I have a question for caterers...

C

cruzmisl

Guest
Hi All,

I have a question for you caterers. It may be a stupid question but I have to ask.

Lets say you have a job (pulled pork and brisket) for 100ppl at a retirement party for example. The party is in a park and dinner is scheduled for 6pm. Do you drag your set up and start cooking at 6am in the park or do you precook at home? Just curious how you get everything timed?

Thanks,
Joe
 
Pre cooked fresh for serving time. Unless an onsite cooking gig is ordered, then I get the additional $500. My meats are timed backward from serve time, including transport.

Cooking without my kitchen is a PIA. If folks wanna show, they can get it for a price.
 
It depends, we have a lot of folks that like to have the smoker on site. It is a great conversation starter...
 
Spydermike72 said:
It depends, we have a lot of folks that like to have the smoker on site. It is a great conversation starter...
Click to expand...

Yeah thats what I was curious about. If they want the smoker on site do you cook everything on site?
 
In my case, if they want the on-site smoker I still cook everything at HQ as usual. I will fire up the smoker mostly just for appearance sake. I charge by the hour having the smoker on site with a three hour minimum. Once I tell a prospect the charge for the on-site smoker, they end up declining. Just my $0.02
 
cruzmisl said:
Yeah thats what I was curious about. If they want the smoker on site do you cook everything on site?
Click to expand...

We have, but its a LONG day.
Most jobs are cooked ahead and finished on site. They still get the show, just a condensed version. :cool:
 
Hot and fast is a go to tool in catering, if you are worried about being on a site for over 10 hours.
 
the truth is its easier to cook it at home and deliver it. but i like to get my smoker there first thing so i could start drinking this way by the time everyone gets to the party im wasted. ( even if i wasnt invited) there is nothing wrong with being the topic of conversation for 4-5 days
 
Prep at home, cook on site. It's part of the package that allows me to charge more per plate than other caterers in my market. The clients and their guests LOVE to see that their food is being cooked with a visible open fire. Not every caterer pulls a kitchen to the job with them, though, so YMMV. Now, as it's been mentioned, cooking real BBQ on site does not mean you have to arrive 18 hours early, you can turn out a good product cooking hot.
 
cook at Kitchen then throw some smoke for the show you can take it to 80% and then finish it off at location but gotta watch the temps up and down for health reasons
 
We cook ahead of time and deliver. Showing up with the rig is $300 extra.
 
chopshop said:
the truth is its easier to cook it at home and deliver it. but i like to get my smoker there first thing so i could start drinking this way by the time everyone gets to the party im wasted. ( even if i wasnt invited) there is nothing wrong with being the topic of conversation for 4-5 days
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^ Sounds like me, and is the exact reason I DON'T cater.

For me; cooking without drinking is not OK.
 
If you cook ahead and deliver....do you cook in a commercial kitchen?? I know I was told I'd have to cook onsite since I do not have access to a commercial kitchen.....
 
I ditto what ^he^ said. In Utah, if you don’t have a commercial kitchen, you have to cook on site to be legal. No cooking is allowed in the home.
 
I cook at home in my Health Dept approved trailer and deliver at dinner time. I deliver in Cambro's. I don't bring the trailer along unless it's requested or the volume warrants it. Pay attention to what they said above. You cook at home and get somebody sick you could lose your house in a lawsuit. My insurance agent has been to my house and seen my trailer and shop set-up.
 
For smaller catering events i always keep a written note of cooking and holding temps throughout the day, especially if you are doing most of the cooking in your home. It wont make it anymore legal, but it will give you and any sensitive guests peace of mind.
Joe
 
Yes sorry commercial kitchen, I forgot to mention that and then I throw the smoke to make the customer smell the goodies finishing.
 
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