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Hiring a Caterer?
Here are Important Tips For Selecting a Caterer, Providing a Successful Event or Party,
and Avoiding a Disaster
Last Updated:
June 22, 2010
Published:
July, 28 2008
by
Michael Doom, REHS
When looking to hire a caterer you want to make sure you are dealing with a reputable
person or business, with experience, and a good record in food sanitation and
safety. There are 2 areas to focus on and inquire about when evaluating and
researching a caterer or catering service: 1. The business aspect and 2. The
food safety aspect.
I have broken each set of requirements and requests to make
of the caterer into these 2 areas as follows:
1. The Business Side:
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Cost is usually if not always, the number one determinant in choosing a caterer.
Request an itemized list of services, including costs and a food menu. Also
many caterers provide chairs, tables, tents etc. to save you an extra step
of renting them elsewhere.
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Have the caterer either fill out and send you a preliminary contract including
costs (after you give them the basics of what and you are planning and when), or send you
a sample contract that includes everything you are looking for. Look for a
substitution clause where they may need to substitute certain foods if
unavailable on the day of the event (you should choose what the
substitutions can be.
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The contract should also note the number of staff that will be working your
event or party and how they are presenting themselves or how they will be
dressed.
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Request a copy of evidence of insurance and even a copy of their bond and contact
the provider to ensure their current coverage. The insurance will cover
damages or losses including food poisoning or theft, and the bond should
cover your deposit. If the caterer requests a deposit then you should
request a copy of the bond.
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Ask for references (more than one) including their contact information, and
specifically, very recent clients that had similar types of events and
similar numbers of attendees that you are planning. Make those calls to the
references and don’t forget to ask them what they did not like about this
caterer and what would they do differently if they could do it over again.
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Request to observe an upcoming event or party the caterer will be working. No one
should mind if a large event, as long you don’t stay too long.
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Request a tasting so you can evaluate a range of possible foods or meals they’re offering.
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2. The Food Safety Side:
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Ask for a copy, or to see their current public health permit or license and make
note of the business name (the same name of the person or company you are
hiring), address (location of their kitchen) and expiration date (should not
be expired). The only situation where a caterer would not be
required to have a public health permit is if you, the customer, or the
caterer purchase the food directly from the market and it is taken or stored
only in your home or the event site on the day of the event. The caterer
then does all preparation and cooking at your home or the site. They
do not
have a commercial kitchen or storage location. He or she might only bring
some utensils. In this type of situation, they are only selling their
services and not the food. Remember, they can not do any food
preparation, processing or storage out of their—that is—the caterer’s or
anyone else's personal house kitchen. They either must have a commercial
kitchen or restaurant that is licensed/permitted and inspected, or prepare
and process only at the location of the event (yours or the event locations
kitchen).
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Ask for copies, or to see their latest inspection reports. Look closely for the
score or grade, the types of violations noted (any high risk), the date of
the last inspection, and the date of compliance, if noted.
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Look them up on the website of your local Environmental Health Food Inspection
program or search for them on the web looking for public forums noting
comments on their
food safety, service etc.
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Request to see their kitchen and look for a well maintained kitchen -orderly storage
of food, modern commercial equipment. You do not want to see unattended perishable or potentially hazardous foods left out at room temperate, any
evidence of live or dead
cockroaches,
flies or
rodents and employees with
good personal hygiene habits. Ask them how they plan to maintain
temperatures during transport from their kitchen to your event. Also,
determine how far, time wise, is their kitchen from the event, keeping in
mind that ready-to-eat, perishable or potentially hazardous foods should not
be left out of temperature more than 2 hours.
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Request to see a Certified Food Handlers certificate for the employee(s) or staff
that will be working your event. Many states mandate in the health and
safety law, that at least one responsible person pass a certified food
handler exam at least every 3-5 years. Check with your local Environmental
Health Food Inspection program for this requirement.
If the caterer refuses any of these requests, provide questionable information or their
kitchen or latest inspection report show high risk violations, I suggest moving
to the next business on your list or your phonebook. Any reputable catering
business should not have any issues with these requests and questions.
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