Catering Business Kitchen Options

For those wanting to start a catering business one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in the beginning is deciding which kitchen you will use to prepare food for events. In this article we look at some of the catering business kitchen options that are common for entrepreneurs starting out in the catering business.

Home Kitchens

Small operators do run home based catering businesses out of their residential kitchens. However, this option is not viable for serious operators due to size constraints, lack of commercial cooking equipment and the difficulties with complying with the rules and regulations of local health authorities.

So apart from home kitchens, what other options are available to someone looking for suitable space to prepare large volumes of food.

On-Premise Catering

Well firstly, you should be aware that there are two kinds of catering, off-site and on-site (or off-premise and on-premise). If you are able to get on-site catering jobs in a banquet hall or a similar venue then you may be able to use the commercial kitchen on the premises to prepare food for events. This could be a great business model but unfortunately these jobs are rare as most of these locations already have in-house caterers.

One of the best options for an on-site caterer is to lease a function center or banquet hall and host catered events there for clients. This option can work really well but requires a serious commitment and some decent financing to cover the rent when you are starting out.

Shared or Rented Facilities

When you are starting out it is more likely that you will get off-site catering jobs for event locations that have minimal kitchen facilities. You will therefore need access to your own commercial kitchen space. This also means that you may need transport with refrigeration on board for getting food to events.

Renting your own space and fitting it out with a commercial kitchen is an expensive proposition. It is more economical for new catering business owners to share facilities with other food business companies or to rent a certain number of hours every month at a shared commercial kitchen.

Certain headaches can come along with a shared kitchen. These problems mostly relate to scheduling and organization of the kitchen but the cost savings are worth it.

Restaurant Facilities

One final option to consider is using a restaurant’s kitchen facilities during their off-hours. If you can work out a deal with the owner to get most of your work done earlier in the day before they open, then this arrangement can work out well and be cost effective.

Having access to great commercial kitchen facilities, that are convenient and don’t cost an arm and a leg is one of the most important factors when it comes to getting started in catering successfully.