Has anyone ever started a catering business?

[hilltopheaven]

My daughters and I have been thinking about starting a catering business, specializing in desserts. Has anyone ever done this type of thing? Maybe the pros and cons of this adventure? I love farm life but I need to make some extra money to help with things around here, and as I said I love the farm and I love homeschooling and I really do not want to give that up. With the advice I got on the greenhouse, we got out there cleaned and rearranged it fixed a couple planting beds and now its ready. So thanks again on that. So I thought I might get some tips on things that maybe we have not thought about.

[vickiesmom]

First thing I would do is check your state's license..zoning, etc laws and requirements.

[mjw15618]

I have a full-time job but a few years ago I started a small baking business to make some money on the side. In Pennsylvania, I have to have a license from the department of agriculture, a food safety training certificate and a home inspection to be considered "legal". It cost me about $150 total.

I bake out of my home kitchen and sell bread, cookies, pies, muffins, scones, etc. at a local farmer's market. I also take orders via the phone or internet for custom birthday and wedding cakes and decorated sugar cookies. So far, the business has been fairly profitable as a second job but there's no way I could live off of just the baking money right now. I'm a single mom with a mortgage and student loans that will keep me at my day job for many years yet! My daughter is just about to start the 8th grade and my job offers full college tuition reimbursement so I'm pretty much stuck here until 2016 when she graduates. Hopefully by then I'll have the baking business built up enough that I can quit my job and do that full-time.

Good luck! The hardest part is developing a customer base...once you have that, word of mouth is your best advertisement!

[Maura]

A local woman started a baking business out of her home about ten years ago. She does wonderful work. She has a seperate kitchen to be legal, but honestly, she really needs a seperate professional kitchen for all of the work she produces. She is "known" for her excellent cakes. She does wedding cakes, decorating them herself. Had her make DD's wedding cake- scrumptious!

When she started, I don't think she had her professional kitchen, just the extra oven and sink (possibly used her house kitchen at first). She baked samples and brought them to charity or fund raising events that served dinner. Left her cards on the desert tables, and the rest is history.

[hmsteader71]

Here in Illinois I can't get my kitchen certified. I would have to get a separate building. So I do the baking for a little farmer's market I set up and I take orders from individuals if they want something and that is all I can do. But it makes a little extra every week.
I had thought about doing the catering also. My sister is in floral design and if she starts doing weddings we were going to offer the catering to go with it.
Seems like every idea we ever got, someone else already did it or we weren't allowed. I hope that where you live, you can get your kitchen certified and do this from your home because you can make very good money doing it.

[vickiesmom]

I know a lot of people got on my case...but there is money in wedding planning...and if you have a lot of time on your hands it is perfect!!!