Catering Like a Pro: From Planning to Profit - Paperback

by Francine Halvorsen (Author)

Essential information and how-to advice from the best in the business
Catering Like a Pro is a must-have resource for anyone thinking about starting a catering business. Packed with recipes and exciting new ideas for creating theme events and dramatic experiences, it explains the catering industry from the bottom up. This revised and expanded edition covers everything necessary to get started, including real-world advice on contracts, hiring help, managing events, and sample forms and invoices. A handy list of resources--from equipment and ingredients to legal and business directories--helps make it easy to get up and running smoothly. Interviews with some of the best star caterers in the business offer inspiration and valuable tips for those new to the game.

Francine Halvorsen (New York, NY) is a professional culinary writer, consultant and artist who has traveled and lived all over the world. She considers herself lucky to be invited to share meals at some of the best tables everywhere. A graduate of Columbia University, she is the author of Catering Like a Pro, The Food and Cooking of China and Eating Around the World in Your Neighborhood.

Back Jacket

Everything you need to get your catering business up and running

"A solid foundation for anyone looking to begin a career in catering."
-Dr. John J. Bowen, President, Johnson & Wales University

"Very informative, with great tips from experienced chefs."
-Alain Sailhac

"I wish I'd had "Catering Like a Pro" 25 years ago, when I began my career. I would have made fewer mistakes (and more money)."
-Henry Meer

This complete, up-to-date guide to the art of catering presents all the proven business advice you need to put profits and success on your menu. It's packed with practical guidance on event planning, cooking, sanitation, and business practices, as well as wisdom-and recipes-from the biggest stars in catering. You'll find indispensable advice from Francois Dinot, Director of L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, Maryland, who has catered many high-level government events in Washington, D.C.; Liz Newmark, President of Great Performances, one of New York's premier caterers; and Jacques Pepin, award-winning cookbook author and Dean of Special Programs at The French Culinary Institute in New York City. And there's more: Complete, step-by-step details and reliable resources for every aspect of the catering businessDirectories, references, and online resources for convenient access to everything from insurance to software to wineMore than 200 surefire recipesPlanning and budgeting aids, checklists, and charts; menus and menu worksheets for diverse events; job expense analysis and pricing guides; client interview outlines; and more

Author Biography

FRANCINE HALVORSEN is a graduate of Columbia University and President of Studio Foods, which develops new food products for the gourmet consumer market. Well known for her stylish catering and distinctive events, she has also coached numerous start-up food entrepreneurs.