Does anyone do Catering "Off the Radar?"


 
B

Bryan B

TVWBB Fan
Hello,

As I'm sure many of you guys have experienced, turning out food to family and friends cooked on the WSM can generate alot of rave reviews. Inevitably, you will hear comments like "you should open a restaurant" or "you should try catering."

It's something that's been in the back of my mind for the past couple years, but I haven't really put my foot on the pedal yet.

Upon doing some initial research, I found that you have to prepare food in a commercial kitchen which is inspected by the health department. This kitchen has to be somewhere separate from your home kitchen. The cost of that is pretty huge, and is something I'm not really prepared for at the moment.

I did also learn that there is a new movement called "incubator kitchens", which are commercial kitchens that are rented out for caterers and food truck vendors, and they generally charge about $15 to $25 per hour depending on how much you use their service.

That seems like it could be part of the solution, but I still don't see where you would smoke your meat. Since the incubator kitchen in my area is indoors only, I wouldn't be able to smoke meat there, so I don't think this would be a solution for me.

All of this has me thinking "What are the risks of catering without an official business license?" I kind of feel like the government gets enough of my money through income tax, sales tax, and property tax :)

Just curious if anyone else has done this, and if so, what you think the risks would be.
 
Your first and biggest risk is liability if someone thinks they got sick from your food. They may have gotten sick from to many drinks, the raw oysters that sat in their fridge for 3 weeks before they got home and ate them after the party etc etc.

Now ask yourself if your house, car, and all future earnings are worth what your getting for the small catering jobs you would get.

That being said I have done small jobs up to about 65 people but I do it for people I know and everyone who goes knows they are going to a "backyard" BBQ. I'm doing a whole hog in September and the person throwing the party is charging 10 bucks a head, they expect 100 people, and when all's said and done they give me a tip at the end for my time and trouble.
I also do pork butts for people and charge the cost of meat plus fuel plus a bit for my time and effort.
 
Bryan B said:
Hello,Upon doing some initial research, I found that you have to prepare food in a commercial kitchen which is inspected by the health department. This kitchen has to be somewhere separate from your home kitchen.
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I, too, have been thinking about starting a catering business on the side. I'm in Montgomery County, MD, in the least business friendly state in the nation. God Bless the liberals...but don't get me started...:mad:

Anyhow, a guy on this forum told me the same thing about needing a commercial kitchen to do catering in Maryland, but I would really need to see the law myself because the State website dealing with this stuff does not discuss that, and my neighborhood HOA puts on events all year round and we have an on-site caterer who preps and serves food right there on location. Burgers, dogs, sides, etc. He's not using a commercial kitchen, so I'm not sure what the "real" rules are in that regard.

I dunno. I'd need to do some digging before I could offer any worthwhile commentary. I can whine all day however. :D

Have a link to the state board in your state where it discusses the commercial kitchen requirement?
 
Jeff Bryson said:
I, too, have been thinking about starting a catering business on the side. I'm in Montgomery County, MD, in the least business friendly state in the nation. God Bless the liberals...but don't get me started...:mad:

Anyhow, a guy on this forum told me the same thing about needing a commercial kitchen to do catering in Maryland, but I would really need to see the law myself because the State website dealing with this stuff does not discuss that, and my neighborhood HOA puts on events all year round and we have an on-site caterer who preps and serves food right there on location. Burgers, dogs, sides, etc. He's not using a commercial kitchen, so I'm not sure what the "real" rules are in that regard.

I dunno. I'd need to do some digging before I could offer any worthwhile commentary. I can whine all day however. :D

Have a link to the state board in your state where it discusses the commercial kitchen requirement?
Click to expand...

Yes sir, here's the link.
 
Bob Sample said:
Your first and biggest risk is liability if someone thinks they got sick from your food. They may have gotten sick from to many drinks, the raw oysters that sat in their fridge for 3 weeks before they got home and ate them after the party etc etc.

Now ask yourself if your house, car, and all future earnings are worth what your getting for the small catering jobs you would get.

That being said I have done small jobs up to about 65 people but I do it for people I know and everyone who goes knows they are going to a "backyard" BBQ. I'm doing a whole hog in September and the person throwing the party is charging 10 bucks a head, they expect 100 people, and when all's said and done they give me a tip at the end for my time and trouble.
I also do pork butts for people and charge the cost of meat plus fuel plus a bit for my time and effort.
Click to expand...

Would the risk of being sued be bigger if you had an official business or if you were operating incognito? I don't really think about this stuff but I probably should. I would think that 99% of people wouldn't sue for food safety stuff, but you never know.
 
I catered my son's wedding reception at the local VFW but anyone who asked me about it I said it was just a backyard hobby. Under the Radar catering is not a good idea if you get pinched. Bob's points are the way to go. Invited friends and friends of friends to a backyard BBQ is NOT a catering job. Being reimbursed for fuel, supplies, and effort is nice.
 
