Sulaimon Salako

HOW TO FIND A GOOD CATERER NEAR ME? The quality of food and drinks can potentially make the memories of your family get-together, class reunion, or other similar events experience. Who best to prepare the delicious dishes at your various events if not a good caterer. Hiring an excellent caterer also ensures that guests at your events have a satisfactory food and drink experience, regardless of their varying choices of meals and refreshments. Asides priming your guests’ taste buds, hiring a good caterer helps ensure that foods and drinks are prepared, preserved, and served in the healthiest manner and condition. In addition to concerns about food quality and safety, you must also be aware that caterers face quite a substantial amount of job-related risks from incidents such as burns and scalds. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), food preparation workers suffered a total of 99 fatal injuries on their jobs in 2019; equivalent to an average of 8 fatal incidents every month. You must hence put all of these into consideration before settling for which caterer to hire. With currently over 148,000 caterers in the United States, it is essential to ask the right questions and make the proper checks towards selecting the most qualified and experienced caterer near you. The following inquiries will help you sift through the lot of caterers available in your immediate environment to select only the most competent hands: ARE YOU LICENSED, REGISTERED, or CERTIFIED? The business of catering involves preparing the food and drink that quite a large number of people consume. As such, there is usually a regulatory framework in place to ensure that the activities of professional caterers and catering businesses meet specific health and safety standards. In the United States, caterers generally have to obtain state-level food safety licenses or permits, which they earn after completing recognized and relevant education and training programs. The National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) offers two such certification programs: The Food Protection Manager Certification and the Food Handler Certificate programs. You must also note that caterers handling alcoholic drinks must obtain a separate license for that. Although the department of health in each state is usually responsible for issuing food safety licenses, in states such as Alabama, Kentucky, Montana, and Montana, caterers must also obtain state-level licenses. Licensure is even easier to attain in other states, with Nevada and Nebraska among the states that enforce only county-level food safety licenses. You should contact your state’s consumer protection office for detailed information on the licensure and permits that a professional caterer in your state must possess. Similarly, you may choose to hire caterers who identify with recognized professional bodies, such as the NRFSP and the American Culinary Foundation(ACF). While membership of these associations is not required to offer catering services, it is more reassuring to hire a caterer who conforms to work and professional standards set by a recognized body. Also, in the event of malpractice of poor service delivery, some professional bodies allow consumers to report erring and unprofessional members. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE A CATERER? The cost of hiring a caterer depends on some factors, including your location, type of event, type of dishes, and the number of people for whom the caterer will cook. Another major determinant of the cost of hiring a caterer near you is the caterer’s pedigree. Popular and well-reputed caterers will typically charge more than smaller and less popular caterers. The pricing system of each caterer also sets their prices apart, with some of them charging on the basis of time spent, while others charge based on the number of guests they will serve. On average, a simple dinner will cost between $7 to $45 per guest, while a cuisine serving will command between $20 to $115 per person. On an hourly basis, the average cost of hiring a professional caterer ranges between $25 to $30. These are only estimates, and actual prices may vary widely, depending on the factors listed earlier. You would be wise to take quotes from up to three caterers to prevent being overcharged and to select the most reasonable prices. Also, you may have to make an advance payment, especially for large catering events. The caterer will usually use this to cover the cost of ingredients and other items needed for the dish. Below are some helpful tips to help you hire a professional caterer that will provide the top quality services that you want without breaking the bank: ● Get an estimate that is as accurate as possible to the number of people that the caterer will serve. You can achieve this for bigger events by letting guests RSVP ahead of the day of the event. You can also ask that they choose their desired meal, preferably from a list. In addition to knowing the number of expected guests, you will have useful information on the type and amount of meals to prepare and reduce food wastage. ● Make smart comparisons between per-person and per-hour pricing basis with the information that you have. For example, for small events where you expect a small number of guests, it may be more cost-effective to pay your caterer on a per-person basis. This will keep your costs in check. Also, a considerable variation in the kind of food requested by each guest may not cause a spike in costs. However, when you expect a large number of people at your event, it may be financially wiser to pay your caterer on the basis of the time taken to prepare the dishes. ● Book your caterer way ahead of the event. Informing your caterer a few months ahead of time will save you from the advance or rush fee associated with hiring at the last minute. Also, top-quality caterers will typically have sold out weeks and months in advance. Not booking ahead may also force you to change your date or go for a less-preferred caterer. ● Be shrewd with your event menu. You can reduce catering costs significantly by choosing a menu that the majority of your guests are generally accustomed to, such as local foods and drinks. It is usually cheaper to prepare local dishes compared to foreign or exotic meals. Also, the use of locally available food items and ingredients helps you save on the cost of buying and preserving foreign items and ingredients ahead of time. ● Engage event planners, especially for large events. Experience is indeed important in a lot of things, and hiring a caterer is one of such. Consulting reputable local event planners can help you cut costs considerably when they put their wealth of experience into use. In addition, event planners can help you book and collaborate with an affordable caterer for your events’ catering needs without compromising the quality of catering service you will receive. WHAT ARE THE COMMON CATERING EXPENSES? Asides from the cost of food preparation for which you will have to pay a caterer, other secondary costs also apply. Some of these costs are given below: ● Cancellation Fee: A cancellation is one of the extra costs that come with hiring a caterer. Caterers typically set this fee as a percentage of the agreed cost of the job, and you will only have to pay this if you cancel the booking at a time considered too close to the day. This fee serves to cover costs of logistics and other expenses that the caterer must have incurred in preparing for your event. ● Kitchen Fee: This fee typically applies if the cooking will