Whether you are an individual who likes to cook or the owner of a well-established restaurant, being organized is the key to getting a catering business going in the right direction. Having a checklist of needed catering supplies is a good place to start. You will then need to organize how you are going to do things, but the last thing you want is to show up and have everything except cups.
Restaurants sometimes do catering, which expands their brand. Other times an individual will start one as their own small business. There are many kinds of caterers, and many kinds of events to be catered. It could be a business lunch or some kind of celebration. Some like to focus on a particular area or type of event. The first thing is to get the big ticket items and then add all the catering supplies that you will need to get regularly. That is even before you think about getting the food ready.
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Heavy items
You will, of course, need a place to cook the food, but you already have that either at home or in the restaurant. Among your catering supplies, there are some heavy items that will be the backbone of your operation.
Some items you will need:
Stove or oven
Means of refrigeration
Portable bar
Insulated end loader
Beverage dispenser
Stainless steel pans to keep food warm
Serving the food
Depending on how formal your event is, you may be using china and stainless-steel utensils or plastic cups and plastic forks.
Some catering supplies you will need include:
Various plates – both for serving and for guests to eat
Water glasses
Wine glasses
Salt, pepper, and sugar dispensers
Coffee cups
Tablecloths
Coffee and beverages
Most events also have coffee as an aside or part of the meal. Having a coffee and or beverage station is also essential to your list of catering supplies.
This is an area that could get tricky. Forgetting some simple thing could irritate your guests as well as your client. It is a good idea to have a checklist of catering supplies you will need, and go over it each time you leave your work area.
Air pots for coffee
Creamer and sugar
water pitchers
ice
drink stirrers
napkins
cups
water glasses
Assorted tea packets
Other items
There are also things you will need to be successful, such as things for cleanup after the event is over. Here are some other items you will need to include in your list of catering supplies.
Trash bags
Disposable containers for food not used
water
hand sanitizer
tin foil
plastic wrap
Extra rags or paper towels
