Starting a catering business in the UK requires adhering to food hygiene and safety regulations. It can be a lucrative career path but it is also highly competitive, requiring marketing skills, cost control, and creativity. Expenses for commercial equipment and facilities to start a catering business can be as high as £50,000. Catering offers flexibility and the ability to be your own boss, but it also involves long hours and excellent management and people skills to oversee staff and operations.

1. STARTING A CATERING
BUSINESS IN THE UK
THE BASICS
By Christopher Flatt
www.becomingachef.co.uk

2. You love food and cooking, but perhaps the repetitive
confines of a tiny steakhouse kitchen don’t exactly ignite
your culinary passion. Catering is a booming business in
Great Britain, and in fact the government calls the
industry one of the largest employers of young people
nationwide. There’s no question this is a valuable career
path for many foodies, but is it for you?

3. Pros And Cons Of Opening A UK Catering
Business
As With Any Career Choice, You Want To
Look At The Upsides And Downsides
Before Committing To A Food Service
Venture.

4.  Pros:
 You get to be your own boss, and dictate the type of food you
prepare.
 The constant change of scenery is ideal for those who become
bored being stuck in the same kitchen each night.
 There are ample catering degrees and training opportunities
available in the UK to help you learn the specifics of this type of
business.
 The robust industry means a wide variety of clientele options,
from small private affairs to huge conventions.

5.  Cons:
 The catering field in Great Britain is highly competitive, which
means you’ll need to have a fair bit of marketing knowledge and
cost-control skill.
 Consumers’ tastes are becoming more and more discriminating,
due to the ever-expanding selection of sophisticated food types
available, as well as media exposure of cooking techniques.
Creativity is key for success.
 Caterers typically have limited personal social time, due to the
nature of the long, unconventional work hours.
 This career choice requires excellent organizational and
diplomacy skills.

6. Caterers, Particularly Those With Large
Operations, Must Be Effective Managers
As Well As Food Experts. The Job
Encompasses A Variety Of Aspects
Which Require Not Only People Skills
But The Ability To Multitask.

7. Rules and Regulations for
Running a Catering Service
in the UK

8. As With Any Business, Red Tape Is Inevitable.
Not Only Do You Need To Adhere To Certain
Legal Requirements, But You’ll Have To Take
Extra Measures To Ensure Food Safety During
Transport And Storage (Such As Refrigerated
Trucks). The British Government Provides A
Pamphlet To Guide Caterers On Food Hygiene
Regulations. Topics Covered In These
Instructions Include:

9.  Premises: need to be clean, with suitable drinking water, lighting,
ventilation, restroom and handwashing facilities, and drainage
 Food prep: adequate for washing and storing food and
equipment, with easily cleanable surfaces
 Food storage: closed-lid storage for waste, and temperature
controls for dairy, cooked, and ready-to-eat uncooked foods (at
or below 8 degrees C)

10.  In addition, food service business in the UK must register with
the local Environmental Health Service (EHS) a minimum of 28
days prior to opening, even if running the operation out of your
home kitchen. If you plan to deal with alcohol, sell hot food or
drinks between the hours of 11pm and 5am, or sell your food
from a mobile unit or street stall, you will need permission from
your local licencing authority.
 Opening a catering business in the UK also means you will need
to handle staff issues such as recruitment, training in hygiene
and food safety procedures, payroll, leave, and discipline. If your
business is sizeable enough to employ a large staff, you may
want to hire a supervisor to handle some of these duties.

11. Cost Of Starting A UK Catering Business
 There’s no way around it, any business needs funding. Between
equipment and facilities, starting up could cost as much as
£50,000. You will need a minimum of two ovens, a commercial
microwave, a commercial refrigerator/freezer, quality pots, pans,
and knives, as well as crockery, china, and glassware. Starting
with your own home kitchen can save some money, although you
can expect to make at least some outlay to make required
changes in order to comply with hygiene and food safety laws.
 While a catering service can yield a respectable living for a
skilled individual, it’s one career you should go into because of a
passion for working with food and people.