House 2 House Catering

Author: Beth

  • Launching a Catering Business in the New Year

    The New Year is so nearly here. If you have a passion for catering and it is something that you have begun to get more serious about, you should think about launching your own business. What better time to start than in the New Year?

    You will have a good opportunity to start a new business if you are passionate about what you do. Do you love cooking? Do you really like entertaining? Is catering something you take a real interest in? If this is the case, you should seriously think about making it your career.

    If you haven’t worked in a kitchen before, start by getting some experience. This will also indicate to you whether or not you enjoy it. If you do, continue to build up your experience and then move on to putting the wheels in motion for your own business. Make connections, network, and enjoy food as much as possible.

  • Expanding your Catering Business – the Next Step

    A catering business is still a business. Whilst food may be your bread and butter, so to speak, there are also many business skills you will need to pick up. This is especially true if you want to expand and grow your catering business.

    First, you must make sure you have the infrastructure in place to grow. Can your suppliers deal with larger orders? Will they be able to meet with your new demands and deliver ingredients when you need them to? Talk to your catering supply manager to see what they can offer you.

    If you need to begin taking on staff, look for skilled catering professionals who will be able to slip into the role easily. Think about taking on chefs and waiting staff who will understand the industry and who may have relevant qualifications in areas like food preparation, service and hygiene. They will be your biggest asset as you expand.

  • Catering for a Halloween Party

    Halloween is a busy time of year, when people are throwing parties and wanting to have a good time with their friends. Putting together a menu fit for a fabulous Halloween party is a challenge for any caterer. Here are some tips:

    • Have some themed food. Think of cakes and other finger foods you can make into something that looks a little bit sinister. It will be great fun for guests and will stick to a theme.
    • …However, don’t make all the food themed. People at a party want to enjoy themselves and have some good food. Make sure they have plenty of options.
    • Check the menu over with the host first. Ask them if they have any specific requests to make your service even more personalised and special for them. Don’t forget to ask about dietary requirements at this stage.
    • Make sure people won’t go hungry. Halloween parties often involve lots of alcohol. People will definitely be hungry.

  • Hiring a New Catering Manager

    The catering manager performs an integral role within a company. They are responsible for ensuring the catering quality is high, managing any other members of the team to deliver excellent catering services. Much of the business you receive will be down to your catering manager so it is important to hire the right person for the role.

    Look for someone who is an experienced caterer but also an experienced manager and innovative thinker. They will need to have a strong food-related background, with food and hygiene qualifications as well as plenty of practical, hands on experience in the kitchen. However, they will also need to be able to think of new, fresh ideas and come up with menu concepts that work across the board.

    Interview catering managers thoroughly to find out why they want the role and what experience they have. Passion and enthusiasm will get people a long way in the pressurised catering industry, so make sure they have this.

  • Cooking for a Crowd – Tips and Tricks

    Cooking for a large group of people is always challenging. There are so many things to think about in the kitchen as it is, and when you are cooking for a large group of party it takes even more concentration. Here are some tips to make your life easier:

    • Prepare in bulk. Get different ingredients ready in one go and use accessories like blenders to help you with chopping and peeling.
    • Let people help. You may like to be in charge of your kitchen but if you have a big job on your hands, let people help you out.
    • Cook easy, crowd pleasing food. Souffles for 200 might be a bit of a challenge, especially depending on the kitchen you are in. Cook food you can prepare in pans and pots, like pasta dishes and stews.
    • Plan. Make sure you know your recipes inside out and have plenty of ingredients ready.

  • Catering Facilities in a Marquee

    Catering for a wedding can often mean using a marquee for catering. It can be difficult to know what facilities there will be and whether you can get appliances like cookers, heaters and hobs. Here is some advice for catering for a wedding set in a marquee:

    • Find out if there are cooking facilities elsewhere. You might be able to cook in a kitchen and then bring the food over to the marquee.
    • Hire your own cooking equipment. Portable equipment can be a good investment if you are going to be catering for lots of weddings.
    • Bring food pre-prepared and keep it warm. Don’t do any of your cooking on site – make sure everything is ready and can be served up fresh, having prepared it elsewhere.
    • Have a BBQ. This way, you won’t need any indoor cooking facilities. Cook meat and vegetarian food on a BBQ and serve it to guests when it is ready.

  • Small Marquee Hire in Northampton

    Organising an event is a great task at hand. Works like venue arrangements, decorations, and catering take up massive efforts to make a splendid experience for the audience. Out of various tasks for events, there is a major requirement of marquee arrangement. There are various companies who provide Small Marquee Hire Northampton to the clients. Setting up of marquees is very important for the venue set up. And not just the setup, the arrangement should be comfortable and splendid enough to wow the audience. (more…)

  • How To Arrange A Memorable Office Christmas Party

    It’s time to relax and enjoy the fruit of your labour put in throughout the year. All employees wait for a grand Christmas party at their workplace. These parties are necessary for enterprises, as such office parties help employees unwind and enjoy to the hilt!

    An excellent way to show appreciation to your staff for all their contribution would be giving them an evening to remember on Christmas. Also, you can build a great team spirit in your office by throwing an ideal Christmas party. Right from sending invitations to saying goodbye, you need to ensure that your employees enjoy the party thoroughly. (more…)

  • Experience Elegance with A Hired Marquee

    Many people have heard of a Marquee Hire Wellingborough, but what exactly is it? A marquee is essentially like having your own portable wedding venue. If you choose to have a marquee for your wedding, you will find that it comes with a lot of flexibility. They are portable, which means you can set them up anywhere you choose. You also have a lot of versatility when it comes to decorating it. See how a marquee hire can benefit you on your wedding day. (more…)