Making Some Side Cash

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cseymour45

Knows what a fatty is.
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This could be a thread in the catering section and i'm sure it has been answered at some point. However, I am just curious how many of you backyard warriors make extra cash cooking for families or churches. I have tossed around the idea for sometime, but I also start thinking about whatever liability is at risk. I would probably only cook for smaller groups, family friends etc. as capacity is somewhat of an issue with only a Humphrey Weeble. Businesses are where I could see some legality issues. I don't really want to go through the hassle of becoming a real business on my end, just enjoy cooking and people enjoy my Q, so I figure why not make some extra cash and maybe earn enough to get a new smoker one day.

If you have any horror stories or tips, please share. I have many questions just finding a lot more about real catering companies when I search online.
 
The health department will send all of your hopes and dreams spiraling into the pit of despair.
 
Teleking said:
The health department will send all of your hopes and dreams spiraling into the pit of despair.
Click to expand...

You mean if they were to find out? I wasn't planning on running some big operation, just under the table stuff for family friends or anyone that could be trusted not to come after me with lawyers if they choked on a rib.
 
You can't trust anyone NOT to sue you if they choke on a rib bone or by some chance get sick. Not saying you're not being clean and doing things properly in your cooking, but it happens. Maybe not your food but you're leaving a door open for law suits by not being legal and carrying insurance
 
I don't have experience in it, but wouldn't it be hard to actually make money without selling in quantity? The cost of fuel, meat, serving trays, sides, etc. would add up pretty fast, especially since you would have to front all of it and would need a system to collect.
 
churrodog said:
I don't have experience in it, but wouldn't it be hard to actually make money without selling in quantity? The cost of fuel, meat, serving trays, sides, etc. would add up pretty fast, especially since you would have to front all of it and would need a system to collect.
Click to expand...

Sure, all of those things like you mentioned would have to be figured into the cost of the buyer. The total needs to be figured before hand, that way your buyer can have one lump total. So no, to answer I don't see it being hard to make money, the question is just how much money. A $50 profit is still profit. Basically what i'm getting at is that I have plenty of free time while still having a job, but i'm not really wanting to jump through all of the hurdles of a big catering operation.
 
Can you be hire to just as a cook? In other words the group buys the food/rubs/whatever and then you get hired to cook what they purchased.
 
If you're willing to loose everything you own, have at it. Not a risk I would be willing to make. This has been discussed many times.
 
This crosses my mind every now and then but then I think about how stupid people are and I never do anything. My cooks are limited to my house. I make a couple of exceptions for the guys at work but even that scares me. I have one next month where a good friend of mine that used to work for me is hosting his daughter's volleyball team, small D3 school. Should be about 25 people. I really trust this guy but I tell him in advance that if someone sues I am putting all the blame on his terrible food handling skills because I know the food was safe when I handed it to him. We laugh but he knows I am serious. The biggest cook I have done was for a family that owns a chain of restaurants. That was a cook for over 100 and I was nervous for days after. Probably never do that again. I think it gets too complicated really quick. Some of the horror stories just scare the crap out of me but then again I am the paranoid type to begin with so keep that in mind while reading this. Short of getting insurance specific to catering your home owners will not extend to food that leaves your property or at least that is what I was told by my agent. I don't have any idea what happens if the health department catches you buy some odd chance.
 
Pole D said:
Can you be hire to just as a cook? In other words the group buys the food/rubs/whatever and then you get hired to cook what they purchased.
Click to expand...

I guess maybe that's how I should have worded this thread. I am not looking to make sides and all of that jazz for people. Or even giving them nice warmers to hold the food. I'm thinking more like this question from 'Pole', my profits would probably come from my time and whatever someone is willing to pay for that. They are on their own once I get the finished products to them.
 
Word of mouth works wonders. Cards left at gas stations. Social media. Plenty of ways to spread the word. There are many guys taking orders for daily cooks using patio cookers or small backyard smokers.

I think being legit is a very good thing. Having food safe practices, cooking areas, and certifications. Insurance and all the legalities paid for, etc....

However, I hate it when people instantly threaten with "your going to loose everything" or any other toxic vomit they can spew. ---he's just selling a few racks to neighbors. I guess my neighbor is going to loose everything for selling me eggs huh ?!! Get a grip !

Would I worry about getting sued over 4 racks of ribs.... no. Would I worry about the health dept.? .... no. Small stuff, like what I think you have in mind, is just a little extra spending cash. I say go ahead, have fun, pocket a little beer money.

Regards,

Kevin
 
cseymour45 said:
I guess maybe that's how I should have worded this thread. I am not looking to make sides and all of that jazz for people. Or even giving them nice warmers to hold the food. I'm thinking more like this question from 'Pole', my profits would probably come from my time and whatever someone is willing to pay for that. They are on their own once I get the finished products to them.
Click to expand...

This is basically what I do. They bring the meat to me and when I am done they pick it up. No sides. Just meat, disposable pans and instructions on how to slice. I have never charged anyone officially but I do request a bag of charcoal, a big roll of foil, etc to get back a little of what I am putting into it. I get some requests but I normally turn them down. What I am really looking for is some sort of charity to cook for so they can assume all the risks.
 
AlwaysSmokey said:
Word of mouth works wonders. Cards left at gas stations. Social media. Plenty of ways to spread the word. There are many guys taking orders for daily cooks using patio cookers or small backyard smokers.

I think being legit is a very good thing. Having food safe practices, cooking areas, and certifications. Insurance and all the legalities paid for, etc....

