Marketing for your Catering Business

When working out a sales and marketing plan for your catering business start-up you first have to understand the market both in terms of the competition and what kinds of events local clients will require catering for. Before writing up your business plan you should look at how your future competitors are running their businesses and doing their marketing. By calling them up on the phone or even having a meeting with them you can get a fair idea about the marketing and sales methods that they are using.

From wedding catering to social events, the various catering market segments that you could target are almost endless. Look for market segments in which you have strengths in which you feel are currently not being serviced sufficiently by your competitors. If you do take on one of the larger segments of the market such as corporate catering you should try to define your unique selling proposition or how you will differentiate your company from your competitors.

Get a branding strategy together and create some promotional materials including business cards, a website and brochures showing off some of your menus and photos from previous events that you have organized.

Work out a sales process right from the point of first contact with the customer through to closing the deal and test various aspects of it until you find the most successful process. Try to relate to your customers by imagining yourself being in the same busy situation that they are in. When you meet with clients don't forget to take along some samples of your food for them to try. When it has become clear that you have a new client, try to up sell them on more profitable menu items or additional services.

Test a variety of advertising methods, starting with the methods that other caterers in your city are using. It is also important to realize that a large part of your business will come through word of mouth referrals. How successful you are in getting referrals from your existing customers will depend on how good they perceived your catering services to be.

Successful caterers realize that while it is important to focus on the food side of the business it is even more important to focus on the marketing side to have a steady stream of prospective clients coming in all the time. By fine-tuning your marketing and sales for your catering business start-up you will be setting yourself up for a great deal of success.

Planning Your Wedding Catering

One of the most important decisions that soon-to-be-married couples need to make with regard to their wedding reception is deciding on the type of catering service they would want to use. Usually, the decision boils down to choosing between two of the most popular options: a buffet or a sit-down meal involving servers. Making the choice would require that couples examine the pros and cons of each type so that they would be able to pick the catering service that would best fit their needs. Below are some information that can help couples.

Having servers
One of the most obvious advantages on having servers during a wedding reception is that is it an easy way to keep guests happy because they would not have to stand up and to fall in line to get their food or their drinks. In addition to this, having servers is also perceived as a more classy way of serving food during a reception. However, having servers also have some disadvantages, one of which is the cost, especially if the couple is expecting a large number of guests as this will entail paying for more servers. One risk that couples also need to contend with is that they would have to take the chance that the servers would be courteous to their guests.

Having a buffet
One of the most obvious advantages of having a buffet is your guests can choose what they want to eat from the buffet table, which is also a good way to keep guests happy during the reception. In addition to this, their guests would also get to decide on the quantity of food they can consume, which can help prevent food wastage. Another advantage is that the cost of having a buffet is relatively lower than having servers. However, one disadvantage of having a buffet is that the most popular food among guests would most likely run out before everyone gets to have them.

A major decision that couples need to make is on whether they would have servers or have a buffet for their wedding reception. To help them with this choice, they need to have information on the pros and cons of each type so that they would pick a choice that would be able to make the celebration of the wedding more comfortable and enjoyable for their guests.

Englewood Catering Company

If you have a event or party coming up and you need to find a catering company in Englewood, you need to give The Food Guy a call! The Food Guy catering company is located just north of Englewood on West Colfax avenue. They have a huge kitchen with a nice display room located at the front of the offices.

The Food Guy catering company is the best Denver caterer and easily the most experienced caterer in the Denver Metro. Having served and organized all of the major events in Denver, The Food Guy will provide you with over 10 years of proffesional catering service. If you need an Englewood catering company for a wedding, social event, corporate event or even just a family meal, The Food Guy has done it all. They also have very good connections with all of the major venues in the Denver area and can help you get your party or event where you want it.

Of the few Englewood caterers, The Food Guy brings not only experience and expertise but also excellent service. The Food Guy has the best catering staff of anyone, they are very personal and have always concentrated on making your event the best possible.

Selecting A Denver Wedding Caterer

The caterer is an essential part of your wedding. They provide the food and drinks and make the reception a success. There is no Denver wedding without the catering. The guests and the visitors are going to judge your wedding by the reception. It is the moment that they are able to enjoy themselves with food, drinks and music. If the catering goes bad, the entire wedding would be summed up as a failure. You would not want this impression.

