Where Can I Find Schools Offering Catering Programs?

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Working as a caterer is a great way to be involved in the culinary arts while maintaining independence and flexibility of scheduling. Unlike most traditional culinary jobs, caterers aren’t tied to a kitchen for 60 – 80 hours each week under intense scrutiny. Instead, a caterer works flexible hours, depending on the event times, and is generally his or her own boss.

However, becoming a caterer still requires the same kind of commitment to learning and gaining experience as any other culinary career. There is no shortcut to success as a chef or caterer. In order to run a successful catering business, potential caterers must be willing to put in the time to learn about things like proper technique, food handling and safety, business management, and more. In order to do so, future caterers need to think about seeking out a school of catering.

Websites with Information on School Catering

Searching the web is one of the best ways to find information on the right school, catering or otherwise. For catering school students, the following websites are a great place to start:

•www.chef2chef.net (cooking and décor, logistics, insiders view of catering company, essential catering skills, benefits of catering degrees)
•www.allculinaryschools.com (job description, profile, info on starting a catering business, links to articles, and interview with current caterers)
•www.culinaryschools.com (info on catering school classes and curriculums, job outlook, salary, job opportunities, and list of catering schools)
•www.nutritionist-world.com (includes a list of culinary schools by state)

List of Catering Schools to Consider

The following culinary schools offer a quality-catering program for those seeking a career as a caterer:

•Salter College
•Florida Technical College
•L’Ecole Culinaire
•Culinary Institute of VA
•Dorsey Schools
•Virginia College
•Lincoln Culinary Institute
•Keiser University
•Pittsburgh Technical Institute

Classes/Courses in a Catering Program

Catering students should expect to take courses in things like the fundamentals of classical cooking techniques, menu development and pricing, nutrition, catering laws, human resource management, American and ethnic cuisine, sanitation and safety, and catering and event management. For those in culinary school, catering classes like the ones mentioned above should fully prepare a future caterer for a successful career in the business.

Summary for School Catering

Finding a culinary school that offers a quality-catering program is only the first step. Caterers have to be self-motivated and passionate about cooking in order to succeed. In general, catering companies are independently owned and each caterer must be willing to work hard to drum up business. Caterers aren’t driven into the ground with long hours and a screaming executive chef breathing fire down their neck, so being a self-starter and independent worker is definitely a must.

Scheduling for a caterer is never static and flexibility is a must as well. Catering is a slightly untraditional foray into the culinary world, but it can be extremely satisfying and rewarding if undertaken by the right chef. For those willing to work a flexible schedule and spend the time building a successful business, catering could be the perfect solution for a fantastic culinary career.