Food supervisor vs caterer

The differences between food supervisors and caterers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food supervisor has an average salary of $33,414, which is higher than the $28,891 average annual salary of a caterer.

The top three skills for a food supervisor include HACCP, problem resolution and safety training. The most important skills for a caterer are food service, kitchen equipment, and food delivery.

Food supervisor vs caterer overview

	Food Supervisor	Caterer
Yearly salary	$33,414	$28,891
Hourly rate	$16.06	$13.89
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	82,884	1,648
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

What does a food supervisor do?

A food supervisor directs workers who prepare, apportion, and serve food to clients and staff. Their major responsibility is to ensure compliance with the food safety standards set by relevant authorities. They are also tasked with updating the food safety program and training all staff to understand and adhere to the instructions contained therein.

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.

Food supervisor vs caterer salary

Food supervisors and caterers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Supervisor	Caterer
Average salary	$33,414	$28,891
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Beverly, MA
Highest paying state	Washington	New York
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	The College of St. Scholastica
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between food supervisor and caterer education

There are a few differences between a food supervisor and a caterer in terms of educational background:

	Food Supervisor	Caterer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food supervisor vs caterer demographics

Here are the differences between food supervisors' and caterers' demographics:

	Food Supervisor	Caterer
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7%	Male, 43.0% Female, 57.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food supervisor and caterer duties and responsibilities

Food supervisor example responsibilities.

Lead shifts while personally preparing bakery items and executing requests base on require specifications.
Maintain all food and beverage storerooms in proper condition to ensure cleanliness, freshness, and organization.
Inspect all storage and food services preparation areas daily to ensure proper handling and cleanliness standards are met.
Travel to find better products that utilize the companies finances better while still providing the best culinary experience for the customer.
Examine food and beverage quality and presentation and provide corrective training where necessary, involving the culinary management team when need.
Develop and organize BOH through cleaning, maintenance, equipment care, and ordering and receiving.

Caterer example responsibilities.

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.

Food supervisor vs caterer skills

Common food supervisor skills

HACCP, 18%
Problem Resolution, 18%
Safety Training, 16%
Safety Regulations, 7%
Customer Service, 7%
FDA, 6%

Common caterer skills

Food Service, 28%
Kitchen Equipment, 20%
Food Delivery, 8%
Banquet Service, 7%
Bartending, 5%
Fine Dining, 4%

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Food Supervisor vs Caterer

Updated January 8, 2025

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