Bryan B said:
Would the risk of being sued be bigger if you had an official business or if you were operating incognito? I don't really think about this stuff but I probably should. I would think that 99% of people wouldn't sue for food safety stuff, but you never know.
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Anyone with a legitimate business and a brain would have liability insurance so being sued isn't a major risk. Their are a lot of people out there that will take advantage of any opening to make a buck at your expense.

Like I said; if your willing to risk your house, everything you own, plus your future earnings go ahead. The chances of you making someone sick and being sued is probably slim but you need to be aware of the consequences if something goes wrong and decide wether or not it's worth it to you. I had a business in the trades and I know of guys doing under the table work who have lost everything.
 
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Bob Sample said:
Your first and biggest risk is liability if someone thinks they got sick from your food. They may have gotten sick from to many drinks, the raw oysters that sat in their fridge for 3 weeks before they got home and ate them after the party etc etc.

Now ask yourself if your house, car, and all future earnings are worth what your getting for the small catering jobs you would get.

That being said I have done small jobs up to about 65 people but I do it for people I know and everyone who goes knows they are going to a "backyard" BBQ. I'm doing a whole hog in September and the person throwing the party is charging 10 bucks a head, they expect 100 people, and when all's said and done they give me a tip at the end for my time and trouble.
I also do pork butts for people and charge the cost of meat plus fuel plus a bit for my time and effort.
Click to expand...

The food industry in general is hard work and often times when a fun hobby turns into work it is no longer enjoyable. My family has owned about a half dozen restaurants, I cooked professionally but when I did do side gigs it was something like what Bob Sample described.. for friends or people I knew. Sometimes I met people at Restaurant Depot and had them pay for food and supplies and I received a tip for my labor and time.
 
Bryan B said:
Would the risk of being sued be bigger if you had an official business or if you were operating incognito? I don't really think about this stuff but I probably should. I would think that 99% of people wouldn't sue for food safety stuff, but you never know.
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It only takes once ;)

Bob Sample said:
Anyone with a legitimate business and a brain would have liability insurance so being sued isn't a major risk. Their are a lot of people out there that will take advantage of any opening to make a buck at your expense.

Like I said; if your willing to risk your house, everything you own, plus your future earnings go ahead. The chances of you making someone sick and being sued is probably slim but you need to be aware of the consequences if something goes wrong and decide wether or not it's worth it to you. I had a business in the trades and I know of guys doing under the table work who have lost everything.
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Well said. If someone feels like your food made them sick, and they miss work, have Dr bills, an overnight to few-day stay in the hospital, lost wages due to inability to work, etc, you can bet you're liable for that- minimum. If you have no insurance, the judgment will be against your assets. This isn't a 'maybe'...
 
Well, I think you guys have firmly convinced me that catering without a business license isn't worth the risk.

It's kind of sad that you have to worry about all these things. I feel like our culture is more and more geared toward big business and corporations, and there is a lack of incentive for entrepreneurship. Our government almost discourages small business with the amount of taxes they have to pay. But I'm getting on a political bent here, anyways...

Next question I guess, does anyone do catering legally with the use of an incubator kitchen? If so, how does that work? Does the one you use have an outdoor section with a smoker?
 
I can tell you in New Jersey, it is illegal to make food at your residence and sell it in a restaurant. I tried getting a gig for a buddy of mine who owns a pub. The food must be cooked on the premises. The only way around that is for an inspector to come to your home and inspect all your appliances and food preparation areas. And if your kitchen or food prepping area is not 100% stainless steel, he will not approve you. And naturally he's not about to approve your backyard smoker either. If the restaurant gets caught, it's a $5000 fine. I could however, smoke meat behind the establishment in the parking lot and that would be okay I was told.
 
Bryan B said:
Next question I guess, does anyone do catering legally with the use of an incubator kitchen? If so, how does that work? Does the one you use have an outdoor section with a smoker?
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I'm not sure how that would work. I have a friend who owns an incubator kitchen, but she doesn't have a smoker there. I imagine that if somebody wanted, they could park a rig in back of the kitchen and somehow get that approved as part of the equipment, then you'd be good to go.
 
I can't speak for SC, but in Kansas one can 'cater' 6 events a year without a license.
Liability insurance is not that expensive.
The government doesn't care if you are getting paid or working for tips, if you feed the public it's catering.
We have our trailer licensed and cook out of that. It really isn't that hard to set up a trailer to meet the food code requirements.
Of course a trailer brings in the motor carrier laws, which is another huge PIA :mad:
Again, this is speaking from a Kansas perspective.
 
All states have different rules so take this for what it is worth. Keep in mind that when they say the food has to be prepared in an approved kitchen, they are not talking about it being smoked there. You could theoretically drive to Costco (or wherever) and buy a batch of pork butts, some bottled sauce and rub, some charcoal and wood. Throw the food stuff in a cooler with ice to maintain safe temps. Drive to your friends house where the party is going on and cook it all on site. In some states, that just about covers your requirments. Some may require the grill to be under cover or something but basically you are a contract cook at that point. You could even use their kitchen. It all changes if you want to sell road side or at an event or even cater an event at a rented hall.

