Introduction

CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Off – Premises catering is serving food at a location away from the caterer's food production
facility. One example of food production facility is a free commissary, which is a kitchen facility
used exclusively for the preparation of foods to be served at other location. Off-premise catering
is an art and a science. The art is creating foods and moods, as the caterer and client together
turn a vision into reality. The science is the business of measuring money, manpower, and
material. Successful off-premise caterers recognize the importance of both aspects — art and
science — and are able to work at both the creative and the financial levels. Caterers provide
single – event food service, but not at all caterers are created equal. They generally fall into one
of the 3 categories:-
1. Party Food Caterers – These caterers supply only food for an even. They drop
off cold foods and leave any last minute preparation, service and clean up to
others.
2. Hot Buffet Caterers – These caterers provide hot foods that are delivered from
their commissary in insulated containers. They sometimes provide serving
personnel at an additional charge.
3. Full Service Caterers – These caterers not only provide food, but frequently
cook it to order on – site. They also provide service personnel at the event, plus
all the necessary food – related equipment such as china, glassware, flatware,
tables and chairs, tent, etc. They can also arrange for other services like decor
and music.
Off – premises caterers meet the needs of all segments, from low – budget customers who
looks for the least amount of money, to the upscale client with an unlimited budget who wants
the highest level of service, the ultimate in food quality and the finest in appointments –
stemware, silver plated flatware and luxurious linens.
Advantages of Off – Premises Catering
 There is no need for large amount of capital to get started, since the most off –
premises catering operations begins by using the existing kitchen facilities of a
restaurant, club, hotel, church or other licensed food service business.
 All of the necessary catering food service equipment such as china, glassware,
flatware, tables, chairs and linens can usually be rented, thus avoiding having to
invest in expensive equipment inventories as a start – up off – premise caterer.
 Most off – premises caterers require some form of advance deposit prior to an
event. This deposit provides caterers with some security if the event is cancelled
and also can be used to purchase some or all of the food supplies for the party.
 Off – premises catering generates additional revenues for the existing operations
like hotels, clubs and restaurants.
 Advance forecasting is more accurate for off – premise caterer because parties
are generally booked weeks, months, or years in advance. Moreover each part of
the country has seasonal serving, which make revenue forecasting somewhat
easier.
 Off – premises catering costs events generate tremendous amount of free word –
of – mouth advertising, which can produce future business without the necessity
of advertising.
 Off – premise caterers also have the advantages of being somewhat selective
about their clients as there are no laws that requires the caterer to accept the
event.
Disadvantages of Off – Premises Catering
Off – Premises catering does have some disadvantages too.
 Catering managers, owner and staff undergo periods of high stress during very
busy periods. Deadlines must be met.
 Stress is compounded because the work load is not evenly spread throughout the
year. For most caterers 80% of the events are schedules in 20% of time.
 Many have left the catering field, burned out by the constant stress and high
energy demands.
 The seasonality of the business makes it difficult to find the staff at certain times.
 Many hoteliers and restauranteurs find the rigors of off – premises catering too
great. Some quit after realizing the difficulty of catering away from their
operations.
 The caterers feel that the financial benefits are insufficient compared with the
effort required to cater off – premise events.
Statement of problem
NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

•Advantage and disadvantage of outdoor catering
•Marketing strategies adopted by caters
•Types of events catered by the caters
LIMITATION OF STUDY
 The location of the study is restricted to the city of kollam, which differs
from other parts of the country in terms of weather & climate, standard of
living, culture & lifestyle, infrastructure, etc. hence it is difficult to apply the
analysis of this study on pan India basis.
 Lack of adequate time and word limit is also a limitation to this research.
 Sample size may not reflect the opinion of the masses.
 Since kollam is a small city the sample size of the survey is limited to 50.
 Due to the word limitation, the costing paterns provided in the study is of
the leading caterers of kollam only.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
OFF – PREMISES CATERING AND MANAGEMENT
Off – Premises catering is serving food at a location away from the caterer's food production
facility. One example of food production facility is a free commissary, which is a kitchen facility
used exclusively for the preparation of foods to be served at other location. Off-premise catering
is an art and a science. The art is creating foods and moods, as the caterer and client together
turn a vision into reality. The science is the business of measuring money, manpower, and
material. Successful off-premise caterers recognize the importance of both aspects—art and
science—and are able to work at both the creative and the financial levels. Caterers provide
single – event food service, but not at all caterers are created equal. They generally fall into one
of the 3 categories:-
1. Party Food Caterers – These caterers supply only food for an even. They drop
off cold foods and leave any last minute preparation, plus service and clean up to
others.
2. Hot Buffet Caterers – These caterers provide hot foods that are delivered from
their commissary in insulated containers. They sometimes provide serving
personnel at an additional charge.
3. Full Service Caterers – These caterers not only provide food, but frequently
cook it to order on – site. They also provide service personnel at the event, plus
all the necessary food – related equipment such as china, glassware, flatware,
tables and chairs, tent, etc. They can also arrange for other services like decor
and music.
Off – premises caterers meet the needs of all segments, from low – budget customers who
looks for the least amount of money, to the upscale client with an unlimited budget who wants
the highest level of service, the ultimate in food quality and the finest in appointments –
stemware, silver plated flatware and luxurious linens. Between these two extremes is the mid –
scale market segment, which requires more quality than the low-budget sector, but less than the
upscale.
Off – premise catering can mean serving thousands of lunch boxes to a group of
conventioneers; barbecuing chicken and ribs for fans before a big college game, serving an
elegant dinner for two aboard a luxury yacht, or providing food, staff, and equipment for an
upscale fundraiser with hundreds of guests. On a “degree of difficulty” scale from one to ten—
one meaning “easy” and ten meaning “most challenging”—on-premise catering is a two, and off-
premise would rank a ten.
Off – premise catering is an art and a science. The art is creating foods and moods, as the
caterer and client together turn a vision into reality. The science is the business of measuring
money, manpower, and material. Successful off-premise caterers recognize the importance of
both aspects—art and science—and are able to work at both the creative and the financial
levels.
The catering industry is divided into two fundamentally different disciplines: facility catering and
outside catering. A facility is a hotel, banquet hall, conference center, convention center, or
other venue that has space an organization can use. Facility catering, therefore, is the discipline
in which a facility provides food/beverage and logistical support to an organization that needs
function space at that facility. Function space is the term used to describe the meeting rooms,
ballrooms, exhibit halls, and other banquet spaces a facility makes available to organizations for
various uses. In contrast to facility catering, outside catering is the discipline in which a facility
provides food/beverage and the requisite logistical support and service to an organization or
individuals in a venue other than the facility.
Facility catering and outside catering shares some characteristics but not all. The fundamental
difference between the two disciplines is that facility caterers must consider the availabilities and
best uses of their function spaces, which may be limited. Outside caterers are not necessarily
limited by function space. They are limited by their abilities to locate venues, and to achieve
adequate kitchen capacities and staffing levels. The two catering disciplines share the
characteristics of menu and event planning, as well as certain operational issues. The objective
for both disciplines is the same: to achieve maximum catering results.
Food and beverage operations are an integral part of the hospitality industry, because the
demand for food and drink goes along with providing accommodation. Food and beverage
operations are required not only in the hotels, but also in hospital catering, welfare catering,
clubs, industrial catering and transport catering arenas. The demand for food and beverage
operation is spreading in almost all the sectors. So is the increasing demand for qualified food
and beverage staff to take care of these operations. The food and beverage department plays
an important role in building a hotel’s image. A well – managed food and beverage operations
unit can provide guests with excellent food experience.
There are many types of establishments in the Catering Industry (refer exhibit 1). One of the
types of establishment in the Catering Industey is Off – premises Catering. Off – premises
catering is a highly specialized business of serving food at a remote place or at a location away
from the caterer's food production facility. It is the service to the offices, clubs, homes or
wherever meals are served off the premises where they are planned and prepared. Off –
premises catering covers everything from take home meals to the most elaborate parties and
weddings.
Off – premise catering like other skilled technical jobs is a highly specialized operation which
makes the task of managing a off – premise catering event highly complex. While profit is one
side of the coin and an interesting part of the catering industry, the multitude of activities
throwing a challenge to the caterers forms the other difficult side of the coin. If careful
consideration is given to certain small details, and people concerned take active participation, it
will decrease the complexity of managing a catered event, increase turnover, improve the profit
and enhance the reputation of caterer helping him to make his firm a ‘brand’.
There are no set standard practices and formulae for a party catering to be successful.
Challneges, complexity, procedure and techniques vary from job to job and place to
place, according to the requirements of the occasion for which the party is hosted and
the facilities and the amount of cash available to the caterer.
In order to decrease the complexity of a catered event, the caterer should posses the ability to
perform and should have the adequate amount workers with the desired skills to perform
effectively and efficiently. In adition, a caterer should delegate the work equally amongst
everybody to avoid any kind of stress and the directions and commands give by him/her should
be simple and clear to avoid any kind of ambiguity.In off-premise catering, there is only one
chance to get it right. Many events, such as wedding receptions, occur only once in a lifetime.
Other events are scheduled annually, quarterly, or on a regular basis, and the caterer who fails
to execute all details of such an event to the satisfaction of the client will seldom have another
chance. Unfortunately for some, off-premise catering can be like living on the brink of disaster
unless they are experienced. Uninitiated amateurs may not recognize a volatile situation until it
becomes a problem, later realizing they should have recognized it earlier.
Catering off – premise is very similar to a sports team playing all of its games away from home,
in unfamiliar surroundings, with none of the comforts of home to ease the way. There is no
home field advantage, but there is a minefield disadvantages. As caterers plod their way toward
the completion of a catered event, there are thousands of potential “land mines” that can ruin an
otherwise successful affair. Some examples follow:
 Already running late for a catering delivery, the catering van driver discovers that
all vehicle traffic around the party site is in gridlock. The traffic has been at a
standstill for more than an hour, the police say it will be hours before the
congestion can be eliminated, and the clients and their guests are anxiously
awaiting dinner.
 The only freight elevator in a high-rise office building has been commandeered
for the evening by moving and cleaning people, thus preventing access to the
floor where a caterer is to stage an event scheduled to start in two hours.
 The wrong hot food truck is dispatched to a wedding reception. The error is not
discovered until the truck has reached the reception and the bride and groom are
ready for their guests to be served. It will take more than an hour to send the
correct truck with the food that was ordered.
 A cook wheels a container filled with cooked prime ribs down a pier toward a
yacht where the meat will be served to a group of 80 conventioneers in half an
hour. Suddenly, the cook is distracted, and the prime rib container tumbles over
the edge of the pier into 40 feet of water.
 The table numbers have vanished, and the guests are ready to be seated for
dinner.
 The fire marshal arrives at a party site 20 minutes before a catered event and
refuses to allow guests access to the party site because the space had not been
authorized for party use.
 The catering crew arrives at the party site with a van full of food, cooked to
order—exactly one week early.
 A new customer places an order and asks that the caterer deliver to a home
where family members and guests will have gathered prior to a funeral service.
The caterer sends the food and, upon arrival, is told that the person with the
check- book is at the funeral home and is asked to please stop back in an hour
for the money. The delivery person leaves without obtaining a signature. Upon
returning, there is no one home and no one from whom to collect payment.
 While using a garbage disposal in a client’s home, the caterer suddenly hears a
terrible noise and watches in horror as water and garbage spew from the disposal
all over the floor. The irate customer refuses to pay the caterer and threatens to
sue for the cost of replacing the garbage disposal that was ruined because of (in
the customer’s words) the caterer’s “negligence.”
 After catering a flawless party at a client’s home and loading the catering truck to
capacity, the caterer is shocked to learn from the client that all 15 bags of trash
must be removed from the client’s property because of the neighborhood’s zoning
ordinances.
 The caterer’s rental company representative calls the caterer the morning after an
event and advises the caterer that the rented chafing dish is missing. It was there
the night before, when the caterer left the client’s home.
Off – Premise Catering Model
Figure 1 is a diagram of all the factors that enter into the off – premises catering arena. It shows
how managerial philosophies and techniques, as well as laws regarding personnel, business,
alcoholic beverage service, and sanitation and safety, must all be interrelated to guide the
company.
It then depicts how marketing efforts produce clients, which in turn creates needs for site
inspections and logistical plans, including planning in these specific areas: menus, beverages,
equipment, personnel, and any other related services.
Figure 1: Off – Premise Catering Model1
Once the planning is complete, it is possible to provide clients with written proposals, which
include all the aforementioned plans along with pricing. Normally, proposals are modified
1
Bill Hansen, Chris Thomas, John Wiley and Sons Ltd., Published 10 January 2005, Second
Edition, Off – Premises Catering Management accessed at
http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/44/04714642/0471464244.pdf
somewhat. Once modification is complete and all provisions meet with the approval of both
caterer and client, a contract is prepared that contains all the conditions outlined in the proposal.
As the party date approaches, certain operational elements are addressed, such as:
 Hiring and scheduling staff.

