Essential Equipment Needed for a Catering Business

Preparing, transporting and serving food is no easy task, so it’s essential for a catering business to have the right supplies. To help caterers provide food for special events, this guide outlines the essential equipment needed for a catering business so their food is safe, appetizing and delicious.

Commercial Kitchen

The first thing any catering business needs is a place to prepare food. Food sold to the public must be prepared in a kitchen that meets health regulations, so caterers have to either rent time (and space) at a commissary kitchen or at an established restaurant. Eventually, successful caterers will need their own kitchen space to meet the demands of their growing business.

Disposable Cookware

Baking a pie or lasagna in one pan, transporting it in another and then serving it in another takes up a lot of time. In order to streamline operations, caterers can use disposable baking pans to do everything in one pan from start to finish. Since disposable pans are simply thrown away after use, caterers don’t have to worry about transporting dirty pans back to the kitchen or losing fragile dishes to accidents or theft. Cleanup time is reduced to a minimum, too.

Catering Van

Whether it’s a cargo van or a box truck, all caterers need vehicles to move their prepared food to the site of the party, wedding or other special event. Besides the commercial kitchen space, the van or truck is likely to be one of the largest startup costs for a new catering business, in addition to the recurring costs of maintenance, gas and insurance.

Food Packaging Supplies

Instead of haphazardly stacking pans on top of each other, food packaging supplies can help caterers transport food effectively. By putting food into boxes with lids or plastic bags with secure seals, caterers can make sure their food arrives in good condition. For food that should be served warm or cold, insulated food carriers keep food at the proper temperature.

Chafing Dishes

Chafing dishes help keep food at the proper temperature during the course of a catered event. Although stainless steel food warmers are available, nothing beats sturdy yet lightweight disposable chafers when it comes to portability. As with disposable cookware, the ease of cleanup after using disposable chafers is a big plus, too.

Catering Coolers

Nobody wants to drink warm water or soda, so catering businesses need to invest in large coolers, especially for outdoor events. When shopping for a cooler, make sure it has wheels and handles so it’s easy to transport. In addition to coolers, caterers may also want to consider investing in small, portable refrigerators, as well as freezers.

Beverage Service Supplies

Beverage dispensers, coffee decanters and other beverage service supplies are some of the most important pieces of equipment needed for a catering business. A buffet-style event will have many airpots and pitchers on the same table, so airpot racks and beverage signs can help organize and label the beverage choices. When it comes to serving, disposable cups and glasses are likely the best option.

Servingware & Displayware

Presenting food attractively and serving it efficiently are very important. Instead of leaving sandwiches or cookies in a cardboard box, arranging them on decorative platters will make them much more appealing. When it comes to salad bowls or cheese boards, utensils like tongs and toothpicks make self-service easy and sanitary.

Disposable Dinnerware

While reusable plates, napkins and flatware are good for a restaurant, they’re not ideal for a catering business. By using disposable plates, napkins and cutlery, caterers can set up before an event and clean up afterwards with ease, especially if everything is packaged together in dinner kits.

Tablecloths & Tabletop Décor

Small touches can make a catered event feel more special. If caterers want to make a baptism or wedding feel more elegant, they can cover table legs with an overhanging tablecloth and accentuate dinner plates with decorative placemats. To dress up the buffet line, smaller linens can be used as chafing dish skirts to hide the sternos underneath the serving pans.

Folding Tables & Chairs

Although most venues will probably have seating, it’s a good idea for a catering business to keep folding tables and chairs on hand. When purchasing equipment, catering businesses should acquire a mix of dining and buffet tables: it’s hard to predict when unexpected guests will need seating or when a second buffet line will make an event run more smoothly.

Janitorial Supplies

Since accidents like spills, drops and splatters are unavoidable, a catering business needs to have paper towels, disposable gloves and other janitorial supplies. Once the event is over, it’s important to clean up as quickly and thoroughly as possible, so stocking plenty of garbage bags and cleaning chemicals will help caterers make the venue look as good as new.

Additional Décor

A good tip for new caterers is to have extra props to decorate the space as needed. Is one of the buffet tables half-empty? If so, add a bouquet of flowers. Are the food carriers stacked in a corner? Why not cover them with an extra tablecloth. Although these touches don’t seem like much, they can go a long way in making a display more visually appealing.