I would like to thank you for stopping by. If you are interested in starting catering business, you're in the right place. This is a very exciting time trying to put all the pieces of a successful catering business together. You are already taking an important step. Research. There is a massive amount of information at your fingertips. Please take the time to sort through it. Research and development is crucial. Don't forget to research your local markets. This is imperative for writing your business plan. This action also helps you develop menus and competitive price points. When starting a catering business, you have to know what market you are going for. IF you want to cater to an upscale clientele, you can charge more, but make sure your kitchen skills and presentation are well-polished. I say this because it is important to figure out what you want to attack. In most areas, weddings are gold. There is a lot of planning and you must be detail-oriented, but the payoff is well worth it. Menu development is an important profit dictator as well as valuable marketing tool. Weather you're a home catering business or a large corporate caterer, your menu is going to tell your potential customers who you are. Write your menus geared toward your target market that you previously researched. If you already have an idea in mind, make sure you have researched the concept and it is feasible for your area. Pricing your menu is very crucial, especially, if you want to make money for your efforts. Here again, when you researched your local market, you found out what they were charging. Be competitive. Try to keep your food cost at about 25% - 30%. To figure out food cost, take the cost of the product and divide by your menu price. For example, a chicken dish costs you $2.50 and you sell it for $10.00. $2.50 / 10 = $.25%. Proper food purchasing is another prominent piece of the puzzle. You will have to go to the grocery store, sometimes unavoidable, but you do pay top dollar. Wholesale clubs are good for some items and their prices are reasonable in most cases. I would highly recommend a food service purveyor like U.S. Food Service or Sysco. Always ask for pricing before you purchase because the salesperson is flexible on this issue. Typically, if you are smaller, they will try to charge you more. Shop your prices between perveyors. Marketing can be a tough issue, especially when you are trying to start a catering business. I would suggest joining your local Chamber of Commerce. Attending their functions is a great way to network. Get in contact and team up with wedding and event planners. Explain to them what you are all about. The most effective way I found is to take samples to potential customers. Make an appointment to let them taste your food and get you foot in the door. After you are up and running and can afford it, hire a salesperson as soon as possible. Offer them a small base salary plus commission. This is the most effective way to get new customers. Remember, people will always eat, thus, there is always a need for your services. All there is left to do is make the commitment and just do it!