Food Line: The Importance of Kitchen Essentials for a Catering Business
Being in the food industry requires lots of hard work. It’s not something you learn overnight. You must have careful research, food experimentation, motivation, knowledge, and know the proper equipment to start one. It’s a constant process of learning how to make good meals and balance the way your business runs.
When you want to start your food line, there’s a lot of things you must put into consideration, especially if it’s a catering business that you want to venture into. Stated here below are some points on the importance of food storage, having the right equipment, and effectively storing foods when you’re into a catering business.
The Importance of Proper Food Storage
In a catering food business, you must successfully bring the food from one location to the destination in a state that it does not get spoiled and still looks presentable. No one would want to see foods during their events that were spilled, and it could give rise to a lot of stress.
Having the proper food storage is an important part of maintaining high catering standards and reducing food poisoning among the guests. Some would require to be stored in a fridge, while some should be eaten immediately within a short time.
Proper storage helps preserve the nutritional value of foods and helps in preventing spoilage. If it spoils, no one can eat it, and it does not make a good profit for your business. Imagine how many foodborne illnesses brought about by harmful bacterias could be prevented if only you had proper food storage.
The Essential Equipment for Catering Business
A food business is not a game wherein you just stock foods and then leave them. Proper equipment is essential in keeping them safe and fresh. The following are some types of equipment you could use in the catering business:
The Table Setting
The table setting is the first thing guests will see if they look at their tables. Other than incorporating some beautiful designs like flowers, the main essentials must be present, like dinner plates, bread plates, and soup bowls. If you serve salad, make sure you also prepare salad plates.
Also, do not forget about water glasses, so they have something to drink on. If you also serve wine, prepare wine glasses since when choosing food equipment for your business, you must consider how the glasses will be used. For instance, you can’t give a soup to a guest and serve it in a water glass. Also, add the saucers and utensils to the list.
Lastly, keep in mind that not all pieces of equipment should be placed on a bare table. Decorate the table with tablecloths, beautiful centerpieces, and napkins that go well with the event’s theme you were asked to cater for. You can also add a little extra like sugar, salt, and butter but in a pleasant and attractive holder to keep them attractive throughout the event.
The Beverage/Drinks Section
Suppose your catering services offer coffee and other beverages. In that case, it will require some equipment like airports to keep the coffee warm and dispense it without the use of any electricity. Prepare some decaf backups for those who are not a fan of caffeinated drinks.
In keeping the drinks cool, prepare ice tubs. Also, have coffee mugs and cups ready so people can quickly get them from the drinking station. Place a wastebasket somewhere near so that when guests are finished drinking, they could easily toss them in the bin.
The Serving Equipment
Serve the guests nicely with serving trays, water pitchers, and bus tubs to clean up quickly. It would be best if you have tons of bus tubs prepared to clean up those dirty dishes after each serving, and you could successfully clear the table immediately.
The Buffet Equipment
It’s best to have a few extra same items prepared since you can’t deny that some utensils could be broken, lost, or dropped during the event, and guests could request another clean one.
Also, have large spoons and tongs in serving the people. Bring with you one sharp knife to not have problems if you need to slice some turkey, beef, and the like. Lastly, do not forget that the tables are not the only thing that needs decorations, the buffet tables too!
Other Items You Might Need
To be prepared in whatever circumstances will happen, have a Cambro, which helps store cooked foods. If not, have other insulated containers that could help keep hot foods remain hot and cold foods remain cold whether you will be serving them indoors or outdoors.
Also, take some disposable containers in case guests want to take home some leftovers. Remember to bring plastic wraps, foils, sanitizers, paper towels, and trash bags to keep all the dirt in one place.
How can I store food effectively for catering
As someone who is working with food, you must be able to understand how to keep it safe and fresh. So, read down below to know more:
- Remember to wash and sterilize your hands always to avoid cross-contamination.
- Use separate chopping boards when slicing raw meat and fresh vegetables.
- Use airtight containers that are clear to be able to see what’s inside and label them
- Cook food only at the right temperature.
- Always wash what you use in the kitchen immediately after use.
Takeaway
Starting a catering business is a fun way to discover more about food. If you are in this kind of business, you must be prepared not only food-wise but also attitude-wise to handle the pressure, especially if you are a new caterer. So, to avoid any mistakes, you may refer to the information mentioned above to guide you in growing your own catering business.