However, I hate it when people instantly threaten with "your going to loose everything" or any other toxic vomit they can spew. ---he's just selling a few racks to neighbors. I guess my neighbor is going to loose everything for selling me eggs huh ?!! Get a grip !

Would I worry about getting sued over 4 racks of ribs.... no. Would I worry about the health dept.? .... no. Small stuff, like what I think you have in mind, is just a little extra spending cash. I say go ahead, have fun, pocket a little beer money.

Regards,

Kevin
Click to expand...

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I know people that have pulled it off many times, never had a problem whatsoever. These topics bring out the negative nancy's which I can already clearly see. I don't ever see stories about the Amish people I used to live around in Iowa being taken for everything they have for selling some jams, pies or whatever else they have. Highly doubt they are all legal with papers where I grew up in So IA.

Common sense goes a long way.
 
AlwaysSmokey said:
However, I hate it when people instantly threaten with "your going to loose everything" or any other toxic vomit they can spew. ---he's just selling a few racks to neighbors. I guess my neighbor is going to loose everything for selling me eggs huh ?!! Get a grip !

Would I worry about getting sued over 4 racks of ribs.... no. Would I worry about the health dept.? .... no. Small stuff, like what I think you have in mind, is just a little extra spending cash. I say go ahead, have fun, pocket a little beer money.

Regards,

Kevin
Click to expand...

You're neighbor is selling you a raw product. Not a cooked product. There's a difference. Not trying to argue here just pointing this out.

ETA: Not being negative, just pointing out reality.
And here the health dept does check the Amish, be it a stand or their pie shops.
The pie shops have to be licensed here, it's a cooked product
 
cseymour45 said:
That's pretty much how I feel about it. I know people that have pulled it off many times, never had a problem whatsoever. These topics bring out the negative nancy's which I can already clearly see. I don't ever see stories about the Amish people I used to live around in Iowa being taken for everything they have for selling some jams, pies or whatever else they have. Highly doubt they are all legal with papers where I grew up in So IA.

Common sense goes a long way.
Click to expand...


There is very little of this left in the world.

Yes there is a profit to be made. Yes its possible. Try it.....enjoy.
 
AlwaysSmokey said:
Word of mouth works wonders. Cards left at gas stations. Social media. Plenty of ways to spread the word. There are many guys taking orders for daily cooks using patio cookers or small backyard smokers.

I think being legit is a very good thing. Having food safe practices, cooking areas, and certifications. Insurance and all the legalities paid for, etc....

However, I hate it when people instantly threaten with "your going to loose everything" or any other toxic vomit they can spew. ---he's just selling a few racks to neighbors. I guess my neighbor is going to loose everything for selling me eggs huh ?!! Get a grip !

Would I worry about getting sued over 4 racks of ribs.... no. Would I worry about the health dept.? .... no. Small stuff, like what I think you have in mind, is just a little extra spending cash. I say go ahead, have fun, pocket a little beer money.

Regards,

Kevin
Click to expand...

Thank you!
 
Diesel Dave said:
You're neighbor is selling you a raw product. Not a cooked product. There's a difference. Not trying to argue here just pointing this out.

ETA: Not being negative, just pointing out reality.
And here the health dept does check the Amish, be it a stand or their pie shops.
The pie shops have to be licensed here, it's a cooked product
Click to expand...

In reality depending on the state the egg seller could have a high cause for concern, have they been chilled, are you labeling a grade? I know the USDA takes these things seriously.

I probably shouldn't have used the Amish as an example, because I do know in the upper states they are heavily inspected. This isn't the case in small town So Iowa, I knew many families that didn't give a damn about any papers and sold many items roadside, no pie shops.

It's just the risks that some people are willing to take that others aren't.
 
It's all good Diesel Dave !
:tea:
I am just saying the times I have done it, friends have done it, people I know on facebook have done it,.. no one sh*t bricks over health dept. stuff. I just don't see it as a worry. I tend not to be a worrying type though. I got better stuff to do with my life. :thumb:

Regards,

Kevin
 
pjtexas1 said:
....What I am really looking for is some sort of charity to cook for so they can assume all the risks...
Click to expand...

Therein lies the problem.

Let's say you are making 5 pork butts for a church. You drop one pulling it out of the smoker. You rinse it off (5 second rule) and foil it and send it.

Someone gets ill eating it. You want the church to take the hit for that? That's not cool.

What if one of the butts was bad from the start? The supplier should take the hit, not you or the church.

There was a case where an American company bought tires made in China and supplied them to American passenger cars. The Chinese manufacturer changed the design specs (to make more profit, but making the tires less safe) without informing the American importer.

When the tires blew (harming and killing people), who did the victim's families go after? The importer. The importer claimed it was the Manufacturer's fault. The victim's families didn't care; the importer should have checked the quality of the goods. The courts agreed.

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but your post struck a nerve. I understand what you are trying to do, and I admire it. I would like to do the dame thing. But I see why BBQ costs so much in the stores and trucks. It's not just the cost of the meat and rubs and charcoal. It's liability insurance. It's fire insurance.
 
I will chime in here for those of use who used to, or still do, cook professionally, and who tried, or still try to make a living as cooks. What you are proposing to do it illegal, it cheats the system against those of us that do it the right way. It's no different that a company that pays people under the table. Now, that being said...

Can/will you make money, of course you will. Because you are not paying for insurance, licensing, kitchen time, commisary expenses etc...you will be able to undercut the existing market and make good money doing this. The likelihood of your being sued is very minute, simply because people will rarely sue a freelance cook. The irony is, the more legitimate you are as a catering or vending operation, the more likely it is that you will be sued.
 
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