 Purchasing and pre – preparation of menu items.
 Ordering equipment as needed from party rental companies.
 Obtaining licenses and permits, as needed, for use of the site, serving alcohol, etc.
 Preparing a “pull sheet” that details all items supplied by the commissary to produce the
party.
 Coordinating all beverage and accessory services with the client and the vendors.
All the preplanning elements culminate on the day or night of “The Show.” That is when staff,
equipment, food, and other services arrive at the party site, and the event is executed.
After the event, there are certain outcomes, which include:
 Positive and/or negative word of mouth about the event.

 Revenues, expenses, profits, and cash.
 Accounting records
Catering Cycle
Figure 2: Catering Cycle2
2
Edition, Off – Premises Catering Management accessed at http://gastroschool.com/generic-
images/catering-cycle.jpg
Comparing Off – Premise and On – Premise Catering
Hansen Bill, co – author of “Off – Premises Catering and Management”, has examined the
differences, from both the client’s viewpoint and the caterer’s viewpoints:
From the Client’s Viewpoint
Most clients fail to consider the cost of the rental equipment such as tables, chairs, linens,
china, glassware, and flatware when they consider engaging an off-premise caterer. They think
it will be less expensive to entertain in their homes, or at unique off-premise sites, than in hotels.
In fact, it can be more expensive, considering not
only the cost of the rental equipment, but also other costs such as transportation of food and
supplies to the site, the costs of special labor and décor, the need for tenting, air-conditioning
and/or heating, and other expenses. Clients may save some money by buying their own liquor,
but this can be insignificant as compared with the added costs. For many clients, the additional
costs are far outweighed by the benefits of entertaining in the privacy of their own homes or the
uniqueness of a special off-premise location such as a museum, state-of-the-art aquarium,
antique car dealership, or historical site.
From the Caterer’s Viewpoint
Off-premise caterers must plan menus that can be prepared successfully at the client’s location.
For example, foods to be fried should not be cooked in unventilated spaces, like small kitchens
in high-rise office buildings. On-premise caterers are not as limited in this regard, and they are
generally supported by built-in equipment that can support a wider variety of menus.
On-premise party personnel are more familiar with the party facilities than those who work at a
variety of unfamiliar locations. Off-premise catering generally has greater seasonal and day-to-
day swings in personnel needs, which can create a greater challenge for the off-premise
caterer, who is constantly recruiting and training staff; turnover is usually high because such
work is on an “as-needed basis.”
There is definitely a greater potential for oversights in off-premise catering. Backup supplies,
food, and equipment can be miles away or even inaccessible when catering, for instance,
aboard a yacht miles from shore. In spite of the uncertainties, off-premise catering offers the
opportunity to work in a greater variety of interesting locations. The work is more likely to be
different each day, resulting in less boredom and more excitement. For those looking for
unlimited challenges and rewards, off-premise catering may be the answer.
Organisational Structure3
All catering establishment must first set up a sound organisational structure, based on a strong
supportive framework. It most cover every department of the business, each of which has a
particular part to play and has it own specialists in charge who are skilled and experienced in
that operation.
Bureaucracy is a system by which officials, as a body, administer the organization on a system

of division of work force under a hierarchy. It can achieve a high degree of efficiency and has
the following features:-
 Maximum specialisation,
3Bill Hansen, Chris Thomas, John Wiley and Sons Ltd., Published 10 January 2005, Second Edition, Off –
Premises Catering Management
 Strict job definition stating duties, privileges and boundaries,
 Vertical line of authority,
 Decision taken on expert's judgement based on technical knowledge,
 Disciplinary compliance under a supervisor's orders,
 Separation of policy and administration,
 Central authority, and
 Continuity of people in top jobs.
Management4
Managers have the responsibility of running a business in accordance with the owner's or the
company's wishes. Traditionally they have not appreciated outside opinions on how this should
be done. Such managers believe that trade unions and craft bodies ought not to try to influence
the operation of the business for their own ends. Staff are expected to increase productivity, but
without having to resort to conflict with the management.
An individual owner may be a sleeping partner leaving a manager to get on with the day – to –
day operations of the business – as long as the owner receives a return on the investment, the
manager need not to be subjected to any interference.
Aims and Objectives
According to Ketterer Manfred, author of “How to Manage a Successful Catering Business”,

“The policy of a business is made up of aims and objectives. These have to be given verbally or
in written form to every member of staff from manager to apprentice. These are the rules and
guidelines necessary to run the business efficiently.”
4Manfred Ketterer, John Wiley & Sons, Published 1991, Second Edition, How to Manage a Successful
Catering Business
The aims of a business are a statement of intent to achieve a stated goal over the long term.
This is the philosophy or beliefs which will govern the way business is run. It is sometimes
called the mission statement, a declaration of the firm's aims as they affect customer’s and
employees. Example of aims are:-
 To achieve 10% penetration of the market in one year.

 To maintain and enhance the business through continued customer satisfaction.
 First priority is customer satisfaction of the products and services.
 Intend to establish oneself as the market leader.
 Commitment to continuos expansion while maintaining company's aims for the
benefits of customers and staff.
The objectives must be clearly spelled out and state what is expected of every employee. They
should be quantifiable in terms of output, which is the number of customers served per
employee. Strategic objectives are usually concerned with external rather than internal affairs.
For example:-
 The market segment that the organisation intends to attract and the products it
intends to supply to this market.
 The market positioning of the organisation so that the standard of amenities and
operational concept attract a particular type of clientele.
 How the organisation should respond to market opportunity in a compatible
sector of activities.
Elements of Successful Off – Premise Catering5
Kaufmann R.J., co - author of “Practical Professional Catering Management” say that a firm
either operating in service industry or goods industry, require certain elements to be successful.
For example what kind of experience is needed, what kind of personality traits are desirable,
etc.
5
H.L. Cracknell , R.J. Kaufmann , G. Nobis, Cengage Learning, Published June 2001, Second
Edition, Practical Professional catering management
An off – premises caterer also requires few elements to run his business not just successfully
but also smoothly. Few of the elements to run a business smoothly and successfully are as
below6: -
 Work Experience – Prior experience in the catering profession or the foodservice

industry is important. Experience in food preparation and foodservice (both back – of –
the – house and front – of – the – house) helps caterers understand the procedures and
problems in both areas and how the two areas interface. Those with a strong kitchen
background, for example, would be wise to gain some front – of – house experience,
and front – of – house personnel should learn the kitchen routine.
Many successful off-premise caterers began by working as accommodators.

