12 Personnel
Catering Personnel
Always determine your labor cost. Having too much labor will eat into your profits. Having too little may hurt your reputation.
Booked events can be unpredictable and will include irregular hours, so having a large list of people who may be interested is helpful. Not everyone will be available for every event, so you can go down the list until you have a full staff. Most caterers will have an on-call staff that you can call as needed. Creating a list of willing people will help with staff events. You will likely need to hire both full and part-time staff.
Employees Requirements
- Presentable, professional, with good hygiene
- Reliable and punctual
- Hardworking
- Friendly, team players and service-oriented
- Flexible and adaptable
- Stamina and physical endurance
- Review resumes carefully and always check references
Labor Tips
- Pay as much as you can afford, above industry standard when possible. This will keep people interested in working for you.
- Offer as many perks as you can.
- Offer cancellation pay to staff who you have scheduled when an event gets cancelled. If they set aside the time to work and the event is cancelled, they may not continue to do that for you if it happens several times. Pay them a stipend to cover this. Try to give staff as much advance notice as possible when they are needed.
Staff Numbers
The amount of staff you need varies greatly based on the event type, style of service provided and number of guests. Here are some general numbers to help you start planning. Keep a close eye on labor costs and adjust as necessary.
Hot, self-service meals
- 1 person in front and back per 50 guests
Full service
- 1 kitchen staff per 30-40 guests
- 1 server per 20 25 guests
Receptions
- 1 person per 50-100 people
Bar service
- full bar = 1 for 50 people
- limited bar = 1 for 70 – 80 people
Dress code and appearance are a few additional staff considerations that you should include in full policies in an employee handbook.
Some other considerations. How will you handle the following?
- Restroom checks
- Master checklist
- Policy Manual
- Orchestrating the Event
- Packing the vehicle
- Arrival to the event
- Unload and Set-up
- Staff preparation
- Service Style and Amount
- Clean as you go
- Leftovers
Sources for Employees
Finding reliable catering employees can be challenging, but there are several common and effective sources you can tap into:
Culinary Schools & Hospitality Programs
- Partner with local culinary institutes, community colleges, or vocational schools.
- Offer internships or part-time roles to students.
- Attend job fairs or post on their job boards.
Online Job Boards
- General: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Craigslist, and LinkedIn.
- Industry-specific: Poached, Culinary Agents, HCareers.
- Include specific roles like banquet servers, line cooks, dishwashers, or event captains.
Employee Referrals
- Ask current employees to refer friends or former coworkers.
- Offer referral bonuses as an incentive.
Temp Staffing Agencies
- Use staffing companies that specialize in hospitality (e.g., LGC Hospitality, Qwick, Shiftgig).
- Great for short-term events or peak seasons.
Social Media and Local Groups
- Post jobs in local Facebook groups, neighborhood apps (Nextdoor), or your own business page.
- Instagram stories or posts can attract younger workers.
- Often, retired people or people with Monday-Friday jobs make great catering employees
Job Fairs and Industry Events
- Attend hospitality expos or community job fairs.
- Network with people who already have event experience.
Local Restaurants or Event Venues
- Network with restaurant workers or seasonal event staff looking for side gigs. Catering is often sporadic and part-time.
- Many restaurant workers pick up catering shifts for extra income.
