Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Caterer

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A caterer provides food for events, parties, weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, conferences and much more.

Education: No formal education necessary, but cooking classes from reputable universities and programs a plus.

Skills: The ability to juggle scheduling, cooking and meeting deadlines for a variety of clients at many different locations.

Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “Employment of chefs, head cooks, and food preparation and serving supervisors [of which caterers are part] is expected to increase by 6 percent over the 2008-2018 decade, which is more slowly than the average for all occupations. Growth will be generated by increases in population, a growing variety of dining venues, and continued demand for convenience. As more people opt for the time-saving ease of letting others do the cooking, the need for workers to oversee food preparation and serving will increase.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details

Possible employers: Who could employee you depends on what kind of catering you’ll specialize in (weddings, children’s parties, business events, etc.). Join your local Chamber of Commerce to help make connections and to get the word out about your business.

Preparation: Join a catering association, such as the International Caterers Association, Convenience Caterers and Food Manufacturers Association or the Sustainable Catering Association for training, networking and other resources. .

Get your foot in the door: Offer to caterer a few events for friends and family at a discount rate. Talk to similar businesses to see about cross promotion, such as a florist or photographer.

Testimony: Vegetarian and vegan caterer Mary of Wichita, Kan., said that she “felt instantly at home and was surprised I hadn’t done more of it before. I always let my busy schedule be an excuse for not cooking often.” To prepare to run her own food business, Mary took food-safety classes, a business plan course and marketing classes. For now, she promotes her service via Facebook and networking groups. “The rest has been word of mouth. I have had great responses and the majority of my business is repeat customers,” she said.

Until next time,

Sarah