Catering Management Overview

Catering Management

• Catering is a business providing food and beverage services, often at a pre-arranged site (e.g., hotels, venues).

Types of Catering

• On-Premise: Catering for events held at the establishment.
• Off-Premise: Catering at a remote location.
• Commercial: Focused on profit from food and beverage sales.
• Non-Commercial: Provides welfare services, typically at low cost (e.g., hospitals, cafeterias).
• Corporate Catering: Provides food and drinks for business functions (ranging from small office gatherings to large events).
• Social Catering: Catering for smaller, more intimate social events. Catering menus should consider dietary preferences, allergies, and cultural beliefs.

History of Catering

• Earliest catered event in the US was a 1778 ball in Philadelphia.
• Catering began to professionalize around 1820 in Philadelphia.
• Robert Bogle is considered the originator of catering.
• A second generation of Philadelphia Black caterers combined catering with restaurants by 1840.

Common Catering Services

• Mobile Catering: Food service in a mobile van.
• Take-Home Orders: Food delivery service.
• Door-to-Door Catering: Food delivery to customers’ homes or venues.
• Special Events Catering: Service for various events.
• Business Catering: Food service for business meetings.
• Industrial Catering: Food service for large groups (e.g., airlines, schools, hospitals).
• Restaurant: An establishment serving prepared food and drinks.
• Transport Catering: Food service for passengers during travel.
• Airline Catering: In-flight and airport terminal food services.
• Railway Catering: Service for passengers on trains.
• Ship Catering: Service for people on cargo ships and cruise ships.
• Surface Catering: Catering to passengers using surface transportation.
• Outdoor Catering: Food and drink service away from a central location.
• Club Catering: Food and beverage service for club members.

Principles of Catering Management

• Catering Management: A process ensuring efficient operational actions to maximize returns.
• Principles of Management: Activities used to achieve goals.

Principles of Management

• Principles of management are formulated based on past experiences and documented decisions.
• They're flexible guidelines, not rigid rules, for consistent action in similar situations.

Principles of Catering Operations

• Division of Work: Specialization based on skill.
• Hierarchy: Staff placed at different levels with defined management roles.
• Authority and Responsibility: Authority exercised due to position and experience.
• Orderliness: Maintaining a safe and organized workspace.
• Discipline: Punctuality, adherence to rules, and obedience.
• Punctuality: Being on time for work and tasks.
• Courtesy: Respectful conduct in the workplace.
• Adherence to Rules and Regulations: Following all established protocols.
• Loyalty and Devotion: Fostering unity and commitment to the organization.
• Unity of Command: A subordinate receives direction from only one superior.
• Work Stability: Minimizing staff turnover for better organization.
• Unity of Direction: Aligning actions towards a common goal.
• Initiative: Encouraging staff to suggest plans and ideas.
• Individual Goals Subordinate: Individuals prioritize organizational goals.
• Unity to Establishment Goals: Promoting teamwork and effective communication within the organization.
• Payment of Renumeration: Fair compensation for work.
• Control: Limiting oversight to manageable teams.

Other Management Functions

• Planning: Defining objectives, resources, and timelines to achieve goals.
• Organizing: Allocating resources, defining roles, and coordinating tasks.
• Directing: Guiding and instructing employees to achieve goals.
• Coordinating: Aligning activities and efforts to achieve goals.
• Controlling: Tracking performance to ensure consistency with plans.
• Evaluation: Assessing the success and effectiveness of actions.

Organizational Structure and Planning

• Organizational Objectives: Defining the company’s goals and how catering services align with the organization.
• Centralized Structure: Decision-making concentrated at a single point.
• Decentralized structure: Decisions delegated to different departments/managers.

Supply Chain Management

• Supply chain management (SCM) oversees the flow of goods and services from origin to consumption.
• SCM is important for organizations to ensure efficient operations to meet customer needs.
• Key elements of SCM include planning, sourcing, making, delivering, returning, and enabling (processes and support activities).
• SCM helps in:
  • Reducing costs
  • Improving efficiency
  • Enhancing customer service
  • Adapting to changing markets.

Explore the various types of catering, their history, and the evolution of catering management as a business. This quiz covers on-premise and off-premise catering services, as well as commercial and non-commercial aspects. Test your knowledge on catering practices and events from their inception to the present day.