How much and how do I give a bill for a catered event for 60 people.?

Question

This is the situation. I have been asked to cater and anniversity @ 12:00 noon. It is a homecooking menu. I need help ,what should I cook and most important how do I create the bill? They want a receipt of the catering cost and how I came to that figure. I charge 150.OO for my service, that is I am doing all the cooking and serving. Please help me with this!

Answer 1

Talk to the person who's hosting the event

Answer 2

Charge per person. Roast beef and potatoes.

Answer 3

Here's a menu I've prepared for 25 - 50.  Is better to have fewer items of quality than filled plates of "miscellaneous".   What is a homecooking menu?  All cooking, for me, is homecooking .... You're the caterer - you give advice and work within your limitations. (See chef's toque blanche, at left.)

You will notice I'm an expert when it comes to preparing as much in advance as possible!

Your shopping receipts are substantiation for the bill.

Your recipe for deviled eggs (use Colman's dry mustard in them for a touch of hot..) served with McCormick's shrimp salad.

5 doz. eggs cooked day prior - yolks removed & whites swirled in a few large bowls of water until water is clear - leave whites in water in a cool place overnight.  Whites which aren't refrigerated are creamy ... as creamy as a soft cheese.

Deviled eggs, served on platters with shrimp salad in center.  Lettuce and scallions are sufficient to add to platter for decoration.  The 44 servings of shrimp salad will be enough when served with the eggs.

Mixed greens (prewashed in bags: 13) + 3 bags baby spinach leaves + 2 qts. raspberry dressing.

Chicken Tetrazzini - (7 store-cooked chickens + 7 lbs. spaghetti).    Break spaghetti, only in half not "pieces" as suggested.  This recipe is same as one I've used for 48 yrs. but, I use fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter instead of canned - I think canned are tough.

Chicken cut up two days prior, spaghetti cooked & left in pot of water in a cool place overnight.

Mushrooms & sauce done day before & reheated day of - same for spag. - put into largest bowl that will fit in your microwave & heat 6 mins. (?) until just warm then, drain.

Cheese platters:  3 lbs. Brie,  2 lbs. Blue, 3 lbs. cheddar or pepperjack.  

  

Five long baguette (each should yield 24 slices).   Ramekins of butter.

Lettuces, scallions, flat-leaf parsley for platter decoration.  Lettuces can be washed at 7am, rolled in bath towels and refrigerated.   Scallions and parsley done day before.

If you plan to prepare the cake yourself - see link with additional at bottom of page.  This would be a fixed price item no matter what the cost of ingredients ... $200.   Frost with cream cheese and decorate with edible flowers which you will buy from the wedding cake bakery you plan to rent the baking tins from (yellow pages - 2 to 3 weeks prior).

Be sure that, should you decide to tint the frosting, it will coordinate with the flower arrangement on the buffet table - pale pink with assorted flower colours will go with most.  I think you should invest the time in the cake (6 hrs.?) as this will be your Signature Piece.

Menu

Check with florist.

Shopping

Serving bowls for salad

7 platters for shrimp salad and eggs - on lettuce you can "bunch" more together and semi-stack these in an oval with shrimp salad in center - garnish with scallions.  If you do a sample platter, your assistant can copy.

Four 9 x 13 baking dishes.  (60 cups)

Two x 12-q. pots.

Table settings (someone else, I hope)

Mixing bowls & Tupperware for food storage

Bath towels for lettuces

Assistant for 2 hrs. work ($25)

The cost for food will be around $1,200 so, $20 per person + 200 cake + 300 you + 25 for assistant.   If you're asked for an estimated amount: $30 per person which is reasonable considering the occasion!!   A friend does catering, serving, etc. (maximum 12 people) and charges $30 per person + her $100 fee.

You'll need  looseleaf binder plus 20 pages:  Two weeks prior, One week prior,  Three days prior,  Shopping, Two days prior,  Day of,  Assistant duties (all you need do is make up one platter of each and have assistant copy them).   Keep a record of the time you've spent on the 'phone plus travel time and all receipts in an envelope placed in cover-pocket of binder.  Don't forget to allow for extras.

Answer 4

You're in a realm about which i know little, except for my sister's disastrous first wedding and the catering experience. As for the food, contact the caterEE and find out what they like to eat.

The only things I remember are that they were kind of rude and actually ran out of food!

Also, they did NOT give a break on the price due to this. Make sure you DON'T so what these caterers (her old "friend" from college) did! Yeah, they got away with stiffing my sister, but now they've been out of business for several yrs. (bad press and word of mouth travel fast!).

Be generous and accommodating.

Answer 5

I think you're in the wrong section.  This sounds like a business transaction. Bye!