Essential skills you need to become a caterer in Australia

Food can make or break an event.

Good food will be remembered long after your event is over… and so too will bad food!

Whether guests have gone hungry or quality was not up to par, poor catering can really have a detrimental effect on the overall success of your event.

Becoming a caterer opens up a world of possibilities, creating customised menus that delight guests. But how do you get qualified? And what do you need to succeed?

It all starts with the right training and education!

What are the qualities of a good caterer?

1. A love for food and people

Do you have a passion (and knack!) in the kitchen?

Love recipe testing and trying out new dishes for friends and family?

Fond of the great concentration and attention to detail that comes with it?

A passion for food matters when you work in any facet of the hospitality industry, including catering, as it will inspire and motivate you to create high quality dishes that exceed your clients’ expectations.

Hone this passion and turn it into a real skill when you study commercial cookery with Academia!

2. Attention to detail

Food preparation takes time and effort. In addition to tasting good, your clients demand that food is prepared on time, and particularly for larger events, is consistent between guests.

When people look for a caterer, they want to be able to rely on a team that has exceptional attention to detail, and finds solutions to problems they might not have even considered themselves!

Strict attention to detail must be applied appropriately and be carried out carefully in terms of not only presentation and taste, but all the critical steps that come before the finished product, including:

Menu creation
Allergies and intolerances
Time management
Consistency
Quality of ingredients
Cooking and preparation methods

3. Creativity matters!

Working in the hospitality and food industry requires creativity. You need to use your imagination and also keep up with new and emerging catering trends to create a memorable and unique event for your clients.

From menu choices to food preparation techniques, you need to use your creativity to improve old recipes and create new ones.

Your creativity helps you think outside the box and create more than just meals; you’re creating an entire event experience!

Behind the scenes, your creativity also supports you when experimenting, collaborating, and improving your services, ensuring your creative flair blends seamlessly with your outstanding services.

4. Tried and tested catering experience

Serving, cooking, and setting up food requires the utmost knowledge and experience.

One important quality of a caterer is the ability to apply culinary and hospitality skills and knowledge from years of catering experience.

People will ask you questions, get referrals, and do background checks from your years of catering experiences.

What skills do you need to be a caterer?

1. Culinary expertise

One of the basic yet most important skills that every caterer should possess is culinary skill in the kitchen. These skills are invaluable when it comes to preparing a range of meals, from beautiful canapes to delicious entrees.

These skills include:

Food presentation
Baking techniques
Grilling techniques
Ingredient selection
Knife skills

Menu planning
Food preparation techniques for meat, seafood, vegetables, and other dishes

2. Hospitality management skills

If you want to pursue a managerial position in the catering or hospitality industry, then knowledge and skills in commercial cookery are not enough to be successful.

You need to also be able to master the following leadership skills:

Manage business conflicts and unexpected problems appropriately
Manage your team
Communicate with clients and event venues
Budget and manage finances
Develop and implement marketing strategies

3. Application of food safety practices

Any food-related business has to comply with Australian food safety laws and legislations.

You will need to be intimately familiar with these guidelines and how they must be applied within your business.

This also includes transportation of goods from your commercial premises to an event venue.

Quality hospitality training in Australia focuses on more than just the end result – the safe methods in which meals are prepared is critical for not only client satisfaction, but health and safety, too.

4. Customer service skills

Excellent customer service doesn’t happen by chance.

Chefs, cooks, and caterers strive to new heights in order to keep their client base satisfied, instill confidence that they can rely on you time and time again, and even happily refer you to their network!

Loyal customers are one of the essential components of any kind of successful business, and catering is no exception.

Where and what can I study to work in catering?

Enrol in our hospitality courses in Brisbane today!

Academia’s cookery and hospitality courses in Australia include a mandatory work placement component, helping you put your new skills into practice and experience first-hand what it’s like working in the dynamic and bustling hospitality industry!

Get set to enjoy a career in the industry with Academia’s hospitality management courses in Brisbane or Melbourne.

Diploma of Hospitality Management (SIT50416)

The Diploma of Hospitality Management combines theoretical and practical approaches for competencies in leadership, management, and the responsibilities in business management.

This course further equips you to establish and conduct business relationships and monitor work operations for the catering industry.

You can major in Commercial Cookery or Patisserie within this course.

Learn more about the Diploma of Hospitality Management here.

Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management (SIT60316)

The Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management in Brisbane takes your leadership, management, finance, and overall operations skills to the next level.

This course gives you a greater opportunity to work in top management positions within the hospitality industry. This course helps you lead better, manage your staff, and develop quality customer services practices required to run a successful business.

Complete your Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, Certificate IV in Patisserie, and Diploma of Hospitality Management to enrol in this course.

Got questions? Contact Academia today!

Are you dreaming of starting your own catering business or starting a career in hospitality management? Then it sounds like our hospitality courses are right for you!

If you’ve got questions, we’d love to help. Contact Academia’s course advisors today.

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