How to hire a catering manager

How to hire a catering manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step catering manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a catering manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new catering manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a catering manager do?

Post a catering manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the catering manager you need to hire. Certain catering manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A catering manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, catering managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of catering managers.

   Type of Catering Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Catering Manager	Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants and other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.	$17-34
   Director Of Catering	A director of catering spearheads and oversees catering services and programs, from planning to execution. They usually lead the hiring and training procedures, establishing goals and timelines, managing budgets and controlling costs, setting protocols and guidelines, coordinating managers and teams, and negotiating with suppliers, building positive relationships in the process... Show more	$20-47
   Food And Beverage Manager	A food and beverage manager is a professional responsible for ensuring that quality food and drinks are being served at a restaurant or hotel. Food and beverage managers are required to be excellent with customers and should have great management skills to meet the organization's labor and financial goals... Show more	$18-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Culinary
   • Food Service
   • Excellent Client
   • Booking
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Fine Dining
   • Event Planning
   • Safety Regulations
   • Payroll
   • Food Production
   • Client Satisfaction
   • Food Preparation
   • Plan Menus

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare and manage BEOs to client specifications including auto-visual requirements.
   • Assist patients by test tasting food for allergies and accuracy.
   • Design and consult members on d cor, menu and wine selection for private events.
   • Ensure that those with food allergies or restrict diets have appropriate safe dishes to consume at meal times.
   • Work closely with culinary, stewarding and banquet department on specialty menus and customize events.
   • Full responsibility for all operations of several bars during service time including reporting and finance management.

   More catering manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the catering manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A catering manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a catering manager in Oklahoma may be lower than in Nevada, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level catering manager. Additionally, a catering manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average catering manager salary

   $51,962yearly

   $24.98 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level catering manager salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average catering manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$64,774	$31
   2	Nevada	$63,116	$30
   3	Rhode Island	$61,378	$30
   4	New York	$58,870	$28
   5	District of Columbia	$57,283	$28
   6	Washington	$55,915	$27
   7	Massachusetts	$55,509	$27
   8	Mississippi	$54,437	$26
   9	Virginia	$54,418	$26
   10	New Jersey	$52,906	$25
   11	Pennsylvania	$52,626	$25
   12	Illinois	$52,206	$25
   13	Arizona	$51,434	$25
   14	Georgia	$51,429	$25
   15	Colorado	$50,699	$24
   16	Montana	$49,645	$24
   17	Minnesota	$47,760	$23
   18	Tennessee	$47,604	$23
   19	Ohio	$45,410	$22
   20	Wisconsin	$44,650	$21

   Average catering manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$63,527	$30.54
   2	Buehler	$60,089	$28.89	8
   3	Legend Holdings	$59,266	$28.49	43
   4	Goodwin Recruiting	$58,737	$28.24	2
   5	Hyatt Hotels	$58,227	$27.99	72
   6	Crescent Hotels & Resorts	$57,932	$27.85
   7	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$57,885	$27.83	35
   8	Pyramid Hotel Group	$57,834	$27.80
   9	Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions	$57,581	$27.68
   10	Schulte Hospitality Group	$57,247	$27.52	9
   11	Asha	$57,133	$27.47
   12	Metropolitan	$56,985	$27.40
   13	Roche Bros. Supermarkets	$56,960	$27.38	3
   14	Legends Hospitality	$56,844	$27.33
   15	Thompson Hospitality	$56,611	$27.22	14
   16	Paramount Events	$56,303	$27.07
   17	University of Washington	$56,272	$27.05
   18	Highgate Hotels	$56,258	$27.05	30
   19	Kinseth Hospitality	$55,936	$26.89
   20	Chicken Salad Chick	$55,880	$26.87	138

4. Writing a catering manager job description

   A job description for a catering manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a catering manager job description:

   Catering manager job description example

   8am-6pm availability, clean driving record, FT, health benefits available, CFA meals, leadership into management,
   $16.50 to start, after 60 day assessment to $17.50 if applicable, plus delivery tips- responsibilities include, but not limited to: put together catering orders, network, advertise, help when needed in kitchen, catering displays for advertising at events, communicate with drivers, increase sales, order accuracy
   Chick-fil-A, the role is more than just a job; it is an opportunity. We are seeking full-time candidates who have excellent people skills and a sense of urgency to help us take the Chick-fil-A customer service experience on the road. Drivers must be reliable, prompt, professional and maintain Chick-fil-A's high standard of guest satisfaction at all times. Earn Tips! Delivery Vehicle Provided! Personal food discounts
   Represent Chick-fil-A as a brand ambassador by embracing and demonstrating our values and our culture at the highest level at all times. Execute safe driving best practices when operating delivery vehicles for meal deliveries with a sense of urgency. Ensure customer satisfaction by protecting and upholding our brand at all times as you attend to customer concerns as they arise on a delivery. Maintain Operational Excellence in vehicles and delivery assembly area (cleanliness, speed and accuracy, taste of food, and attentive & courteous) at all times. Meet with supervisor on shift to receive specific position and duty(s) on current shift Complete the Driver Training Program. Adhere to Chick-fil-A rules and dress code at all times. Other duties as assigned while not on deliveries
   
   Job Benefits: A job at Chick-fil-A is more than just a job. It's a stepping-stone to a successful future in the world of business. Here are some of the great benefits of working at Chick-fil-A.
   Closed Sundays - All Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays so you can have a day off to spend with family and friends. Work Directly With A Chick-fil-A Operator - The Operator is an independent business person, responsible for the operation of the restaurant, who invests time in his or her team members, teaching them important business skills for the future. Competitive Pay - Along with a competitive paycheck, you will work in a nurturing environment where you will learn valuable business, people skills and have opportunities for advancement. ,
   
   REQUIREMENTS
   
   ABOUT THE COMPANY
   In our kitchens, we focus on fresh and simple ingredients. And we always have. Since the beginning, we've served chicken that is whole breast meat, with no added fillers or hormones, and we bread it by hand in our restaurants. Produce is delivered fresh to our kitchens several times a week. Salads are chopped and prepared fresh throughout the day. Whole lemons are freshly squeezed in our restaurants and combined with pure cane sugar and water (yep, that’s all) to make Chick-fil-A Lemonade®. It may not be the easy way, but it's the only way we know.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find catering managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your catering manager job on Zippia to find and recruit catering manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit catering managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new catering manager

   Once you've selected the best catering manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new catering manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a catering manager?