LECTURE 1:

OVERVIEW OF PREMISE
CATERING
AHHM2623
CATERING SYSTEM AND OPERATION
TODAY’S OBJECTIVE
 Recognise the types of catering
 Identify the catering department management functions
 View the catering department objectives
 Discuss the catering department organisation chart
INTRODUCTION
 The planned service of food and beverages in contrast to restaurant where food and
beverages are generally served on demand. Catering is usually done by prearranged
contract – food and beverage provided at a certain cost to a specific number of people.

 Catering operations, as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a larger hospitality-related

business.

 Most catering operations are those that are readily identifiable as private rooms in a
restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent catering facilities.

 The increased demand by the international public for private function space outside of their
own homes and businesses has led the catering segment of the foodservice sector of the
hospitality industry to be a leader in the continued growth of both facilities and revenue.
TYPES OF CATERING
 On-premise catering : considered to be any function such as banquet, reception or
event that us held physical premise of the venue or facility that is producing the
function.

 Off-premise catering : the function take place in a remote or offsite location such
as client’s home, park, art gallery, a museum, or even a parking lot and where the
staff, food and décor must be transported to that location.
ON-PREMISE CATERING
 On-premise caterer do offer off-premise catering, most do not “cater out”.

 During economic slowdown, hotel, restaurant and other catering venue have begun
looking for additional revenue by expending their off-site options.

 On-premise caterers – hotel, convention centers, conference centers, private city and
country club, and restaurant with banquet rooms or event space usually have the
advantages of offering many services under one roof.

 Example: provide sufficient space to the entire event and plenty of parking.
 OFF-PREMISE CATERING

 Banquet halls  Universities  Fairgrounds

 Civic auditoriums  Libraries  Museums
 Stadium  Executive dining rooms in  Aquarium
 Arena
office building or corporate
headquarters
 Ethnic social clubs
 Churches
 Fraternal organization
 Recreation rooms in large
 Women’s clubs apartment or condominium
 Athletic clubs
complexes
 Parks
 Hospitals
CATEGORIES OFF-PREMISE CATERING
 Drop-off caterers : supply only the food for an event. Food is prepared and
packaged at the catering kitchen.

 Hot-buffet caterers : provide hot foods, delivered from their commissaries (food
supplies) in insulated containers, ready to set out and serve. They sometimes
provide serving staff at an additional charge.
Drop-off Caterer

Hot Buffet Caterer

 CATEGORIES OFF-PREMISE CATERING

 Full service caterers: not only provide food but frequently cook it to order on-site.

 They also provide service personnel at the event plus all the necessary food-related
equipment – china, glassware, flatware, tables and chairs, tents and so forth.

 Arrange for other services like décor and music.

 Can plan an entire event not just food.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF OFF-PREMISES CATERING

Advantages: Disadvantages:
• Received some form of advance
deposit prior to an event.  Staff undergo periods of high stress
• Arrange their own payment terms during busy periods.
directly with clients, eliminating  Impossible to be in two places at the
middleman. same time.
• Generate tremendous amounts of
free word-of mouth advertising
• Selective about their clients.
CLASSIFICATION OF CATERING
 Social catering : weddings, bar, high school reunion, birthday party and charity
events.

 Corporate catering : association convention and meetings, civic meetings, corporate

sales and stakeholder meetings, recognition banquets, product launches, educational
training, seller-buyer entertaining, service award banquets.
 TYPES OF CATERERS
 Hotel catering
 Convention catering
 Conference catering
 Restaurant catering
 Private club catering
 Stadium and arena catering
 Casino catering
CATERING DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS
 Selling
 Planning
 Organizing
 Directing
 Controlling
 CATERING DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES

1. Earn a fair profit assets invested in the catering business

2. Generate sufficient catering sales volume, enough to cover all expenses and leave a fair
profit.
3. Deliver customer satisfaction.
4. Provide consistent quality and service.
5. Convey a particular image.
6. Develop a reputation for dependability.
7. Develop reputation for flexibility.
8. Deliver what was promised.
CATERING
DEPARTMENT
ORGANIZATIO
N
CHART

Food and beverage department organization chart .

(Courtesy Music City Sheraton Corporation)
WHY DO NEED ORGANIZATION CHART?

Advantages: Disadvantages:
 Increased efficiency  Excessive workload

 Isolated responsibility  Too many bosses

 Job enrichment  Lack of specialization

 Repeat patronage  Excessive delegation

 Improve communication
 Focus
 CATERING STAFF POSITIONS

 Director of catering (DOC) or director of  Director of convention (or conference)

catering and convention services (DOC/CS) services
 Assistant (or associate) director of catering  Convention (or conference) service manager
(ADOC)  Banquet manager
 Senior catering manager
 Banquet setup manager
 Catering (or catering sales) manager
 Assistant banquet manager
 Catering sales representative (or coordinator)
CATERING STAFF POSITIONS
 Captain  Houseman (set up, serve and clean up all
 Server
receptions and banquet functions )
 Attendant (or ticket taker or usher)
 Busperson (clearing tables, taking dirty
dishes to the dishwasher, setting tables,  Administrative assistant
and otherwise assisting the waiting staff)  Engineer
 Food runner (or food steward)
 Audiovisual technician
 Bartender
 Steward
 Bar back
 Security
 Cashier
 Room service manager
 Sommelier
MAJOR CHALLENGES FACED BY
CATERING DEPARTMENT
 Marketing the catering department  Time pressures
services  Working with and coordinating with
 Excessive time spent with clients other departments and outside services
 Unique demands  Maintaining qualified staff members
 Difficulty of costing out and pricing  The lack of technical food service skills
certain functions
 Ethical traps
 Division of responsibility
 Feedmyguest.com
 https://www.feedmyguest.com/?fbclid=IwAR2y4O42Y2n--
qeCpULhWsAZeJGSQ0H3ljBcIpU63gjeMbt_rXvvfrbgmo0
 Malaysia's Top 10 Food Caterers Will Save You The Trouble Of Cooking
 https://vulcanpost.com/283821/malaysia-top-10-food-caterers/