Product Description

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #196246 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-23
• Released on: 2005-12-30
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 624 pages

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, Wahid.Fakhir@peabodyorlando.com

Customer Reviews

Fabulous
This book is more than worth its money in culinary gold. I recently graduated from culinary school and have started a catering business with my husband. I've read a number of books on how to start a catering business and have found this to be the best one yet. Lots of information and very good detail. Every caterer needs to have this copy in their reference library.

The Professional Caterer
A must have book for a new Caterer starting their own business.

College-level culinary schools in particular must have this reference
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