intern during the summer or
their busiest season,” says
Brooks. “Caterers usually need
help during the holidays, and
this will give students the
hands-on experience they need
to gain an insider’s point of view.”
She also suggests reading more
than just school textbooks to
learn about the business. There
are many books, such as
Catering: A Guide to Managing a
Successful Business Operation
(Wiley, 2008), geared toward the
successful operation of a catering
business.
Courtney Davidson
signature cocktail, and every
minute of the event.”
test the
waters
Just like a pre-med student who
has to spend time in different
fields before deciding which path
to pursue, culinary students
should also spend time doing
internships in different cooking
venues. “The best advice I can
give to an aspiring caterer is to
find a local established catering
company and see if they can
Krause of True Cuisine and
Sweet Baby Ray’s Catering
suggests that students who find
catering appealing get a jump-
start on their career. “Introduce
yourself to as many catering
companies as you can long
before you graduate,” he says.
“Ask to be added to their event
staff roster as a sous chef, server,
bartender, porter or whatever
needs to be done.”
where the
money is
No one should enter the
hospitality industry with striking
it rich as their No. 1 goal,
especially fresh out of culinary
school, but that’s not to say that
if you develop a good business
plan, make corrections when
needed and continually move
