Small time catering - Page 2

chad · 01-11-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fredbird

Sounds like things are going great! Good luck!

I don't know whether to **** or go blind!

I'm making a little money but I'm too small and undercaptalized to "go bigger" - but, hope springs eternal.

It looks like I may have another gig with these folks the end of January - a bunch of Israeli and Guatemalan business associates. I don't have the details yet - number, menu, etc.

I sure wish I had a mobile kitchen rig for this stuff...maybe I'll hit the Lotto!!

Jeff_in_KC · 01-11-2007, 07:53 PM

Congrats, Dave! Keep dreaming and catering! You'll get what you want soon!

big brother smoke · 01-11-2007, 07:55 PM

"I sure wish I had a mobile kitchen rig for this stuff...maybe I'll hit the Lotto!!

"

You will if the request keep coming to you. Best to you Dave!

Trout_man22 · 01-12-2007, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad

I feel like I just stepped into Alice's rabbit hole!

Too many mushrooms?

BBQchef33 · 01-12-2007, 08:11 AM

Dave..

did he say he wants YOU to cook lamb? Does that mean ya have to go find those holes in the yard?

:)

chad · 01-12-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQchef33

Dave..

did he say he wants YOU to cook lamb? Does that mean ya have to go find those holes in the yard?

:)

Yep!

Actually, I cook pretty good lamb - I just can't stand to eat it!

Roo-B-Q'N · 01-12-2007, 08:58 AM

Nothing wrong with starting small and growing into it Dave. Keep up the good work!

Maybe print some "business cards" with a refferal offer on the back. Can't hurt to ask for refferals every now and then. That is the way to true lotto.

chad · 01-12-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roo-B-Q'N

Nothing wrong with starting small and growing into it Dave. Keep up the good work!

Maybe print some "business cards" with a refferal offer on the back. Can't hurt to ask for refferals every now and then. That is the way to true lotto.

Small is the only option I have at this time!

If this stuff keeps up I've got to get a trailer, actually a certified mobile kitchen, and move to a pair of FEC100s or an FEC500 along with a warmer (Alto-Shamm or perhaps a Cookshack electric unit). My stick burner is getting the job done, but I need some sleep - I have a full-time job and cooking with wood until midnight or so just ain't cutting it.

I've GOT to get some Cambro modules, too.

The coolers just aren't cutting it when I'm soloing on these gigs.

I'm definately starting to look at capital investment issues.

parrothead · 01-12-2007, 11:58 AM

Sounds great! Hope the ball keeps rolling.

Bigmista · 01-12-2007, 12:24 PM

Keep working things are a lot easier to figure out with a full bank account!

PigBoy · 01-12-2007, 02:08 PM

Good to hear things are working for you! IT IS WORK! I feel your pain when you talk about keeping your day job and taking on another vocation. We started out pretty slow, doing mostly family and charity events. We collected equipment as we went. the cambros were a real good investment. Their expensive, but will last a lifetime. Next came chafing dishes and microfiber tablecloths. The BBQ trailer we bought in April had a Traeger 200 in it, and what a blessing! Now we can take gigs up to 500. I guess its hard deciding when to spend money to make money, if I needed it to do the job,I tried to buy it. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

big brother smoke · 01-12-2007, 02:12 PM

Thought I would post this site since we are talking about equipment. You can go directly to food warmers Cambro/Carlisle here.

chad · 01-12-2007, 03:56 PM

Thanks for the encouragement and the links.

I've got to work on getting a permanent location for storage and prep. Then, too, I need to work on getting a truck or heavy duty van...

Heck, all it takes is MONEY -- the one thing I don't have much of!

chad · 01-12-2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PigBoy

Good to hear things are working for you! IT IS WORK! I feel your pain when you talk about keeping your day job and taking on another vocation. We started out pretty slow, doing mostly family and charity events. We collected equipment as we went. the cambros were a real good investment. Their expensive, but will last a lifetime. Next came chafing dishes and microfiber tablecloths. The BBQ trailer we bought in April had a Traeger 200 in it, and what a blessing! Now we can take gigs up to 500. I guess its hard deciding when to spend money to make money, if I needed it to do the job,I tried to buy it. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

You're absolutely right - I've tried over the last few years to make sure I can buy the more specialized stuff when I've needed it and not before. Cambros, hotel pans, etc. are a priority now - however the full sized hotel pans (stainless) are just a bit too wide for my rotisserie shelves. Ergo, I'm still shelling out for multiple diposables for each gig. Little things like that make a difference in the bottom line - though for mobile food service/catering the disposable keeps the health department off your back about sink size in a trailer!!

Thanks again everyone, for your interest and suggestions.