Accommodators are private chefs who are hired to prepare food for parties. Many assist
the client with planning the menu, purchasing the food, and even arranging for kitchen
and service staff. The food is prepared and served in the client's home or facility,
eliminating the need for a catering commissary. Accommodators receive a fee for their
services. The party staff is paid directly by the client.
 Passion – Successful professionals are passionate about their work, and caterers are
no exception. They love what they do! Clients and staff members will quickly detect a
lack of passion, and it will cost you business and good workers. If you do not love what
you do, move on and try something else.
 An Entrepreneurial Nature – The desire to be an entrepreneur is a trait that is highly
desirable for off – premise caterers. An entrepreneur must be willing to spend
extraordinary amounts of time and energy to make the off – premise catering business
successful, possess an inherent sense of what is right for the business, have the ability
to view all aspects of the business at once rather than focusing only on one or two parts,
and demonstrate a strong, incessant desire to be his or her own boss and become
financially independent.
6
Edition, Off – Premises Catering Management
 Marketing7
Marketing is the process by which companies determine what products or services may be of
interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business
development.8 It is an integrated process through which companies create value for customers
and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.9
Marketing is used to identify the customer, to keep the customer and to satisfy the customer.
With the customer as the focus of its activities, it can be concluded that marketing management
is one of the major components of any kind of business management.
Marketing is a very important aspect in business since it contributes greatly to the success of
the organization. Many people think that sales and marketing are basically the same. Marketing
covers advertising, promotions, public relations, and sales. It is the process of introducing and
promoting the product or service into the market and encourages sales from the buying public.
Since the goal of marketing is to make the product or service widely known and recognized to
the market, marketers must be creative in their marketing activities. In this competitive nature of
the catering industry, getting the service noticed is not that easy.10
Strategically, the caterers must be centered on the customer’s preferences more than the type
of service provided by then. Although good and quality service is the key success factor of this
7
Bill Hansen, Chris Thomas, John Wiley and Sons Ltd., Published 10 January 2005,
Second Edition, Off – Premises Catering Management
8 Kotler Philip; Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong, John Saunders (2008). "Marketing
defined". Principles of marketing (5th ed.). p. 7. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
9 Kotler Philip; Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong, John Saunders (2008). "Marketing
defined". Principles of marketing (5th ed.). p. 7. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
10 http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/marketing-management/importance-of-
marketing.html
industry, the buying public still has their personal preferences. If you target more of their needs,
they will come back again and again and even bring along potential customers. If you push
more on the services you provide and disregard their wants and the benefits they can get, you
will lose your customers in no time. The sad thing is that getting them back is the hardest part.
The most crucial aspect of marketing the services a caterer provides is the type of marketing
channel they use. It is very important to deliver the right message through the selected
marketing channels in very simple words because every customers have their own perceptions
of the advertisement done by any company.
There are two major off – premises catering markets; the corporate market and the social
market. Let's look at each of them:
Corporate Catering:–
According to Thomas Chris, co – author of “Off – Premises Catering and Management”, the
corporate market involves catering for business events such as grand opening, ground
breaking, retirement parties, holiday parties, employee parties, receptions to promote business,
awards ceremonies, unveil new products and so on, as well as catering business meals for
meetings and seminars.
Corporate catering is generally more profitable than social catering, although caterers of high
society weddings may disagree. However, for the most part, corporate event planners generally
have predetermine larger budgets than planners of social events, with leeway for add – ons.
Hansen Bill, co – author of the book “Off – Premises Catering Management”, surveyed 625
corporate meeting and event planners to better determine how caterers can best meet
corporate entertaining needs. Major findings include:-
 Although food is important, service is also important.
 Corporate planners need proposals on time – often the same day.
 Caterers need to listen to the planner's need before offering ideas.
 Planners look for the caterer to be creative.
 Planners do not like talking to answering machines or slow responses to e – mail
requests.
 When selecting a caterer, planners rely mostly on recommendation from others.
 When comparing two similar corporate catering proposal, planners choose the
caterer whose personality is most compatible.
In the same surveys; things stood out were:-
 Inexperienced staff,
 Improper food temperature,
 Small food portions,
 Dirty uniforms,
 Unkempt hair,
 Food description did not match the food,
 Over – budget costs,
 Poor equipment,
 Rushed step – ups, and
 Unfriendly staff
Corporate planners want to work with caterers who will do whatever it takes to produce a
successful party.
Social Catering:–
According to Hansen Bill, co – author of “Off – Premises Catering and Management”, the social
market include personal parties at home, fund raisers, wedding receptions and anniversaries,
reunions, bar and bat mitzvah, baptisms, graduation, proms, birthday parties and holidays, etc.
Social Catering can be very rewarding, but it is quite often labour intensive. It means dealing
one – on – one with clients or charitable committees that require more of the caterer's time.
These groups also tend to watch the premises more closely and want to become involved
“hands on” in every aspect of the event.
It is important to note that there will be times when off – premises caterers are not marketing
directly to actual clients, but to “intermediaries”. These include:-
 Independent meeting planners, who are hired by small and medium – size
companies and government agencies.
 Special event producers, who specialise in events for large gatherings.
 Independent party planners or wedding planners.
 Travel agents and representatives of convention and visitors bureaus.
These types of service providers must also be seen as prospective clients, who generally
represent major pieces of business.
Marketing Catering Products:-
Marketing is the approach that can influence consumer demand. A marketing strategy should
consider place, product, price and promotion – the four P's of marketing. Marketing will be most
effective when each “P” is in agreement with the others.
 Product:- A catering has a number of different aspects. When enjoying a meal in

a luxury restaurant, the total experience includes not just the excellent meal and
choice of wines, but also the decor and the atmosphere of the room, pleasant
waiting staff and possible live music in the background.
 Place:- The product can also have an effect upon the location of any kind of
restaurant and vice – versa. Choosing the right location has a lot to do with the
success of an establishment. The best location for a high – class restaurant is in
a select area of town, in a beauty spot, or even in a mansion or stately home
where it is a part of attraction.
Any kind of restaurant has to face competition, but can draw customers in from a
three mile radius in city centers and from several miles around the suburban
districts. Luncheon counters, coffee shops and snack bars usually do well at
transport interchanges, cinemas and night clubs, departmental stores and hyper
market. High business rates may prevent their presence in the high street, but if
they are good, customers will find them.
 Price:- The pricing policy is of enormous importance in the success or failure of

every catering establishment. It does not always pay for owner to set high prices
with a view of getting rich quickly. Equally, sales campaigns and reduced prices
may give customers the impression that there is a fall in business. A nearby
competitor may be selling the same items at a lower price. This may be because
the competitor has bought the basic ingredient in bulk or has cut the quality and
quantity.
 Promotion:- Advertising is a mainstay of business promotion. A catering
operation may decide to run a campaign to bring in more business by sending
leaflets to households or putting an advertisement in local newspapers and
magazines. This is known as “above the line advertising”
Menu Planning11
Planning Principles
An off – premises catering menu cannot be planned until the caterer knows the event's location
and the type of kitchen facilities. Lack of refrigeration, water, electricity, adequate covers and
ventilation will most definitely determine what kind of cooking can be done on – site.
11
Umesh Narayan, Prentice-hall Of India Pvt. Ltd., Basics of Catering Management
After pre – qualification and selection of party site, the menu planning process begins. The
menu and service style will determine all the following:-
 Foods to be purchased,
 Staffing requirements,
 Off – premises facility layout and space utilisation,
 Decor for buffet and food stations,
 Food production and preparation requirements, and
 Beverages (alcoholic and non – alcoholic)
Menu planning involves asking the clients a lot of questions to determine what they perceive
and want. By asking the questions the caterer should be able to speak a dialogue that begins
with the menu planning process. The end result is a menu for the event that combines the
client's wishes with the caterer's food knowledge.
Basic Menu Categories
Catered food can be served at any hour of the day or night. Off – premises caterer are asked to
serve sunrise breakfast, midday lunches and brunches, evening dinners, post – theater
desserts, lunch boxes, etc. Here are some basic types of special event services:-
a) Seated, Served Meals:-

In planning menus for these events, caterers must serve foods that are suitable
for serving at a table, either individually plated or from platters. Served may be
preceded by cocktail receptions, which may or may not include various hors
d'oeuvres (snacks) passed by servers or appetizers presented at food stations
and buffets. The basic courses for seated, served meal include:-
◦ Appetizer or soup,
◦ Salad,
◦ Sorbet,
◦ Main Course – entree, starch, 1 + vegetables and garnish,
◦ Cheeses,
◦ Desert,
◦ Coffee (regular or decaf) and tea.
There are endless variations to this. In European – style menus, the salad is
served after the main course, but prior to the cheese course. The appetizer
course may be eliminated if the pre – meal hors d'oeuvres are plentiful. Some
menus include a fish course in lieu of an appetizer or salad. Many main course
menus eliminate the starch and include two or more vegetables.
Many Indians are unfamiliar with the cheese course, unless the have spent time
in Europe. It is a profitable addition to an upscale dinner menu and can also be
fun to put together.
b) Buffets:-
In buffet services, the guests are directed to the buffet tables(s), where a variety
of food may be selected. Guests either help themselves or are served by
attendants. The advantages of offering a variety of food, plus the need for fewer
service staff, makes a buffet a very popular choice for off – premises events.
Buffets may or may not be preceded by hors d'oeuvres. If the latter is the case, it
is wise for the caterer to be prepared for guests to place place more food on their
plates than they would if they have eaten a bit prior to the meal.
A minimum buffet selection would include one salad, one or two entree choices,
one starch, vegetable, bread or rolls and butter. Desert and coffee can be put on
a separate table.
c) Food Stations:-
Food stations work well when food needs to be offered on different floors within a
building, when international foods are offered, when the client wants people to
mingle and more about or when the clients simply wants something different.
d) “Stand – Up” Cocktail Parties:-

In the U.S., hors d'oeuvres are customarily served at cocktail parties, which may
not precede lunch or dinner. Hors d'oeuvres may either be passed by food
servers or placed on buffets. They should be bite – sized and easy to eat.
Ideally, off – premises caterers should make their own hors d'oeuvres in – house,
but readymade appetizers that were once seen as completely undesirable are
now beginning to gain acceptance in catering community.
e) Beverages and Picnics:-

