September 2006

Features

Getting great photos
Beautiful photos of your menu items and events can help your catering sell itself. Tips on hiring a professional or doing it yourself.

Show off your catering
Guests judge your catering with all of their senses. Ideas for presenting your food so it’s the star of any event.

The Mystery Box Challenge
When teams of noncommercial chefs compete, the action is as interesting as any television reality show—and the results are great menus.

Chicago’s Culinary Arts & Events
Judith Dunbar Hines is in charge of making sure the city’s culinary history, traditions and operations are part of cultural events.

Special Focus

ICA ‘dish’ about catering
The CATIE Awards recognize some of the best catering in the country. Don’t miss out on entering.

NACE pages
News and ideas from the National Association of Catering Executives.

Transport & holding equipment
Manufacturers offer options for getting your catering to off-premise events.

Ethnic foods
Prepared foods let you extend your menu offerings in interesting ways.

Departments

Updates
Useful and interesting items, like : How you buy chicken; trends in fancy foods; and thinking about gratuities.

Regions/West
La Bonne Cuisine in Berkeley, CA, plans to remain a boutique caterer,
doing quality work for clients at a reasonable pace for the team.

Regions/International
Josiah’s Catering started with parties in Judith Versoza’s house, but today it is a major caterer and trendsetter in Manila, Philippines.

Beverages
Get creative with ideas for unique presentations of small beverage servings, in “flights” or on their own.

Selling
Mike Roman has tips for how to handle one-to-one selling situations.

Marketing
An email newsletter can let you stay in touch with clients and potential clients.

Regions/East
The Pen Ryn Mansion/Belle Voir Manor in Bensalem, PA, has one of
the oldest buildings in the country as its catering venue.

Regions/Midwest
In the Chicago area, just about everyone has heard of BarBeQue Man, thanks to Larry Gerber’s aggressive marketing—and the food.

Product spotlight
Edible spoons, flexible buffet systems, gold and silver dusts, amazing pastries and an alternative to glassware.

catersource voices

Letter from the publisher
The opening night in Minneapolis’ new library gave Mintáhoe a chance to impress the crowd.

Business outlook
Opening a restaurant can seem like a natural outgrowth for your catering company, but weigh the pluses and minuses carefully.

From the chef
If you settle for good, you’ll never get to great. Chef Jerry Edwards offers some inspirational words on setting standards high.

Event planning
One of the most important words to learn is “no.”

Roman’s opinion
When caterers get together to share concerns, experiences and ideas, something powerful happens: We all learn things that help us be better at our work.