Roo-B-Q'N · 01-12-2007, 04:28 PM

Get ahold of your food supplier and set up an account. I just did that and am find alot of things failry inexpensive. The foil pans (1/2) for instance were only .31 each. Mustard was like 2 bucks a gallon. See if they can help save you money. You also have the wharehouse stores as well Costco and the other one . . . you know the spawns of satan

01-11-2007, 07:53 PM	#17
Jeff_in_KC somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-04-05 Location: Pleasant Hill, MO	Congrats, Dave! Keep dreaming and catering! You'll get what you want soon! __________________ KCBS Member #14287

01-11-2007, 07:55 PM	#18
big brother smoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-06 Location: Ventura, CA	"I sure wish I had a mobile kitchen rig for this stuff...maybe I'll hit the Lotto!! " You will if the request keep coming to you. Best to you Dave! __________________ Peace and Smoke, BBS Powered by the West Coast Offense: Big Poppa Smokers and Simply Marvelous BBQ - "Walk with Us" My weapons: Humphrey's Smokers

01-12-2007, 08:11 AM	#20
BBQchef33 Grand Poobah and Site Admin Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Long Island, NY Name/Nickname : Phil	Dave.. did he say he wants YOU to cook lamb? Does that mean ya have to go find those holes in the yard? :) __________________ Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Built Shirley built to feed our Veterans(A.K.A "Abrams"), 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 2 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 2 Pit Barrel Cookers, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a Blackstone 36 and 17, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM

01-12-2007, 08:58 AM	#22
Roo-B-Q'N is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-06 Location: Arlington, Nebraska	Nothing wrong with starting small and growing into it Dave. Keep up the good work! Maybe print some "business cards" with a refferal offer on the back. Can't hurt to ask for refferals every now and then. That is the way to true lotto. __________________ ________________ www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS CBJ 9831 Large Spicewine, Backwoods Smoker (Party), WSM, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Wood Fired Oven

01-12-2007, 11:58 AM	#24
parrothead somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL	Sounds great! Hope the ball keeps rolling. __________________ Greg American Picker Blog

01-12-2007, 12:24 PM	#25
Bigmista somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-24-04 Location: Long Beach, CA	Keep working things are a lot easier to figure out with a full bank account! __________________ Wait! Bigmista wrote a cookbook? Rec Tec RT-700 Bull Pitmaker Vault Remembering Scott

01-12-2007, 02:08 PM	#26
PigBoy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-17-06 Location: Concordia, MO	Good to hear things are working for you! IT IS WORK! I feel your pain when you talk about keeping your day job and taking on another vocation. We started out pretty slow, doing mostly family and charity events. We collected equipment as we went. the cambros were a real good investment. Their expensive, but will last a lifetime. Next came chafing dishes and microfiber tablecloths. The BBQ trailer we bought in April had a Traeger 200 in it, and what a blessing! Now we can take gigs up to 500. I guess its hard deciding when to spend money to make money, if I needed it to do the job,I tried to buy it. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. __________________ Randy Hinck; Concordia, MO Pork Pullin Plowboys www.plowboysbbq.com www.hinckfarms.com Traeger 200, Kingfisher Commercial, Bandera, Weber Kettle

01-12-2007, 02:12 PM	#27
big brother smoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-06 Location: Ventura, CA	Thought I would post this site since we are talking about equipment. You can go directly to food warmers Cambro/Carlisle here. __________________ Peace and Smoke, BBS Powered by the West Coast Offense: Big Poppa Smokers and Simply Marvelous BBQ - "Walk with Us" My weapons: Humphrey's Smokers

01-12-2007, 03:56 PM	#28
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL	Thanks for the encouragement and the links. I've got to work on getting a permanent location for storage and prep. Then, too, I need to work on getting a truck or heavy duty van... Heck, all it takes is MONEY -- the one thing I don't have much of! __________________ Dave Southern Brethren BBQ Competition Team "It's all about getting paid!" - Myron Mixon "I love being hated in my hometown!" - David Hair KingFisher Gator Rotisserie cooker (RIP), WSM (RIP), Stainless 5 burner with IR gas grill (RIP), Turkey Fryer, Weber JD Commemorative grill (RIP), Masterbuilt 40" insulated ELECTRIC smoker (new heating element), Pit Boss Tailgater pellet pooper.

01-12-2007, 04:28 PM	#30
Roo-B-Q'N is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-29-06 Location: Arlington, Nebraska	Get ahold of your food supplier and set up an account. I just did that and am find alot of things failry inexpensive. The foil pans (1/2) for instance were only .31 each. Mustard was like 2 bucks a gallon. See if they can help save you money. You also have the wharehouse stores as well Costco and the other one . . . you know the spawns of satan __________________ ________________ www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS CBJ 9831 Large Spicewine, Backwoods Smoker (Party), WSM, Oklahoma Joe's Offset, Wood Fired Oven

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