Caterers
Career summary
Caterers prepare food for parties, events, and conventions. They manage the preparation, cooking, delivery, and serving of the food for the event.#3/26/19 lh
Caterers can specialize in several areas, including:
- Corporate events
- Weddings
- Private parties
Caterers meet with clients to discuss the menu. Caterers will often prepare samples of foods for clients to taste.
Caterers must buy the ingredients and prepare them according to the recipe. Often, they have assistants and other staff who help them.
They cook the food either on-site or in their own professional kitchen. If the food is cooked off-site, they deliver the food to the event's location. After the event caterers make sure everything is cleared, cleaned, and that any rental equipment is returned.
Many caterers are self-employed. They pay staff, update and keep records, and pay taxes. They also advertise and market their services.
Caterers manage contracts, pricing, and payment. If they don't own the equipment they need, they must rent it. It is common for caterers to rent dinnerware, stemware, silverware, and even special cooking equipment.
Related careers
This career is part of the Hospitality and Tourism cluster of careers.
Related careers include:
- Bakers
- Chefs and Dinner Cooks
- Food Preparation Workers
- Food Service Worker Supervisors
- Kitchen Helpers
- Meeting and Convention Planners
- Short-Order Cooks
- Waiters and Waitresses
Education and training
Educational programs
The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.
Programs of study directly related to this occupation
Other programs of study to consider
- Business Management and Administration
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
- Meeting and Event Planning
Training
To work as a caterer, you typically need to:
- be a skilled or trained chef;
- be organized;
- think and act quickly; and
- have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Education after high school
There are many different paths to becoming a caterer. Some people become caterers through a personal hobby. Others enter the field after getting a culinary degree, but decide they don't want to work at a restaurant. Other degrees that can help you prepare for working as a caterer are hospitality and business.
Culinary training includes courses in menu planning, food preparation, and selection and storage of food. You learn public health rules for handling food. Training includes hands-on work experience. Courses in business management are included in many programs.
Work experience
Some caterers enter the field first by working at a restaurant, hotel, or for other caterers. They then decide to work independently.
Helpful high school courses
You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements . You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:
- Food and Nutrition
- Food Service
- Hospitality
- Principles of Sales
Many caterers are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:
- Accounting
- Entrepreneurship
- Introduction to Business
The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.
Things to know
- To work as a caterer, your kitchen must be licensed or have a correct permit. Contact your local authorities for more information.
- Caterers can focus on anything from cakes to seafood. Caterers can also specialize in very small events or events that serve thousands.
- Business tends to be seasonal. Caterers often are busiest around the winter holidays and during the summer wedding season.
Licensing/certification
Most caterers are required to have an operator's permit and usually a food worker card from their local county government health department. The food worker card is required if they work with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or with any surface where people put unwrapped food. To receive a card, they must attend a food safety training class and pass a written examination. This can be done online or at a local county health department. Food worker cards are $10. The initial card is valid for two years. After that period, cards must be renewed every three years. With additional food safety training, workers can qualify for a five-year card.
For more information on food worker cards, contact your local county health department listed in the county government section of your phone book. You may also find more information at the Washington Department of Health's Food Worker Card page.
# Licensing info ok 2/19/18 cj. 3/26/19 lh
Other resources
180 Center Place Way
St. Augustine, FL 32095
800.624.9458
904.824.4468
Association of Meeting Professionals (AMPS)
Event Planners Association (EPA)
Hospitality Careers Online
International Live Events Society
330 North Wabash Avenue, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60611
800.688.4737
312.321.6853
10440 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 300
Columbia, MD 21046
410.290.5410
National Restaurant Association
2055 L Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156
202.331.5900
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
2055 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156
US Small Business Administration
Seattle District Office
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
206.553.7310
References
Career cluster
Career path
- Enterprising (Business Communications)
O*Net job zone
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Holland occupational cluster
- Enterprising/Social/Artistic
COPSystem
- Consumer Economics