topic on the market - but if you're really serious about professionally entering the business, you can't be without THE PROFESSIONAL CATERER'S HANDBOOK: HOW TO OPEN AND OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CATERING BUSINESS. A cd-rom supplements the weighty exploration which is actually a detailed manual of step-by-step instruction on all the basics. From bookkeeping and handling profits and loss to considering the pros and cons of professional equipment, there's no better guide on the market. College-level culinary schools in particular must have this reference.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handbook? More Like Encyclopedia, April 26, 2006

By 

Michael G. Attias "Michael Attias" (Brentwood, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business (Hardcover)

Handbooks fit in your back pocket. This is more like an encyclopedia for caterers: newbies and experienced alike. No stone is left unturned in this compendium. The chapters are well laid out and the information is easy to find. It is the perfect balance of substance without overkill. The average caterer need book a couple of deli platters to pay for this. I think it's a must for anyone in or thinking about getting in the catering business!