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Behind The Scenes – Preparing the Catering Quote
The basic information a caterer needs in order to put together a proposal for a client is usually taken note of in the very first conversation. This information generally relates to the type of event, the date booked (or date options if a venue has not yet been booked), the duration of the event, the number of guests expected to attend and the menu. The type of catering which will be required e.g. wedding catering, Asian catering, party catering etc will also be factored into the caterer’s proposal.
The other important consideration is the catering facilities at the venue, if the venue has already been booked. The caterer must take into account whether food preparation equipment will have to be hired if the venue doesn’t have the appropriate kitchen facilities. Equipment may also need to be hired to actually service the event, ie; cutlery, crockery, linens and glassware. Food service equipment may have to be hired such as buffet chafing dishes etc if the caterer doesn’t have their own. It really does depend on the venue selected, for example, hosting an event in a marquee will involve hiring a lot of equipment when compared to a function organised in a hotel which is likely to have a fully equipped kitchen and a good stock of tableware. Every caterer will prepare a mise en place which is a comprehensive breakdown of all the equipment required to service the event.
If the venue is to be booked through the caterer then obviously the cost of hiring the venue will be added. This can very often be the case as many professional caterers have relationships or even contracts with certain venues and the venue will often give preferential rates to its catering partners.
The menu will be integral to the proposal. Food costing will be determined by the number of courses, the number of fish and meat items compared to vegetarian dishes and the size of the menu. The caterer will judge how much food will be consumed using their experience in the industry. It is indeed very embarrassing for both caterer and client for the supply of any food item to deplete during an event. It is essential that the catering service provider is experienced enough to estimate the food quantity required. Obviously the guest numbers should be confirmed four weeks prior to the event, however it’s not an ideal world and extra guests can turn up.
The caterer should be able to deal with this scenario in a confident and efficient manner. The number of guests and the service method chosen will provide an indication to the caterer of how many staff members are required to ensure food service is smooth and efficient. The general rule of thumb for buffet service is one manned buffet station per 100 guests and for table service, one staff per table. Based on this kind of detail which can be taken either in a face to face meeting with the prospective client or over the phone, the caterer will be in a position to plan an accurate quote.
It may be that the actual final cost is different as circumstances and job detail can change prior to the event, however reputable catering services will give an accurate a quote as possible based on the information they have been provided with. The caterer can then present the quote to the client in the hope that it will be accepted and if it is, the actual mammoth task of planning the event can commence.
Curry Special Ltd has been established since 1985 and is a highly regarded event organising and catering company.