You need to get everything right with your Denver catering. From the selection to the final delivery of food, every aspect must be well coordinated and implemented. Lets find out about some tips that can get a Denver catering service going right.

It would not be prudent to book a caterer over the phone. You will need to talk to them in person and find out about their food and service. You will have to taste some of the dishes yourself and then determine how well they go and many Denver caterers want you to do this. Your visitors would be having their preferences so you will have to get a caterer with the know-how on different types of food for formal occasions.

You must be able to find about her experience. Have they organized food for such a large crowd before? Was the event as grand as yours?

Ask about the tableware, the china and the linen. Are they up to standard? You can request samples. Will your visitors be impressed eating in those dishes? The Denver caterer must also supply waiters. How will they be dressed? Will they look smart to match the ambience you have created for your wedding?

How will the caterer charge? Per guest or per quantity of food served? You will need this pricing methodology so you can decide whether to get a sit down dinner or buffet? If you cannot control the number of guests, then you may want to go buffet so food will be available as long as there are guests.

Selecting a professional Caterer

By Jeff Gundy

Serving food at social events has become a practice that is so common place many take it for granted. Few can imagine attending a wedding, birthday party, or other celebration that did not include food being served. In fact, many people attend these events primarily for the free food that they expect to be served. While enjoying food is a fun part of any social event preparing the food can be a stressful, time consuming process. In order to save time and effort consider hiring a caterer for your next event.
Professional Denver catering companies take the burden off preparing food off of the event hosts. This will give them more time to focus on other aspects of their gathering. Denver caterers are especially useful when planning a wedding or important corporate event. Planning weddings involve a lot of careful planning and organization. Letting a professional catering company take care of preparing a menu, purchasing food, and serving the prepared food will let the bride, groom, and family members worry about other important matters. Corporate events also require a lot of prior planning. Hiring a Denver caterer that specializes in corporate catering will help ensure the overall success of the event.

When the time comes to choose your caterer it is important that you keep your location in mind. Try to choose a caterer that is close to you or the location of the event. This will help avoid last minute timing issues that could affect the caterer or the client. There are several established, professional, Denver catering companies currently operating in Denver, Colorado and the entire Metropolitan area.

Budget is another important factor when choosing a Denver catering company. Before you begin looking into catering companies take a moment and determine how much you would spend on food and serving supplies if you prepared the food yourself. Once you have determined this amount remember it when the time comes to get quotes from Denver caterers. Expect to be quoted the amount you would have spent preparing the food yourself plus a bit extra to cover transportation, set up, serving, and cleaning up. The total amount of various catering packages might surprise someone but it is important to remember all of the services you are paying for and the time a Denver caterer will save you. In many situations using a caterer is more affordable than attempting to manage cooking and serving on your own.

A professional caterer will become a valuable asset when planning any personal or professional event. Some caterers will even assist with seating arrangements, table decorations, and flower arrangements. Once you have chosen your caterer relax and let them take care of all your dining needs.

Corporate Catering

Food is always an essential ingredient in every event and party. Events such as weddings, corporate events, family reunions or baby showers all need to have food around. In fact, when we attend an event, we will usually look forward to eat some delicious food, whether it is snacks or a full-course meal. So instead of preparing the food yourself, you can hire a denver catering company to help you take care of your food requirements.

A Denver catering service can be very helpful with taking some of the stress off you during an event. A good caterer will take care of everything such as the preparation of food and drink, dining area set up, decorations, and the clearing up of the dining area after the event.

Now, let me share with you some simple tips so that you are better prepared and your caterer will be able to execute your plan accordingly:

1. Finalizing on the location, date and time of the event. These are very important information and you must let your Denver caterer know way before the event. Especially for the location, the Denver caterer needs to visit the ground so as to get himself familiar with the site layout. So make sure that your Denver caterer is comfortable with the location in advance.

2. Setting your catering budget. One way to decide your catering budget is to ask yourself how important the role of food and drink will play at your corporate event. Are you intending to provide a sit-down dinner or a buffet for your guests? Do you want your food to match a particular theme of your event? These are the things that you need to get into consideration before deciding how much money you are going to allocate for food catering. It is also important to know how many guests are attending your event. By catering the right amount of food, you can save yourself some money and cut down on food wastage.

