Small time catering

chad · 01-10-2007, 01:59 PM

Sometimes my little party catering enterprise pays off.

Back in December I catered a small (47 people) holiday lunch for a company here in Clearwater. Brisket, chicken, beans, potato salad, drinks, bread, all paper goods, etc. and cooked the chicken on-site. Everyone seemed happy and the boss/owner made it a special point to let me know how satisfied he was.

Well, I just got a call this afternoon and he wants me to do his wife's birthday party this weekend. Short notice, but I'm not "big" enough to turn down "work". So, it looks like I'm on for Saturday.

I'll cook the brisket Friday night and do the chicken on-site. The only change in the menu is a request for pita bread vice the white and wheat rolls I provided back in December.

Neat folks. Turned out they are Jews - possibly Israelis or first generation -- lot's of Hebrew being talked at the December party. That explains the request for pita bread and why no ribs!!

It should be an interesting Saturday afternoon!!

Puppyboy · 01-10-2007, 02:02 PM

Good job. Reputation by mouth is far better than picking you out of the book at random.

Trout_man22 · 01-10-2007, 02:16 PM

"baruch hashem"

backyardchef · 01-10-2007, 02:24 PM

This is a mitzvah!

Repeat customers are the best kind, I think.....congrats and good luck!

beerguy · 01-10-2007, 02:27 PM

Good job! Hope Sat goes well too.

Bigmista · 01-10-2007, 02:42 PM

Get them to recommend me to their family in California...

we'll smoke u · 01-10-2007, 02:50 PM

Good luck Chad I hope everything works out for ya.

Markbb · 01-10-2007, 03:00 PM

Living the dream way to go!!

big brother smoke · 01-10-2007, 04:14 PM

Outstanding! I love when they call back. And what Mista said

chad · 01-10-2007, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puppyboy

Good job. Reputation by mouth is far better than picking you out of the book at random.

It's funny, I got the December job from our little website...if you look in the phone books around here you get Sonny's, used to get Fred Flemming's, and maybe one or two other places - that's for barbecue.

I've had several calls from the website - one was for shipping brisket and a couple were just too far away or tailgate grill party requests.

I have a sneaking feeling that if someone could get their act together, advertise appropriately, and work the small jobs like my 20 and 50 they could wind up busier than they want.

It would be nice to have the big jobs frequently but enough of these small jobs can pay the bills - my little business is about even...with this job I'll be able to pay off the business Visa card.

I am definately under capitalized!!

What I "want" is a small brick and mortar place (business address!) to specialize in walk-up/carry-out business for lunch and early dinner - maybe a couple of picnic tables for folks that have the time...but I really want it for the kitchen so I could do more catering, both carry away/delivery and the occassional on-site job.

I sure did pass around some business cards at the December lunch - and some of his business associates indicated they were interested in doing some business with me...we'll just have to see.

Right now it's just one little job to the next...no delusions of grandeur at all!!

thillin · 01-10-2007, 06:00 PM

I added www.southernbrethren.com to my links on my blog. Hope you don't mind. Also add the link to your signature. I forgot all about it.

chad · 01-10-2007, 06:03 PM

Thanks. I appreciate the link.

I had it in the signature before and removed it when editing. I guess I need to pay more attention!!

jpw23 · 01-10-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad

Thanks. I appreciate the link.

I had it in the signature before and removed it when editing. I guess I need to pay more attention!!

I have your link on my site too.

chad · 01-11-2007, 06:17 PM

Wow, the difference 24 hours makes.

I got a call today and now its brisket and chicken with two sides for 50-60 on Sunday...and he wants me to do the personal chef thing for him with a whole brisket, or chicken, or lamb, or ??? once a week. He's doing the Adkins thing and loves brisket. Sheesh, who knows where this is leading.

Last night I was finishing up brisket, chicken, ribs, and pork of a retirement luncheon. Kept all warm on time bake and pulled the pork and sliced the brisket this morning before loading up to head to the party/staff meeting.

My cooker is getting a work out this week...the lunch menu for today, cooking up the brisket for Sunday on Saturday evening, hotdogs at the church for several hundred, and then head over to the catered birthday party...I'll probably cook the chicken at the church, pan it up, prep the beans, head over to the party, fire up the cooker and cook the beans and put the pans of meat back in the cooker to stay warm and make things smell nice.

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

Fredbird · 01-11-2007, 07:00 PM

Sounds like things are going great! Good luck!

01-10-2007, 01:59 PM	#1
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL	Small time catering Sometimes my little party catering enterprise pays off. Back in December I catered a small (47 people) holiday lunch for a company here in Clearwater. Brisket, chicken, beans, potato salad, drinks, bread, all paper goods, etc. and cooked the chicken on-site. Everyone seemed happy and the boss/owner made it a special point to let me know how satisfied he was. Well, I just got a call this afternoon and he wants me to do his wife's birthday party this weekend. Short notice, but I'm not "big" enough to turn down "work". So, it looks like I'm on for Saturday. I'll cook the brisket Friday night and do the chicken on-site. The only change in the menu is a request for pita bread vice the white and wheat rolls I provided back in December. Neat folks. Turned out they are Jews - possibly Israelis or first generation -- lot's of Hebrew being talked at the December party. That explains the request for pita bread and why no ribs!! It should be an interesting Saturday afternoon!! __________________ 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.