be done in the caterer’s kitchen. While some caterers add this cost to the total cost of service, others charge it as a stand-alone fee. This fee will cover the cost of gas, water, utensils, and other tools used to prepare the meals. ● Delivery Fee: for catering that will be done in a place other than the venue of the event, caterers will charge delivery fees for transporting the meals to your event. It is advisable to hire a caterer near you or close to the event center to reduce this fee. You may equally be able to reduce this cost by making delivery arrangements on your own. Other fees may apply during and after the event. For example, the caterer may charge you for serving guests at the event and cleaning dishes and other utensils after the event. You must therefore be detailed in your terms and conditions of service with a prospective caterer. What is a Caterer Required to Do? WHO WILL DO THE WORK? Hiring a caterer near you may involve working with individual-run catering outfits or large catering companies. When you work directly with the caterers, you can usually carry out all your qualification and certification checks and relate all your concerns to them. It is also relatively easier to monitor the progress of planning and preparation for your events. However, for large events where you will typically have to engage big catering firms and interact with a manager or the business unit, you will need to make extra efforts to monitor and supervise the caterers where necessary. Therefore, you must ask to be introduced to the exact catering professional from among their staff who will handle your event. This way, you can go beyond checking the catering business license and ask to see a certificate or proof of qualification from the caterer who will be servicing you. You can equally enforce proper monitoring and find out if the caterer that has been assigned to your event has handled similar events or food menus in the past. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS SHOULD A CATERER HAVE? Even though universities and other recognized institutions now offer certification courses in catering management, caterers in the United States do not require extensive formal education. However, most catering professionals require a high school diploma or a GED certificate to complete food safety certification courses and similar programs. Caterers also do not require previous job experience for admission into vocational catering training and apprenticeship programs. Nonetheless, when you want to hire a caterer near you, hiring from the more certified and more experienced pool of professionals is better. This is because certification and experience are excellent indicators of a caterer's level of expertise and exposure. Professional bodies such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the National Association for Catering & Events (NACE), and the National Restaurant Association (NRA) offer training and certification programs for interested members. This makes it easier for members to improve their skillset and receive training that helps them maintain professional and ethical standards. WILL YOU PROVIDE REFERENCES? References are a great way to assess a caterer’s level of expertise and professionalism properly. It is a good practice to ask for caterer references from relatives, neighbors, and close associates. Also, ask prospective caterers to point you to clients they have served in the past. For this reason, it is better to hire well-reputed caterers in your immediate locality. It will allow you to easily visit these clients in the neighborhood to review the caterer’s services. You can ask to know the exact dishes the caterers prepared and the number of people they served. Ask also if the clients would be willing to employ the caterers for future events. You can also conduct independent background research on prospective caterers. you will simply have to do a simple internet search of the phrase “caterers near me.” It is a good sign if a prospective caterer shows up in the search results. You may then click on their profiles and visit their websites to assess their portfolio and client reviews thoroughly. Caterers who have an online presence will often have their business reviews on Google-provided business reviews pages. You should also check Yelp and the Better Business Bureau for independent user reviews of prospective caterers. Quick Facts about Caterers 2020 Median Pay $53,380 per year $25.66 per hour Typical Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent Work Experience in a Related Occupation 5 years or more On-the-job Training None Number of Jobs, 2019 148,700 Job Outlook, 2019-29 6% (Faster than average) Employment Change, 2019-29 9,500 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Expert Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Caterers What is the Scope of A Caterer’s Job? Professional caterers are licensed to direct and participate in preparing, cooking, and seasoning different kinds of foods such as salads, vegetables, soups, meat, and fish. Caterers who have obtained a liquor license are allowed under the law to prepare and serve alcoholic drinks. They also assess the quality of cooked and raw foods to ensure they meet the required standards. Caterers may also be involved in the planning and pricing of supplies and menu items. Caterers’ job activities will most often involve providing excellent customer relations services, assessing customers’ needs, and evaluating customers’ satisfaction levels. Do Qualified Caterers Have ID Cards or License Cards? No. Qualified caterers do not receive professional ID cards. Although not all licensing authorities issue caterers portable license cards, professional license documents will generally carry unique license numbers that people may use for license verification. Can Caterers be Sued for Poor Services? IN the United States, consumers are generally allowed to sue individuals, businesses, and corporate entities for unsatisfactory services. Consumer protection laws exist at the federal and state levels that provide consumers a window to report service qualities below acceptable or agreed standards. To sue a caterer in a state, consumers may contact the Office of the Attorney General in their state to file a consumer complaint or directly contact their state consumer protection agency. Alternatively, where a state catering association exists, it may be possible to lodge complaints on professional misconducts and service defaults of professional caterers. This is especially possible if the caterer was hired through the members’ referral service of the association. Some of the documents you may require to pursue legal actions against a caterer include contracts, warranties, receipts, and order confirmation records. How Do I Obtain a Caterer’s License? Although the requirements for obtaining a caterer’s license vary from one state to another, caterers will generally need to obtain a food safety permit or license from the state’s health department. This is in addition to other requirements such as professional training and education and licensing examinations. Generally, the state’s department of professional licensure is responsible for issuing a catering license. When Do I Need to Hire a Caterer? Some of the reasons for which you may hire a caterer include: ● To plan, procure, and cook or prepare food and drinks at your events. ● To direct and supervise all food-related matters at your events ● To provide training on the preparation of different kinds of food ● To inspect kitchen facilities and equipment