Cookin' Streams of Income
Cookin' Streams of Income
One of the major issues sounding life as a parent is money.
There rarely seems to be enough to make ends meet and provide
your child or children with the basic necessities of life. If
only some one would come on television and say, life is not the
way it is one Desperate Housewives, or King of Queens or any
other program on primetime. Life is difficult; it is unfair and
at times down right menacing, but it is also fun, interesting
and short. So what is the key to a manageable, prosperous life?
Understand that no matter what, a single stream of income will
not keep you living in the fashion to which you have ground
accustomed. You and your family will always need more.
So what is a parent to do? Create streams of income. They don't
have to be large streams, but they do have to be steady streams
of income. This section of the website will be totally devoted
to providing ideas for developing streams of income to increase
your finances and improve your quality of life.
This month a seasoned caterer shares her views and provides tips
for those interested in the incredible streams of income derived
from catering.
It has been over twenty five years since I started a small
catering company that specialized in International Tapas, tiny
silver trays of finger foods to delight the eyes and satisfy the
stomach. These little morels were tasty, light and filling. At
the time I did not know the little delicacies I placed on the
buffet would give way to a very traditional way to dine. I just
thought my customers should be exposed to something a little
more exciting than Wing-Dings and Swedish Meatballs. I really
wanted to move away from serving full means and introduce my
customers to a variety of food from all over the world. Today
with food being the number one American pass-time, catering has
come full circle, and even a novice cook with the right recipes,
a good head for business and a charming personality can start a
small catering service to address the needs of the corporate
world and the new breed of entertainers that frequent theatre
houses and night clubs. It's no secret that when a band or
theatre group hits a town, they are often looking for a great
place to eat and if you can offer a unique dining experience all
the better. If you think becoming a caterer is something you
might want to consider, assess your skills and talk to
professional caterers in your community. You may want to
volunteer for a couple of events to get your feet wet or sign-on
as a part-time helper. Caterers are always looking for good
people and smiling faces. After jumping in feet first and
discovering that catering is your thing there are a few things
you must know and understand about this profession.
1. It takes time to establish your business. You are going to be
salesperson, marketing expert, advertising specialist, cook,
clean-up person, baker, banker, accountant and driver all rolled
up in one. This is a good thing because in the beginning you
must know every aspect of your business before you can turn it
over to hired help.
2. Study your craft. Never assume you know it all, you don't.
Learn about food safety, food presentation, napkin folding and
formal food etiquette. Letitia Baldridge's Executive Guide to
Manners will help you graciously through those formal catering
events. The book is not about food, it's about etiquette and
when you read through it you will understand why I recommended
it.
3. Always have a signature dish and give the recipe to no one.
My signature dish was a dessert; it was an Old Irish Whiskey
Cake. I would serve it at every formal event and always had
request for the cake to be shipped to family and friends of the
host.
4. Network and establish good relationships with the owners of
bridal shops, florists, photographers, funeral home owners, food
editors and alumni associations. Why? Because each of these
folks is in the same business, the service industry and they all
make a living working with the public. Nurture these
relationships and you will go far.
5. Always have a contract and get your money up front. Food is
perishable. Always make sure your down-payment covers the cost
of the food. You can return tablecloths and silverware, but food
can and does self-destruct.
Remember any job worth doing is worth doing well. Caterers need
a cool head, a sharp mind for business and a winning
personality. If you are missing any one of those attributes,
hire a partner with the strengths you lack. Start small and give
yourself time to grow. You will make mistakes, forget things and
things will not go as you anticipated. This is all part of going
into business. You will however make a lot of people very happy
and introduce folks to new flavors and foods. As with any
profession you learn by doing it, over and over and over again.