How to Home Based Catering Business
- 1). Set up office. Designate office space in home. Equip room with a desk, filing cabinet, phone, fax machine computer, and printer. Install separate business phone and fax lines.
- 2). Adhere to government regulations that apply to catering in your state. Make sure your home based business has the necessary licenses and permits. Contact city or county clerk's office. Inquire about legality of operating office from home. Contact state tax commission for seller's permit and resale number.
- 3). Contact local health department. Inquire about required sanitation features of kitchens. Expect regulations for ventilation, worktables, floors and thermometers.
- 4). Obtain a commercial kitchen. Run an advertisement in local newspaper requesting a business relationship. Offer to share a kitchen. Maybe another caterer needs a kitchen for only a few days per month. This arrangement could reduce your operating costs by $10,000 per year. Rent kitchen from a social club or church on a daily basis. Make sure kitchen has health department approval.
- 5). Obtain cooking supplies. Determine needed pots, pans and other equipment. Some needed catering items may include sauté pans, mixing bowls, stock pots and roasting pans. Contact Restaurant Equipment World or similar companies for assistance. (See Resources).
- 6). Obtain transportation. Transport equipment, food and employees in a van or jeep. You may only have a few bookings per month. Rent a vehicle to reduce overhead.
- 7). Obtain food sources. Contact local wholesale purveyors. Visit warehouses. Inquire about food quality. Make sure purveyor has insurance. Inquire about length of time in business.
