Читать книгу Start & Run a Catering Business - George Erdosh - Страница 20

Off-premise catering, no matter how well planned and organized, is bound to have unexpected problems. Occasionally, problems reach crisis proportions. When so much equipment, food, drinks, staff, and peripheral items must be transported and set up for a complex event, problems will crop up from time to time. In the best scenario, your event is flawless as far as the client is concerned, though you and your staff know of the little bumps that you successfully overcame.

Just think of the numerous little things that must be on hand for you to prepare an elegant meal for 35 guests at home. Then think of the further complications when a similar meal must be served for 135 at an unfamiliar location. Then add the complication of another crew in your kitchen preparing a reception for 50 at the same time. Everything that goes into the refrigerator is carefully labeled according to which event it belongs to. When loading, you must be really careful that you don’t accidentally take the other crew’s ingredients or equipment. No matter how much care is taken, there is a possibility that some things could end up in the wrong vehicle.

Other problems occur at the event site. No matter how carefully you discuss every detail with the client, expect surprises. One of the things you must learn is not to despair or panic, but quickly find a way out of it, preferably before your client notices and, if at all possible, before the guests notice. Some problems can be solved with the help of the host or hostess. If an important piece of equipment or tool or ingredient was left behind, he or she may have something you can use. But usually you are better off solving it yourself without consulting the client, even if it means a quick trip to the store.

To successfully solve problems, you must expect them to happen. Remain cool and rational. Talk with your staff. Someone might come up with a good idea. For some problems there is no easy solution. If you left your ice in the freezer back in your kitchen, check your client’s freezer to see if he or she has enough to last while you send someone for more ice. If all else fails and you must delay the bar setup, explain the situation to your client with apologies and make the delay as short as possible.

Crises are more difficult to solve, but they should be expected occasionally, too. On your way to the event, someone pulls in front of you and you have no choice but to hit the brakes hard (something you should never do in a catering truck!) and four lemon cloud pies scoot at high speed against the lip of the shelf. They are now misshapen and can only be served to your staff, their families, and yours. There is no time to get a comparable pie from the local French patisserie; your only option is to stop at a nearby supermarket and buy their flavorless, over-sweetened pies with artificial topping. It is that or serve no dessert.

Should you mention it and give your client a discount on the invoice? The decision is yours. I would be tempted to not say a word about it to anyone and serve the second-rate pies, feeling red-faced and guilty. Chances are, no one will mention the pies, provided the rest of the dinner is excellent. Should your client tell you later that he or she was a little disappointed in your lemon cloud pie, admit your guilt and apologize. Deduct enough from the invoice to provide consolation and promise to send your client two genuine lemon cloud pies.

It is a little scary to be in a profession where you are in the limelight, where everything must go smoothly and there is so much chance for errors to happen. Accept it, learn to live with it, even learn to love it. Eventually, solving the problems and crises will come naturally, and you’ll have plenty of anecdotes to share with trusted friends and family.