Cooking in bulk


 

PaulBz

TVWBB Fan
Ok so I have the great opportunity to do bbq for a music festival. I am still waiting on exactly how many people I’ll need to cook for. But I estimate about 800-1k there. I only have one 18.5 and a 14.5 wsm. I have a 22 kettle as well. But people are expecting bbq. A good opportunity to get my name out there. But I have never done anything like this before. I will obviously need more than one 18.5 wsm. So how many racks of ribs can I fit on an 18.5 wsm? I’m thinking maybe 6? Then I’ll need to cook in waves. So to start another batch of ribs I just take the burnt wood off the bottom and then put more wood on and fire up some more ribs? So I’ll have a campsite and I’ll have electric so I can use my atc. Then what is the best way to keep the food warm then? Foil pans things and sternos? I am thinking of charging $30 for a rack? So I’ll sell maybe half or quarter racks at a time? And I am thinking about getting the ribs from costco? You can get spare ribs for about $28 for three racks. If I go to the local butcher it’s $15 per rack. I am thinking that brisket will be too much to handle for this? Then can I rent wsm’s somewhere? I don’t really have the funds to buy more. I am thinking if I had one more 22 inch wsm I would be ok? I do have two atc’s. I just bought a new 120 bbq iq. I have a 110 but not 100% sure it still works after I spilled paint in the power input. Don’t ask about that one lol. Any help here would be appreciated? Thank you and I am very excited to get my name and Q out there.
 
What is the largest crowd you have cooked for ?
What did you serve ?
How much help did you have ?

What else will be served ?
How many food vendors will be there ?
 
I think I may be close to the only one. I am now having trouble getting a response to a text but she said I am in. The most I have ever cooked for is about 20 people. And that was just one brisket. I have never cooked for this many people. And I have never cooked in batches on my wsm. It’s always been one cook at a time. I have cooked a lot of bbq though and have a lot of cooks under my belt on my two wsm’s. I have cooked pork butts ribs chicken brisket chicken wings pork chops steaks loins. I have smoked a lot of stuff and I have all of that down. I just have never cooked for this many people. And obviously one 18.5 wsm and a small 14.5 isn’t going to feed all of these people. But I don’t have hundreds of dollars right now to buy more wsm’s. I just heard about this on Friday. I have not yet made my menu for sides. But I will be making large batches of sides and sauces for the meat. I have made ribs for slightly larger crowds. But I have only cooked four racks max at a time. And I served them right away so I have never operated a food stand and had to keep food warm. Plus I think ribs taste the best right off the smoker. Brisket of course can rest for however long you need it to so that’s fine. So maybe I will do brisket. Not sure yet.
 
Your best bet is to rent a huge Santa Maria Style Grill that you can tow to the site and your best bet would be to grill just chicken tri tip and Sausages.... And I hope you have all your paperwork in order from the city for food safety and healthy codes.... And some sort of insurance to protect yourself in case anyone gets food poisoning.
 
I don't understand how a major, organized public event would set-up just one food vendor. I know what's involved in forming a business entity but I have no clue as to what is required by the government for handling and food prep/service. Have you covered those bases? This will seem negative but why on earth would you consider such a large project as your first stab at this BBQ dream of yours? I don't even know that it's possible to break even after just one event given all the necessary initial costs. Would you be prepared for a major loss? In my humble opinion, your multitude of questions suggest you are not ready for such a huge project.

I know this sounds harsh but no one wants to learn of you experiencing a disaster, so I am just hopeful that you are considering ALL aspects and the pros and cons involved in this. Do you have a mentor, or have you had opportunity to spend time with an experienced vendor from whom you have learned part of the trade?

You've been sharing your vision of doing this for many months, so it's likely that you've already covered the legal and business aspects of this but I hope for your sake that you truly consider doing dozens of much smaller, personal events before jumping in to a huge project like this. Maybe there is much more detail that you have not shared; perhaps you've mirrored and assisted other vendors and have the experience. If that is the case then I hope you forgive my negative feedback and accept it in the spirit for which it is intended... to help protect you.

Good luck!
 
See if you can rent a large smoker like a Lang due to the volume you will need to smoke. If you do rent one, you will want to rent it to practice maintaining temps too.
 
Paul, I applaud your ambition in trying to take on such an event. I am not sure that you have really developed a sound business plan, to ensure you have really worked out the details. Figuring out what your plate costs are going to be, how much help you may need, labor costs (payroll, taxes, insurance), licensing, permits, equipment are just a few examples.

The cooking is just one component of running a food service business.

I would also suggest, if you have not already done so, taking a food safety class. Having proper cleanup stations, sanitary work surfaces, maintaining safe food handling processes- including temperature, are just a few examples that are extremely important in the food service business.

Check with your local community college. They often have classes/programs on small businesses and food handling. There is significant liability in food services, and if you are trying to use this as a launchpad, you do not want your name or your fledgling business associated with multitudes of people that were sickened at an outdoor music festival.
 
