Catering has been defined as the provision of services in regards to food for various events. These include exhibitions, business meetings, weddings, and conferences. The origins of catering can be traced back to 1820 with Robert Bogle accredited as the father of catering. Catering companies have evolved from just offering food services to offering once in a lifetime experience. Besides bearing the responsibility of providing food and beverages, they are nowadays tasked with decoration. They manage the décor around the venue.
Catering has grown to become a profitable business niche. It requires adequate training and consistent honing of skills. Catering companies not only focus on preparation of meals, but also on financial aspects of the business such as accounting. Therefore, for a catering company to be enlisted as exceptional, it must attain some basic requirements.
- Sumptuous cooking
At its very core, catering is all about one thing – food. Subsequently, the food prepared and presented should be unique. The caterer should have a signature meal and consistently exceed the client’s expectations. Moreover, the catering company should be able to prepare different cuisines.
Catering companies also ensure that they are up-to-date with food safety laws. This ensures that quality food is provided and prevents the potential closure of the business by relevant authorities.
- Attention to detail
Successful catering companies are keen on details. As they are in charge of other aspects of the event such as table arrangements and décor, they are precise with the aesthetics. This is a master stroke in any event. For caterers capable of proving geniuses in details, they ultimately increase the chances of having more clients.
- Customer service offered
The catering company should be keen to the client’s instructions and should work in tandem with the event’s theme. The caterer should be courteous and portray soft skills that will allow effective communication with the client. This is essential in establishing a reputable repertoire with its customers. This, in turn, creates a good image for the business which is indispensable in this industry.
- Creativity and flexibility
Catering companies are on the forefront with designers in exhibiting creativity. It’s the presentation of food that separates the good from the best. Creativity ranges from twisting of recipes to diversification in cuisines. The diversity enables the caterers to prepare any meal required by the client. Imaginative caterers are additionally able to wow clients and at the same time meet the desired requirements. These two attributes are fundamental in establishing confidence with the clients.
- Effective demonstration of leadership
Catering companies should exemplify exceptional management of staff. This is because good catering is reliant on the morale of the staff. Therefore, they should constantly be motivated to ensure enthusiasm. In periods when they are required for extra hours, they should be encouraged to see to completion the required task. This has been in integral in most successful catering companies.
Additionally, leadership is demonstrated through effective and clear stipulation of schedules and instructions.
- Business management and marketing
Since catering is more than the preparation of meals, it should be well managed to realize profits. This includes setting the right prices of services, proper accounting practices and proper organization of schedules and budgets.
Moreover, recognized catering companies market themselves. This is through event planners and other media such as the social media. This puts the company in a suitable position of landing potential jobs. Consequently, catering companies thrive through a web of networking.
The catering industry is growing every day, and many players are entering into the scene. For such companies, it may seem an uphill task to establish themselves. However, through adherence to these simple attributes, fruition is attainable. As it’s the case with many business endeavors, customer satisfaction is the primary responsibility. Consequently, higher standards are consistently sought to maintain and increase customer base.
Ryan Davis is the owner of Argyle Catering the best company for catering Jefferson City, MO has to offer.