On Staffing

I started my business as many caterers do. I was intent on doing everything myself - purchasing, finances, marketing, service, preparation ... I would have total control over every aspect, with the utmost attention to each detail. And so, like many caterers before me, I soon found myself well on the way to a padded cell.

I learned the value of delegating. I began hiring servers to help me with events attended by more than 3-4 guests. This help enabled me to stay focused on my area of expertise - the cuisine.

Re-defining my efforts in creating my cuisine was the next phase. Like most chefs, I've made many contacts over the years. One lady I knew impressed me with her professionalism and attention to detail. She quickly became my right-hand-woman both in the prep kitchen and on-site at events, whenever food needed to be produced in larger quantities than I was able to handle by myself.

Next came team-building. I found myself relying strongly on a core crew of 4-5 people. Having spent years in various corporate kitchen management positions, no one had to tell me about the value of staff meetings. We had a critical staff meeting in early August, which set the stage for successful events (and very happy clients!) as the weeks rolled on.

And the next step? Expanding the crew and sending out groups of top-quality teams to handle multiple events on the same day ...