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What does a Catering Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
What are the Main Tasks of a Catering Manager?
- Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance in lodging and dining facilities.
- Monitor food preparation methods, portion sizes, and garnishing and presentation of food to ensure that food is prepared and presented in an acceptable manner.
- Count money and make bank deposits.
- Investigate and resolve complaints regarding food quality, service, or accommodations.
- Coordinate assignments of cooking personnel to ensure economical use of food and timely preparation.
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
- Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
- Schedule staff hours and assign duties.
- Establish standards for personnel performance and customer service.
- Perform some food preparation or service tasks such as cooking, clearing tables, and serving food and drinks when necessary.
- Plan menus and food utilization based on anticipated number of guests, nutritional value, palatability, popularity, and costs.
- Keep records required by government agencies regarding sanitation, and food subsidies when appropriate.
- Test cooked food by tasting and smelling it to ensure palatability and flavor conformity.
- Organize and direct worker training programs, resolve personnel problems, hire new staff, and evaluate employee performance in dining and lodging facilities.
- Order and purchase equipment and supplies.
- Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety.
- Assess staffing needs, and recruit staff using methods such as newspaper advertisements or attendance at job fairs.
- Arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs, and coordinate a variety of services such as waste removal and pest control.
- Record the number, type, and cost of items sold to determine which items may be unpopular or less profitable.
- Review menus and analyze recipes to determine labor and overhead costs, and assign prices to menu items.
- Monitor employee and patron activities to ensure liquor regulations are obeyed.
- Greet guests, escort them to their seats, and present them with menus and wine lists.
- Schedule use of facilities or catering services for events such as banquets or receptions, and negotiate details of arrangements with clients.
- Estimate food, liquor, wine, and other beverage consumption to anticipate amounts to be purchased or requisitioned.
- Create specialty dishes and develop recipes to be used in dining facilities.
- Establish and enforce nutritional standards for dining establishments based on accepted industry standards.
- Take dining reservations.
