What does a caterer do?
A caterer is responsible for monitoring food preparation and presentation, ensuring the adequacy and accuracy of food stock based on the clients' specifications and guest count. Caterers often work with clients for special occasions and events, identify their needs, including the menu and nutritional requirements. They arrange food services from the dinnerware to choosing the appropriate staff to help with assisting the food preparation in the event's location. A caterer should maintain the highest sanitary standards at all times to guarantee the foods' safety, as well as showcase communication skills when responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.
Caterer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real caterer resumes:
- Help serve foods from buffet to ADM employees.
- Plan and prepare meals for the local Headstart program.
- Set up's and breaking down of parties, service, bartending
- Set up tables, action stations, buffets, service carts, dessert table/carts and cordial carts.
- Serve and wait on diners in traditional sit-down meal settings as well as buffets and drink bars.
- Perform bartending for many events, often individually.
- Provide education on wine and food-pairing suggestions as well as ensuring compliance with regulations regarding services and accommodations.
- Help serve foods from buffet to ADM employees.
Caterer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 28% of Caterers are proficient in Food Service, Kitchen Equipment, and Food Delivery. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Caterers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Food Service, 28%
Provided food service for hospital patients
- Kitchen Equipment, 20%
Instructed fellow staff with proper food preparation techniques, food storage, use of kitchen equipment, sanitation and kitchen safety.
- Food Delivery, 8%
Read and prepare food delivery content and locations to be delivered to.
- Banquet Service, 7%
Performed multiple tasks and provided exemplary guest service through all forms of banquet services and setting up catering events.
- Bartending, 5%
Performed bartending for many events, often individually.
- Fine Dining, 4%
Tended to costumers * Set up for fine dining * Kept work area well organized and clean Child enrichment program
Common skills that a caterer uses to do their job include "food service," "kitchen equipment," and "food delivery." You can find details on the most important caterer responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a caterer to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what caterers do because "waiters and waitresses must record customers’ orders accurately." Additionally, a caterer resume shows how caterers use detail oriented: "conduct meetings and collaborate with other personnel for menu planning, serving arrangements and related details. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling caterer duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "waiters and waitresses must listen to customers, ask questions as needed, and relay information to the kitchen staff so that orders are prepared to the customers’ satisfaction." According to a caterer resume, here's how caterers can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "executed communication and conflict resolution skills assisting custumers with food orders and purchases. "
Customer-service skills. caterers are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to caterer responsibilities, because "waiters and waitresses are frontline workers for their restaurant." A caterer resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "set silverware and draped tablecloths served customers assisted in event hall decoration carried heavy food trays from kitchen. "
Physical strength. For certain caterer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical strength." The day-to-day duties of a caterer rely on this skill, as "waiters and waitresses need to be able to lift and carry trays of food or other items." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what caterers do: "strengthened interpersonal skills through a dedication to customer service advanced communication skills through face-to-face interactions with customers and supervisors. "
The three companies that hire the most caterers are:
- Famous Dave's of America9 caterers jobs
- Compass Group USA8 caterers jobs
- Sanford Health8 caterers jobs
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Compare different caterers
Caterer vs. Food service specialist
The food service specialists monitor food preparation, ensuring that the guests get their correct orders, providing them the best dining experience and satisfaction. A food service specialist takes the guests' orders, processes their payments, and serves their orders timely and efficiently. They also monitor the stock inventories, coordinate with suppliers and third-party vendors for stock requests, and assist with kitchen duties as needed, especially on high volume days. A food service specialist must have a broad knowledge of the food services industry, analyzing the current food trends to make suggestions for menus, and responding to the guests' concerns.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between caterers and food service specialist. For instance, caterer responsibilities require skills such as "food service," "food delivery," "banquet service," and "bartending." Whereas a food service specialist is skilled in "preventive maintenance," "mos," "cleanliness," and "patients." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Food service specialists earn the highest salaries when working in the government industry, with an average yearly salary of $39,427. On the other hand, caterers are paid more in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $29,992.On average, food service specialists reach similar levels of education than caterers. Food service specialists are 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Caterer vs. Front of house manager
A front of house manager coordinates and supervises the front house team. Front of house managers make sure that every client receives a warm welcome. They see to it that all house services are performed smoothly. The scope of their duties and responsibilities may involve the recruitment of team members. They carry out administrative tasks in an organization or establishment such as a theater, concert hall, or restaurant. It is their job to handle the preparation and daily operations of these areas.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, caterer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "kitchen equipment," "food delivery," "banquet service," and "buffets." Meanwhile, a front of house manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "cleanliness," "wine," "pos," and "foh." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Front of house managers may earn a higher salary than caterers, but front of house managers earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $39,179. On the other hand, caterers receive higher pay in the hospitality industry, where they earn an average salary of $29,992.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Front of house managers tend to reach similar levels of education than caterers. In fact, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Caterer vs. Kitchen manager/cook
A Food and Beverage Supervisors role is to make sure that guests food and beverage expectations are being met or exceeded. They supervise all of the issues related to a patrons dining experience, like quality control, staff management, health and safety regulations.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a caterer is likely to be skilled in "food delivery," "banquet service," "fine dining," and "guest satisfaction," while a typical kitchen manager/cook is skilled in "food preparation," "pos," "quality food," and "kitchen operations."
Kitchen managers/cook typically earn similar educational levels compared to caterers. Specifically, they're 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Caterer vs. Food and beverage supervisor
Types of caterer
Updated January 8, 2025
