Do you love to cook? If so, fantastic! Do you plan on setting up your own catering business? Well, that’s also fantastic! Are those the only two things you need to have a successful business? Sadly, no.

Running a catering business means more than just being able to cook and having high hopes and dreams. You need those things too, but there’s more to it than that. Here are a few of the things you need to know before you can even start trading. 

Licensing and Certifications

We’ll get the unpleasant stuff out of the way first. When you open any business, you have to register it with the government. But certain businesses, such as catering companies, require a bit more licensing work.

Different areas have different requirements, so make sure you do your research, but most places require a license to serve food. You will also need to make sure your health and safety standards are top notch, because these will be checked before you can sell food to other people.

Find Your Niche

The catering industry is, simply put, massive. There are so many different options and niches that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. One common mistake is to try to cover a bunch of different niches at the same time. 

However, it’s often said that one sign of a good food business is a small menu. This is because a small menu allows you to focus and specialize. It’s better to get a few things really right than to have a huge but mediocre and confused selection of options.

As well as finding your culinary niche, think about how your business will operate. When it comes to catering, you have a few options. Again, try to excel at one of these options rather than diversifying too much and overstretching yourself. It’s always better to scale your business up, rather than be forced to shrink it down.

One common catering niche is the food truck. Yes, you have to get the right van for the job, but it’s a great way to cook and serve street food on demand and to reach people more easily. Another option is to cater to large events such as weddings, parties, or corporate events. Again, there’s a difference between a catering company that focuses on party food and a catering company that creates gourmet sit-down meals, so find your niche and work within it.

Equip Your Catering Company

Depending on your niche, you will need certain catering equipment. If you run a fast food truck, you might use different equipment than someone who sells baked goods, so work out what you need before you buy. 

This equipment will be expensive, so it’s important not to overstock. You can also save money by getting some equipment secondhand, but do ensure that you use a trusted supplier and that the equipment is clean, in good condition, and fit for purpose.

Finally, you should only use equipment that you and any staff are trained to use and comfortable with. Cooking can be dangerous, so make sure you know what you’re doing and you’ll be ready to serve food in no time!