Some of you guys are very brave!

Bamabuzzard

Bamabuzzard

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It seems here lately we've had a lot of guys pop in and ask advice on catering a wedding, graduation party, company party etc without having ANY experience whatsoever. Like "I've never done it before" lack of experience.

I don't know whether to commend you :)clap:) or just look at you funny :)twitch:).

I'd like to have some of these folks come back to the board and let us know how it turned out. Was it what they thought it would be? Did they have any issues? Would they have done anything different if they had it to do over?

You guys that cater a wedding as your "first gig" have some big rocks!!! No way I'd do a wedding as my first gig.
 
Bamabuzzard said:
It seems here lately we've had a lot of guys pop in and ask advice on catering a wedding, graduation party, company party etc without having ANY experience whatsoever. Like "I've never done it before" lack of experience.

I don't know whether to commend you :)clap:) or just look at you funny :)twitch:).

I'd like to have some of these folks come back to the board and let us know how it turned out. Was it what they thought it would be? Did they have any issues? Would they have done anything different if they had it to do over?

You guys that cater a wedding as your "first gig" have some big rocks!!! No way I'd do a wedding as my first gig.
Click to expand...

I *might* get to do a co-worker's birthday party, so stay tuned.

I have some trepidation. It's like making a dish for a Bash. YOU know it's good, but will your PEERS like it?

And then there's the time constraints. My family waits with fork and knife in hand to eat my Q. I can start late and not worry. I can have flare-ups and fame-outs and not worry. Not so at a paid gig.

And then there's the cost. I know what I need to charge, and I have the stones to ask for it, but then I have to ask if my leisure time is worth the "profit" I will make.

I'm scurred, but then I've been a wedding officiant, DJ, singer, and photographer (not at the same time).
 
^^^Holler if you need any help John! Good to see you btw!
 
SmokinJohn said:
I *might* get to do a co-worker's birthday party, so stay tuned.

I have some trepidation. It's like making a dish for a Bash. YOU know it's good, but will your PEERS like it?

And then there's the time constraints. My family waits with fork and knife in hand to eat my Q. I can start late and not worry. I can have flare-ups and fame-outs and not worry. Not so at a paid gig.

And then there's the cost. I know what I need to charge, and I have the stones to ask for it, but then I have to ask if my leisure time is worth the "profit" I will make.

I'm scurred, but then I've been a wedding officiant, DJ, singer, and photographer (not at the same time).
Click to expand...
DUDE! You have to book at least one wedding where you do this, all at the same time! I would pay to attend
 
I think a lot of the folks who "jump in" with a wedding or big birthday for their first event get somewhat roped in by well meaning family or friends. In some ways, it's easy the first time, because you don't really know all of the things that can go wrong.

Cook everyday, and soon the nightmares begin to pile-up as to what can go wrong.
 
Well we are not doing anything HUGE but we are doing a Farmers Market every Saturday starting March 28th so we will let you know how smart/dumb/fearless/scared/bombed/soldout we did. We have done a few "Catering" gigs for around 100-150 people but they were people we "knew." Just going from yeah we can do that to fully insured, LLC, business accounts, tax stuff, was a "**** just got real" moment that we are still getting over.
 
gtr said:
^^^Holler if you need any help John! Good to see you btw!
Click to expand...

Threadjack ON

Good to see you, too. I've gone hermit, and I apologize to all the SoCal Brethren. I've been consumed getting Eli to launch in August. He will be attending Miami University (Ohio)....

Ray, I have not forgotten about your fire basket, and I am sorry it hasn't materialized.

Threadjack OFF
 
I've always cooked bigger than I had experience for. I started with Thankgiving Turkey for eight about 15 years ago. I was nominated the future Turkey Day cook by my sister who, I swear, purposely lost the turkey throw down so she'd be out of it. It went to a 28 person Thanksgivings from there (again by default). I do numerous 40-50 parties and a few at 75 people. I'd like to do 100 to 150 someday. I've got the equipment but am starting to lose the energy. Cooking is very HARD work! I'm not really a ballsy person but very, very detailed & organized. I will spend hours / days researching, practicing, making lists and timelines and when the day comes I feel very confidant. So far, so good.
 
My first "catering gig" was my own wedding, 150 guests. Cooked everything before hand (chicken thighs, pulled pork, beef brisket), vacuum sealed and used a redneck sous-vide system to reheat. All in all it turned out pretty well. I'd say competitive cooking really helped with knowing your timing and quality control.

Now we are thinking about doing some more catering, who knows maybe we're crazy. But I would definately suggest doing somthing in the under 50 range first and see how it goes.
 
I did my first official "paid" catering last X-mas. The City I worked for asked me to cater the X-mas luncheon. About 60 people, I charged $10/head for 2 protein, 4 sides & desert. Yea, I probably could have charged double for what I was serving, but they were on a limited budget. Did 2 smoked turkeys, 4 smoked turkey breasts, 2 hams, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, rolls, and pumpkin pie.