Many off – premises caterers make an excellent living catering outdoors. Menus
can range from simple burgers and hot dogs, to chicken and ribs, to steak and
seafood kebabs. Popular wood chips include:-
◦ Hickory:- Strong, pungent bacon – like flavor, used for pork or beef.
◦ Mesquite:- Sweeter than hickory, but still strong. Great for ducks,
lambs and beef.
◦ Alder:- Light, delicate flavor, excellent for salmon, chicken and pork.
◦ Cherry or Apple:- Sweet, fruity flavor, great for game birds, pork and
poultry.
Trends in Food Service
One of America’s top chefs, Charlie Trotter, looks at food trends differently in his book Lessons
in Excellence. Says Trotter, “It’s important that you foster a company culture that spurs you and
your employees to search for innovative opportunities. Innovations can satisfy needs that are
unmet or offer solutions to time-worn problems, or they can be new ways of saving time, space
and money.”
A number of trends in food service have emerged in the early years of the millennium.
 Ethnic Cuisines – This cuisine, of course, will always provide innovative additions
to a smart caterer's arsenal of offerings. Middle eastern items such as dolmas,
kasseri cheese, hummus and tahini are used more frequently.
 Pacific Rim 'Asian Fusion,' and Pan – Asian Cuisine – These cuisines have
made their mark on catering menus from coast to coast. Dishes such as Szechwan
Tuna with Soba Noodles and Crispy Tempura Lobster with Ponzu and Caviar are
representative of menu choices. Catering chefs are using such exotic ingredients
such as palm sugar, Chinese celery, fresh water chestnut, garlic shoots and other
Asian ingredients to diversify and expand their menus.
 Indian Cuisine – Most clients taste buds demand spicier and more European –
fused dishes. Bright, moist tandoori chicken, the wide variety of naan, aromatic
spices like cardamom and curry and jasmine rice make these foods as pretty as
they are delicious.
 Cheese Courses – Popular in Europe, a cheese course is served after the main
course, but before desert. Limit the selection to no more than five types and choose
a variety of flavors, intensities and textures.
 Under Utilised Cuts of Meats – High flavor braises and stews made with so called
secondary cuts of meat are growing in popularity. Lamb shanks, duck drumettes,
oxtail roulade, braised short ribs in beer, beef cheeks, flank steaks and top blade
steaks are finding their way onto pre menus.
 'Street Foods' – This category includes anything traditionally served from carts or
informal food stands – kebabs, fish and chips and 'walk around' items like beignets
and churros.
 Signature, 'Artisan,' or Speciality Breads – Cornbreads, popovers, flatbreads, etc.
lead the way on progressive catering menu.
 Dessert Buffets with Seated, Served Meals – This type of buffet allows the guests
to get up, mingle and avoid the drowsiness and lethargy that comes after eating and
sitting for a long period of time.
Beverage Service12
Off – premise caterers must be knowledgeable about the alcoholic beverages. Off – premise
caterers are frequently asked by clients for advice on how much and what type of alcoholic
beverages to serve. Expertise in this area can mean the difference between being hired or not.
Off – premise caterers are often asked to provide bartenders for functions, which can result in
certain legal implications.
Service Challenges of Off-Premise Catering13
There are definitely many types of Service; however, none is more challenging than that of
Off-Premise Catering. Off- Premise Caterings are indeed different from traditional caterings or
banquets. The caterer, staff, equipment, and operation are literally moved to a foreign location.
This location may or may not be ideal for catered functions. Creative people who love continual
change, are good problem solvers, and thrive on organization partake in the challenge of this
ever-changing medium. Through our experiences as a catering company, we have learned that
12
13
http://www.fdrp.com/prosuccessmagazine/Misc/Service%20in%20the%20Wilderness-
Service%20Challenges%20of%20Off-Prem~60E.pdf
mise en place and the use of intuition are the main factors that allow one to continually succeed
in Off- Premise Catering.
Preparing your mise en place is something that we, as caterers, cannot stress enough to our
service staff. Having an actual list of items to take to a function along with exact diagrams of
workstations is crucial. Creating a beautiful dining room in a foreign setting takes many items
and many more are often overlooked or not considered. Once you leave your establishment
with your equipment, it is not feasible or acceptable to run back for forgotten items. All things
must be taken into consideration as well as all potential problems.
It is important to have extra china, flatware, stemware, and utensils in case of break- age. Linen
may fall on the ground into the dirt during setup; sorry, you can't grab another from the linen
closet. Unlike in a restaurant or catering facility, someone else cannot clean or cover up
mistakes. For example, ice tends to melt much faster outside, even when in a cooler, so make
sure you bring extra. If there is no access to drinking water, then perhaps a water station should
be set up with drinking water and have refuse water in separated clearly marked containers.
Another requirement is the setting up of the plate drop-off station. Servers must be able to use
this area quickly and efficiently to execute proper service. If this station is not properly set up
and equipped, problems may arise since there are no quick fixes out in the field. All required
and a few extra serving utensils, cocktail trays, and bar equipment are needed. Creating
detailed lists for each area of setup will ease the stress for you and your service staff. Of course
these lists will need to be checked and rechecked.
In other words, the details of mise en place are not just mental checklists, but actual written,
preferably typed lists of equipment and diagrams of stations and movement as applicable.
Checking and rechecking, while in the back of your mind thinking about the worst-case
scenario, is just the beginning. Using your intuition about the area where the catering will take
place is the other half of the battle.
When catering a special affair at your own facility, you have the advantage and luxury of
knowing how best your facility runs and operates. Equipment is easily accessible, since service
stations and a pantry have already been designed for ease and comfort of service. For this
reason, researching the site and intuitively thinking of the function's surroundings, are the
foundations of Off-Premise Catering. Many conveniences are taken for granted when
performing a function on premises. Simple elements such as running water and electricity may
not be accessible to the service staff when off-site.
The first step in attaining the knowledge necessary for Off-Premise Catering is establishing
route of arrival for the service staff. Creating and distributing a detailed list of directions for all
service personnel with phone numbers and drive times is essential. Second, familiarizing your
staff and yourself with the facility prior to the affair is crucial. For example, when a function is
inside a private home, it is important to find out what is accessible. Although there may be a
perfect spot to place a service area, the host of the affair may not want you to use that particular
area. You are there to service your guests in the best and most efficient manner; however, it is
important for you to realize that you are also a guest in your host's home. You are expected to
respect their wishes and desires while trying to provide the most professional service in a
foreign setting. This is probably the most frustrating aspect of catering in the private sector.
Affairs that take place in more obscure areas need to be approached with an open mind and
creative eyes. Often times these locations can lead to service nightmares. Areas such as parks,
wooded areas, corporate lawns, and the almighty tent in the middle of nowhere can be
deceiving. There may be muddy and unstable areas that can make table setting difficult.
Creating workstations or side stations may be challenging due to uneven surfaces. They must
be placed and created in areas that will logically work and not detract from the décor of the
affair. Accurately measured floor plans and diagrams will help you and your service staff be
successful. In retrospect, using your intuition is key in creating that restaurant feeling out in the
field of Off-Premise Catering.
Catering Equipment
Determining Equipments Needs14
Gisslen Wayne, author of “Professional Cooking” say that, the types of required off – premise
catering equipment are determined by analysing a number of factors:-
 Menu – The foods you will serve greatly influence equipment selection. For
example:- A caterer who plans to serve a variety of deep – fried hors d'oeuvres
will require more fryulator capacity than one who plans to simply offer
assortments of cold canapé's. The cold canapé's will require rolling racks and
refrigerated storage, whereas the caterer serving deep – fried hors d'oeuvres
could store them before cooking in plastic containers that could be kept in ice
chests at the party site, in accordance with local health departments regulations.
 Beverage Service – Will a company offer services of alcoholic and non –
alcoholic beverages? If so, glassware, bar utensils, beverage station will be
necessary.
 Style of Service – A caterer specialising in barbecues will more than likely
require only plastic ware, whereas an upscale caterer will need plenty of silver –
plated flatware, crystal stemware.
 Number of Guests – Off – premises caterers who specialise in home parties for
30 or fewer guests will require substantially less equipments than those catering
mega events with thousands of guests.
 Other Factors – These include regional influence – clambake equipment in New
England, portable meat – smokers for Southern barbecues. The specific
equipment needs for each party are best determined by analysing the party
contract, preparing a layout of the event.
14Wayne Gisslen, Wiley, John & Sons, 6th Edition, Published March 2006, Professional
Cooking
Checking Unique Party Location15
Many of the venues will offer unusual challenges, which must be addressed prior to an event. A
thorough site inspection is mandatory weeks ahead of time, with following critical details in
mind:-
 Any cost associated with use of the facility.

 Weather and alternate plans in case it doesn't co – operate.
 Parking and valet availability if needed.
 Utilities: water, power, waste removal, etc.
 Rules about deliveries.
 Existing kitchen facilities or equipment that may be used.
 Rules about service on the premises.
 Insects and pest control options.
 Adequate number of restrooms.
 Sufficient sighting, interior and exterior.
 Insurance and other contingencies.
Planning and Designing the Catered Event
The results of the site inspection, coupled with the menu and other information, are the input for
the party layout. For simple parties, the layout can be roughly sketched during the site
inspection. The diagrams includes:-
1. Registration tables and check – in areas.

2. For weddings: gifts, cakes and place card tables.
15
3. Bars, buffets and food stations.
4. Seating for guests during cocktails and dinner.
5. Service station for guests.
6. Dance floors, stages and space for entertainment.
7. Off – premise catering kitchen and staging area.
Layout and Design Criteria16
Displacing the Food:-
Dramatic buffets and food stations create excitement, interest and intrigue. A buffet is simply a
style of service that permits the guests to portion and plate their own food.
There are some basic rules for buffet setup:-
1. Never place a buffet adjacent to the dance floor or music.

2. Allow plenty of space between stations for guests to circulate.
3. Allow adequate surfaces on which empty drinks glasses may be placed.
4. Place lowest – cost items first on the 'line'.
5. Expensive items should be portioned by servers and carvers.
6. Remember that guests tend to take less food from small containers.
16
Back of the House (kitchen and staging areas):-
For smaller at homes and offices, off – premises caterers generally use the existing facility,
making the best of some very difficult situations. Of course, the menu must be compatible with
the facility.
For large events where hundreds are to be served, cooking tents are generally erected if there
is no existing kitchen facility. The following design criteria should be considered:-
1. Design the kitchen so that servers can easily pick up food without going through
the kitchen.
2. The busing area for dirty dishes should contain trash receptacles, water for
rinsing dishes and room for empty dish and glass crates.
3. 4 – 6 – 8 banquet tables are excellent for use as kitchen work table.
4. The coffee and deserts should be kept at the rear of the tent until ready to be
served.
5. There should always be arrangements made to warm plates for hot food courses.
6. Tables are necessary next to the ovens to provide space for the cooks to set
down hot foods from the oven.
7. Place portable liquid – fuel warming ovens at the edge of the tent for ventilation.
8. Proper placement of grill equipment is essential for safety.
Staffing in the Catering Firms17
The role of a caterer is diverse. It includes jobs like sourcing ingredients and supplies, preparing
food, preparing linens and decorations, transporting food and equipment to events, setting up at
events, serving food and beverages to guests and cleaning up after events. There is also the
business side of catering, which includes administration and marketing.
17
http://www.startacateringcompany.com/general/hiring-and-managing-catering-employees/
While it is possible to handle everything alone you will find that for events with any more than
around twelve people, having assistance from staff is essential.
The catering business, like all service businesses is all about providing great service and
keeping the customer happy. Staff plays a key part in this; particularly your serving staff that is
dealing with guests directly. They will be a major factor in determining the success or failure of
an event.
With catering your staffing needs change from month to month as every event will have different
requirements and your booking will fluctuate. Larger caterers usually have a core team that
handle the day – to – day business and then depending on their schedule they hire contractors
or part timers.
Let us discuss how you can go about hiring and managing catering business
employees effectively.
Meeting and Hiring Staff
Businesses in the food service and hospitality industry have notoriously high staff turnover
rates. Catering is definitely no exception. You have to set out a plan for interviewing and hiring
staff in order to get staff that is capable and reliable. You also need staff that will stay with you
for a while once you have trained them.
You could run advertising to look for employees. A better way once you know what you are
doing is to look for good potential hires while you are out and about. If you have a great waitress
serve you in a restaurant give her your card and let her know that you could offer her some
extra work from time to time.
Some thoughts on how to interview prospective staff members are as follows:
 Be sure to conduct interviews in an area that will allow the applicant to relax.
 Prepare for the interview by reading thoroughly over their resume.
 During an interview you must examine the applicant carefully.
 Take note of their grooming and study their personality to see if they will be a
good fit with your company.
 Think of sensible questions to ask to try and determine their attitude towards
work, customers and former employers.
 Try to find out why they left their last place of employment.
 Never hire somebody on the spot but rather take the time to reflect on the
interview.
 Contact the references listed on their resume to reinforce your hiring decisions.
Set Clear Policies
In order to get staff to stay with your catering business for a while you really have to show them
that you care about their interests.
Set up a working environment designed to avoid conflict. By setting clear policies that are fair to
staff as well as looking after your interests as the business owner they will know where they
stand and what is expected of them. Set out a printed document that includes your policies on
punctuality, hygiene and things that are forbidden such as chewing gum or using mobile phones
to make calls during an event. You also need to set out policies for how employees should treat
each other and forbid harassment and abuse. Some of your catering staff will earn tips and you
should consider setting a policy that enables all tips to be shared among all staff at the end of
the event.
Training Catering Employees
Serving staff will not always be familiar with the etiquette of food service, especially if they are
new to the industry. Organize some practical training sessions for them and have some of your
senior staff teach them about the right way to serve customers.
Serving staff is obviously most important when it comes to making a positive impression with
clients, team members should learn the importance of their role in an event. It is important that
everyone knows how to communicate with other staff members and to work as a team. For tips
on employee presentation and management refer exhibit 2.
Recruiting Workers
One of the best recruitment sources is referral from existing employees. Most will recommend
only those who they believe will work out. However, off – premise caterers should use caution in
hiring too many staff members who are close to one another or who are friendly away from
work. Sources of potential staff include:-
 Culinary schools
 Colleges
 Homemakers
 Employment agencies
 Local restaurant employees
Discipline and Termination
To be effective, discipline must be considered. It must be administered as a result of specific