Now, if you are making beans and slaw ahead of time or cooking up your own sauce, you have to do it in an approved kitchen. Different states have different requirements on that. Bottom line is, they dont want people preparing food in their house. They want something that a health inspector can look at periodically. If you had to rent it for prepping a few things, it really wouldnt be that costly. I agree that we are taxed and "fee-ed" to death but we should also expect that businesses incur reasonable expenses. If you think about it, if you go to a catered event, wouldnt you prefer the caterer prepared that food in a commercial kitchen and not where his dog and snotty 3 year old have been running around?

In Florida, one other option is a food truck or trailer for bbq. It has to meet certain requirements just like a kitchen such as proper sinks and ability keep food cold and/or hot. They still have to have a commissary or a place to dump water and be cleaned but that part isnt a huge deal.

Me and my neighbor did exactly what you describe. We cooked for large groups a lot and won some competitions and were constantly told we should do it for a business. We weighed all of the same things you are and determined there were too many risks associated with not going through the process. Dont get me wrong, it happens a lot. And if all you are going to do is catering jobs at someones house and prep everything on site, it can be done without much hassle. You still have the liability but some states dont regulate cooking on site like that too much. We chose to go through the process.

I ended up getting out of it because we are just too busy as a family. My daughter played competive sports at the time and I wasnt going to miss her games to do a gig. That and it became a lot less fun when it became a job. Plus I work a lot of hours anyway and adding shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning left very little time otherwise. I stepped out but my neighbor kept going and he now has a beautiful trailer complete with the fancy wrap and everything. He does events, he has done road side and catering as well. He still produces some amazing bbq but has a lot fewer worries because he is in a completely portable kitchen. As the business grows he will have to consider a larger smoker but at this point, he is still using the two 22" WSM's we originally started on.

Not sure if that helps but that is what I know about it.
 
Brian - I worked in the food business years and years ago and agree with most of the of the people here about risks / liability issues and especially with Mr. Reyes. The food business is very difficult. That said - here's an idea that might get you a feel for what it is like and might allow you a chance to "try" it for a day. Go to the Spartanburg Int'l food festival this fall (Oct 5 I think). There are always a few booths that are basically regular folks (don't own a restaurant) who know how to make a specialty food - typically Spanish, Greek, Phillipino, etc. They are advised certain requirement from the local authority and get inspected at the fair. These booths are really just catering for a day - you can watch and see what goes into prep , etc. You'll see some things that are sensible and smart, and some that are not so smart. Watch carefully and you'll feel comfortable eating at certain booths and others - well, you'll stay away. If you find a friendly vendor - ask them a few questions and you'll get an idea - and then if still interested, find a similar fair, ID the requirements and sign your self up...Prep, cook sell for a day...see how it goes. Good luck - Jim
 
J Reyes said:
The food industry in general is hard work and often times when a fun hobby turns into work it is no longer enjoyable. My family has owned about a half dozen restaurants, I cooked professionally but when I did do side gigs it was something like what Bob Sample described.. for friends or people I knew. Sometimes I met people at Restaurant Depot and had them pay for food and supplies and I received a tip for my labor and time.
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John, did you feel like the job took away the fun of cooking for you? Just curious. I've heard some people say that it does. if so, that would be a real shame. I interviewed a former BBQ restauranteur and he said that he lost his taste for BBQ after running the business for several years. That would also be a shame, because it's currently one of my favorite things to eat. Now, that might not happen to everyone, but that feedback was rather eye-opening.

Just curious as to what your take is since you have actual restaurant experience.

Thanks.
 
Bryan B said:
John, did you feel like the job took away the fun of cooking for you? Just curious. I've heard some people say that it does. if so, that would be a real shame. I interviewed a former BBQ restauranteur and he said that he lost his taste for BBQ after running the business for several years. That would also be a shame, because it's currently one of my favorite things to eat. Now, that might not happen to everyone, but that feedback was rather eye-opening.

Just curious as to what your take is since you have actual restaurant experience.

Thanks.
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No doubt, it can be physically and mentally draining, especially for the prep and volume cooks who prepare boxes and boxes of meat, veggies, etc. I’m sure there's a sizeable number of people in the industry that after being on their feet 8-10 hours smelling of dried sweat and food, and sweaty wet feet and shoes would rather take a cool shower and eat a salad or something easy to prepare.

I’m out of the industry now, so I do enjoy cooking for my co-workers (we have 2 kettles at work) and at home on weekends.
 
What fun is smoking ribs, bacon, butts and briskets if you have to put your financial a$$ on the line with every meal. Heck...... just do BBQ because it's FUN, it's good food and friends & family love it. Once you bring money into the picture, all the "fun" goes right out the window.
 
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