Miami is recognized for being one of the cities where the best events take place. All year round there is space for celebrations in the calendar and these celebrations can be of all kinds, from company parties to birthdays. Events of greater importance also fit here or those small corporate meetings. The custom is that they are invited to a rented premises or a house and from there the food is served, they are taken to have a good time with the guests. For this to be possible there are catering services, who are in charge of carrying the kitchen service and food to the places, served with elegance and with the best presence.
Why put a Catering Service in Miami
So, when asked if it is a good business to have a catering company in Miami, the answer is always going to be yes, it is absolutely a great business that is going to generate a lot of profits. If you want to know how they work, the first thing to do is read a little about catering and what the usual actions are, since it can be from serving drinks to being a receptionist, security, waiters, etc.
Procedures to obtain permits to open a Catering business in Miami
The bottom line is that you take care of your business paperwork first, so the following list may help you a bit:
- If your company is a restaurant which, in turn, offers catering service then you must register it since it has a specific location and the procedure may be a little different if the company does not have a fixed location. So mainly you must go to the corresponding entity, fill out a spreadsheet with data and address. In this way we will be sure of this aspect and we will not have to worry.
- In turn, our employees and human capital will need a permit that is very simple and basically consists of having a license that allows you to handle food. The cooks because, obviously, they are always cooking and touching all the dishes, but the waiters and other people who serve also require it because they have contact with all the products that are going to be served. Health, when it comes to food, is essential and necessary.
To differentiate ourselves from the rest it is necessary that we make a decision regarding those points that will characterize our company. Among them we can find the following:
- The First point It consists of the concept of the company as such. Yes, we already know that it will be catering but catering covers many things and can be an extensive service as well as a more specific service. Wanting to cover everything, sometimes, does not allow us that all our services are of the expected quality. For this reason, it is recommended that, if we can choose, we decide to evaluate the strength of our team and guide the company towards it. If the strength is the drinks then we can have a cocktail catering, if it is the food we can have this type and so on.
- In case the catering that we want to establish is for large events, we can define it a little more by specifying whether it is a wedding or corporate type catering, or special birthdays. This way, people and companies will know who to look for and will not doubt whether or not we do our job well for the simple fact of having worked with weddings and parties before. So narrowing is important and all-encompassing may not be very beneficial for the profit purpose of the business.
The importance of contact networks and suppliers for a Catering business.
A secret for caterers It is to make agreements with locals or with certain related companies, so that in this way they can recommend them directly or put as a requirement that if they want to hire them they must also hire the corresponding catering company. For example, it is very common for companies that are responsible for organize weddings give your clients a few options of the caterers they work with. This gives you good references to the company and allows the client to have more confidence in the work to be done, without having to worry.
Also, the same food providers can give us a good name. For example, if we work with the best brand of any food then the fact that we mention it to our customers will make them understand that we prefer quality over all things and that they do not skimp on expenses when it comes to making customers happy and to prepare the best food. Everything is part of a set of networks in which companies will benefit from our catering but we will also take advantage of what they have to offer us. The more allies, the better positioning.
How to make your catering service spectacular
First you have to listen to the needs and desires of the client, because that way we will know how we can guide the service. Once we have an idea of what you want the next step is to propose and offer you what we can do based on everything you have just communicated. If the client sees that we are proactive and that we give them quick solutions, they will want to hire us with more determination and confidence than if we simply tell them a few things or do not complement their ideas. Let us remember that we are the experts in the eyes of the people who turn to us and as such we have to know how to give an answer full of creativity. In addition, we can always offer them better things or elements that they did not know and thus surprise. It’s all part of communicating with clients and creating a pleasant environment for guests.
All the details, from the food and its presentation, to the clothing that the people in the service are going to wear and the machinery or implements are essential and nothing can be missing. On Miami the levels of demand grow and you want your catering to be the best.
How to start a catering business in Florida
Starting a catering business in Florida can be ideal for someone who loves to cook and wants to work in the food industry, but doesn’t want to open a restaurant. Although caterers do not have the overhead of a restaurant or cafeteria, they must follow state food business laws. Florida catering companies have specific regulations that they must follow in order to legally start a catering business.
Determine where you will prepare food for your customers. You can rent a commercial kitchen, use the kitchen at the event venue (which may include your clients’ homes), or open your own private commercial kitchen. In Florida, you cannot use a residential home to prepare food for catering, unless it is for a customer, and the food will be served in your home.
Prepare and submit your food service plan review to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Hotel and Restaurant Division, if you are opening your own commercial kitchen facility. You will also have to submit a fee of $ 150. To get an application, click on the link in the “Resources” section below, titled “Food Service Plan Review.”
Make sure at least one of your catering employees is certified as a food manager, and that all other employees who touch or prepare food in any way have a food handler’s permit. To get them, you will need to attend food worker training programs. For a list of State of Florida approved food worker training programs, click on the link titled “Food Worker Training Programs” in the “Resources” section below.
Get an EIN (employer identification number) from the IRS and a sales tax registration number from the Florida Department of Revenue, Division of Sales Tax. All catering companies in Florida must have these two identification numbers.
Fill out and submit a Public Food Service License Application Packet and determine the amount of license fees you must pay; You can access a package and fee calculator from the link in the “Resources” section below titled “Food Service License Application Package and Fee Calculator.”
Contact the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations, Hotel and Restaurant Division at the following number to set a date and time for your catering business opening inspection: 850-487-1395. This should only be done after you have submitted your plan review (if required), obtained food manager and food handling permits, submitted your license application, and paid all applicable fees.