behaviour problems, rather than personality. Series of steps:-
 Verbal warning,
 Written warning,
 Suspension without pay, and
 Termination
Delivery System in Off – Premises Catering18
Delivery Concepts has helped catering businesses increase store revenues, expand customer
bases, and extend advertising. From corporate catering to birthday parties to weddings, delivery
systems offer a complete line of custom – built, temperature – controlled catering vehicles ideal
for your catering business. Here are the reasons why:
 Increase Profit – A good delivery system will help you produce more efficient
catering event. Catering vehicles allow you to consolidate food product,
equipment and personnel into one temperature – controlled catering vehicle.
When you reach more customers, preserve product quality and reduce labor,
your profit increases exponentially.
 Expand Customer Base – Delivery system offers a wide variety of affordable
temperature – controlled compartments for most car, truck and van. Custom –
designed delivery system will not only meet your current needs, but will allow for
future growth. For example, while the smaller vehicle like a Van might suffice for
your current customer base, adding a bigger vehicle than a van gives you the
flexibility to add customers without adding drivers, again making your business
more efficient and profitable.
 Extend Your Advertising – If you can visualize your professional – looking
vehicle promoting your business citywide, so will your current and prospective
customers, throughout every delivery. Your custom – designed, custom – built
delivery vehicle can provide highly effective “billboard” advertising by
incorporating attractive graphics with professional lettering. You deliver quality on
the inside, while you promote quality on the outside.
One of the ways to find out the size of catering businesses is by the number of delivery
vehicles they own. The more delivery vehicles they use for an event the bigger events
18
http://www.deliveryconcepts.com/html/catering.html
they cater to.
There are critical steps in the execution of the event. A sufficient amount of time should be
allocated so that everything arrives on time at the party site.
Transportation (H.L. Cracknell, Practical Professional Catering Management):-
Pulling and Packing
Before 'pulling at party', review the packing list and ensure that all goods on the list is actually in
stock. In most off – premise catering, party items are not at all in one location, but spread
throughout the commissary or in storage.
As the items are located, the larger, bulkier ones should be taken to the delivery vehicle.
Smaller loose items should be assembled in a particular area packed in containers like plastic
packing crates with handles for carrying. Fragile items should be wrapped in bubble wrap, linens
or wadded up paper to prevent breakfast.
Loading the Vehicle:-
The loading process should not be taken lightly. It is physically demanding and improperly
packed items may break, spill, crack or chip. R.J. Kaufmann’s few suggestions to minimise this
risk are:-
 Everything should be packed together tightly. Wherever possible, creates and

racks should be nestled together to avoid shifting in transit.
 Large, heavy square or rectangular items should be loaded first and kept in the
bottom portion of the load.
 Cold foods should be transported in accordance with local health department
regulations, which may require a refrigerated trunks, etc.
 Hot foods should be kept at a safe temperature in insulated carrying containers,
thermal bags, etc.
 Light weight and unusually shaped items should be loaded last and inserted in
areas where they will fit snugly to help keep the load from shifting in transit.
 Loading staff must be trained in proper lifting techniques to avoid injury.
As each item is packed in the vehicle, it should be checked off on the pull sheet.
Delivery:-
The delivery process involves physically moving the food, supplies and equipment from the
catering commissary to the party site.
Uploading at the Party Site:-
Off – premise caterers should have policies for uploading catering vehicles at event sites and do
not mean simply instructions about dropping off platters, but written procedures for larger and
complex events.
The most critical uploading rule is to separate items based on where they will be used.
Uploading is best accomplished with only a few staff members, not the complete party crew. It is
easier to keep things organised when fewer workers are present and their job is specifically to
upload. Under ideal conditions, everything for each food station, buffet, bar, off – premise
kitchen should be delivered to the spot where it will be needed so that the setup crew arrives to
find everything positioned correctly. Equipments, food and supplies to be used on buffets, food
station and bars should be stored as close as possible to their eventual points of use.
Reloading and Returning:-
Most caterers can complete cleaning, packing and reloading within 1 hour of the conclusion of
their responsibilities, in as much as some of the cleaning and repacking should be
accomplished as the party progresses. It is best to wait to reload the vehicle until most things
are packed and ready for loading, rather than load things randomly, and it's better to clean up at
that moment than to have to face chores next day.
Post – Party Review:-
A post party review should be conducted after every catered event to pinpoint specific problems
that require attention and discuss better ways to do things in the future.
Serving Procedures
Serving Butlered Hors d'oeuvres19:-
19
Frequently prior to serve meals off – premise caterers serve hors d'oeuvres that is passed
“Butler – style”. There are few rules that need to be followed:-
1. Know the name of the item and any accompanying sauce.

2. Warn the guests if the dish is hot or spicy.
3. Always smile and show courtesy towards guests.
4. Carry a supply of cocktail napkins.
5. Always return to the kitchen with dirty dishes and glassware.
6. Always pass to different guests during trip around the room by going different
routes.
Serving the Meal:-
The servers are responsible for serving food and beverages to guests. There are certain service
standard procedures to be followed:-
1. Serve food from the left, with your left hand.

2. Always serve females before males.
3. Clear from right using your right hand.
4. Never reach across in front of guests.
5. Serve beverages from the right with your right hand.
6. Servers should not make unnecessary noises.
7. Service staff should never touch flatware that is on plates.
8. Water glasses should be replenished throughout the meal.
9. Table numbers and unused place settings should be removed when all the
guests are seated.
10. Tables, chairs, buffets and bars should not be broken down and removed until
the guests have left the event.
Clearing the Tables:-
When everyone at a table is finished with a course, the dishes and flatware for that course must
be removed, including flatware designated for the course that guests did not happen to use.
Glassware should also be cleared. Glassware, plates and flatware should be carried to the dirty
dish area.
Quality Control20, 21
The most important function of the person in charge of any business is to plan and control it.
Customers buy what they can afford. Most success stories in catering are those which
introduced a total package based on a simple but popular item of food, or on a stylish, trendy
combination of food, drink and service in a congenial atmosphere.
Internal targets of production, revenue and costs can be set for every part of the operation,
based on previous performance or that of similar establishment. The set objectives become the
measure of performance at which the unit should operate.
Customer Satisfaction22
It is good if the caterers get a feedback from the guests. This will prove if the guests were
satisfied or not. It is best if the complaints are made aware of the caterers at that time rather
than taking it to the trading standards department of the local authority, to local or national
offices of catering or editor of local newspaper.
20 http://www.raanscatering.com/qualitycontrol.htm
21 http://www.almcogroup.com/life_support_catering.html
22
To conclude, properly supervised and executed, off – premises catered events are guaranteed
to create positive word of mouth, which will generate future business. There are no second
chances to get right. Mistakes in the serving and sanitation area can cost an off – premises
caterer his or her reputation and livelihood. One thing must be always kept in mind that service
standards, quality maintained, safety and sanitation should be up to the level.
How Does an Off-Premise Caterer Gauge Success23
There are a number of signs to look for when evaluating an existing off – premise catering
business. Healthy companies rate highly in all of these areas. Those that are unhealthy, or even
on the brink of failure, will not rate nearly as well.
 Management thoroughly plans, organizes, executes, and controls each catered event.
 Proper controls are in place for costs, accounts receivable and payable, and liquid
assets such as cash and inventories. Theft prevention is also a priority.
 Food and service quality is well controlled and meets or exceeds clients’ approval.
 Pricing for food and services is fair and competitive with other firms in the marketplace.
There is a spirit of healthy competition.
 The catering firm enjoys good working relationships with both clients and suppliers.
 Time and attention are given to food safety in storage, preparation, and display.
Employees know the local health codes and follow them.
 There is sufficient working capital to operate the business. The firm can make loan
payments as they become due. Excessive credit is not extended to clients.
 Budgets are prepared and followed. Business records, insurance coverage, and licenses
are kept up to date. The information derived from these records is used to provide data
23
to help manage the business.
 Sales growth is controlled. There are sufficient financial and personnel resources to
operate as business steadily grows.
 Market trends are anticipated.
 Management and staff have a good working knowledge of the off – premise catering
field.
 There are solid, trusting relationships between management and staff. Staff members
are well trained and feel truly appreciated – because they are.
 Management works closely with a qualified accountant to plan for payment of taxes.
 Management is willing to seek qualified professional assistance if problems arise.
SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL CATERERS24
Let’s examine some additional techniques, philosophies, and real life ways to be successful in
the challenging field of off – premise catering. Stephen R. Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People”, defines habits as things we do automatically, like brushing our teeth, combing
our hair, or straightening a tablecloth that is uneven. We hardly think about them, we just do
them. But what are some habits that mark successful caterers? What separates star performers
from the rest of the crowd?
Here are seven key traits:
1. Willingness to Take Calculated Risks – One of our favorite sayings is, “A turtle goes
nowhere until it sticks its neck out.” In order to succeed, we must be continually growing
and improving, and the only way to do this is to leave our comfort zones and stick our
necks out.
24
If you are right-handed, you feel quite comfortable writing with your right hand. Now, try
writing with your left hand. You are definitely out of your comfort zone. But after a while,
you will find you can actually write with either hand. Successful caterers make things
happen by taking calculated risks, whether it is trying new menu items, new buffet
display concepts, or accepting a job in a new and challenging off – premise location.
Caterers who refuse to take risks fail to grow and learn and are left behind.
2. Sincere Concern for Others – Nobody cares how much you know until they know how
much you care. Empathy and genuine concern for your clients and staff are paramount
to long-term success. What are their needs, wishes, and desires? What are their
concerns and their “hot buttons”? By putting ourselves in their positions, we can begin to
show concern for others and understand them. When we do this, we develop meaningful
relationships and, not coincidentally, loyalty. We give them what they want, and we get
what we want.
3. Keeping Up with Current Trends – It is not just a matter of food and presentation and
theme trends. Caterers who are not wired to do business online through the Internet and
e – mail are missing out on huge opportunities. People do shop for catering online, and
the companies that lead the way have high – quality websites and diligently reply to e –
mailed requests in a timely manner.
Caterers need to get in the habit of responding to e – mail correspondence as soon as