It was me & one server helping prep for buffet style. It went really well & the biggest problem I had was I ran out of salad. Next year, if they ask me do to it again I'm upping my prices.
15%2B-%2B2
 
Sometimes fools go where angles fear to tread!!!!! I would practice before a gig if I could. I was the fraternity kitchen steward for several years and bought $20,000 in groceries in the 1980's. We fixed bag lunches for 20 and sit down dinners nightly with members taking turns cooking. Some could boil hot dogs and not much else.
Funnies were drunk assembled sandwiches with cheese wrappers still in place, Shortage of taco meat for end of the line guys who became forced vegetarians,
Pork chop night with college Dean with chops overcooked to jerky status
Funny pink looking meatloaf that tasted good but drinking cook could not repeat
I learned a few tricks along the way:
Burnt/sticking food in pan or pot- do not stir on discovery pour into new pot and you might save the contents..... stir like a mad man and you stir in burnt taste

Hold cooked spaghetti noddles in warm water----to heat for serving dip portion in wire strainer into boiling water for 30 seconds and let drain to plate

You must salt meat before cooking as cooked meat will not take salt internally and will not taste good.
Good luck to all those who jump in the food deep end without wading first. Mark
 
61sleepercab said:
Sometimes fools go where angles fear to tread!!!!! I would practice before a gig if I could. I was the fraternity kitchen steward for several years and bought $20,000 in groceries in the 1980's. We fixed bag lunches for 20 and sit down dinners nightly with members taking turns cooking. Some could boil hot dogs and not much else.
Funnies were drunk assembled sandwiches with cheese wrappers still in place, Shortage of taco meat for end of the line guys who became forced vegetarians,
Pork chop night with college Dean with chops overcooked to jerky status
Funny pink looking meatloaf that tasted good but drinking cook could not repeat
I learned a few tricks along the way:
Burnt/sticking food in pan or pot- do not stir on discovery pour into new pot and you might save the contents..... stir like a mad man and you stir in burnt taste

Hold cooked spaghetti noddles in warm water----to heat for serving dip portion in wire strainer into boiling water for 30 seconds and let drain to plate

You must salt meat before cooking as cooked meat will not take salt internally and will not taste good.
Good luck to all those who jump in the food deep end without wading first. Mark
Click to expand...


Okay, I am conflicted......as to whether I am a Fool or an Angel?

DON'T ANSWER THAT!!!!! :rolleyes:
 
I remember our first “big” gig was at church (roped in as someone said). It was supposed to be simple and overall was. The church staff was supposed to include the condiments, but they forgot. We had to run to the store real quick to purchase. They also failed to purchase napkins! This was in September and we thought the weather would not be a factor. We stood in the HOT sun (had tent, but the way the sun was sitting did not help) for 3 hours cooking and serving around 500 hot dogs with all the sides. When it was over, we were exhausted and dehydrated! My wife became physically sick due to the heat. We learned a lot from that experience and have since told the church we will take care of EVERYTHING and they can reimburse us J
 
First gig we ever did was for our Church. Was about 350 people. Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans, Slaw, Rolls, Two Deserts, Sweet Tea, UnSweet Tea, Lemonade and water.

Weather was horrible. We were cooking into different places. Started pouring rain so I had to move the grills and smokers about a mile down the road to shelter (I had no tents). It was pure chaos. But the wife and I pulled it off, no one thought anything went wrong. We had enough food for about 800 people though.

Everyone went home with leftovers!
 
lcbateman3 said:
First gig we ever did was for our Church. Was about 350 people. Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans, Slaw, Rolls, Two Deserts, Sweet Tea, UnSweet Tea, Lemonade and water.

Weather was horrible. We were cooking into different places. Started pouring rain so I had to move the grills and smokers about a mile down the road to shelter (I had no tents). It was pure chaos. But the wife and I pulled it off, no one thought anything went wrong. We had enough food for about 800 people though.

Everyone went home with leftovers!
Click to expand...

LOL! We had something similar happen to us as well. I was asked to cook the meat for 300 for a church fundraiser. At the last minute I learned that I was basically expected to run the entire outfit in the kitchen, not just smoke the meat. We pulled it off with minimal hiccups. But man we sho wuz tired!
 
DUBBAGA said:
I'll bring the Gentleman Jack
Click to expand...

SmokinJohn said:
Threadjack ON

Good to see you, too. I've gone hermit, and I apologize to all the SoCal Brethren. I've been consumed getting Eli to launch in August. He will be attending Miami University (Ohio)....

Ray, I have not forgotten about your fire basket, and I am sorry it hasn't materialized.

Threadjack OFF
Click to expand...

So Cal Threadjackers :laugh:
See ya all at the next bash!! I think Greg has it going on! 6/28 :thumb:
 
Last edited:
I did two weddings of 150 for fun, lol.it was good enough to make me think I need to start getting my ducks in a row to start a business. I'm at the tail end of all the planning and we are starting to buy stuff. It's getting really real and very exciting. I've been told I'm crazy before. Both weddings turned out fantastic. I learned a lot doing both.
 
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