The catering business has seen a major boom over the last few decades, and for a good reason: We love good-tasting food! As a restaurateur or caterer, you need the best equipment and tools on the market to help boost your business, even if you’re a newbie in the industry. There are many vital supplies that every caterer should take note of if they want to leave their mark in the industry, and we’ve highlighted some of the most important ones below.
Table Settings
Before serving the drinks and the delicious three-course meal, you need to set the table. Believe it or not, tables can set the tone for a fine dining experience. Thus, investing in the best catering supplies for your table settings is vital. Your table settings are largely decided upon by the style of the event. For this reason, it always helps to have a wide array of colors, textures, and patterns to allow you to adjust to any event theme as and when it presents itself.
Also, the kind of event will determine just how complete a table setup you’ll employ. Complete table settings are used for upscale events and weddings while basic settings are ideal for simple events like picnics and barbecues with friends. Some of the items you’ll require for a table setting include charger plates, water pitchers, tablecloths, napkins, dinnerware, flatware, glassware, and salt and pepper shakers.
Buffet & Serving Equipment
There are different kinds of events, of which buffets are part. Regardless of the type, having the right buffet equipment on hand will offer a swifter serving experience. Buffets involve your guests moving around, choosing foods, and serving their preferred quantities. So, you’ll need different kinds of supplies to allow for easy serving when catering to such an event. Some of the essentials required include serving spoons, chafing dishes for hot meals, tongs, and spatulas. All these will enable your guests to gain easy access to their desired foods in record time. Don’t forget to invest in high-quality plates and silverware rolls, enough to go around. For easier cleanup, you’ll require bus tubs, while water pitchers will go a long way to help keep your guests hydrated.
Display & Decor
If your catering business offers full event management services, you might want to have some various decor items on hand. This is a great addition because most clients will prefer to make a single payment to one vendor to manage the full event rather than scouting for many different vendors.
Invest in timeless decor pieces like table numbers, vases, display risers, and stands. These will allow you to highlight your meals while taking full advantage of the vertical space on your food tables. Other pieces you can invest in include centerpieces, chalkboard signs, cake stands, cupcake towers, candleholders, and candles, amongst others.
Beverage Station
Events such as weddings may demand a separate beverage station, in addition to their buffet stations. You can have some dispensers for decaf and caffeinated coffee, hot water for your teas, and many more for your beverage station. Include some water coolers, pitchers, straws, glasses, and cups. Lastly, ensure that you have enough napkins and wastebaskets to prevent littering during the event.
Transport Supplies
To get your well-cooked meals to their final destination without losing temperature, you’ll have to invest in transport supplies. A typical and popular example is the insulated food pan carrier, also known as every caterer’s best friend. These carriers can be loaded with meals in different pan sizes, both hot and cold. Other items you need include outdoor coolers, glass racks, food storage boxes, totes, and lugs.
Running a catering business requires you to be organized, so it’s a good idea to ensure you’re well supplied with some of the above-listed items.