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How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, 4th (Paperback)

by Denise Vivaldo (Author) "One night as dinner guests were leaving after another spectacular party, I thought, I should get paid for doing this!..." (more)
Key Phrases: catering menus, other caterers, steam table pans, Food Fanatics, Crunching the Numbers, Estimating Quantities (more...)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)

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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.

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.Whether you want to plan parties, cater corporate events, or specialize in beautiful weddings, this guide can help you experience the satisfaction of building your own home-based business. (7 1/4 x 9 1/4, 256 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: 256 pages
Publisher: Globe Pequot; 4th edition (December 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0762724803
ISBN-13: 978-0762724802
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,764 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#28 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Hospitality Businesses
#48 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Home Based

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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
One night as dinner guests were leaving after another spectacular party, I thought, I should get paid for doing this! Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
catering menus, other caterers, steam table pans, quantity recipes, catering courses, large stainless steel bowl, delivery door, sheet pans

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Food Fanatics, Crunching the Numbers, Estimating Quantities, Los Angeles, Setting Prices, Solving Problems, Yellow Pages, Tenderloin of Beef, Creamy Horseradish Sauce, Director's Guild, Sally's Place, San Francisco, Witness Phone

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Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 50 books:

Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006 by Irma S. Rombauer in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Joy of Cooking (Aldine Paperbacks) by Irma Starkhoff Rombauer in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Applied Foodservice Sanitation by Educational Foundations of National Restaurant Association on page 163, and Back Matter
Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 50 books this book cites

5 books cite this book:

101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women, 3rd Edition: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Started on the Road to Success (For Fun & Profit) by Priscilla Huff on page 409
Careers in the Food Services Industry (Success Without College) by Robert K. Otterbourg on page 77
Live the Life You Love: In Ten Easy Step-By Step Lessons by Barbara Sher on page 213
More 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women by Priscilla Huff on page 254
Best Home Businesses for People 50+ by Paul Edwards on page 272

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Running a Restaurant for Dummies by Michael Garvey

Discusses:

Off-Premise Catering Management by Bill Hansen

Discusses:

How to Open a Financially Successful Pizza & Sub Restaurant by Shri L. Henkel; Douglas R. Brown

Discusses:

Pocket Idiot's Guide to Choosing a Caterer by Phyllis Cambria

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	78% buy the item featured on this page: How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, 4th 4.5 out of 5 stars (33)
	7% buy The Professional Caterer's Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Catering Business 5.0 out of 5 stars (10) $50.37
	5% buy The Complete Caterer 5.0 out of 5 stars (1) $17.10
	5% buy Do It for Less! Parties: Tricks of the Trade from Professional Caterers' Kitchens 5.0 out of 5 stars (17) $13.57

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)

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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 review is from: How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business (Paperback)

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!

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103 of 111 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)

This review is from: How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business (Paperback)

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.

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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	RAH122968@aol.com (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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for New Caterers!
When I made the decision recently to start my own catering business I immediately turned to this book. Read more

Published 1 month ago by L. Neumann

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay but not exactly what I was looking for
I was interested in starting a part time catering business out of my home. Meaning part-time, cooking in my home. Read more

Published 10 months ago by L. Franklin

5.0 out of 5 stars bunch of ideas
...this book contains a lot of useful information, precautions and advices. The author gives also titles of books that are required for the caterer.

Published 13 months ago by Agnieszka Grajper

5.0 out of 5 stars Gift for a beginning Chef
Bought this as a Christmas gift for a new Chef interested in starting their own catering business. So far they love it and find it very helpful.

Published 18 months ago by S. Lupo

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and captivating
I read a lot (and I mean a lot, as I have thousands of books in my library), but this is one of the very few business books I've been truly inspired and uplifted by. Read more

Published 18 months ago

1.0 out of 5 stars Ilegal to cater from home
Although the concept of this book is appealing, it is ILLEGAL by health department standards to cater from any home kitchen UNLESS it is fully licensed and certified as a... Read more

Published 21 months ago by K. Etze

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
This book is Great! Great! Great! I got it for my partner because I it was something she wanted to do. Read more

Published 22 months ago by Priscilla Leon

3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Thought It Would Be
I originally bought this book because my husband and I are interested in starting a catering business in the next couple of years. Read more

Published on May 31, 2007 by TCM

5.0 out of 5 stars The best place to begin.
This book is the best place to begin for anyone considering catering as a business. There are so many subjects that I never thought to consider. Read more

Published on February 24, 2007 by Gail Flannigan

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe I read a how-to book!
Denise Vivaldo has done the food service industry a service of her own in writing this book. As a caterer, I couldn't put it down, I read the entire book in one sitting. Read more

Published on September 7, 2006 by Ryan Fisher

› See all 33 customer reviews...

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How to Write a Business Plan: A list by Jeff Lippincott "www.Jlippin.com"
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