The Best Event Catering for You

One of the most prestigious sectors of the food service industry is event catering. It averages approximately $7 billion a year and more than 10,000 catering companies exist in the US alone. This industry is dictated by the economic status of its clientele. When there is more disposable money for corporations and families the catering businesses experience an increase in revenue.
This industry can be an expensive but lucrative endeavor. There are many startup costs with any food service business. To begin in this sector one should have tens of thousands of dollars or a creative mind to cut these costs. For example instead of building your own commercial kitchen a future caterer can sublease a kitchen space from a bar or renovate his home to accommodate all the health concerns when preparing food.
Catering is used mainly for special events and the corporate world but over the past few years this business has evolved to include everything from bar and food services to decorations. Event catering can be conducted in one of two ways, on site or off site food preparation.
During an on-site food preparation catering event the staff is responsible for preparing the foods, the dining area set up and serving the guests. A full service bar may be provided or food may be served in a buffet type style. These types of events are usually found at weddings, banquets, bar mitzvahs or any other exclusive event.
Off-site food preparation catering is when all food is prepared before it is brought to the event. This type of setup is the most popular in the event catering world.
Corporate functions are usually served with lunch hors d'oeuvres or "finger foods". These functions are by far the cheaper of the two types of events. With this structure the catering staff most likely has nothing to do with the preparation of the food. Their main responsibility is to set up the dining area and serve the guests in a timely manner.
In addition to organizing the type of arrangement that the customer is requesting, the event caterer has numerous tasks to execute before and during the time that their services are needed. A caterer must make sure that there are specific foods available for patrons that have certain dietary needs. As the world becomes more visual customers are requesting more decorations and color schemes to be incorporated into the setup for the event.
With all these responsibilities being placed on one company it is not uncommon to see caterers joining forces with event planners which are businesses that prepare and negotiate every aspect of the occasion. As with any other industry this type of situation is sometimes ideal. It is always best for an owner to focus on what they do best and allow someone else to handle everything else.
Event catering has been a common way of life for the corporate world for many years. Even though the economy may not be its best there is still a need for catering services. According to all industry publications this sector is expected to grow more in the coming years as consumers become more accustomed to having their food prepared for them. Catering is and will always be a way for people to socialize, boost morale among employees and create a sense of happiness among the participants.

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