Caterer

Job overview
Private functions such as weddings and parties, and corporate events such as cocktails and launches, usually require catering.

A caterer is a professional involved in the production, supply and service of food and drink to guests, at these and other functions.

What do people do in this occupation?
Typical days are often long and involve quite a lot of travel as the catering team moves from one function to another.

Common everyday tasks include holding meetings with clients, visiting different function sites, organising waiting staff, placing and receiving orders for food and sourcing for third party suppliers.

A caterer also manages budgets, designs menus, and oversees the preparation and delivery of food.

On arrival at the venue the caterer assists in setting up either a mobile kitchen or a serving area.

After the function the caterer ensures that all equipment is cleared, dismantled and accounted for, before proceeding back to the operating base or to other functions.

Catering is also seasonal with business picking up especially in the summer months, as there are more outdoor events and this is the traditional wedding season.

Caterers keep track of their various duties by creating lists of what they have to do and when it is due.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Prospective caterers must have a passion and flair for food.

They also need the organisational and business skills to prepare and deliver food to large numbers of people, on time, and in good condition.

Catering is part of the hospitality industry which means that a caterer must possess customer service skills and the ability to interact with various people.

Many caterers are self-employed which means they must display initiative and be well-organised.

A caterer must be willing to spend lengthy periods of time in the busy, hot and cramped conditions of a kitchen.

What qualifications are needed?
The ability to produce and deliver good food is the main prerequisite for entering the catering industry.

Formal qualifications are not a must but they equip the prospective caterer with the business and organisational aspects of the job.

Prospective caterers wishing to take the formal route can complete a cookery course or study a related qualification, such as hospitality and catering.

Cookery qualifications focus on actual food preparation while a catering qualification emphasises the business side of things.

Experience is important for caterers as it gives hands-on knowledge of timing, presentation, clients' demands and the challenges presented by different venues.

In addition, wider cooking experience usually leads to better food, which enhances the reputation of the caterer.

It is possible to enter a catering firm as a waiter or assistant before graduating into the more hands-on aspects of food production.

Employers often look for experience in restaurants or hotels and hospitality.