Caterer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Caterer, or Catering Service Provider prepares large amounts of food for events, galas and parties. Their duties include planning the menu, arranging the delivery and presentation of food and overseeing staff. 

 

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Caterer duties and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of Caterers vary depending on the event they are catering for. Their main duties generally include:

  • Adhering to regulations for food handling and safety
  • Arranging transportation of all food items 
  • Cooking and organising menu items, typically off-site in a kitchen intended for commercial food preparation
  • Plating food with decorative elements, packing and wrapping for transport
  • Communicating with suppliers and equipment rental vendors
  • Consulting with customers about any meal or head count changes prior to the event
  • Planning ingredient amounts to prevent waste or overages
  • Submitting invoices for customers in accordance for company policies
  • Inspecting event sites before the event to check the kitchen facilities and plan the layout
  • Estimating the cost of personnel and food for events, usually quoted at a per-person price

 

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Caterer Job Description Examples:

 

Example 1

*Purpose and Objective* The EF Group, Catercloud menu management & allergen software system has its own direct customers and as part of the EF Group provides a service to existing e-foods customers. CaterCloud also provides an important link to its clients purchasing opportunities for e-foods. *Job Purpose* - Provide day to day support to the Catercloud Manager - Ensure good focus and attention to detail to provide accurate data - Ability to self-motivate during repetitious tasks - Ability to methodically analyse and amend data - Knowledgeable and confident working with excel including V-Look up - Ability to communicate and request information from and with other internal departments - To support and follow up customer requests and questions whilst building strong customer relations *Reporting Structure* - Catercloud Support reports directly to the Catercloud Manager - Cartercloud Manager reports directly to the Commercial Director ____________________________________________________________________________________ *Key Tasks* - Provide accurate data inputting for on boarding of new client’s via the CaterCloud system, including menu / recipes, costs, allergen, nutritional information. - Liaising with e-foods internal departments to progress the system and client requirements. - Liaise with the Catercloud Manager and Quality Manager to ensure food products, menu content and quality safety aspects are correct for all clients. - Provide client support and developer support on products and product ranges / pack sizes / costings. - Learn the Catercloud system functionality and assist the Catercloud team to grow and develop the system. - Alongside with the Catercloud Manager liaise with the internal and external IT developers to set up client specific data. - Organising a busy schedule and prioritising tasks. *_Occasional Future Tasks_* - Develop client relationships and resolve client enquiries - Communicating with clients and developing strong client relations. - Dealing with client’s project queries and resolving to client satisfaction. - Complete system training and demonstrations for existing and potential new clients and their teams. - Provide the working knowledge of the Catercloud system for all clients. - Liaise with suppliers to gain the correct Allergen, Nutritional and Pricing information. - Up-sell the e-foods brand and support the sales team with the Catercloud growth *Key Skills Required* - Confidence in communicating and requesting information from, and with other internal departments - Good focus and attention to detail to provide accurate data is paramount - Able to self-motivate during repetitious tasks - Ability to methodically analyse and amend data - Good knowledge of e-foods or general market products and product ranges / pack sizes / costings, - High-energy, enthusiastic self-starter capable of autonomous working. - Ability to build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships. - Good listener and ability to problem solve client and project issues. - Structured and organisation of a busy schedule and prioritising tasks. - Knowledgeable and confident working with excel including V-Look up - Key personality and business focus: Knowledgeable and confident team person, professional, flexible, hands on, business focused, process led, results orientated. - Ability to initially learn the Catercloud system functionality and then to grow and develop with the system. Reference ID: CC0621 Application deadline: 11/06/2021 Job Type: Full-time Salary: per year Benefits: * Company pension * Life insurance * On-site parking Schedule: * 8 hour shift COVID-19 considerations: All guidelines are being followed with regards to COVID-19

Example 2

Catering Staff Urgently Required - Peak Village *Various Part time hours available* We offer competitive rates of pay, flexibility, no split shifts or late evenings, great rewards and development opportunities plus staff discounts along with 20% to friends & family in all our Cafes nationwide. We require people who are passionate about delivering great food and drink and being part of a team delivering a great experience to our customers. This is not just a job; this is a career opportunity within our successful business. We believe in delivering great results where the team and customers will always come first. So if you share our passion for people, great food & coffee and feel you can help us in becoming the preferred destination for customers to eat, drink and relax we would love to hear from you. Reference ID: Peak Village Expected Start Date: 16/06/2021 Job Types: Full-time, Part-time Salary: £8.70-£9.20 per hour Benefits: * Discounted or free food * Employee discount * On-site parking * Store discounts Schedule: * Day shift * Monday to Friday * Overtime * Weekends Ability to * Matlock DE4 2JE (required) Experience: * catering: 1 year (required) Work remotely: * No

