How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Learn all about how to start a home-based catering business from the owner of a successful catering enterprise. This edition includes an additional chapter of catering recipes, including five special occasion menus with 25 crowd-pleasing recipes.
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From the Back Cover

Are you passionate about parties? Do you live to cook? Now you can realize your dream of working from home at something you enjoy - a home-based catering business. Author Denise Vivaldo shares her experiences and advice on every aspect of setting up and running a thriving home-based catering business, from estimating your start-up costs and finding clients to outfitting your kitchen and staying profitable. She even offers tips on the latest high-tech help, including CD-ROM recipe books, culinary Web sites, and computer software designed especially for chefs and caterers. Learn all about defining your market niche, selling yourself as a pro, establishing your daily schedule, pricing your services, organizing parties with ease, honing your food presentation skills, avoiding the 10 most common home-based mistakes and much more. (7 x 10', 224 pages, profit-and-loss worksheet, equipment checklist, master party checklist, sample catering contracts, sample menu themes, budget worksheet, business deductions)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 3rd edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762704926
• ISBN-13: 978-0762704927
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #747,792 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not sure where to start? Read this book!, February 1, 2000

By	Chris (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This book is definitely addresses the nuts and bolts of starting a home-based catering business. From applying for various state and federal licenses/IDs to menu planning, this book covers all the bases in getting started. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to start a catering business. It has definitely built my confidence level. I'm on my way! Thanks Denise!

105 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Professional & Educatioonal Use, February 10, 2000

By	William J. Daly Jr. "Help !" (Cobleskill, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm been a Professor of restaurant management at the State University NY for about 20 years, and often teach the catering class. Denise's book is the BEST book for people actually wanting to start a catering business. There are plenty of recipes on the web, etc. But Denise has filled a need in a way that the "professional books" don't do. Those books usually cost at least twice as much, and don't really help the entreprenuer.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent info for the chef who's looking to start catering, January 16, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Oakland County, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HOW TO START A HOME-BASED CATERING BUSINESS, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

This book is an excellent source for information on getting started. I highlighted at least half of the book. The info in this book is going to help me build my business plan for my catering company that will begin in a few months. This is a "don't miss" book on catering.