Caterers: Job Description, Education, Skills and Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Submitted by: paula
Job Overview Don't we enjoy the delicious food that are served in the many parties, events and other social functions? These set of menus are products of the works of the caterers. Caterers plan, coordinate as well as supervise food services in different occasions such as different social functions and parties.They get business by working with their clients who are in need of the food services for several occasions. The work involves planning with the clients about their desired catering set up, main course and side dishes as well as beverages and desserts. Theyinitially do the purchasing of the appropriate catering supplies, then menu planning follows. They set-up the meal station and then directly serve the guest with the delicious food that they prepared. As entrepreneurs, they are tasked to do budgeting, crew supervising as well as bookeeping, marketing and othe radministrative tasks.
Education, Knowledge and Trainings Required
One of the best ways to enter the catering industry is through finishing a training program being offered in many vocational schools and community colleges. Courses and trainings that are preferred include the following: food science, food technology, food preparation, catering or if not, a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts or Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management.
Skills and Abilities
Entrepreneurial skill is one of the most imporatant skills in this catering industry. Management and marketing skills are needed so as to properly supervise projects on food service as well as to maintain a steady flow of clients. Also, caterers must uphold a certain quality control as food may cause health dangers to the ones eating them. They have to be mindful about the welfare of the guests of the individuals who are patronizing their service and not simply do business with them.
Duties
A caterer may take many roles in one. He can be a chef and at the same time an accountant, and entrepreneur, purchasing agent and a director. Oftentimes, caterers play the role of a host as they make the guest enjoy the party with the food that they serve. The responsbility in the job depends on the size of the catering enterprise or firm as well as on the project at hand.
Their services are being patronized not only by individual clients but also by the industrial clients. The tasks usually involve planning for the set up of the party venue such as setting the tables, decorating the facade and the food serving tables as well as preparing the food servers in terms of the type of motif of their costumes and their way of communicating with the guests. Meal planning is another vital task. They plan with the client according to their budget, the many types of food to be served and the time when these should be prepared and served. They supervise the people from the head chef to the food servers. They are also responsible in the aftercare of these supplies and materials after the occasion.
Earnings and Job Outlook
The salary of a caterer varies from project to project. As an employee in a catering firm, a caterer can make around 15,000 U.S. dollars to 35,000 U.S. dollars per annum depending on the number of and time spent on the projects of the company. Others who are already doing the businesses on their own can make around 75,000 U.S dollar and more. The job outlook for employees in the catering industry is average, as the employment within this area has a rate as fast as the average for the other types of industries.
Paula Hiz is a researcher and a human resource specialist who helps newly graduates, job applicants and post graduate professionals be aware of their job opportunities and available trainings for skills and practice upgrading.
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Word Count: 623 Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 Time: 6:26 PM
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