Example 3

Duties and Do you have a passion for food, flavour and love to deliver a fantastic customer experience? The catering team within our John Lewis & Partners shops is the place for you. You'll be the face of John Lewis, acting as an ambassador for the brand, providing the level of customer service which makes us unrivalled in the marketplace. Job Requirements: Your passion for selling will enable you to provide solutions for customers. We'll equip you with the skills and knowledge to advise customers with confidence. Working in either our Partner Dining Room or our customer restaurants you will be delivering market-leading service and serving our food to excellent standards. Desirable experience skills and qualifications: -Basic Food Hygiene Certificate. Previous catering experience. -Worked in a fast paced customer facing environment Additional Information: We have a number of different ways to work flexibly so at your interview feel free to talk about what flexibility means to you. There are no guarantees, however, it may open the door to not only a new role but a new way of working. As a Partner you will enjoy our unique benefits package, including staff discount, subsidised food in Partner dining rooms, discounts in local restaurants, subsidised learning, access to exclusive Partnership hotels and so much more. We request that candidates only apply for this position if you can fully commit to the advertised working hours and the full term of the contract, or we will be unable to proceed with your application. Please consider the following when making your application: - This role is subject to the following pre-employment screening: 2 year reference check. - We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we recommend you apply early. - Print off the job description now if you require it. If your application is successful, you could be contacted and invited to an assessment within 5-7 days of your application. This is subject to the volume of applications we receive.

What does a Caterer do?

Caterers prepare, deliver and present food for various events including parties, corporate events, weddings and other large gatherings. Instead of working in a restaurant and preparing made-to-order food, a Caterer prepares all food items at once, course by course, and serves it at the same time. Caterers may work with special requests to collaborate with the event hosts to plan a menu. Depending on where the event is being held, Caterers may work with mobile food prep stations or in non-kitchen rooms. A Caterer’s work hours vary depending on the special event. They may cook and serve on any day of the week and at all times of the week. 

 

Caterer skills and qualifications

A successful Caterer candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications to perform their duties effectively, these typically include:

  • Cooking skills
  • Business acumen
  • Excellent leadership and communication skills
  • In-depth knowledge of safe food handling procedures
  • Ability to develop a well-balanced and satisfying menu
  • Organisation skills and efficiency
  • Thorough attention to logistical details
  • Ability to follow instructions 

 

Caterer experience requirements

Caterers must have several years of experience working in a relevant role, such as a Server or Line Cook. They must also have experience preparing a single menu item for large events. Large volume businesses prefer candidates who have previous experience working in a high-production kitchen.

 

Caterer education and training requirements

While it’s not mandatory, many employers prefer candidates who have completed a catering course. They also prefer candidates who have completed an apprenticeship, obtained a food safety certification, or acquired vocational qualifications such as the Vocationally Recognised Qualifications (VRQ), National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQ/SVQ) and the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications. Some employers require candidates to have a higher national diploma (HND), foundation degree or a Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality Management. 

 

Caterer salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the salary of a Caterer in the UK is £24,717 per year. This figure varies depending on factors, including the size of the catering company, its geographical location and the Caterer’s experience.

 

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Caterer is not quite what you’re looking for, here are other job description samples that may fit your needs:

 

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Caterer job description FAQs

 

What is the difference between a Caterer and a Chef?

The main difference between a Chef and a Caterer is that a Chef works in a restaurant kitchen while a Caterer works at private events. Some Caterers start their careers as Chefs and then shift to catering business full time. Some people both work as Caterers and Chefs. Many Chefs operate a catering business on the side or vice versa. Also, many have the same training, including hospitality or culinary school. A Caterer may also switch careers to become a Chef.

 

What are the different types of Caterer?

There are three main types of Caterer. These include Mobile Caterers, Hotel and Restaurant Caterers and Private Caterers. Mobile Caterers work at a food and drink trailer, at a fair, a street corner or in a shopping mall kiosk. They offer pre-packaged food items ranging from salads to sandwiches and may even deliver meals for business clients. 

Hotel and Restaurant Caterers often work as liaisons between the kitchen staff and the client for planning an event. They prepare a menu, arrange a banquet, set up tables and deliver decorations. Private Caterers, who own their own catering business are often hired for birthday parties, wedding receptions, business holiday events and many other events. They are responsible for all aspects of the event. 

 

What qualities make a good Caterer?

Working in a catering business can be demanding at times, so a Caterer must be a patient person who has the ability to work on tight deadlines. Also, because Caterers usually work with the public, it’s essential for them to have excellent interpersonal skills and strong customer service skills. They must also be a good team player, as they may be working in groups for most of the time.

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