Secrets of the Caterer

Chefs often say that the key to great cooking is using quality ingredients. But what exactly are quality ingredients anyway? After this lesson, you'll know what they are and how to choose them. You'll also learn how to build your personal pantry so that you always have the right tools on hand for any kind of catering activity. You'll then work on collecting what every caterer needs: several exciting and delicious recipes.

Since people are first attracted to food with their eyes, delicious food also needs to be beautiful. In this lesson, you'll discover techniques for making any dish visually attractive. You'll learn how to arrange and present food in creative ways. You'll find out about easy and effective garnishes and how to work with them. Finally, you'll get to practice your new skills with several recipes.

Appetizers and hors d' oeuvres are an important part of any catered meal. So in this lesson, you'll learn how to pair appetizers and hors d' oeuvres with entrées. You'll see how to make them attractive and how to present them to your guests. Last but not least, you'll get several tried-and-true appetizers and hors d' oeuvres recipes.

In this lesson, you'll learn the secrets caterers use to prepare delicious main courses. You'll find out how to choose the best main course, select the right ingredients for it, prepare it, and serve it to your guests.

From brownies to cheesecake, everyone loves dessert! So, in this lesson, you'll explore different kinds of desserts and how to choose the right one for your event. You'll learn a number of dessert-making secrets and you'll have an opportunity to prepare several of them.

Drinks are an important part of any meal. As a caterer, you'll always want to serve beverages that are refreshing and unique. So in this lesson, you'll learn all about teas, coffees, and punches. You'll get delicious recipes you can try and you'll see how to garnish drinks for that extra special touch.

Stemware, flatware, dishes, oh my! Don't worry: serving dishes don't have to be cause for great concern. With just a few tips and tricks under your belt, you'll learn how to choose the best serving dishes and flatware for any occasion. In this lesson, you'll see how to keep things practical, but still make everything beautiful. You'll also learn how to formally arrange flatware for any occasion and receive another round of recipes.

Condiments and sides are a critical part of a great meal, but they can also be a big headache. Thankfully, with the skills that you'll learn in this lesson, you'll be able to provide condiments and sides without any fuss. You'll find out how to serve them easily, safely, and without a bunch of problems.

Menu planning may seem a bit overwhelming. After all, combining the right items with the right event can be difficult. But you can master this planning skill! In this lesson, you'll learn to create the perfect menu for the perfect event. You'll see how you can manage menu items and keep your menu from becoming boring or too complicated. You'll even find a number of sample menus and recipes you can use for your events.

Since catering is a business, you'll need to manage expenses and turn a profit. In this lesson, you'll learn about managing the business of catering. You'll learn how to price menus, figure profit, track your income and expenses, create contracts, and arrive at a healthy bottom line. The lesson will also teach you how to set personal boundaries and take care of yourself so that your catering business doesn't overwhelm your life.

In this lesson, you'll explore the daily life of a caterer. You'll see how to work with your client, how to help your client choose the right food, and how to get a signed contract and down payment. Next, you'll discover how to organize your time, plan the event, and deliver your first job with great success. Afterwards, you'll be able to plan and complete your first catering job!