What does a chef/catering do?
A Chef/Caterer is responsible for cooking dishes at events. They direct the kitchen staff and wait personnel in serving the food, attending to food stations, and setting up buffet tables.
Chef/catering responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real chef/catering resumes:
- Control food and payroll costs to achieve maximum profitability.
- Train kitchen staff on HACCP guidelines, customer service, portion control and daily standards.
- Work with a talent team of catering chefs prepping and cooking cater menu items for weddings, parties and corporate events.
- Supervise setup, breakdown and maintenance of buffets for off-site catering company.
- Pack meals and oversee delivery and set up of buffets and utensils when necessary.
- Train new employee's in proper safety/sanitation guidelines with a HACCP style format that the group implements.
- Collaborate with chefs, event managers, and convention leaders in planning and execution of highly successful events.
- Develop and implement standards and operating procedures including food plating, garnishing, service, and presentation techniques.
- Develop loyal customer base through positive culinary experiences.
- Develop knowledge of authentic Italian cuisine and high-volume catering procedures.
- Participate in special catering events and offer culinary instruction and demonstration of culinary techniques.
- Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service
- Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service
Chef/catering skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Chef/Caterings are proficient in Culinary, Kitchen Equipment, and Menu Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Communication skills, and Creativity.
We break down the percentage of Chef/Caterings that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Culinary, 18%
Participated in special catering events and offered culinary instruction and demonstration of culinary techniques.
- Kitchen Equipment, 14%
Operated grill, deli station and all kitchen equipment and assisted with salad bar set-up and prep.
- Menu Planning, 13%
Oversee full catering operation, party consultant, menu planning, function organizer, inventory, food costing and personnel supervision.
- Food Safety, 6%
Monitored and maintained records of refrigerated food storage conditions to ensure food safety.
- Food Handling, 6%
Keep a clean and sanitary work area that meets National Food Handling Standards.
- Chefs, 4%
Worked with a talented team of catering chefs prepping and cooking catered menu items for weddings, parties and corporate events.
Common skills that a chef/catering uses to do their job include "culinary," "kitchen equipment," and "menu planning." You can find details on the most important chef/catering responsibilities below.
Business skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a chef/catering to have is business skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "executive chefs and chefs who run their own restaurant need to know how to budget for supplies, set prices, and manage workers so that the restaurant is profitable." Chef/caterings often use business skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "developed this business to cater gourmet dinner parties. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform chef/catering duties is communication skills. Chef/caterings responsibilities require that "chefs must convey their instructions clearly and effectively to staff so that patrons' orders are prepared correctly." Chef/caterings also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "establish and maintain good communication with airline personnel in charge of passenger food service. "
Creativity. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of chef/caterings is creativity. This skill is critical to many everyday chef/catering duties, as "chefs and head cooks need to develop and prepare interesting and innovative recipes." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "directed purchasing ($1m budget), and maintained production levels and quality/inventory/cost controls. "
Dexterity. For certain chef/catering responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "dexterity." The day-to-day duties of a chef/catering rely on this skill, as "chefs and head cooks need agility to handle knives properly for cutting, chopping, and dicing." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what chef/caterings do: "received hands-on training under the direction of the proprietor/head chef and assisted in menu planning. "
Leadership skills. Another crucial skill for a chef/catering to carry out their responsibilities is "leadership skills." A big part of what chef/caterings relies on this skill, since "chefs and head cooks must be able to motivate kitchen staff and to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships." How this skill relates to chef/catering duties can be seen in an example from a chef/catering resume snippet: "provide leadership, professional expertise, and direction in the planning and execution of high volume catered events and culinary functions. "
Physical stamina. Another skill commonly found on chef/catering job descriptions is "physical stamina." It can come up quite often in chef/catering duties, since "chefs and head cooks often work long shifts and sometimes spend entire evenings on their feet, overseeing the preparation and serving of meals." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day chef/catering responsibilities: "received gold rating on both food and physical safety portions of haccp audit. "
The three companies that hire the most chef/caterings are:
- Alterra Mountain15 chef/caterings jobs
- Aramark6 chef/caterings jobs
- Sodexo Management, Inc.6 chef/caterings jobs
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Compare different chef/caterings
Chef/catering vs. Banquet cook
A head cook is responsible for organizing the food preparation, organizing the kitchen operations, and ensuring the quality of the food presented. Head cooks' duties include monitoring the food inventory, creating new recipes, researching current market trends, responding to guests' inquiries and complaints, distributing kitchen tasks to the staff, and maintaining budget goals while maintaining the highest food quality. A head cook must always adhere to the sanitary procedures and hygienic standards, as well as have a broad knowledge of the food industry.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a chef/catering are more likely to require skills like "food safety," "kitchen operations," "cost control," and "event planning." On the other hand, a job as a banquet cook requires skills like "cleanliness," "food preparation," "roasting," and "sauces." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Banquet cooks really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $41,429. Comparatively, chef/caterings tend to make the most money in the technology industry with an average salary of $44,624.The education levels that banquet cooks earn slightly differ from chef/caterings. In particular, banquet cooks are 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a chef/catering. Additionally, they're 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Chef/catering vs. Head cook
It is the responsibility of an assistant chef to support the head chef of a catering business, restaurant, cafeteria, or bakery. Assistant chefs manage inventory and ensure compliance with food safety and kitchen cleanliness standards. They assist kitchen staff in the preparation of food. To get this job, one must be trained in a culinary school, have the needed cooking skills, and must have kitchen work experience. Strong teamwork ability and flexibility to work schedule are necessary for this job.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that chef/catering responsibilities requires skills like "culinary," "menu planning," "food safety," and "food handling." But a head cook might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "meal preparation," "food preparation," "food products," and "servsafe."
Head cooks earn a lower average salary than chef/caterings. But head cooks earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $43,083. Additionally, chef/caterings earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $44,624 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Head cooks tend to reach similar levels of education than chef/caterings. In fact, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for chef/caterings in the next 3-5 years?
Patti Stobaugh
Chef/catering vs. Assistant chef
Executive chefs are considered the lead chefs in a restaurant. They manage the restaurant's kitchen, including all other chefs employed by the restaurant. Executive chefs are in charge of creating menu items and ensuring that the restaurant's menu is in line with the restaurant's identity. They handle the management of the pantry and ensure that it is well-stocked. They also ensure that all kitchen equipment and fixtures are working well. Executive chefs are responsible for training new chefs on the job to ensure consistent food quality.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from chef/catering resumes include skills like "food safety," "event planning," "beo," and "corporate events," whereas an assistant chef is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "compassion," "kitchen sanitation," and "taking care. "
Assistant chefs earn the highest salary when working in the hospitality industry, where they receive an average salary of $31,898. Comparatively, chef/caterings have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $44,624.Most assistant chefs achieve a similar degree level compared to chef/caterings. For example, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Chef/catering vs. Executive chef
Types of chef/catering
Updated January 8, 2025