possible, as well as providing e – mailed proposals to those clients who prefer to do
business via their computers. Event planners who book caterers for their clients love
receiving e – mailed proposals, because they are easy to copy – and – paste into their
own proposals. If you are not in the habit of working online, you are behind the times.
4. Excellent Priorities and Time Management – You get 20 percent of your sales and
profits from 80 percent of your clients, and 80 percent of your sales and profits from 20
percent of your clients.
None of us ever go home at night thinking that all the work is done – it never is. It is
simply a question of what is most important, as well as what is most urgent. Urgent
things are never really an issue. There is no question that if you have a catered event
today, it will get done. But what is most urgent is not necessarily what is most important.
You must understand the difference.
For example, you could spend a day catering three small parties for 25 guests each, but
fall behind on preparing a proposal for another job, in three months, for 500 guests and
lose it to a competitor whose proposal was simply submitted on time.
Successful caterers spend their time in those areas that generate the biggest paybacks
in terms of money, quality, and other rewards. They make a habit of planning their days,
leaving time for the most important, as well as the most urgent. At the start of each day
they prepare an agenda that details both short – term objectives and long – term goals.
5. Quality before Quantity – Bigger is not necessarily better. Still, many of us get caught up
in that way of thinking. If our sales are $1 million, let’s go for $2 million. If they are $2
million, what is wrong with $4 million?
There is nothing wrong with building sales if quality does not suffer. However, when the
quality of our products and services suffers so does the quality of our lifestyle. More
business means more hours at work. And doctors will tell you they have never met a
man or woman who, on a deathbed, expressed a wish that he or she had spent more
time at work.
If we can grow our businesses with no adverse effects on the quality of our lives or our
products, then we should go for it. But if we find profits slipping and clients complaining,
and we need a letter of introduction when we stumble home at 3:00 a.m., then
something is very wrong.
We need to make of habit of continually asking ourselves whether we might be better off
with less business and more time for ourselves and for our families. We need to
continually examine the quality of our work to ensure that it is not slipping because we
have allowed ourselves to take on too much.
6. Being Detail Oriented – A baseball player who bats .250 gets three hits for every 12
times at bat. One who bats .333 gets four hits for every 12 times at bat. The difference—
one more hit for every 12 times at bat—means the difference between an average major
league ball player and a Hall of Fame inductee.
Do you make it a habit to continually look for the little things? A good caterer is not
nitpicky, but is forever finding something that needs to be tweaked, adjusted, redone, or
improved – little things that most customers would not notice, but that greatly impact the
overall professionalism of an event. Being aware of the details in flavors, look, aromas,
and tidiness separates the average caterers from the superstars. And, by all means,
check the spelling, grammar, and punctuation in all your written materials, from
brochures to contracts or hire someone to do it. Again, the goal is to present a
professional image. Remember the devil is in the details.
7. Setting High Standards – If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you very
often get the best. Successful caterers set their standards high and expect excellence
from themselves and their staff members. They are never happy with the status quo,
always striving to make each party, wedding, or event better than the last. They debrief
after an event, asking staff for input and improvements. They know that if they fail to
improve, they are leaving the door open for their competitors to capture a good customer
or a larger share of the market.
Successful caterers also make a habit of lifelong learning. They are forever reading,
attending trade shows, and exploring areas that will help them improve their own
businesses with new ideas. They challenge and reward their staff members for having
the same attitude.
Vince Lombardi, the late NFL coach, who during his career coached the first team to
ever win the Super Bowl, put it this way: “The quality of a person’s life is in direct
proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of
endeavor.”
MANAGING AN OFF-PREMISE CATERING OPERATION25, 26
Managerial Decision Making
Off – Premise catering managers must make decisions that keep their operations running
smoothly. They realize that some decisions will be better than others, that there is no perfect
solution to every problem, and that the best decision – making goal is to find the best possible
solution with the least number of drawbacks.
Connie Sitterly, a management consultant and author, states that to be a good decision maker
you should, “plan ahead so when problems crop up, you are prepared to act, not react. Control
circumstances, instead of allowing them to control you. Take the initiative by anticipating and
solving business problems.”
Although hundreds of books have been written about decision – making, the following tips from
Ms. Sitterly should be helpful (they are paraphrased from an article she wrote back in 1990 in
‘The Meeting Manager’, but they are still up – to – the – minute when it comes to making tough
decisions successfully): -
 Remember that there's seldom only one acceptable solution to the problem. Choose the
best alternative.
 Make decisions that help achieve the company objectives.
 You need to consider feelings whenever people are involved. Even if you must make an
unpopular decision, you can minimize repercussions, if workers know you have taken
their feelings into account.
 Allow quality time for planning and decision – making. Pick a time when you are
energetic and your mind is fresh.
25
26
 Realize that you will never please everyone. Few decisions meet with unanimous
approval – the appointed authority, not the majority, rules.
 Make time for making decisions. In business, delaying a decision can cost thousands of
rupees.
 Put decision making in perspective. Every executive feels overwhelmed at times by
either the enormity or the number of decisions made during a business day. For peace
of mind accept that you are doing the best job you can with the time, talent, and
resources you have.
 Do not wait for a popular vote. Rallying your colleagues around your decision before you
take action or waiting for their vote of confidence before deciding anything may cost too
much in time. There are times when you just have to do something.
Leadership
There are major differences between those who lead and those who manage. Catering
companies need both types of executives, and some who can do both. If a catering company is
earning seven and eight – figure annual revenues, people with leadership skills are most
definitely leading it. Leaders are able to get people to do things they do not necessarily like to
do, but they do them and even enjoy them.
Professionalism and Common Business Courtesy
Off – premise caterers who are not professional in their business practices will never reach the
pinnacle of success in the field. It is of utmost importance that we define professionalism. The
following guidelines are adapted from an article by Carol McKibben in Special Events magazine:
 Become known for doing what you say you are going to do.
 Give price quotes and commitments only when you know everything about the event.
 Treat clients and staff members with respect.
 Build relationships with clients. Do not look at them as accounts or projects.
 Be on time, or a bit early, for appointments. Be prepared for an appointment. Be honest;
do not play games.
 Stand behind your work. If it is wrong, make it right. In the face of abuse from others, do
not respond by becoming abusive. Try to detach yourself from it emotionally and handle
it logically. Of course, do not use your position of power to abuse others.
 Dress professionally.
 Enjoy your work as an off – premise caterer. When work ceases to be enjoyable, it is
time to quit and find a new career.
Ethics in Management27
The Roman philosopher Publilius Syrus said, “A good reputation is more valuable than money.”
This is as true today as it was in ancient times. And yet, lack of ethics is perhaps the most
widely discussed topic in today's business world. We read and hear of illegalities, scandals, and
other forms of questionable behavior bringing down some of the nation's largest corporations.
Off – premise caterers are in no way exempt from ethical concerns. Even the smallest caterers
deal in issues of fairness, legal requirements, and honesty on a daily basis. Examples include
truth in menu, misleading advertising, unexpected and unjustified last minute add – ons to the
party price, and even underbidding a competitor when the client has disclosed your competitor's
price. Truly ethical caterers will assume responsibility for the host to ensure that the host plans
an event in the best interest of the guests.
A host who wishes to serve alcohol to underage guests or barbecued ribs to a group of elderly
people (tough to eat with dentures) is out of line and needs to be advised that this will not work.
In fact, an ethical caterer will refuse to cater an event that is clearly not being planned in the
best interest of the host or guests.
There are times when a caterer is given a free hand in planning a menu. Perhaps a grieving
client calls for food after the funeral of a loved one, saying, “Please send over food for 50 guests
tomorrow night. You know what we like!” The ethical caterer will not take advantage of this
situation by either providing too much food or overcharging the client.Another temptation arises
27
when the caterer is pressed to cater more events on a certain day or evening than he or she
can reasonably accommodate. The extra money looks good. Unethical caterers will rationalize
that they can handle all the events, even if an inexperienced supervisor or staff must oversee
these events, or even if the kitchen staff will not be able to prepare the caterer's usual high –
quality food because of lack of time and personnel. Caterers who take on more work than they
can reasonably accommodate are greedy and are considered by many observers to be
unethical.
In the foregoing situation the caterer should decline the work and perhaps recommend another
caterer. Some caterers refuse to recommend another catering firm because they feel that if the
client is not pleased with the other firm, the caterer who turned down the business will be
blamed for the recommendation. Other caterers freely recommend one or more companies
when unable to cater events. There are times when it is very hard not to bad – mouth a
competitor, but this is considered unethical as well as rude. Those who are ethical would rather
point out their own strengths than downgrade the competition.
It can be very tempting for self – employed caterers to underreport income or overstate
expenses. They rationalize that no one will know if they accept cash for a party, then fail to
report it as income and pay the associated tax, or that no one will know if they happen to charge
personal expenses now and then to the business. Some caterers who are licensed to sell liquor
by the drink or by the bottle are tempted to bill clients for beverages that were not consumed.
These practices are not only unethical but also illegal. Other ethical violations occur when
caterers receive under – the – table cash “kickbacks” from suppliers, misrepresent their services
to potential clients, or bid on party plans or ideas stolen from other caterers.
Caterers also soon learn that some clients are unethical. A few are masterful at finding fault with
a wedding or other important event, then demanding a “discount” based on whatever flaw they
feel they have uncovered. For example some will refuse to pay for linens that were damaged by
candles they lit on them! You will find people who, mid – party, will ask you to stay “a couple
hours of overtime, just to wrap things up” – then not show up to pay you for the extra time the
next day, as agreed. Others will haggle over the tiniest details on an invoice or try to engage
more than one caterer in a bidding war to lower prices. Caterers who deal with “middleman”
organizations, like destination management firms or production companies, may find that a
client of one of these companies will come back later to try to deal directly with you, thus cutting
out the middleman who recommended you.
As a catering professional, you need to expect a certain amount of this behavior and must
protect yourself if you suspect an ethical question may arise. Insisting on security deposits,
having a valid and authorized credit card number on file for unforeseen charges, refusing to look
at other caterers' written bids, and standing firm on your own invoice prices are just a few ways
ethical problems can be avoided. And rather than cut out a legitimate middleman – type of
vendor, you can either refuse to deal directly with a client who tries such a maneuver or suggest
a commission be paid to the middleman.
You will also be put in some sticky situations during tough times, and even good times certain
clients will make unrealistic requests. They have often been good, regular clients too! But they
will promise you future business if you will cater their party “at cost,” or defer payment for them,
or ask some other special favor “just this once.” These requests are unfair, and you are right to
be squeamish about them. Off – premise caterers should be extremely wary when approached
in this fashion. As a general rule, clients who do not pay their bills in a professional manner, or
who are not willing to pay a fair price for catering services, are not worth the headaches they
cause.
Separating Yourself from the Competition
Great caterers do more than imitate – they innovate. There are distinct advantages for those
who offer a unique menu, a unique service, or perhaps a unique location. They may build and
improve on someone else's concept, but they strive to take the idea to the next level. Rather
than mimicking another's success, they imprint their own signature on their menus.
One of America's top chefs, Charlie Trotter says, “It's important that you foster a company
culture that spurs you and your employees to search for innovative opportunities. Innovations
can satisfy needs that are unmet or offer solutions to time – worn problems, or they can be new
ways of saving time, space and money.”
Trotter says, “He and his staff use input from their travels, readings, television, radio, and even
hobbies to hit upon trends. They keep up on the latest changes in public opinion and
demographics to search for interesting, potentially high – growth markets. Currently, they have
identified ethnic cuisines such as Pan – Asian and Nuevo Latino as hot areas for menu
innovation.” The bottom line is that they create their own trends. Similarly, as with any career,
catering professionals need to reexamine their business strategies from time to time. Some
caterers do what they do best, are well known for it, and never vary their formulas. Their clients
love them and get exactly what they expect.
Costing28
If you intend to run a successful catering business, it is important to know how to price catering
jobs correctly. In order to price a catering job, you must take into account all catering costs while
still making sure to price competitively. While each catering business has its own specialty and
therefore its own pricing considerations, there are certain basic rules to pricing a catering job
that apply to most catering businesses. These rules are:
1. Calculate Overhead Catering Expenses – Before you start to price a

