Love cooking?
Become a Caterer

Wouldn't you like to make cash from your kitchen? Well that's what you can do by becoming a home-based caterer.

By registering on this Diploma catering course, you'll learn how to set up your own catering or food business.

The course is a complete learning package, crammed full of information, tips and exercises.

Everything is beautifully packaged to provide you with your own permanent reference library which you can consult long after completing the course.
 
Constructed by experts, this catering course distills years of experience, covering every kind of catering issue. By taking this course, your success as a caterer is assured.

To help you fully understand the course material, we set you four assignments. They're marked by one of our experienced tutors, who will stay with you throughout the course.

It means your work is checked in a friendly atmosphere before you are exposed to the outside world.

You’ll have unlimited email access to your tutor, who'll give you free advice and suggestions on anything to do with catering. And you can always telephone an Advisor at the Institute. We love hearing from students.

Unlike other organisations' courses, you can take as long as you want to complete the Diploma course.
And remember that the course is based on the real world. By the end of it, you'll have met all the main problems that a caterer encounters.

Who would benefit from the course?
Anyone who enjoys cooking, and who'd like to see if they can set up as a caterer or sell the food they make, will enjoy this course.

And wherever you live in the world, this catering course is relevant to you. In addition, there's extra information for people in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

Does the course cover cooking skills and recipes?
No. You shouldn't enrol on the catering course unless you're competent in the kitchen. And you probably have enough recipe books without us adding more suggestions! However, we cover specialist subjects like modifying your recipes, and cooking for large numbers.

How long does the course take?
You can complete the course in four to six months, depending on your other commitments. Some students do it faster, while others take longer. That's one advantage of distance learning. You learn at your own speed, not at your teacher's.

And there's no time limit on the course. So if you need to be away for six months, you can do so.
 

When you complete the course
Once you complete the course, you’ll receive your Diploma. It's a recognition of your skills and knowledge.

We also send information about your success to your local newspapers. It’s a good way of telling potential clients that you’re available.

And if you register with the Institute, you can get continuing help after the course.

What you'll learn from the course
By the end of the course, you'll have acquired the following skills:

•You'll have learnt the skills of professional catering.

•You'll know how to set up and run your own catering firm or speciality food business

Your Qualification
 Students who satisfactorily complete the Diploma in Catering course are awarded the Diploma in Professional Catering (right). They also receive the Diploma certificate, and the right to use the letters Dip. Cater (Inst. Cater) after their name.

We've put the course fees in the enrolment form (click to visit the page).

New! You get a free copy of Business Blueprints
 
This 47 page book contains complete step-by-step checklists for starting a successful business.

NCFE Level 2 Accreditation
Our course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award equivalent to Level 2 of the National Learning Framework.
NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

Accreditation
The Institute is fully accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC) and recognised as a distance education provider!

The ODLQC was set up by the government to assess standards in distance education and evaluate institutions based on the instructors, financial planning and management systems. The ODLQC is responsible for ensuring that an accredited institution maintains the high level of quality education it provides and they are extremely stringent about the rules.
 

Here's what you'll find in your course pack:
•Quick Start guide, to get you started on the course.

•A sturdily bound set of course modules that lies flat for ease of study. They contain detailed, practical information that guides you skillfully towards becoming a caterer.

•Catering assignments. Your assignments will be carefully marked with personal advice by an experienced tutor.

•A stylish case that keeps all your course material.

•A study guide and planner that helps you organize your study.

•Self-assessment exercises. They occur throughout the course to help you get organized for catering. They also check that you can tackle each type of catering.

•Question and Answer sheets for you to have your queries answered.

•49 Winning Ways to Promote your Service booklet. Great ideas to get you started. This booklet is not available elsewhere.

•A catering workbook

Syllabus

1Introduction.
 How the course is structured
How to do the course

2. Services
Party catering - kids
Parties - adults
Boardroom lunches
Sandwich delivery
Weddings
Funerals
Accessory services
Conference catering
Other opportunities: TV and radio

3. Products
Jams
Chutneys
Sandwiches - retail
Baked products (bread, cakes etc)
Sweets or chocolates
Drinks, wine
Food for photo shoots
Meals for the freezer

4. In the kitchen
Layout
Health and hygiene, the local authority
Safety
Hiring a kitchen or local hall. Costs. Advantages

5. Operations
Tools
Baking
Frying
Refrigeration and storage
Sourcing your raw materials
Administration. The PC. Software for caterers.
Waste management. Waste disposal. Regulations.

6. Event planning and organisation
The brief
Costings
Preparation
On the day
Transport
Alcohol
Linen. Tables. Cutlery. Hire.

7. Marketing
Market research
Observation. Desk, internet, library research. Competitors' literature.
Postal surveys
Street surveys
Telephone survey.
Focus group
Test marketing. The Hall Test.
Positioning
Branding
Promotion
Direct mail
Advertising
PR
Website
Selling
To whom?
You, or someone else?
If someone else, remuneration
Marketing and selling a service
Finding clients
Advertising
Meeting the prospect.
Understanding their needs
Writing a proposal
Follow-up calls
Marketing a product
Branding
Labelling
Packaging
Finding customers (retailers etc)
Advertising
Direct sales (mail order/internet). Advantages and pitfalls.

8. Product distribution
Own vehicle
Carrier

9. People
Hiring, training and managing staff
Production (cooks, assistants)
Drivers
Marketing (PR. Retainer?)
Ad agency
Design consultancy
Contracts
Book keeper, accountant
Employment legislation
Insurance. Liability insurance

10. Finance
Costing: direct costs, overheads
Revenue forecasting
Pricing
Profit
Tax: personal, corporation, VAT
Book keeping
Accountant
Product costs
Direct costs: Ingredients. Retailer margin. Packaging. Delivery.
Overheads (marketing, heating, lighting, cooking, staffing.)
Product revenue: invoice retailers or direct customers in advance. Setting up accounts. Credit management.
Service costs
Direct costs: Ingredients, hire of staff, equipment hire.
Overheads:
Service revenue
Profit: Cost plus %.
Setting up a bank account
Borrowing money (own money, family, bank, capital venture). Bank may require business plan, and 50% own capital.

11. Legal
Company type: Sole trader, limited company, or partnership.
Kitchen - complying with health and safety regulations.
Contracts - staff and customers  

Handbook
Suppliers (Hire firms, packaging and container suppliers, filling equipment. Kitchen equipment).
Organisations (Environmental health Dept)
Worksheets (Invoice, statement)
Easy guide to catering legislation

As you can see, it's a comprehensive course. It covers everything you need to know.

And it'll be an invaluable reference work after you complete the course.

Remember, too, that you've got your tutor and the advisors at the Institute whenever you need them.