How To Become Party Caterers

By: Rochelle Connery

Break Studios Contributing Writer

If you've ever wanted to be the life of the party, learning how to become party caterers is the best way to fulfill your dream. Although you won't get to crash parties any longer, you'll at least make money doing what you love. But it's not all fun and games; party caterers actually have to work. Here's how to become party caterers without having a lot of experience on your résumé.

Things you'll need:

Party supplies
A few contacts
Some startup money

Determine what sort of parties you want to host. Make sure you get the fun types - like bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthday parties, Christmas parties and the like. You might want to stay out of the baby showers and cackly old lady parties.
Decide what food services you'll provide. Most party caterers are either chefs themselves or hire personal chefs to do the cooking. If you don't choose either, find a food service you can use on a regular basis to provide all your party needs.
Set your price. Come up with a budget for all the party supplies - decorations, food, preparations - you need for a given party and add what you want to make as a profit on top of that.
Choose uniforms. Party caterers should look professional. If you are the proprietary owner, you don't have to match catering employees, but you should still look respectable. Think a suit and tie or tux, depending on the formality of the party.
Don't forget about the cleanup. Yes, party caterers have to clean up after themselves and other guests. Either hire employees to do this task specifically, or don't gripe about pitching in to save a few pennies.
Come up with a menu. If you don't have your services down pat when you first start out, don't worry. As you cater different types of parties, you'll find out which foods are a hit and which are downright duds. Then come up with a menu of food offerings so your party clients can order well in advance.
Market your services. If you learn how to become a party caterer but never get any clients, what's the point? You could always start out with friends and word of mouth, but eventually this won't be enough. Advertise your services, either online, on the local radio or through local businesses that are willing to reference you, if even for a small referral fee.