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Planning: The Basic Catering Management Function

Chapter 7

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Planning: The Basic Catering Management Function

• A successful caterer is well-focused and organized through planning.

• Each event must have an independent subplan based on client needs and the caterer’s plan.

• The best caterers always think about upcoming events.

• Details are critically important.

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Strategies Emerge Through Planning• Blueprint• Guidance• Objectives• Strategies• “What if” scenarios

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Getting Ready to Plan• Objectives are based on:

– Interpreted customer needs and wants– Caterer’s financial and professional needs

• The plan must reflect:– When it will be done– How it will be done– How much it will cost– The potential profit

• Always include a review of the mission statement.

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Formulating a Catering Plan• Required Elements

– Budget– Menu– Location– Number of Guests– Labor requirements

• Required Objectives– Financial– Customer satisfaction

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The Menu: A Tactical Plan• The menus is the single most important factor

contained in the overall plan.– Menu format– Standardized menu– Complexity of the plan

• Attention given to:– Satisfying client needs– Staff skills– Seasonal availability of food

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Barriers to Planning• Operational barriers

– Disrupt the physical elements of an event– Deal with time

• Human resource or communication barriers– Human error– Lack of communication

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Purposes of a Business Plan• Sets the direction for the organization• Communicates intended growth of company• Discloses organization’s financial goals• Presents overall business vision

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Outline of a Successful Business Plan• Front• Body• Description• Industry analysis• Target market• Marketing• Competition• Operations• Management and organization• Financial data and projections• Long-term development and exit-plan

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Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Point Plan

• HACCP is a prevention-based food safety plan.• Monitoring and verification steps included.

1. Hazard analysis2. Identify critical control points in food production.3. Establish critical limits for preventative measures.4. Establish procedures to monitor CCPs.5. Establish corrective actions.6. Establish procedures to verify HACCP system

works.7. Establish effective record keeping systems.