Transcript
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[00:00:00] Catering jobs can be one of the fastest ways to boost your income as a personal chef, but they can also be one of the fastest ways to burn yourself out if you’re not careful. I see passionate cooks making the same mistakes over and over, and they’re costing themselves money, time. And even clients. In this video, I’m breaking down the five biggest mistakes that personal chefs make with catering jobs and how to avoid ’em so you can actually enjoy the work.
And make a good profit. Hey there, Chef Shelley here. I help passionate cook, start a personal chef business so you can actually get paid to do what you love. Cook on your own terms. No restaurant, no commercial kitchen, no babysitting staff. And today we’re going to dive. Deep into catering, holiday dinners, cocktail parties, small events, because done right, these jobs can be fun and very profitable, but done wrong, they will make you swear off catering forever.
Stick around to the end because I’ve got [00:01:00] a bonus tip that shows you how to turn a single catering job into repeat yearly clients. Okay.
Mistake #1: Overcomplicating Menus
Mistake number one, and this happens to almost. Every new personal chef, you get so excited to impress people, and part of that can come from feeling like we need to impress people that you go overboard.
10 appetizer options, five entree options, multiple dessert options. Here’s the problem. Clients don’t want to choose from a whole novel full of options. They want something delicious, probably something impressive that feels effortless for them. Sometimes they’ll come to you and they’ll have a really good idea of what they want.
Sometimes they do need to be led a little bit. But on your end, over complicating menus means hours of planning, multiple shopping lists, juggling 12 burners when you don’t have, and way [00:02:00] too much stress. So what to do instead? Start out with creating two to three set menus for the types of events you want to do to give your client a jumping off point.
Holiday dinner party. Four courses up to eight people. Cocktail reception, six orders, up to 20 guests. Festive holiday brunch- a main dish, three sides and a dessert. When you keep it simple like that, you come off as professional, confident, your prep is streamlined. Clients love that you help make the decision for them.
The holidays are hard enough. They are booking us to make their lives a little bit easier, so don’t make it harder for them. Next mistake number two.
Mistake #2: Guesstimating Prices
I know it feels tempting to just throw out a number when someone puts you on the spot and says, how much for a dinner for 10 people? But let me tell you, every time I did that, I [00:03:00] undercharged every single.
Time, and here’s why it’s impossible when you’re just starting out to think of everything on the spot, food costs, shopping time, set up, cooking, serving, cleanup, travel, you’re going to miss something. And then you walk out of the event realizing you basically worked for free on your Saturday night. Let me tell you from experience, it’s a terrible feeling what to do instead?
Price simple menus ahead of time. Work out the numbers for a dinner party, for four for eight, or a buffet for 20, or a cocktail party, whatever it is you want to do. That way you’re ready when a client asks. And you can confidently say, my dinner parties start at this, or here’s an example. Is this what you’re thinking of?
You look professional and you protect your profit. Mistake number three.
Mistake #3: Not Setting Boundaries
This is a biggie, not setting boundaries. This is one of the fastest [00:04:00] way to hate catering if you don’t set boundaries with things like a clear client agreement or contract. Clients will assume everything is included. Suddenly you’re expected to be bringing serving platters and you’re going to stay in bartend, right?
And well, you have the linens and the table decor and plates and glassware, and the worst part, you’re not even getting paid for any of that.
The last thing you want is to have a client casually mention at seven o’clock when it’s the party starting that, oh, you brought 20 champagne flutes, right? Nope. It’s not a part of the deal unless it’s in the contract that you both see ahead of time. Always have a written agreement that spells out things like the guest count, the exact menu.
What is included from you? What’s not included for you, if that’s things like rentals, alcohol, [00:05:00] extra servers, this makes you look professional and it avoids awkward conversations where you feel like the bad guy for saying no, or the client is feeling like they’re getting nickel and dimmed for everything right before the event.
Mistake #4: Competing with Big Caterers
Mistake number four, you are not a commercial catering company with a commercial kitchen and a staff of minimum wage prep and servers, you should not try to compete with them. I’ve seen chefs panic when a potential client says, well, I had a caterer, quote me $12 a person, and they want you to match it, and then the personal chef tries to match it.
Here’s the thing, that client is just not for you. They want a bulk food experience. One step up from getting trays from Costco, and that’s okay. But that’s not hiring a personal chef. What you need to do instead is position yourself as a premium option. You’re [00:06:00] offering a chef experience in someone’s home.
You’re plating dishes, you’re customizing a menu with them for what they want. You’re giving one-on-one service that is not the same as a $12 buffet line, so don’t lower your rates. Let. Those clients go bless and release. Your people are the ones who value the difference and will happily pay for it.
Mistake number five.
Mistake #5: Overbooking Yourself
Over booking yourself. This one can hit hardest at the holidays. You’re so excited that people want to book you and so excited to make a lot of money that you just say yes to everything, and then suddenly you’re running from one event to the next. You’re exhausted, a little grumpy.
You’re starting to make mistakes and Ms. Small details, and you’re questioning why you even wanted to do this in the first place. What you need to do instead, when this video’s being published, it’s October. There’s [00:07:00] still plenty of time. Decide now, how many events do you want to do this holiday season and then stick to it.
For me, that number was never more than four. That’s it. Four was my max if I wanted to keep my sanity and still enjoy my holidays at all. And here’s the beauty too. When you limit your spots, you actually become more in demand and say, I only have this many spots left. Do you want to reserve one? I recommend you do it now before I’m booked.
Scarcity works in your favor and it keeps you sane.
Bonus Tip: Turning One-Offs into Repeat Clients
So here’s your bonus tip. Don’t let a catering job be a one-off. Even if it’s a holiday thing and you know they’re only going to do it once a year, at the end of every event, thank your client and say, I’d love to take care of your holiday party again next year.
Do you want me to pencil you in to reserve your spot? You’d be surprised how many people will say yes. [00:08:00] Even if they don’t commit right away, you’ve planted the seed and that way catering jobs can get booked on your calendar reoccurring instead of one and done stress fests.
Those are the five biggest mistakes that personal chefs make with catering jobs.
Overcomplicating the menus and choices. Guesstimating on prices, not setting their boundaries, competing with big caterers and over booking.
Avoid these and catering becomes not just profitable, but actually more enjoyable. If you found this helpful, hit subscribe for more strategies to grow your personal chef business because the clients are out there and they’re hungry for what you’re cooking.
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