particular catering job, it is important to calculate your total overhead costs.
These include costs of equipment, transportation, rental space, utilities, etc.
Divide this total by the number of catering jobs you anticipate. Be sure to
include this amount whenever pricing a catering job.
2. Price Based on Specific Catering Job Costs – Next, you will want to price
your catering based on costs associated with that specific catering event. Make
a list of all costs associated including food costs, disposable goods, staff wages,
utilities, etc. You should be able to approximate how much an event will cost in
advance as you get more experienced.
3. Price Based on Head Count – One of the most common methods of pricing a
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http://www.ehow.com/how_5174497_price-catering-job.html
catering job is pricing based on number of people that you will be serving. You
can set a minimum number of people you are willing to cater for. You can also
set prices on a sliding scale. For example, offer a regular price per person for
50-100 people, offer a slightly discounted price per person for 100-200 people
and over a very discounted price for 200-400 people.
4. Price Based on Menu Type – You should also take into account the type of
food you will be serving. Calculate how much the ingredients cost plus how
much it will cost for the chef to prepare. Some foods may have inexpensive
ingredients, but require a lot of preparation, so be sure to keep this in mind
when pricing.
5. Price Based on Number of Courses – Another consideration to price a
catering job is how many courses will be served. Elaborate meals with seven
courses will obviously cost more than a simple two – course meal.
6. Price Based on Type of Set–up – You will also want to price catering jobs
based on the type of event and the set up required. Are you planning a formal
dinner or a simple picnic? Do not take into account just the food that is served,
but also how the food will need to appear.
7. Price Based on Service – Remember to price based on number of waiters
required. You might charge less for catering if you will just serve buffet style
instead of full waiter service. Calculate how many waiters are needed and how
many hours you will need them for.
8. Include Additional Services in your Catering Pricing – You can get more
business and make more of a profit potentially if you add additional services to
your catering business. For example, you can cater for a specific hall and
charge your client one price that includes both the price of the hall and the
catering service. Similarly, you can offer hall decorating or flowers together with
catering service.
9. Price Competitively – Make sure to investigate how much your competitors
charge for the catering jobs. Try to remain competitive while still covering your
costs and leaving yourself a profit. Give your catering service a specialty in
order to charge more than the competition and still get clients.
10. Simplify your Catering Prices – If you plan on catering as a business, you
should try to take all pricing considerations and create a standard pricing guide.
Try to categorize services into service types so that you don't have to figure out
prices from the start for each customer who approaches you.
For example, have a standard menu with a basic price and then additional costs
for extras. Put together a list of which items will be considered standard and
which will require additional costs.
Coming up with a fair price for a catering job is tough at first. It is important that you put
in the time and learn how to get it right so that you can maximize the opportunities
available to you.
Some caterers think that by pricing low and undercutting market rates they can win clients and
establish a solid market share. Pricing too low under market rates to compete is always bad
practice. You may win clients this way but you won’t be making much profit for your troubles and
you will find it hard to raise prices in the future. Some clients may also perceive your food or
service to be low quality.
Try to price your service at market rates or slightly above to give yourself room to lower prices if
the client wants to negotiate. While a small discount may be appropriate though you should not
give in too much too customers who want to haggle over your price. Be prepared for some
clients to tell you the quotes that they have received from other caterers and expect you to beat
your competitor's prices.
Customers will shop around so you will be losing jobs if you are quoting prices that are
too high and cannot be justified. Pricing above market rates is possible if you have an
established brand with a reputation for quality that can command a price premium.
A Catering Business Pricing Method29
Firstly, you have to get some information about the event and the expected attendance.
29 http://www.startacateringcompany.com/marketing/pricing-a-catering-job/
Then you can calculate all the costs involved with catering such an event. These costs
will include all your food and beverage requirements and the costs associated with
acquiring them, preparing them and serving them. Costs could include the workers that
you employ, your own time, transport costs and equipment rental.
Next, you have to work out your monthly business expenses. These costs may include
rent, vehicle expenses, depreciation on equipment, advertising and marketing costs,
insurance and utilities. Once you have worked out this you can then divide this figure by
the number of catering jobs that you typically do in a month. You will then come up with
an amount for each event that should be put towards your monthly overheads. You may
decide to make an additional adjustment to this amount depending on if you are
catering for a larger or smaller than average event.
Once you have a figure that represents your total costs for the job you can then add on a
reasonable amount of profit. Then you have the total quote that you can put forward to a
customer. Of course, after you have done this a few times and get a feel for pricing you can get
an easier system going.
One way is to charge per head and simply make adjustments for the number of courses and
any expensive ingredients that were required. As you get a better understanding of the market
and gain some experience you will find that pricing a catering job also comes down to gut
feeling or intuition.
Another factor that can influence pricing is whether you expect to get future business from a
client. You might settle for a lower profit if you are to be catering regularly to a corporate client.
Arrangements like this usually run smoothly over the long term and present few challenges.
However, if you were doing a one catering event for a customer who is not likely to book your
service again in the near future then you would expect to make a higher profit on the job.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research is based on primary and secondary data and is exploratory and descreptive in
nature. The study is done from the business perspective to understand the competition faced by
Off – Premises Caterers. This project work basically involves finding the key strategies,
marketing methods, differentiating factors of a caterer, etc.
Secondary Data Collection
The project work involved the process of secondary data collection that was done by studying
various theoretical and issue related books, internet sites and company reports.
Primary Data Collection
Primary data collection is done by conducting surveys with the assupmtion that the catered
event is for 100 people and a sample size of 11 respondents in the city of kollam, kerala.
Sample Design
The survey was conducted by persoanlly visiting the caterers and getting the questionnaire filled
by 11 different caterers. The list of these 11 caterers is:
1. Evergreen event management.
2. Avittam catering
3. Rahumania caters
4. Rameez caters
5. We help caters
6. Ec event management
7. Nila caters
8. Al falah caters
9. Risla
10. Kitchen place caters
11. Vikas caters

Sample Testing
Before conducting the final survey, the sample was tested by getting the questionnaire filled by
2 caterers. The answers to the questions asked in the survey provided relevant and accurate
information to conduct the final data analysis.
Data Analysis
After the collection of the primary data through questionnaire, the data was tabulated for
analysis and interpretation.
Chapter IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Scope for Off – Premises Catering Industry in kollam and the Types of
Events Catered
The scope of the catering industry in kollam can be understood by the number of events catered
in a month by the caterers. The smaller the number of events catered the lesser the scoop and
the higher the number of events catered the higher is the scoop. Again kollam being a small
city, the catering industry does not have a very large scoop as compared to cities like
thiruvananthapuram,ernakulam etc.
The range of catered events in kollam on an average basis lies between 1 to approximately 25.
50% (refer table 1) of the caterers in kollam cater between 1 to 5 events in a month on an
average. The caterers who fall into the range of 1 to 5 catered events per month are the
caterers like avittam Caterers, EC event management and Caterers, rahumania Caterers, etc.
The major catering firms like ec event management and we help cater about 3 or 4 events in a
month, rahumania and avittam caterer about 7 to 8 events in a month. The caterers who cater
more than 20 events in a month are the ones who only provide ready to eat food in hot boxes
and deliver it to their customers besides that they rarely provide any other services.
Table 1: Catered Events per Month
Catered Events per Month Number of Respondents Percentage
1 to 5 25 50.00
6 to 10 15 30.00
11 to 20 6 12.00
More than 20 4 8.00
Total 50 100.00
Figure 3: Catered Events per Month
Types of Catering Event
Most of the caterers in kollam cater only social events like wedding and receptions, anniversary
and birthday parties, etc.
Sources of Purchasing Food Supplies
In any city, the sources of purchasing food supplies are the wholesalers and the retailers. Just
like any caterers in any other cities, the caterers in kollam also purchase their supplies from the
two above said sources. All the caterers buy the vegetables (like potato, onions, etc.), poultry
and meat from the wholesalers and sauces and the add ons from the retailers.
Employees in Catering Firms of kollam
Full – Time Employees The caterers in kollam have more full – time employees. About 70% of
the catering firms have employee strength of 11 to 50 (refer table 2). None of the caterers
employee more than 100 people.
Table 2: Number of Full Time Employees
Number of Employees Number of Respondents Percentage
Less than 10 5 10
11 to 50 35 70
51 to 100 10 20
101 to 150 0 0
More than 151 0 0
Total 50 100
Figure 4: Number of Full Time Employees
Part – Time Employees

