Use Wholesalers For All Your Catering Needs

Whether you’re already a part of the catering trade or are looking into the possibility of starting your own catering service, you know that preparation plays a huge role in your success. Sure, there is the food, around which your business is based. At the same time, the services you provide are going to be judged in general on down to the smallest detail. The front of the house cannot look anything less than perfect. The glasses, china and utensils have to be immaculate. Then, when the event is concluded, you have to leave the venue looking much as you found it.

Do you have, as the Americans say, all your bases covered? If not, then you need to know who you can turn to get all of the supplies you need to get the job done right. If you were buying each item individually, then the price would surely be more than you can afford. Buying such items wholesale might result with you having more than you need at first, but also removes the need to search for replacement products when you’re pressed for time. If you’re on the lookout for deals and don’t know where to turn, read on, dear caterer. Help isn’t far off.

Front of House

This is where you need to start, and put most of your non-food service focus. This is probably the most public face of your company. It’s not just the items guests will be using that will be under scrutiny. You can be absolutely certain that your cappuccino or tea cups are not chipped, but if the jugs you’re using to pour liquids aren’t buffed to a shine, guests may look at you askance. It might not even be your fault since a busy environment is bound to result in a few bruises and scratches for a caterer, cutlery and cups alike.

When you’re deciding between different styles of plates, cups and any kind of bowls, you should opt for simple, elegant crockery designs that will not outshine the service you provide or the food they’re meant to hold. All manner of cutlery can also usually be found in a caterer’s collection, from plastic soup spoons to silver coffee spoons, as well as numerous knives and forks. It’s important to have a wide variety of products made of different materials since some gatherings will want a less formal look than your average wedding or business function. As you need as many as possible, buy them from wholesalers.

Bar Supplies

Whether your catering service is on-the-go or you have your own venue to regularly host events, you’ll want to have your bar well-stocked. It doesn’t matter if you’re only serving wine or liquors, or if your drinks are limited to beers and cocktails. You need to buy in bulk, especially when it comes to wine or beer glasses. Drinking guests are eventually bound to be clumsy guests, which means you’re apt to hear the crash and tinkle of a broken glass or three over the course of any given evening. Make it easy on yourself by buying wholesale.

If your employees are meant to go around serving guests, you’ll want to have top of the line pourers that minimise spillage. Even in an atmosphere of increased hostility towards smokers, you’d be smart to host a smoking area for those guests with a nicotine or cigar habit. If that’s outside, you’ll want a windproof ashtray, to prevent any awkwardness from a gust of wind blowing little flakes of ash into someone’s plate or drink glass. A wholesaler can supply you with one, or a dozen, depending on your preferences and needs.

Kitchen Equipment

Moving on to the back end of things, the kitchen is where the front of house, bar and everything else collide. The prettiest crockery and shiniest cutlery will not make up for a subpar menu. You want the guests to not only enjoy their time, but come back in the future. It also helps your business when they recommend the entrees, drinks and desserts to others. The front end and back end of your operation must be balanced lest everything tip over. A well-kept front and a functional, immaculate back will give both guest and cook confidence in you and your business.

Given the importance ascribed here to the kitchen, doesn’t it make sense to supply chefs and cooks with the best items available? In the kitchen, you can focus on utility more than design, but even the aesthetics of a cheese grater bought from a wholesaler can have an effect on employee morale. If the front of the house can have elegant crockery, then the kitchen can play host to useful yet beautiful pots, pans and other accessories. In theory, kitchen staff who has the best tools at their disposal will likely be more inclined to pay greater, more careful attention to the food produced.

Cleaning Supplies

At the end of the night or the event (not always the same thing), the clean-up begins. If you have a large operation, then you’ll probably have your employees working as a team to ensure that no mess is left unattended, in the front, in the kitchen, or even in the toilets. Furthermore, you have to fix any broken lighting fixtures and replace damaged chairs. The kitchen must be cleaned as well, in order to maintain adherence to health standards. All this and more you can take care of with wholesale cleaning products from Pattersons.co.uk.

Rather than worry about paying premium prices at normal markets, shopping online and buying wholesale can help you keep within any monthly budget you set. From the front of the house to the kitchen, you have a lot to think about when you’re keeping your catering business well-supplied. You’ll have better luck finding the products you need, in the amounts needed, from a wholesaler than from anywhere or anyone else. Since what’s good for the business is also good for the home, you might also consider using wholesalers to also keep your home in top shape!