3. Planning with your caterer. You need to brief your caterer on the things that you expect him or her to do during the event. Also find out whether your caterer provides other services such as site decoration. Many Denver catering services today provide a full event planning. Check with your caterer if they provide a full event planning. If so, usually they will provide you with a brochure with the service details.

So whether you are planning a corporate event or a simple birthday party for 20 close friends, let a Denver catering company helps you with the task of food requirements and set up. Spend your time sweating on other details of the event!

Barbecue tips

Article By: Natasha Johnson

An important thing to remember when cooking out on the barbecue, is that the meat is cooked by the heat, not the flames. It is good to avoid letting the flames get too big, because, you don't want the flames to touch the food. If the flames do touch the food, you will want to take the meat off and raise the height of the grate on the barbecue. If raising the grate is not possible, then you can just use a spray bottle of water and spray them down a bit, before putting the meat back on the barbecue.
There are different temperatures required for different meats, and for different cuts of meat. You will want to pay attention to this, because, if you cook the meat on the wrong temperature, and/or for the wrong period of time, you will wind up with tough meat. You can monitor the temperature of the meat with a special barbecue thermometer.
A thermometer is only one of a number of different tools that you might want to get to help you barbecue. The most important things to buy would be tongs, a spatula, and a fork. You need to make sure that they are not too short, or you can burn yourself when flipping the meat on the grill. A lot of people use barbecue tools that are at least twelve inches long. There are some great barbecue sets that come with a lot more than these three items, but, these would be your basic, gotta have it, items to get started. The barbecue sets are really great, though, and make perfect gifts, too.
There is actually one other thing that would be really good for starting out, but, it is not for cooking - it is for cleaning. It is a brush for cleaning the grate of the grill between uses. So much stuff gets stuck on the grate and the brushes made for cleaning them work wonders in scraping all of that junk off of there, so your food doesn't wind up tasting like last week's meal!

Denver Wedding Catering

Everyone knows the food is a very important part of a Wedding and hiring a wedding caterer is important in determining the quality of your wedding food. Weddings are very fun and exciting, an event people will remember for a very long time. Make sure you plan accordingly for your wedding and hire a wedding planner who has expertise in both events and catering.

We say this because some event planners out there are very good at getting the location, flowers, decorations but are not very good when it comes to the wedding food. If your looking for someone who has an expertise in all of the above, The Food Guy is a great choice! They have wedding planners who have been in the business for 15+ years and boy do they know their food! They know a lot of people at all of the popular wedding locations in Denver and if you can't get into a place on your own, they probably can get you where you want.

We recommend using The Food Guy catering company in Denver for any wedding. They have excellent food and the experience serving large numbers.

Denver Deck Party

When I think about hosting a party, I first think about great food. I have not been to a fun party without amazing food and people who I like. I know its easy to find the people that I like and to invite them over, the amazing food is the hard thing to come up with.

I decided to find a Denver caterer that I could hire to provide the food and decorations for my party. I wanted to have my party on my new deck and I had invited 50 of my close friends and to my home to kick off summer. I spoke with many Denver caterers and found many had trouble with the deck theme and asked if I could serve the food somewhere else. I found a Denver catering company that I had liked on the phone and decided to schedule a tasting. The company was The Food Guy and before I knew it they had my mouth watering and wanting more when I visited their kitchen. They had developed a few ideas before I had gotten there and had me very impressed. They told me they could put a big grill/smoker on my deck and serve BBQ. They also told me they thought a giant margarita would be fun for a deck party and I also loved the idea.

This Denver caterer had done many parties like the one I had envisioned and I decided to hire them. When the day of my big party came I was excited to see the denver caterer show up plenty early with decorations, all the plates, napkins, silverware, etc. They had the food all set up, the grill in position and they even brought some fake trees for the deck that looked great! I couldn't wait for my guests to arrive.

After everyone had gotten there we fired up the grill and started cooking the meat. The appetizers The Food Guy had made were amazing and the bbq smelled fantastic. I even had the neighbors jealous. With the giant margarita in place and music rolling, I was very impressed with my own party. This Denver catering company helped me make my party a complete success and it wouldn't have been possible without the catering help!

I would strongly recommend The Food Guy if you're looking for a denver caterer. I am still getting compliments about my party from friends.