Check with the local health department, doing food for 800+ is a big project, be aware of ALL the legal ramifications of taking this on. But, the most important thing that comes to mind for me is food safety, holding food safely, in summer heat can be tricky, how many sidekicks will you have, extra pairs of footwear, the feet will get very tired of working on (probably) uneven ground and how many days will you be “at it”? If you are going to be the “only one” you will need to consider beverages as well as side dishes, it’s not just smoking off a bunch of ribs, it’s providing “Food Service” which is also napkins, cutlery, plates and all the associated waste containment receptacles.
This is a very big and potentially dangerous project, where will you stash the cash too? You will need help I’d say at least three plus someone handling money, separate from whoever is handling the food. Money is filthy and transfers more sickness than anyone wants to consider.
I’m not raining on your parade but, you have made pretty big claims about the sports bar thing in the past, this will give you an idea of the reality of the food service industry, you may be astounded by the after effects of the amount of work it’s is. I wish you luck and hope to hear a full report with all the gory details when it’s all over.
I’ve done a couple of things for up to 200 and they are exhausting! After the biggest one, I literally slept for a full 18 hours! I had good assistants for them too. A gig for 800? No thanks.
 
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I think the other guys have covered the risks pretty well, I too think it's a bad idea, you just don't know what could go wrong:


Fun to think about, I just don't think you sound ready.
 
I think if you added a Smokey Joe and a box of napkins to your arsenal , you’ll be good to go!




Joking aside. Don’t do it. In my opinion you don’t have the equipment or the experience. I cooked for 15 people once on my own. When it was over I didn’t know whether it was New Year or New York.
 
I was told I don’t need a license. So we’re all good there. I can show up and cook whatever I want. I am still waiting for a response on how many people I could be cooking for. I’m a little concerned that I’m not getting a response on that. But I’ll hound her on that. I am going to talk with local people to help with my plan for this. But I really need to know how many people I’ll be cooking for. And to be honest I have always used wsm’s so I would have to rent and practice on another cooker. I think I’ll make money. Basically I can do whatever I want she said without a license including alcohol. So if I make a huge things of sangria or something like that with costco vodka I think that will defray some of my costs. If I only make a little bit of money I am good on that.
 
I’m not talking about licensing I’m talking about food safety requirements. I don’t think selling alcohol is too smart, then you have the added liability of the possibility of serving a minor. I think this festival sounds like a real tough “first” professional project.
Good luck pal, I think I need to stay away from this train wreck.
 
I was told I don’t need a license. So we’re all good there. I can show up and cook whatever I want. I am still waiting for a response on how many people I could be cooking for. I’m a little concerned that I’m not getting a response on that. But I’ll hound her on that. I am going to talk with local people to help with my plan for this. But I really need to know how many people I’ll be cooking for. And to be honest I have always used wsm’s so I would have to rent and practice on another cooker. I think I’ll make money. Basically I can do whatever I want she said without a license including alcohol. So if I make a huge things of sangria or something like that with costco vodka I think that will defray some of my costs. If I only make a little bit of money I am good on that.

I'd sell joints on the side too.

PBRs - 24oz for $3 All Day Long.
 
I was told I don’t need a license: Is the sales revenue going to you? If it is, you are considered a business and need to meet several requirements just from that aspect alone.

I can show up and cook whatever I want: The Department of Health and/or possibly other agencies may dictate this (I'm just talking out of my head here).

I am still waiting for a response on how many people I could be cooking for: If this is a public event how is it possible to nail-down a number?

I am going to talk with local people to help with my plan for this: if you are referring to people whom own food service businesses then you are a smart man to do this

But I really need to know how many people I’ll be cooking for: no restaurant knows this exact answer. That's why waste plays into your pricing structure (I am talking out of my head again; forgive me)

I think I’ll make money: try getting a small business loan without a solid plan and only on the basis of thinking you will turn a profit

I'm being hard because I don't want you yo sink. Forgive me if that bothers you but I won't apologize for trying to help you study hard about this.
 
Ok so I got a hold of her. She said her phone was broken. There are usually three vendors there she said. Right now they have two. But really I am the primary vendor. I’m going over to my local bar/food vendor as soon as he has time to give me some advice.
 
Selling booze without a license?? It is quite surprising you can do that , regardless of what state you're in (unless of course
it's white lightning ;) ).

And if someone gets food poisoning because of something they ate (your food or someone elses, who's to say) who do you think
they're going to sue?

All of us are being hard because what you're doing is well, it's not the right way to do it. IMO.
 
I’m going over to my local bar/food vendor as soon as he has time to give me some advice.

Great idea, buddy. As an aside, if you will also have the sole responsibility of collecting patrons' payments, I read from a 2017 survey that only 12% pay with cash, so you will also need a provider for merchant services and that fee is not free.
 
I'm a member of a nationwide gumball alliance, do you think we could set up some machines near your counter? I think there's a 30% profit split......

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