01-10-2007, 02:02 PM	#2
Puppyboy Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-07-06 Location: Osage City, Kansas	Good job. Reputation by mouth is far better than picking you out of the book at random. __________________ www.facebook.com/BarkinDawgsBBQCatering

01-10-2007, 02:16 PM	#3
Trout_man22 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-16-04 Location: Colonial Heights, Virginia	"baruch hashem" __________________ Go Green use mercury laced low watt fluorescent bulbs and kill the earth slowly ! "God either exists or He doesn't.... I believe in God." Blaise Pascal I'm a sinner, I regret my sin and will try to never do it again.

01-10-2007, 02:24 PM	#4
backyardchef Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-05-04 Location: New York City	This is a mitzvah! Repeat customers are the best kind, I think.....congrats and good luck! __________________ Matt Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue The Hampton Smoker Blog: http://backyardchef.blogspot.com 7' Meadow Creek reverse flow w/ a 4' grill on the nose, named Large Marge 48" Klose Backyard Chef named Wubby Willy the Wonder Grill Weber Kettle named Georgiette ECB Spider Web Collector Model Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Firebrick Supremo

01-10-2007, 02:27 PM	#5
beerguy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-05-05 Location: Fredericksburg Va	Good job! Hope Sat goes well too. __________________ I support PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals Other half of the Cat Sass BBQ team Traeger BBQ100 18.5 " WSM X2 Weber Gold Kettle 22 1/2" Weber 18 1/2 " 22.5 " WSM X2

01-10-2007, 02:42 PM	#6
Bigmista somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-24-04 Location: Long Beach, CA	Get them to recommend me to their family in California... __________________ Wait! Bigmista wrote a cookbook? Rec Tec RT-700 Bull Pitmaker Vault Remembering Scott

01-10-2007, 02:50 PM	#7
we'll smoke u is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 07-21-06 Location: Valley, Nebraska	Good luck Chad I hope everything works out for ya. __________________ Scott Burke www.wellsmokeubbq.com www.operationbbqmw.org KCBS MEMBER #24303 COUNTRY SMOKER 570 PELLET FEEDER ONE SMALL HOME MADE VERTICAL WEBER KETTLE GOLD 221/2 WEBER BABYQ

01-10-2007, 03:00 PM	#8
Markbb is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 10-17-06 Location: Oklahoma	Catering Living the dream way to go!!

01-10-2007, 04:14 PM	#9
big brother smoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-06 Location: Ventura, CA	Outstanding! I love when they call back. And what Mista said __________________ 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

01-10-2007, 06:00 PM	#11
thillin somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-21-04 Location: Keller, Texas	I added www.southernbrethren.com to my links on my blog. Hope you don't mind. Also add the link to your signature. I forgot all about it. __________________ Med Spicewine-adopted 3/13/10 *CL Score* 2 Large BGEs(pimped out w/Thirdeye Eggcessories)-hatched 6/4/07 & 4/20/11 Med BGE-adopted 2/2/08 *CL Score* -SOLD Mini BGE-adopted 1/31/08 *CL Score* Traeger 075-adopted 12/3/11 CL Score Weber 1 touch *CL Score* Weber Spirit 500 *CL Score* Weber Smokey Joe Silver *CL Score* BLUE & RED Thermapens Klose 20x42-SOLD Paddlin Pigs BBQ Ty

01-10-2007, 06:03 PM	#12
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL	Thanks. I appreciate the link. I had it in the signature before and removed it when editing. I guess I need to pay more attention!! __________________ 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.

01-11-2007, 06:17 PM	#14
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL	Wow, the difference 24 hours makes. I got a call today and now its brisket and chicken with two sides for 50-60 on Sunday...and he wants me to do the personal chef thing for him with a whole brisket, or chicken, or lamb, or ??? once a week. He's doing the Adkins thing and loves brisket. Sheesh, who knows where this is leading. Last night I was finishing up brisket, chicken, ribs, and pork of a retirement luncheon. Kept all warm on time bake and pulled the pork and sliced the brisket this morning before loading up to head to the party/staff meeting. My cooker is getting a work out this week...the lunch menu for today, cooking up the brisket for Sunday on Saturday evening, hotdogs at the church for several hundred, and then head over to the catered birthday party...I'll probably cook the chicken at the church, pan it up, prep the beans, head over to the party, fire up the cooker and cook the beans and put the pans of meat back in the cooker to stay warm and make things smell nice. I feel like I just stepped into Alice's rabbit hole! __________________ 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.

01-11-2007, 07:00 PM	#15
Fredbird is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-01-06 Location: Columbia, MO	Sounds like things are going great! Good luck! __________________ John Traeger 075 22-1/2" WSM 18" WSM Weber One-Touch Gold Aussie Gasser MOFO Chapter KCBS CBJ "BEER is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy". - Benjamin Franklin

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