How to Choose a Denver Wedding Caterer

If you're getting married, the reception is one of the most important parts of the day. Depending on how you work with your Denver wedding catering service is critical as to how the whole thing comes off. However, if you're smart in your preparation you can get a fabulous reception and maybe even save some money for the honeymoon.

One thing you need to realize is that the Denver catering company probably wants to supply everything so if you're thinking about saving money by bringing in your own champagne or cake this might not go over so good. The reason for this is that if everything is not just right it reflects poorly on the catering company and that's not good for business. You’ll probably find that many Denver catering companies have developed a network of complementary business associates who can provide you with all the things you need to make your reception a success. You may find that they are a one-stop shop for things like bands, floral designers and cake decorators which is a big advantage.

Let's face it, weddings can be stressful enough and planning all the things that go into the reception can be challenging but if you get a lot of help from the Denver wedding caterers it can be more fun than frustration.

One thing you probably want to do is take a good look at your guest list and make a note of what types of foods should or should not be served. Usually you'll have a choice of two different meals but you want to be aware of people on your list that have food allergies.

One thing you should do before you even decide on a wedding catering service is to set the budget for the reception. You need to be very strict with the budget because things can get out of hand quickly. One good idea is to tell the caterer that your budget is a little bit less than it really is, that way you'll have some wiggle room if you need to make a change or something special comes up.

Here are some more things you might consider when finding a Denver wedding caterer and some costs to think about:

- Don't like what you see on the menu? The good wedding caterers can create a custom menu based on your tastes and budget.

- Keep in mind that most caterers charge per person so the cost of the meals will be directly related to how many guests he was invited to a wedding.

- Sometimes Denver caterers charge a service charge. This largely depends on the style of serving. A buffet style might have less of the charge, but if someone is cutting the deal will be something extra. If it will be a sitdown meal with waiters and waitresses that additional expense to cover their wages may be added.

- If there is a bar with alcohol and hourly fee for the bartender may be added.

- Can you believe there is a cake cutting fee? Yep this covers the expense of war is cutting and serving the cake.

- Typically wine or champagne is served for the toast and a lot of catering businesses will charge a pouring fee for this. No matter which way you look at it, hiring a wedding catering service is good cost you some money but if you shop around you may be able to get a good deal on the caterer that will do a fantastic job on your reception. Don't forget, this is your big day and you don't want to squirm too much or you might just get what you pay for.

What to expect from a Professional Denver Catering Company

Social events are very common in our modern culture. It can either be a corporate event or a personal event like birthday celebration. No matter what kinds of event it is, food catering is something that the event organizer can never miss out on. By engaging a food catering service for your next event, it can be a time-saving way to get the hard job done.

A professional Denver catering company will provide you with food and drink that is required for your event. Other than that, they will also provide you with professional personnel such as bartenders, waiters and waitresses. So no matter how big or small your event is going to be, you can be assured that with the help of a Denver catering company, they will help you to cover all your dining requirements.

When choosing a catering package for your event, it is necessary for you to determine what kind of event that you are going to plan. Is it a wedding reception or a team-building party? Once your have figured this out, you can engage your Denver catering company and ask for tailored packages that suit your needs.

Some types of catering services that you can expect from your caterer are receptions, dinners and BBQ buffets. Once you have engaged a catering company for service, they will deliver and set up the dining area once you have given them the event details and information.

Other than food and drink, some catering company also handle other details of your events, such as decoration, flowers, rentals of venue, etc. So do find out what other services do your Denver caterer offers and see whether there are things that you need from them.

With the Internet, you can use search engines to search for a suitable Denver catering company in your local town. By just typing in "catering service" into the search box, you will be able to find a list of catering providers.

Take your time to browse through their websites and find not only the caterers close to your location, but also reviews from other consumers on the quality of their services. Take note of a few suitable ones and call them out to ask for quotations.

On the Internet, you can also find directories which list caterers by city and state, which will shorten your research process.

A good Denver caterer can really be a great assistant to you when planning an event. The last thing that you want to do is to worry about your dining requirements. Leave it to your caterer and trust him or her to do a good job.

6 steps to choosing the right food for your event

When you are organizing an event, there are a lot of planning and things that need to be done. Catering service is definitely a must during an event. Sometimes, the type of food that you cater for your guests can make the difference between a positive event and a poorly organized event.
Before you hire a Denver catering company for your event, it is recommended for you to do some food tasting first. Tasting food before you choose your event menu can ensure that you do not order something that is not up to standard. Nowadays, almost all Denver caterers offer tasting prior to booking. There are also some caterers who only offer tasting only when the event is confirmed with a deposit.

