Hire a Chef, Do Too Many Chef's Spoil The Broth?
If you've taken that big leap into the unknown and started your own catering business then chances are you're still finding your way. If you've done catering before you might have a good idea of what you'll need to make it profitable but you'll still make mistakes and as the main person in charge you'll be the one held responsible. If you've only dabbled in catering before and took to it like a duck to water you might have some trials and errors and learn as you go but however experienced you are there will be times when you get too many orders in to handle at the same time or one big party you didn't see coming. All of a sudden you realise it's just you and that whilst things were ticking along just fine by yourself now you have to get a team together.
Every chef has their own way of doing things and it can be difficult to get everyone else on your team to follow your lead as again, every chef has their own way of doing things! Some chefs react better to criticism than others and don't mind re-training under someone else's rules whereas other chef's who may have been in the business a while may want to stick to their usual methods that have always worked for them and may be unwilling to be a sous chef if they've always gone it alone.
Therefore it is essential that you get your working team to actually work harmoniously together especially if you're travelling around from venue to venue, constantly changing the menu and working in different kitchens that can sometimes be cramped and cluttered and different to what you're used to, for example in a person's home as opposed to a hotel kitchen. Chef's that are new to the business may be easier to mould but they can also lack a lot of much needed experience which can slow things down when you're under pressure to get things right and teaching isn't your main priority such as at a wedding. More experienced chefs can be a stick in the mud over methods but you might be surprised from what you can learn from them so be open to their ideas. They may also have more contacts, equipment and good reputations that are invaluable to a new business that relies on word of mouth in getting started.
Make sure you get plenty of references at the interview process, watch them in the kitchen on trial shifts but most importantly make sure you can trust them and that everyone bonds well together. A smooth running team makes for a smooth running kitchen and the less steam the better!
Before Hiring a Chef for cattering
Every chef has their own way of doing things and it can be difficult to get everyone else on your team to follow your lead as again, every chef has their own way of doing things! Some chefs react better to criticism than others and don't mind re-training under someone else's rules whereas other chef's who may have been in the business a while may want to stick to their usual methods that have always worked for them and may be unwilling to be a sous chef if they've always gone it alone.
Make sure you get plenty of references at the interview process, watch them in the kitchen on trial shifts but most importantly make sure you can trust them and that everyone bonds well together. A smooth running team makes for a smooth running kitchen and the less steam the better!