Table 3: Number of Part Time Employees
Number of Employees Number of Respondents Percentage
Less than 10 17 34
11 to 50 25 50
51 to 100 8 16
101 to 150 0 0
More than 151 0 0
Total 50 100
Figure 5: Number of Part Time Employees
51 to 100
16% Less than
10
34%
11 to 50
50%
Types of Cuisines and Entertainment provided in Catering Events
Types of Cuisines
The most important part of any catering event is the food. Every customer has their own tastes
and preferences and it is crucial for any caterer to be equipped to provide the type of cuisine the
customer likes in both vegetarian and non - vegetarian. Some of the famous cuisines in India
are Chinese, Continental, Seafood, Italian and Regional.
Caterers in kollam provide various types of cuisines such as:
 Regional that is the kerala food specialties,

 Chinese (noodles, Szechwan, stir – fried and soups),
 Continental
 Indian (north and south Indian),
 Seafood (various fishes, prawns, lobsters, crabs, etc.), and
 Italian (pastas, pizzas, etc.)
Types of Entertainment
Any off – premises catering requires some kind of entertainment. If it is a wedding or a reception
you require some kind of instrumental music in the background or few people playing keyboard
or violin or guitar etc as instruments
For birthday parties you need some kind of games to play for the kids if the party is for kids, and
if the birthday party is for someone above the age of 16 years you require a DJ or some latest
Hip – Hop music as per the customers choice. A caterer should always be equipped with the
above said entertainment. For anniversaries the caterer can again provide DJ, a live band, a
classical singer or a karaoke setup.
The various types of entertainment that the caterers in kollam provide are:
 Latest Hip – Hop music,

 Karaoke,
 Jazz,
 Live band,
 DJ,
 Classical music or a classical singer.
Marketing
The various channels for marketing available for all the caterers in kollam are:
 Newspapers,
 Local television channels,
 Billboards and hoardings throughout the city, and
 Yellow Pages
The caterers in kollam normally use the local newspapers the most for advertising their
businesses. Since, kollam is a small city, the caterers say the best marketing channel is the
“word of mouth” publicity. The reason being that people in kollam do a lot of socializing and
being a small city the social networks are very strong.
The leading catering firms in kollam emphasize a lot on the “word of mouth” publicity because
it is the best way for them to create their company as a brand.
CHAPTER V
FINDING AND RECOMMENDATION,CONCLUSION

Findings from Data Analysis
From the data analysis, the following are the findings about the Off – Premises Caterers in
kollam:
 The scope of catering industry in kollam is not very high because about 50% of
the caterers cater about 1 to 5 events on a monthly basis.
 The caterers in kollam buy their supplies from both the wholesalers as well as
retailers.
 Good like oil, ghee, vegetables, poultry, meat, liquor, etc. is bought from the
wholesalers and goods like sauces, soft drinks, aerated water, cutlery, linens,
crockery, etc. are bought from retailers.
 Under this system, whenever the stock of any goods in the hotel reduces below a
certain level, an order is generated by the hotel to the company directly for
sending more stock.
 The caterers in kollam mostly hire a full – time employee because they are
cheaper than the part – time employees not because the full – time employee is
paid lesser salary than the part – time employee. Both the kind of employees is
paid the same amount of salary.
 The full – time employee is cheaper because the company spends time and
money for training and they stay with the company longer than the part – time
employees and by the training provide to the employees the caterer also reap the
benefits.
 Most of the catering firms hire about 11 to 50 people, which means that the
majority businesses in the catering industry of the kollam are medium – sized
firms.
 The catering events in Jodhpur are of fairly larger size, because majority caterers
use 3 to 4 delivery vehicles.
 The caterers mostly serve Regional, North and South Indian, Italian and Chinese
cuisines.
 Most of the catering events have either a DJ or a classical singer.
 The most commonly used channels of marketing by the caterers in kollam is the
local newspapers and local television channels.
 But the caterers still think that the most effective way of marketing is “word of
mouth” marketing.
 None of the caterers in kollam have their websites.
Recommendations
Few things the caterers in kollam should consider are:
 For all the caterers it would be advantageous to make their own business websites with
all the required information that is necessary for a customer to make an informed
decision to select which caterer they should hire.
 Since some of the leading caterers like avittam, Gypsy, etc. have already created a
brand in kollam, they should now consider franchising in other cities too.
 To make some long – term relations with some their clients, the caterers in kollam
should really start giving proper discounts. During the study, it was often noticed most of
the caterers do not giving discounts due to which they lose out on the potential
customers.
Conclusion
The catering industry is divided into two fundamentally different disciplines: facility catering and
outside catering. A facility is a hotel, banquet hall, conference center, convention center, or
other venue that has space an organization can use. Facility catering, therefore, is the discipline
in which a facility provides food/beverage and logistical support to an organization that needs
function space at that facility. Function space is the term used to describe the meeting rooms,
ballrooms, exhibit halls, and other banquet spaces a facility makes available to organizations for
various uses. In contrast to facility catering, outside catering is the discipline in which a facility
provides food/beverage and the requisite logistical support and service to an organization or
individuals in a venue other than the facility.
Facility catering and outside catering shares some characteristics but not all. The fundamental
difference between the two disciplines is that facility caterers must consider the availabilities and
best uses of their function spaces, which may be limited. Outside caterers are not necessarily
limited by function space. They are limited by their abilities to locate venues, and to achieve
adequate kitchen capacities and staffing levels.
The two catering disciplines share the characteristics of menu and event planning, as well as
certain operational issues. The objective for both disciplines is the same: to achieve maximum
catering results.
Food and beverage operations are an integral part of the hospitality industry, because the
demand for food and drink goes along with providing accommodation. Food and beverage
operations are required not only in the hotels, but also in hospital catering, welfare catering,
clubs, industrial catering and transport catering arenas. The demand for food and beverage
operation is spreading in almost all the sectors. So is the increasing demand for qualified food
and beverage staff to take care of these operations. The food and beverage department plays
an important role in building a hotel’s image. A well – managed food and beverage operations
unit can provide guests with excellent food experience.
There are many types of establishments in the Catering Industry (refer exhibit 1). One of the
types of establishment in the Catering Industey is Off – premises Catering. Off – premises
catering is a highly specialized business of serving food at a remote place or at a location away
from the caterer's food production facility. It is the service to the offices, clubs, homes or
wherever meals are served off the premises where they are planned and prepared. Off –
premises catering covers everything from take home meals to the most elaborate parties and
weddings.
Off – premise catering like other skilled technical jobs is a highly specialized operation which
makes the task of managing a off – premise catering event highly complex. While profit is one
side of the coin and an interesting part of the catering industry, the multitude of activities
throwing a challenge to the caterers forms the other difficult side of the coin. If careful
consideration is given to certain small details, and people concerned take active participation, it
will decrease the complexity of managing a catered event, increase turnover, improve the profit
and enhance the reputation of caterer helping him to make his firm a ‘brand’.
There are no set standard practices and formulae for a party catering to be successful.
Challneges, complexity, procedure and techniques vary from job to job and place to
place, according to the requirements of the occasion for which the party is hosted and
the facilities and the amount of cash available to the caterer.
In order to decrease the complexity of a catered event, the caterer should posses the ability to
perform and should have the adequate amount workers with the desired skills to perform
effectively and efficiently. In adition, a caterer should delegate the work equally amongst
everybody to avoid any kind of stress and the directions and commands give by him/her should
be simple and clear to avoid any kind of ambiguity.
Off – Premises Catering is a highly specialized and disciplined business. The caterers in today’s
date have to be very flexible and adaptive to the varying needs from customer – to – customer.
To be a successful off – premise caterer, the caterers need to be equipped with a wide variety
of cuisines, various types entertainment, a well trained, skilled and sufficient number of
employees to carry out the catering event smoothly.
Furthermore, the owner of a catering firm should be highly disciplined to handle the stress that
he goes through during a catering event. Otherwise, with the volatility of this industry one wrong
move by the caterer can destroy his whole business.
Another thing that a caterer should practice is the ethics pertaining to this business. When it is
said that a caterer should be ethical, what it means is that, when a caterers is approached for
catering an event, he should layout all the crucial aspects pertaining a catered event. That is, he
should not hide any information from a customer because you never know which information
can be crucial and which can be neglected from the customer’s point of view.
Finally, for someone who wants to start their own catering firm in the city of kollam, they should
thoroughly examine all the point discussed in this study to get a picture of the kollam catering
industry.

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CHAPTER-1

Off – Premises catering does have some disadvantages too.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

•Marketing strategies adopted by caters

•Types of events catered by the caters

Off – Premise Catering Model

Figure 1: Off – Premise Catering Model1

 Hiring and scheduling staff.

After the event, there are certain outcomes, which include:

 Positive and/or negative word of mouth about the event.

From the Client’s Viewpoint

From the Caterer’s Viewpoint

Bureaucracy is a system by which officials, as a body, administer the organization on a system

Aims and Objectives

According to Ketterer Manfred, author of “How to Manage a Successful Catering Business”,

 To achieve 10% penetration of the market in one year.

 Work Experience – Prior experience in the catering profession or the foodservice

Many successful off-premise caterers began by working as accommodators.

Second Edition, Off – Premises Catering Management

In the same surveys; things stood out were:-

Marketing Catering Products:-

 Product:- A catering has a number of different aspects. When enjoying a meal in

 Price:- The pricing policy is of enormous importance in the success or failure of

Basic Menu Categories

a) Seated, Served Meals:-

d) “Stand – Up” Cocktail Parties:-

e) Beverages and Picnics:-

Service Challenges of Off-Premise Catering13

 Any cost associated with use of the facility.

Planning and Designing the Catered Event

1. Registration tables and check – in areas.

Layout and Design Criteria16

Displacing the Food:-

There are some basic rules for buffet setup:-

1. Never place a buffet adjacent to the dance floor or music.

Staffing in the Catering Firms17

Meeting and Hiring Staff

Some thoughts on how to interview prospective staff members are as follows:

Set Clear Policies

Training Catering Employees

Discipline and Termination

To be effective, discipline must be considered. It must be administered as a result of specific

Transportation (H.L. Cracknell, Practical Professional Catering Management):-

Pulling and Packing

Loading the Vehicle:-

 Everything should be packed together tightly. Wherever possible, creates and

Uploading at the Party Site:-

Reloading and Returning:-

Post – Party Review:-

Serving Butlered Hors d'oeuvres19:-

1. Know the name of the item and any accompanying sauce.

Serving the Meal:-

1. Serve food from the left, with your left hand.

How Does an Off-Premise Caterer Gauge Success23

SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL CATERERS24

Here are seven key traits:

Caterers need to get in the habit of responding to e – mail correspondence as soon as

MANAGING AN OFF-PREMISE CATERING OPERATION25, 26