So, let me share with you 6 things that you should take note of when choosing the right type of food for your event:

1. Try out the standard of their food during food tasting. This is a great opportunity to know the standard of a Denver catering company. During food tasting, you should share with your caterer your likes and dislikes so that he or she will know what food to recommend to you. Do not be afraid to ask question. You are the customer, and you should ask anything that you have in doubt before booking.

2. Ask questions about their food presentation. This is a good time to find out more about their plate presentation. Is dressing served on the side? And will the courses be delivered in succession or at once? These are some of the questions that you should ask your Denver caterer before booking.

3. Do share your honest opinion and feedback with your caterer. Denver Caterers see tasting as an opportunity to improve the standard of their food and presentation. So be sure to share comments and questions and give them your honest feedback. This will help them to improve so that they can serve you better in the future.

4. Be sure to find out whether the caterer charges for tasting. Some denver caterers do charge for tasting. So be sure to understand the charges and procedure before you arrange a food tasting session with your caterer.

5. Based your purchase decision on services and chemistry with your caterer. Other than the quality of food, service of the caterer is also very important. You will be working together, so it is very important that you can get along well with your caterer.

6. Send a thank you note to them. If you decide not to use a particular caterer for whatever reason, you should send a short note to thank them for their time and effort. They will appreciate it.

Denver Catering For Social Events

More and more, Denver catering companies are serving a wide variety of customer needs.
Social events are always a client favorite, may it be a Bar Mitzvah, a cocktail party, or an annual family picnic. Extensive menus should encompass a variety of stylized dining options, and should fit virtually any palette, restriction, or request. When looking for a Denver catering company, be sure to make religious or moral preferences clear from the start. The right caterer will be able to accommodate such requirements and nuances. Many caterers will have a variety of themed menus that might perfectly fit the event you are planning.

From casual Fridays to three-piece suits, it's always easier and more efficient to cater your every corporate event. But it shouldn't end at business luncheons and company parties. You can cater sporting events, team building activities, and even movie sets. Italian fare is a frequent winner, as well as box lunches, specialty sandwiches, and wide variety of hors d'oeuvre's. Often, a frequent client of a Denver caterer will earn eventual discounts and rewards for their loyal patronage, so be sure to ask about any promotions and specials right away when shopping.

Self-catering, a popular choice is a situation in which the customer has free reign to define exactly what happens at their event. You draw from a variety of menus to create the perfect compilation, resulting in a unique and personal experience. Perfect for a picnic or a tailgating party, this option is ideal for an event that calls for catering quality without the wait-staff. You can choose a menu, and drive to the caterers the day of your event, where you will have your car packed full of delicious fares. Oftentimes the caterer will include an array of platters, utensils, serving baskets, and linens.

Your wedding day should be the best day of your life, and a Denver catering company should never fail to make it that way. What better way to relieve some of the inevitable stress that is planning a wedding than to leave the catering up to a professional? A catering company's commitment to your special day should go far beyond the food. Traditionally, they should offer chefs, an experienced wait-staff, bartenders, potential venues, wedding cakes, and more. Most Denver catering companies will have designated wedding planners to work with you step-by-step to find all your perfect matches for every imaginable detail. Need to see it to believe it? No problem. Clients are usually invited to come in to a caterer's kitchen. That way, you really get to make every decision based on your every wish. It's your day, and you can be sure that the right Denver catering company will always go the extra mile to ensure it be the most memorable.

Denver's Best Catering

Submitted by: Richard Allen

I own a company of 125 employees and every summer we have an annual lunch party for our employees. I was not happy with the other Denver caterers I've hired, so recently I hired The Food Guy to cater for our event. I was so impressed by their knowledge of the food industry and I didnt know there would be such a difference between the Denver catering companies out there.

The Food Guy had a very professional staff and helped me plan the theme of my party. They brought all of the plates,forks,cups, anything needed for the food part of our party they took care of. They even helped me with decorations.

I am so glad I hired The Food Guy because I didn't have to worry about anything! I will be giving The Food Guy a call for our next corporate event.